[sgiitk]

I have seen some comments announcing the death of the SLR in favour of high end cameras in Mobile Phones. Many cameras have started coming with zoom lenses.

I do have an SLR Nikon 5500 small frame with a 18-140mm f3.5-5.6 and a 35mm f1.8 lens. The zoom is my primary lens while the fixed focus is handy whee the small snout and the open aperture help. I am quite happy with it.

Also, you can shoot, preview, and delete the waste. Then use my deskjet to print the image. Using a glossy photopaper the quality is excellent.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

I have seen some comments announcing the death of the SLR in favour of high end cameras in Mobile Phones. Many cameras have started coming with zoom lenses.

I do have an SLR Nikon 5500 small frame with a 18-140mm f3.5-5.6 and a 35mm f1.8 lens. The zoom is my primary lens while the fixed focus is handy whee the small snout and the open aperture help. I am quite happy with it.

Also, you can shoot, preview, and delete the waste. Then use my deskjet to print the image.

I don't think there can be any doubt that cameras in mobile phones have taken a lot of business away from the traditional camera manufacturer. Initially, it impacted the point and shoot cameras, but it has worked its way up to the high end SLRs. A number of these manufacturers are reducing their new models, there is also the endless debate about other format, notably mirror less cameras. The latter are capable of providing the same performance and sometimes outperform SLRs depending on the situation.

I am still a member of the RPS (https://rps.org/). Over the last five years, we see more and more members moving to mirror and even mobile phones.

What type of camera is best is for photographers similar as petrolheads discussing what the best club oil is.

At the end of the day, it is about what you feel comfortable with. Not what the internet or other sources tell you.

By the way, if you thought the mobile phone made a big impact on photography, wait till you see what impact AI will have on the way we take images, edit images and look at images.

Jeroen

[sgiitk]

Jeroen; Today you have a run of the mill mobile with Hasselblad optics. They are making it their selling point.

I am sure that many of better known systems have optics from the big boys, but the mobile and /or camera vendor do no shout from the housetop.

[Sedate driver]

Basically if the photography requirements are family, occasional trips and social events, then a midrange phone is capable and sometimes better than a DSLR or mirrorless too. Especially with Gcam installed in budget phones, the images are far better than the stock camera app. Unless your requirements are wildlife, birding, sports, product photography etc. then a mirrorless camera with the appropriate lens is the obvious choice. For casual photography and even night time photography, the mobile phone cameras are now so much evolved providing great results.

[sgiitk]

One other way of looking at it. is the SLR demand sufficient for the makers to invest in further R&D or will they switch to limited support in updating the sensors and stop developing the cameras as a whole. I think we are coming to that.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

... I think we are coming to that.

I think not! Look at the last couple of generations from Sony. The new AI autofocus is quite a leap forward. The announced a9iii (albeit a very expensive niche model) breaks different barriers.

I'm tempted to think that there is not that much more than incremental improvements that they can do, but the latest cameras prove me wrong.

I just bought a7iv. A generation or two behind latest-tech. But, to me, it is a huge improvement.

One area remains largely unaddressed, although I think Canon have had a go. The camera being able to answer the question what am I photographing? Which person, object, etc, to focus on? Tracking eye movement to see what/who we are looking at.

The point&shoot is dead. We all use our phones. But I think that "real cameras" still have future

[Jeroen]

Just for reference some statistics on what cameras are behind the winning shots in competitions, such as the world press. This was two years ago!

SLRs made up 50% of all images taken, with mirrorless making up 36.9%.

See https://petapixel.com/2021/04/16/the...ss-photo-2021/

Jeroen

[sgiitk]

Thad & Jeroen I also wish what you state is correct, but commercially I have doubts. The pace of development will definitely slow down. A lot may depend on the success of 'physically zoom' optics in the mobiles.

Remember normal zoom on mobile is electronic and is achieved by reducing the number of pixels. This is why I disable digital zoom on my camera. A physical zoom is not handicapped. But then there is a miniature motor involved. it may also involve movement of some lens elements (could be piezoelectric). A mobile in the short to medium term cannot be as versatile as a proper camera.

See Hasselblad was the king of medium format cameras, now they are into mobiles.

For a top end printout on A4 photopaper you need 3-4 Mega Pixels. So we are already in a gross overkill area. Once can say a properly framed picture if it is say 10 MP can take a decent amount cropping and still meet the requirements.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

"SLRs made up 50% of all images taken, with mirrorless making up 36.9%."

I don't doubt that DSLRs (with mirror) are coming to the end of their road. I don't follow, but any new models in last year or three?

However, they are going to be out there, and working, for many years. And people will still be using them, even if they are not buying them as new cameras.

I skipped DSLR, and went from "bridge" and P&S direct to mirrorless. If I had not done, even I might still be using an old trusted camera friend. Some of us get GAS, but not everybody is desperate to update to the latest/bestest. Contrary to the impression that one gets from sites like Sony Alpha Rumours, I think that professionals, particularly, are not. What works and takes good pictures is more than good enough for them.

So there are, and will be for some time, lots of flapping mirrors out there

(Having said that, the last couple of functions I've attended were photographed and videoed by Sony mirrorless)

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

For a top end printout on A4 photopaper you need 3-4 Mega Pixels. So we are already in a gross overkill area. Once can say a properly framed picture if it is say 10 MP can take a decent amount cropping and still meet the requirements.

I don't think that print should be the reference these days, because it is a minority thing. The reference should be the monitors, and even the large TV screens, on which many people view/show their pics.

Of course, even more so, the tiny screen, where even gross errors in focus disappear.

[amitoj]

I have dusted off my trusty Canon EOS 50D (it's not even full frame!) and brought it along for the family trip to Canada. Plan to have some good father-daughter bonding time as I show her how to use the camera in full manual mode. We took a few portrait shots in the van and I enjoyed the process of playing around with aperture, ISO, shutter, framing etc that I would not have been able to enjoy with my phone. I dont know how many more times I will take the camera out though.

On a different note, I thought I should upgrade to a full frame and started looking for used ones but to my surprise, I didn't find any good deals! What gives? I need to look more closely?

[sgiitk]

Today Digital is the way since production and sale of film and photopaper has more of less ceased. So the question remaining whether a camera or mobile.

There and things a camera can do, which a mobile cannot. But the gap is narrowing and I expect that R&D will concentrate on the big market, ie mobile. So this gap may at some point reverse.

So like it or not the mobile is the future. One thing it is always there. As I mentioned, with physical zoom coming the mobile will be the future. In most cases you post process the image to do what you want. So expect better software for image processing.

[shankar.balan]

What is the opinion of our learned camera experts on the Sony RX100 Mark 7 Compact point and shoot camera- the ‘Traveller’s Companion’?

Its quite expensive but looks very ‘accomplished’.
I would love to hear more from the experts here before taking a plunge.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

What is the opinion of our learned camera experts on the Sony RX100 Mark 7 Compact point and shoot camera- the ‘Traveller’s Companion’?

I.

It's a very good and capable camera. Plenty of reviews to choose from, they will tell you all the same thing.

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/son...100-vii-review

At the end of the day, the RX100 VII does something we previously thought inconceivable: it takes the speed and AF accuracy/usability of a high-end sports camera and puts it in a camera that not only offers an incredibly versatile zoom range, but also fits in your pocket. For parents or travel photographers seeking a camera that will 'just get the shot,' regardless of the distance or movement of the subject, this is a fantastic choice. Low light may not be its forte, but the reach and quality of its lens combined with the reliability of its AF system make it a great companion to always have in your pocket.

It's most limiting factor is shooting under dim light. But other than that, very capable little camera

Jeroen

[tbppjpr]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

What is the opinion of our learned camera experts on the Sony RX100 Mark 7 Compact point and shoot camera- the ‘Traveller’s Companion’?

Its quite expensive but looks very ‘accomplished’.

This camera has got just 1 inch sensor which has started appearing in some of the smartphones. So the day is not too far away when there will be smartphones surpassing the quality of this camera with the help of their AI and image processing capabilities. That day you may ditch this camera and get one of those smartphone.

I would rather suggest to consider the ZV-E10 which is a proper ILCE camera with larger APSC sensor and pocketable as well with the right choice of lenses. There are few low profile lenses available by Sony and third parties which can be considered.

One downside is it does not have the viewfinder. It costs less than 60K with the kit lens on the offline camera stores. its more of a video oriented camera but takes decent photos as well.

If viewfinder is important then consider A6400 or later in the similar form factor. 6xxx series cameras are more photo oriented than videos. Latest is the 6700, if budget allows then consider this or see if you can get some deals on the previous gen 6600.

Nikon Z30 is another compact ILCE camera if you want to go that route. Canon's smallest is M50 but has traditional design with raised viewfinder in the center so not as compact as Sony 6xxx series or Nikon Z30.

Get ILCE camera so that you can keep adding more lenses as per your needs.