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2018 was the biggest shakeup in years for the camera world
2018 was the tipping point for mirrorless cameras.
If you're a photographer who fears change, 2018 might've shook you up. First Sony launched the A7 III, arguably the world's best full-frame camera, then Fujifilm released the X-T3, the top APS-C model you can buy right now. Right after that, Canon and Nikon launched all-new full-frame mirrorless systems with three new cameras, the EOS R, Z6 and Z7. To top it off, mirrorless video champ Panasonic announced it was diving into full-frame mirrorless as well with two new models, the S1 and S1R.
This is the biggest upheaval in the camera industry for years and could have a big impact on your buying decisions. On top of that, companies that don't adapt quickly may not survive, especially in a market gutted by ever more incredible smartphone cameras -- and moving fast will be a challenge for conservative companies like Canon and Nikon. Based on everything that happened in 2018, you can expect more drama and turmoil in 2019, but also even more innovative and interesting cameras.
[...] While Full-frame is great, most of us don't have $1,500 or more to throw down on a camera, let alone the lenses. What I hope to see is the same level of innovation on more affordable mirrorless products that cost under $1,000. With multi-camera AI-powered smartphones starting to close the gap there, too, camera companies have got to bring some of the same capabilities. Here's hoping that 2019 is just as eventful as 2018, if not more so.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by fyngyrz on Friday December 28 2018, @06:49PM
No argument from me. And there is the effect of budget at the consumer end, which in turn affects the viability and ultimate pricing of any undertaking to make higher end devices.
Still, I think mirrorless will likely survive and prosper, just as DSLRs did, and for the same reasons. While the majority may be satisfied with mediocrity, I think it likely that there's a large enough market out there to support further development and marketing of higher performance cameras.
My personal hope is that a high quality mirrorless body will arrive from Canon that will mate up with my collection of EF prime lenses. The last round of DSLRs from Canon was... underwhelming. The EOS 6D mkI was the last camera they made that I thought was exciting in terms of price/performance. The 6D mkII... just offered nothing at all I was interested in. I wasn't exactly alone in that, either.
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