Perhaps no category in all of imaging has had a more interesting last year or so than the DSLR market. While HD video stole the headlines last year, the early part of 2010 has been about the continued advancements in Micro Four Thirds (MFT) technology.
The introduction of interchangeable lens mirrorless cameras from Olympus, Panasonic and, now, Samsung, has created a new category of DSLRs. Although technically, these mirrorless cameras are not DSLRs, they are aimed at consumers who want the flexibility of interchangeable lenses without the bulk and weight of a DSLR.
Add Sony's new Exmor APS HD MOS sensor concept to the mix—a series of very compact interchangeable lens cameras that will also shoot 1080p HD video—and there is certainly a lot for consumers to try and wrap their picture-taking brains around.
While all this is generally viewed as a boon to the category, it does cast the overall DSLR market in an interesting light. What direction is the category really headed in today and how is the retailer making sure they get the right camera in the hands of their customers?
There are those that will argue that the interchangeable lens part of the equation is really reserved for the more serious shooters but the smaller form factor of the MFT system will appeal to consumers who are looking to step up from their point-and-shoots but like the “grab-and-go” appeal of a smaller form factor.
“Take a look around next time you're in a tourist spot or at the local soccer game and you'll see mostly sub-$1,000 DSLRs with the kit lens still on the front,” said Scott Tilman, a prosumer from Long Island, N.Y., who shoots for the local school district in his area. “Most snapshooters are interested in a camera that will take better pictures but they don't want to deal with any kind of a learning curve at all. The retailers have to do a bit more hand-holding here.”
That's the audience that manufacturers had in mind when they designed the Micro Four Thirds concept but some consumers feel a bit confused.
“I understand how much better the pictures I can capture with a DSLR are,” explained Georgeanne Greene, a New Yorker and the prototypical soccer mom. “I just don't have any real interest in changing lenses and I thought the MTF cameras afforded me that advantage. But then I went to buy one and the guy started talking to me about additional lenses.”
The serious shooters are claiming that it's important to note that the MFT models should not be considered a replacement for a DSLR. “A DSLR is simply a much more advanced camera and that's important to note,” Tilman added. “They have a much faster AF, greater flash depth and DSLR systems are vast compared to what's currently available with Micro Four Thirds.”
Olympus's Senior Marketing Manager John Knaur, when speaking about exactly where MTF fits in the equation, added, “There is a whole group of disenfranchised shooters out there who want SLR photo quality and interchangeable lenses but not the overhead of size, weight and sometimes complexity.”
Tilman added a retailer needs to make that distinction with their current DSLR owners or many will feel they were misled with a MFT buy. “Even though the MFT stuff is being lumped in to the DSLR category, they are really different animals with very different intended buyers,” he reasoned.
HD Video To Go
The other hot trend is the addition of HD video in many new DSLRs, a feature added to the mix to, as Nikon's Marketing GM Ed Fassano explains, “inspire new levels of creativity and originality.”
And that it has, as many of the pro shooters we spoke with claim the imaging landscape has changed so dramatically in the last few years the tools simply weren't keeping pace.
“Media outlets today are absolutely content hungry, as are consumers, and the idea of dealing with someone who only provides one form of capturing that content is getting less and less appealing,” explained Len Crenshaw, who shoots for a New Jersey-based ad agency.
As dazzling a feature as this has been for the category, mastering it is proving quite tricky for many. “It's an extremely difficult thing to master,” explained Roy Samuels, a commercial shooter out of New York. “There's a completely different mindset to shooting video and I've found that it's about way more than flicking a switch on the camera—it's much more about flicking a switch in your head. There's sound, there's a new way to interpret movement and there's a new way to look at the essence of time. I also think the camera manufacturers that are getting into this are finding that out as well.”
Another opportunity for the imaging retailer to separate themselves from the pack is to provide some insight into this issue for those that are juiced over the HD feature but who's imaging eyes might be a tad bigger than their stomachs. Helping your customers master the art of shooting video with a DSLR should be a front-burner priority moving forward.
All this being said, the category has never offered a more enticing combination of form and function from a wide array of manufacturers and shooters have never had available to them the kinds of outlets to share their creations that are present today.
While YouTube remains a popular avenue for photographers to post videos, Vimeo, initially the only site to offer streaming HD video, has become an extraordinary force in the online video-sharing arena. According to Blake Whitman, Director of Community and Product at Vimeo, DSLR HD video is driving a segment on Vimeo.
“People get a DSLR with HD video and instantly they have the power at their fingertips to create beautiful images without a background in filmmaking,” he explained. But Vimeo, which offers the ability to play 1080p, is more than just a place for photographers to show and share their videos. As Whitman points out, many people are looking to Vimeo for technical information as well, since photographers are uploading tests and scenes in which they try new lenses. Photographers like Vincent Laforet and Philip Bloom among others “who are very outspoken about this new revolution in filmmaking” are driving a lot of people to experiment, says Whitman who adds that many of the videos featured as “staff picks” are HD DSLR films.
Further, he adds, “I see HD DSLRs as a way to expose anyone to beautiful filmmaking—whether a narrative or by taking home videos to the next level…It's narrowing the gap between professional and consumer.”
However, for the retailer selling all this it's important to understand that “gap” does still exist and understanding both sides of it is a key to selling the right cameras to right people.
