Last week we reported how 2013 mirrorless sales fell by 34% in UK. Now Amateur Photographer investigated the reason why DSLR is still more popular than mirrorless cameras. They say:

1) Smaller cameras are fiddly to use compared to DSLR

Well that’s no more truth. With cameras like the GH4 and Fuji X-T1 and E-m1 you get very DSLR alike controls. But for a long time mirrorless system cameras where very compact.

2) Confusing category names

Mirrorless cameras get called all sort of things like “mirrorless system cameras”, “compact system cameras” and sometimes they are also incorrectly referred as “DSRL’s cameras”. And also the the term “compact system camera” gets interpreted as something like a point and shoot “compact camera”, also not necessarily of high image quality.

3) Consumer are still hanging on to the glory days of Canon and Nikon.

Particularly North America and most European countries are very conservative

4) DSLR has wider range of accessories.

5) Low bugdget DSLR compete against system cameras

DSLR became very cheap the last couple of years. That made it even harder for Mirrorless cameras to gain some visibility.

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What should be done to increase the popularity of mirrorless cameras?

Panasonic manager Sykes said that instead of trying to sell a certain volume we should focus on educate the customer

There is also a good news reported by Sykes: “Compact system camera is now returning to a period of growth which is really pleasing“.
 

That’s a big release for mirrorless camera owners! The new Adobe Camera RAW 8.4 Release Candidate supports all new mirrorless cameras like the Fuji X-T1, Sony A6000 and Olympus E-M10. And it also adds color profiles support for Fuji cameras and lens support for a couple of lenses. Here are the download links:

Adobe Photoshop Camera Raw 8.4 for CC (Click here). Adobe Photoshop Camera Raw 8.4 for CS6 Release Candidate (Click here).

Of the three new Sigma Quatrro DP cameras only the DP1 will have a complete new 19mm f/2.8 lens design. This is what Sigma unveiled in a presentation for the CP+ show in Japan (Source: Macotakara).

Amateur Photographer reports that mirrorless system camera sales dropped by 32% while DSLR sales dropped by 11% in 2013.

Lens sales for mirrorless system cameras fell by 16% and for DSLR -22,8%.

Compact camera sales fell 34%.

Overall mirrorless and DSLR camera sales peaked worldwide in 2012 and the market is now shrinking. Mirrorless is doing a bit worse than DSLR but we have to see in 2014 if more “mature” mirrorless products like the Olympus OMD, Fuji X-T1, Panasonic GH4 and Sony A7 series will make a positive difference.