rscheffler wrote:
....... and operate their camera businesses as boutique brands, like Leica, though they will have to convince their users to accept boutique-level pricing. Based on the number of complaints I read regularly about how overpriced current photography equipment is on average, I'm not overly optimistic the majority will buy in to this potential new reality.
I agree with you Ron. I have seen some stores stop carrying stock on boutique priced lenses. In some instances these lenses sat on store shelves for 3 years and no one bought them. Most people are not willing to pay boutique prices. Eventually these moved through open box sales. As the prices on new offerings continue to increase and head towards boutique pricing then less purchases will be made.
Professionals can buy equipment and use it as a tax deduction, though they need to generate business to offset the cost. Professionals took a hit with the advent of digital photography.
Hobbyists/Enthusiasts will be more selective in purchases or not buy at all. The dollar only stretches so far.
Casual and entry level photographers will look at boutique entry price then move on and just use their cellphone.
Professionals, Hobbyists, Enthusiasts and Casual photographers all have their own price point that they are willing to buy at, once that is exceeded they will stop buying. Of course upgrades to existing equipment opens another dynamic of is the improvement in technology worth the cost.
It is very amusing to see such denial in this thread, despite the numerical data published year after year after year validating what we all know: the camera industry is in existential crisis.
rattymouse wrote:
It is very amusing to see such denial in this thread, despite the numerical data published year after year after year validating what we all know: the camera industry is in existential crisis.
But do go on, keep denying it. That always works.
What exactly do you want people to do in reaction to this existential crisis? It seems important to you that everyone agree that at some point in the near future the industry as we now know it will no longer exist. Ok, for arguments sake, say I agree. What do I do with this information? Buy every camera and lens I can find? Find a new hobby? What?
In other words, if I follow your admonition, and accept the end is near, how does that help me? I mean except for avoiding investing in a camera company, or shorting their stock if I was really adventurous, I don’t see any play here. Am I missing something?
gdsf2 wrote:
What exactly do you want people to do in reaction to this existential crisis? It seems important to you that everyone agree that at some point in the near future the industry as we now know it will no longer exist. Ok, for arguments sake, say I agree. What do I do with this information? Buy every camera and lens I can find? Find a new hobby? What?
In other words, if I follow your admonition, and accept the end is near, how does that help me? I mean except for avoiding investing in a camera company, or shorting their stock if I was really adventurous, I don’t see any play here. Am I missing something?...Show more →
gdsf2 wrote:
What exactly do you want people to do in reaction to this existential crisis? It seems important to you that everyone agree that at some point in the near future the industry as we now know it will no longer exist. Ok, for arguments sake, say I agree. What do I do with this information? Buy every camera and lens I can find? Find a new hobby? What?
In other words, if I follow your admonition, and accept the end is near, how does that help me? I mean except for avoiding investing in a camera company, or shorting their stock if I was really adventurous, I don’t see any play here. Am I missing something?...Show more →
I don't think we are seeing the end of dedicated cameras for a very long time. We might be seeing the end of the hardware updating model we have grown used to for numerous decades. Except for very special use cases, I think we are going to see a reduction in the costs of gear for the enthusiast and semi-professional. Where hardware would develop to improve IQ we will see processing power and software use existing hardware to far better effect. IMO, this will bring new users into the dedicated camera market segment as the cost to enter will be reasonable along with the gear functioning inline with smartphones making them easier to adopt by the younger generations.
I also think even us older photographers will enjoy this new gear as it will give us more capability for less money in a small form factor. Many of us here have adopted smartphones for quite a bit of our photography needs. This wasn't the case 5-10 years ago when smartphones had terrible cameras. As smartphone camera tech melds with current dedicated camera tech we will likely adopt the resulting gear and use it as just another photographic tool. I look forward to seeing what develops and I haven't felt this giddy since the advent of digital photography. After a long drought, I think we have some real change and innovation coming to our hobby.
Fujifilm's financial results for the quarter came out yesterday and they have not escaped the carnage that is wiping out the traditional camera industry. Fuji's imaging group had a drop in revenue of -15% and a drop in operating profit of -63%!
rattymouse wrote:
It is very amusing to see such denial in this thread, despite the numerical data published year after year after year validating what we all know: the camera industry is in existential crisis.
And they quite deserved it. Stagnation doesn’t get you very far. Yes, you can milk a little more money with a limited edition of something, the Mk IV of the same double Gauss 50mm lens design, “inventing” a new lens mount, shuffling the controls around, while essentially selling the same product for a decade. But then, one day, it all starts falling apart.
