May 28
Sticking with DSLR? Don't Worry, Be Happy. With camera sales overall still contracting, and with so many players duking it out in full frame mirrorless and dangling discounts to grab business, it's easy to see the Dark Side of the situation. Article on dslrbodies.com
What's Likely to Go Away? The common theme you see now is that we're in a DSLR-to-mirrorless transition period. I would agree, but that doesn't mean that DSLRs go away completely, nor does it mean everything will go away. After all, Nikon is still building a high-end film SLR body and selling it (F6). Article on dslrbodies.com
May 24
Sony Reports Growth and Contraction. Sony still seems reluctant to share unit volume information with investors, but in their ongoing presentations to the financial community centered around the completion of their fiscal year, they've been sharing more information than before. Article on sansmirror.com
May 23
May 20
Where Are We? (Part IV or V, I've Lost Count). For over a decade I've been writing the following about the currently-available digital cameras: "if you can't get good-looking prints at the maximum size a desktop printer can produce, it isn't the camera that's the problem." Article on dslrbodies.com
My Shortest Essay on the Camera Market Yet. In dealing with all the feedback from my article on the Brutal Quarter, I found myself responding with a simple truth. Article on dslrbodies.com
yumm
May 16
Nikon Z Firmware Update and Service Advisory. The 2.00 version of the Z6 and Z7 firmware appeared from Nikon today. Nikon also issued a Service Advisory for some Z6 and Z7 serial numbers to fix the sensor VR. Article on sansmirror.com. Aside: Many have asked me to comment about whether or not the firmware update was "enough." No, the 2.0 update doesn't address all the issues I and others have found with the Z's, but neither has Canon or Sony addressed all their problems, either. For me, a substantive update from Nikon is a good sign, and I hope that they continue to make additional substantive updates in the future.
May 14
The Brutal Quarter. Now that everyone has reported their detailed financial information we can see just how bad the January through March numbers were. Article on dslrbodies.com
May 13
Credit Where Credit is Due. We're now at a stage with the mirrorless market where we can better evaluate how various strategies have played out. I believe in giving credit where credit is due, so here we go. Article on sansmirror.com
Software Alliances. Fujifilm users in the US can now get a free copy of Skylum Luminar by entering the serial number of a Fujifilm lens. Article on sansmirror.com
Samyang introduced a new 45mm f/1.8 lens for Sony FE cameras.
May 9
Nikon's Full Frame Strategy. This is the time of year that most of the Japanese companies are doing "corporate" things: revealing fiscal year results, making management and structure changes, and outlining changes to short, medium, and long-term plans. Today Nikon reported on their medium term plan (they're in the middle of a three-stage process). Every Nikon user probably should take a gander at that document, as there are clear implications in it for photographers. Article on dslrbodies.com
Nikon Full Year Results. Nikon reported the same thing we've been seeing from the other camera companies: the January to March quarter was pretty miserable. Miserable enough that Nikon missed by 3% on revenue and profit on the already downgraded estimates they made not too long ago. Article on dslrbodies.com
May 8
Canon introduced the 85mm f/1.2L for the RF mount.
May 7
Hope versus Fear. It seems that society is always migrating toward two opposing expectations, and this dichotomy is even showing up in the photographic community: hope versus fear. Article on dslrbodies.com
May 3
New Other Discounts. The disastrous first quarter coupled with the usual desire to push gear during the second busiest time of the year for camera sales—Mother's Day through Graduation—has everyone introducing discounts. I've already outlined the Canon and Nikon mirrorless deals, here are the rest of the mirrorless camera makers. Article on sansmirror.com
Thom's Preferred Sony APS-C Lens Set. Someone asked me recently which lenses they should get for their new Sony A6400 (besides the kit lens they got). That made me realize that I had recommended lens sets for the Nikon DX and FX cameras on dslrbodies.com, but haven't yet really built such things for all the mirrorless cameras here in the sansmirror.com lens section. Today I'll tackle Sony APS-C (A5xxx, A6xxx bodies). I've add more mounts soon. Article on sansmirror.com