The future of DSLRs

[DQE]

Perhaps this post belongs in the General Interest subforum.

Anyway, here's a link to a WSJ article summarizing how DSLRs and even pocket point-and-shoot cameras are rapidly being zapped in the marketplace by cell phone cameras.

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB1 ... #printMode

For unknown reasons this article is not behind the WSJ's paywall for me - let me know if you can't access it and I'll post a few excerpts.

It will presumably be impossible for the camera makers to come out with new or improved models if their customer base has evaporated except for a few hard-core specialists (macro, high-end bird photography, professional portrait photography, etc).

I wonder if this trend isn't a real threat to those of us who want to extract the last quantum of image quality from our specialized photography hobby or profession?

Perhaps the DSLR market is already just a very specialized niche and it is not under any new threats from mass market issues?

Will Canon and Nikon stay in the DSLR business if they lose all their other camera businesses to cell phone cameras?

[Edward Ruden]

It will presumably be impossible for the camera makers to come out with new or improved models

I don't see this as a possibility. Cell phone cameras and point-and-shoots both address the same niche of "stuff in your pocket/purse that you always carry around at the ready". Why carry two little things, when one will do? It will not reduce the number of photo buffs and their bag of lenses.

[SONYNUT]

the industry is going down the toilet..the instagram mentality is ruining photography..this is not art..it is crap. but the Beiber crowd loves it

[g4lab]

The fact that cellphone cameras need to be thin limits what they can do.

It is sort of cool that whenever anything happens there are humanoids there with cameras to take pictures of the unfolding dramas.

But they all seem to have fixed fairly short focal length and slow lenses. (unless I am mistaken which is possible since I don't own nor follow smartphone development)

Can anyone explain the smartphone with the "42 megapixel camera"?

I don't think camera nuts are going to go extinct anytime soon. It could happen with the much younger generation though, I suppose.

[microcollector]

The 42 megapixel camera does not provide a 42 megapixel image but two images, one at 38 megapixels and a smaller one. I have one and the bigger image is supposed to be a higher resolution but to me, on my monitor, the smaller image looks better. It does well in low light and is fine for when I don't need my regu7lar dslr.

As for dslr camera going away, I think the entry and mid level ones may disappear but the high end ones will survive. It is similar to what is happening with the drop in computer sales. Many folks have found they can get by with just an iPad or similar device.