Re: P&S sales continue to tank while DSLR sales thrive

On Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:21:09 -0700, SMS wrote:

ray wrote:

<snip>

And most of us don't. So why would we be expected to use the same
equipment?

Not the same equipment, since the professionals were no doubt using
high-resolution, full-frame Nikon and Canon D-SLRs to produce the
absolute best quality image that would later be printed in large sizes.
But there are many reasons for the non-professional to choose a D-SLR on
many occasions as well.

1. You shoot in low light. Modern digital SLRs are able to produce low
noise images at ISO speeds up to 1600, depending on the camera. Point
and shoot cameras, with their small sensors, begin to exhibit noise at
ISO 200, with some poorer models being too noisy even at 100 ISO.

I don't.


2. You want to use flash attachments. While a few higher end point and
shoot digital models have hot shoes for an external flash, most do not.
Some Canon P&S models without hot shoes can use a wireless flash, but
it's not a great flash unit.

I don't. But, I have, on occasion, used a hot shoe slave - no bit deal.

3. You need an extreme wide-angle lens. Digital SLRs have
super-wide-angle zoom lenses available with an effective focal length of
as little as 16mm. There are no point and shoot digital cameras with
lenses that wide. With some point and shoot cameras you can add on
adapters to increase the wide-angle range, but even the best adapters
are of mediocre quality. Some ZLR cameras do give you a moderately wide,
28mm lens.

Yes, the moderately wide angle has sufficed for me.


4. You need a long telephoto lens. Whether it’s doing wildlife
photography in Alaska, or shooting at sporting events, only a digital
SLR can use long telephoto lenses. If you only need a specialty lens for
rare occasions, you can even rent one for a couple of days since they
can be rather expensive. With some point and shoot cameras you can add
on adapters to increase the telephoto range but even the best adapters
are of mediocre quality. Some ZLR cameras do give you a long telephoto
lens, but the quality is not great.

I find the 420 equivalent to be adequate. I probably wouldn't pay for
anything bigger for an slr.



5. You need fast auto-focus. Most digital SLRs (with the exception of
Pentax) use lenses with internal high-speed focusing motors). Point and
shoot digital cameras cannot focus nearly as fast.

I don't.


6. You need low shutter lag. Whether it’s photographing your child on a
merry-go-round, or capturing the crack of the bat against the baseball,
you simply cannot obtain these shots with a digital point and shoot
camera because the time between when you press the shutter and the image
is captured is far too long. A digital SLR has a mechanical shutter that
opens instantaneously when the shutter release button is pressed. In a
point and shoot camera, the sensor is activated electronically after it
is used to focus the shot.

Don't need that either.


7. You want to produce images that can be printed in large sizes. Only a
high-resolution digital SLR is suitable for poster size prints.

No desire to do posters.


8. You want an optical viewfinder. While a few point and shoot cameras
have retained an optical viewfinder, it’s been cost-reduced out of most
models. Composing a picture on the LCD screen, in bright sunlight, is
very difficult, and greatly reduces battery life.

Hate the frigging LCD screens - but I'm quite content with the EVF - I
checked and made sure I got one that is adequate.



9. You want full manual control. While some high-end point and shoot
models have retained some level of manual control, most have
cost-reduced it out. On some Canon models, there is third-party software
that can get some of the manual control back, but it's very flaky and
complicated.

I have all of that on my P850.


10. Expandability and upgradability. Not only a wide variety of
specialty lenses, but flash attachments, filters, vertical grips, remote
shutter releases, etc. If you eventually want to upgrade to a better
D-SLR body, a lot of the lenses and accessories can be used on the new
body if it’s from the same manufacturer.

I don't have a requirement now, for that sort of thing. I can see that it
could be nice.


11. Rapid sequencing. For action shots, both of sports and people, you
can get the exact shot you want, even when the people are moving.

I don't generally shoot people - certainly not in action. I'm not a
sports photographer.


12. Cost. Say what? Yes, it’s true. With the free-fall of digital SLR
prices, you can now buy a D-SLR and a decent lens for less than the cost
of a high end point and shoot camera.

Not less than the P&S I already have.


13. Weight. There are now D-SLRs that are the same weight, or lighter
weight, than ZLRs, even with the lens weight included. So while most
users will still want to use a pocket-size point and shoot digital
camera when portability is more important than quality, there’s no
reason to sacrifice quality and get a large P&S camera.

I think you forgot something. By the time you pack all the accessories
you were so proud of before - extra lenses, flashes, etc. It's going to
weigh in a lot more than my P&S. And I don't need that when I'm on a 10
mile hike, or a 20 mile bike ride or out snowshoeing.


14. Size. There are now D-SLRs that are the same volume, or smaller
volume, than ZLRs, even with the lens volume included. So while most
users will still want to use a pocket-size point and shoot digital
camera when portablity is more important than quality, there’s no reason
to sacrifice quality and get a large P&S camera.

Until you add all the extra lenses, etc.


15. Wide-range walk-around lenses. It used to be that people would buy a
wide-range “SLR-like” P&S because they could achieve a wide zoom range
from wide-angle to telephoto without needing to change lenses, even
though the quality of these wide-range lenses wasn’t very good at the
ends. Now with several new wide-range D-SLR lenses, there is the option
of not having to change lenses. You can still use higher quality wide
angle and telephoto lenses when the need arises, while enjoying the
simplicity of a wide-range zoom lens when you choose to not carry extra
lenses.

16. Complexity. While a D-SLR does give you the ability to have a great
deal of control, you also have the option of setting it to automatic
mode, making it no more complex than a simple point and shoot camera. If
you have the desire to expand your creative control in the future, that
capability is built in. Most point and shoot cameras lack the option for
manual control, though some Canon cameras can use a freeware program to
add some limited control.

My Kodak P850 allows full manual control. It also shoots raw images. No
extra software needed and no need to specifically transfer the software
to every card you might have.



The bottom line is that most consumers would benefit from owning both a
pocket size point and shoot model for when portability is more important
than quality, and a digital SLR for when quality, speed, and control are
more important than portability.

Main problem is that many of us don't want to mess with trying to
remember how to operate two different cameras, or don't want the added
expense. For many of us, a decent EVF is the perfect solution.
.

Relevant Pages

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