I'm sure that the market for SLRs of any kind is pretty small, and getting smaller every year.
The 35mm SLR was successful against the cameras of the day because it was smaller, lighter, and cheaper. The picture quality wasn't as good, but it was good enough. And the SLR design was ideal for interchangeable-lens systems. Today the digital point-and-shoots are smaller and lighter than the SLR-based designs. The picture quality is certainly good enough for most users, and the optical quality of all but the cheapest models is impressive. Look at what you can get from Sony or Nikon for $500-$600. Very few people will need the extra flexibility of an interchangeable-lens system when you can get cameras that fit in your pocket with 8x or 10x zoom. Sure, there will continue to be a small market for SLRs, both film and digital. But even there it looks as though the digital market is moving to smaller, lighter models; both Canon and Pentax are introducing smaller, lighter lenses for the smaller sensors. In the perpetual tradeoff between quality and convenience the arguments for stopping at the 35mm-sized SLR are decreasing. > I hear you, but have to wonder. > Will the current crop of 25 year olds ever move to a digital SLR? > They don't know anything about film qualities. > When they need to replace that old 5 megapixel Sony, > will it be another point-n-shoot with 15 megapixels? > > I don't know how long it will be before > digital completely superceeds 35mm film cameras. > I am paying attention to what the publishers are doing. > When I hear that they want digital, I get uncomfortable. > When digital is good enough for their higher quality uses, > 35mm film becomes a hobby item. > > Bob S. > > >From: Alin Flaider <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > Bob, I am aware of the omnipresence of digital p&s over the pond. > > Last autumn in NY I could hardly spot a SLR elsewhere than at B&H, > > while digicams were all over the place. I also agree the demand for > > digicams is even far from reaching the peak. > > > > My point is that DSLRs still appeal to those who want image > > quality, speed, versatility, etc. and it's likely that current > > owners of film SLRs will get a DSLR as soon as it enters their > > affordable area for the very same reasons they purchased the film > > SLR in the very beginning. Of course some that inherited or got > > accidentally in the SLR will be perfectly happy with digi-toys, but > > I suspect an important segment won't settle for less than a DSLR. > > Then the potential DSLR market amounts to what? - even for Pentax > > users base the figure must be in the millions. It would be foolishly > > for Pentax to ignore it. > > _________________________________________________________________ > Get MSN 8 Dial-up Internet Service FREE for one month. Limited time offer-- > sign up now! http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/dialup >
