2011 - Year Of The Compact System Camera?

[Photo-John]

Has anyone else noticed that most of the major camera announcements this year have been for EVIL cameras? Has there even been one regular digital SLR announcement yet? I can't recall one at the moment. The year isn't over yet and there are rumors of more big announcements. But so far it looks like everyone is going all in on EVIL cameras in 2011.

[OldClicker]

I take it SLTs don't count. - Terry

[Greg McCary]

I can't think of one. Does the new Sony a77 count? I am certainly not ready to go completely mirrorless. There is still just a couple of drawbacks. I noticed last weekend when I tried to focus the Nex in very low pre dawn light the LCD was useless and I used the E5. I am not sure a EVF would have been any better. Another drawback is the lack of a rugged body version along with weather sealed lenses. Plus I prefer a camera most time that I can shoot fully manually with ease and the only one that comes close to me is the EP-x series.

[Oldhippy]

A world without SLRs is a scary thought. I can't imagine ever enjoying framing simulated pictures in a viewfinder.My greatest pleasure in photography comes from seeing the reality I hope to capture. The quest has always been more fun than the result.

I've felt very disturbed at camera counters by the rapidly disappearing inventory.One brand after another seems to be disappearing. I've heard the phrase, " We only carry Nikon and Canon. ", too often this week.

[Anbesol]

Nikon D5100, Rebel T3i.

[Franglais]

The earthquake and tsunami in Japan has put back high-end camera announcements for 6 months. Otherwise I think that we would have seen more interesting announcements from Nikon and Canon.

I would never so a serious shoot using the LCD screen on the back of the camera (like on the S95). You just can't see what you're doing. EVIL cameras are just starting to get acceptable electronic viewfinders (Nikon V1).

Mirror, mirrorless - who cares as long as it does the job? Having said that, there is no EVIL camera that I would buy right now. The user interface is too different from what I'm used to. And when you add big lenses and flash - the EVIL body is too small to hold anyway.

[Anbesol]

Having said that, there is no EVIL camera that I would buy right now. The user interface is too different from what I'm used to. And when you add big lenses and flash - the EVIL body is too small to hold anyway.

Are you forgetting about the EP3 and nex 7? Further, I've found the interfaces on the E-PL and GF series to be every bit as intuitive and useful as a consumer level DSLR, and the EP3 knocks it into the next world. I think you're stopping yourself from checking out these compact cameras unnecessarily.

Though, if your first experience with an CSC camera is the NEX, I kind of can't blame you. The NEX may have all the right features, but it is so buried in a noob-friendly menu that its cumbersome to use. If all CSC cameras were like that, then I would agree with you. But, as it is, I believe the opposite, CSC cameras are certainly a better value, I think, than the entry level DSLR's. Though at 650 for a camera with a 2.7x crop factor, it looks like Nikon isn't interested in cost/performance/value.

Oh yeah, and, camera manufacturers have said NO to the "EVIL" moniker. The official name supported by camera mfr's is "Compact system camera".

[Franglais]

Are you forgetting about the EP3 and nex 7? Further, I've found the interfaces on the E-PL and GF series to be every bit as intuitive and useful as a consumer level DSLR, and the EP3 knocks it into the next world. I think you're stopping yourself from checking out these compact cameras unnecessarily.

...

OK you got me. It's the Paris Photo show in two weeks time, now I have something to do there.

Right now I use my Nikon DSLR's and the Canon S95 compact. I have the S95 set up so that it works the same as the basic setup on my Nikons except for one thing - the lens zoom ring on the front of the camera turns wrong way. After a while with the Canon when I go back to the Nikons I zoom out when I want to zoom in. Duuh..