CNBC: “How Canon, Nikon and other Japanese camera companies are fighting for survival in the Smartphone era”

CNBC sees a grim future for the Digital Camera market:

Some analysts believe the digital camera market will shrink faster than previously expected, prompting further changes. The latest facet of this trend is consumers increasingly turning to multi-lens smartphones instead of pricey digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras.

And:

We feel that increasingly higher quality imaging, including copies, scans, photos and other images will likely be available on multifunction devices like smartphones. Standalone cameras will exist for artists and the artistic wealthy

A positive exception is Sony:

The winning technology used to be the lens but has become the imaging sensors, and Sony has been the big winner on this front

And they see a dark future for Nikon:

for Nikon, Thong said the evaporating camera market is a bigger threat, it part because it failed to embrace video early on. That was a misstep in a rapidly evolving industry that’s seeing fewer and fewer standalone cameras.

I tend to agree that Digital Camera Market will only have a future within a small niche of super enthusiasts. The mass market is in steady hand of the smartphone makers.

Engadget makes big statement: “Canon and Nikon, Panasonic are simply getting lapped by Sony in the mirrorless race”

Oh this is quite a statement made by Engadget:

Is the S1R worth $3,700? If you had asked me this even a month or two ago, I would have said yes. However, Sony’s incredible new 61-megapixel A7R IV has put me in a tight spot here, based on the brief look we had. For $200 less, you get a lot more, including much higher resolution, phase-detect autofocus with incredible AI powered eye detection, and video features on par with the S1R.

Sony simply hasn’t given Panasonic an inch in performance, and has a proven track record with three previous A7R models. It’s a shame, because the S1R is a pretty incredible camera, but like Canon and Nikon, Panasonic is simply getting lapped by Sony in the mirrorless race.