It seems that the latest trend in commenting about digital cameras is to proclaim that we're seeing the death of the DSLR. Analysts, reporters, bloggers, and even Joe and Jill Consumer have been repeating that phrase for a while now.
Some reality: even film SLRs aren't dead. They're still being made, though in limited quantity and from only a few dwindling vendors. It's darned hard to kill a successful product platform. Instead, they tend to only fade with time. Really popular products are kept alive by a handful of diehards who are willing to pay more to keep what they know and like (witness the LP crowd in audio). Death, it seems, is over reported for product categories.
So are DSLRs dying? First you have to ask "what constitutes a DSLR?" Is a Sony A77 a DSLR, or because of the non-optical viewfinder should we consider it something different? Maybe we should call it a DSLE (Digital Single Lens Electronic ;~). Clearly, most people don't regard the NEX and Pen cameras as DSLRs, yet in Japan they're counted in the same category (interchangeable lens cameras). So if we use Japanese statistics, interchangeable lens cameras are actually growing in unit volume. Of course, the "growth" in those numbers comes entirely from mirrorless cameras and not traditional DSLRs, whose sales have been flat or slightly declining.
The thing driving the "DSLR is dead" mantra is the (incorrect) perception that some mirrorless cameras have gotten to the point where they can do everything a DSLR can and will completely replace them. For example, we have the Sony NEX-7 with a 24mp DX sensor, which puts it higher in resolution than a D7000, right? And we've got the Olympus E-P3 with the "fastest autofocus of any interchangeable lens camera," which makes it faster than a D3s, right? Plus we've got the GH2, which has better video than the 5DII or the D5100.
What's happening is something a bit different than what most people think is happening. As sensors and imaging have gotten to very high levels of performance, it's starting to allow us to choose our cameras for purpose. A similar thing happened with computers, where we eventually got tablets, netbooks, laptops, all-in-ones, and desktop systems. In other words, we're seeing choice appear rather than have only two basic choices (low-end non-performing compact camera and high-end high-performing DSLR). Today I can make a choice of camera to carry with me and use. For truly casual images it might be the Olympus XZ-1. For convenience over ultimate performance it might be the Olympus E-P3 or E-PL3. For ultimate performance over convenience it might be my D3s and D3x. Ultimately, the images I take with all these cameras are all "good enough" because I've chosen the right camera for the right task.
Frankly, I do the same thing with computers as I do with cameras: use the one that's best suited for the purpose at hand. For travel where weight and size are a concern, my computer of choice is a Macbook Air. For other travel I use a Macbook Pro. In the office I'm using an older MacPro that's been upgraded to death. So are desktop systems dead? No, though they don't sell in the quantity that they used to--most of the action is in portable devices these days (laptops and tablets).
The same thing is happening with cameras: DSLRs will continue to be a mainstay of pros and those who require ultimate performance. DSLRs aren't dead, and they aren't dying. Will mirrorless cameras outsell DSLRs? Quite probably, though we're still a fair way from that happening.
Be careful of the messenger, too. Panasonic doesn't make DSLRs, so they want you to believe the DSLR is dead message. Olympus, too, has basically transitioned from a DSLR company to a mirrorless one, so they really would like you to believe the DSLR is dead. Sony, well, they just want to sell something and have taken the tact of making everything to see what sticks. If you buy a Sony NEX thinking DSLRs are dead they'll be happy. If you buy an A77 thinking that a DSLE is better than a DSLR, they'll be happy. If you buy one of their few remaining DSLRs, they'll be happy. Just buy something with Sony written on the front seems to be their current message.
The DSLR is not dead. It just has siblings.