Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2014/02/24

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Subject: [Leica] OT - Fuji
From: jplaurel at gmail.com (Jim Laurel (gmail))
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2014 13:55:17 -0800
References: <CF311EC3.189EA%mark@rabinergroup.com> <6E5F84F6-C237-4F2B-AA16-2FF4E24CF596@gmail.com> <CAFfkXxv5XBkrNafR2uGptf2Lkq3bJo7m8uuwVNKOLDFsOxejHw@mail.gmail.com>

If  you stop in at Glazers Camera here in Seattle (a "real" camera store 
with complete lines in stock at any given time and knowledgeable sales 
people), you'll see that the largest number of people are always milling 
around the mirrorless counters. Every time I walk in there, someone is 
fondling an EM-5, GX-7 or EM-1 and marveling at their handsome design and 
good handling. Then there's the look of disbelief on their faces when the 
salesperson hands them Panasonic's 12-35 (24-70 equiv) f/2.8 that weighs 
only 305 grams, or the Olympus 12mm f/2 (24mm equiv) that weighs just 130 
grams... Once you educate buyers and show them the alternative (i.e., a 
Canon 60D with the 24-70mm f/2.8L), then let them take a few shots and look 
at them on a computer, they understand where things are going. ;)

--Jim


On Feb 24, 2014, at 1:41 PM, Sonny Carter <sonc.hegr at gmail.com> wrote:

> Another problem with REAL camera sales is so many REAL camera stores are
> gone from the scene.
> 
> As far as I know there are only four camera stores left in all of
> Louisiana, all in New Orleans.
> 
> There's no inventory of serious choices at the Best Buys and Targets that
> have "replaced" them.
> 
> We're reaping what we sowed when we shunned the little camera stores for
> mail order.
> 
> 
> On Mon, Feb 24, 2014 at 3:30 PM, Jim Laurel (gmail) <jplaurel at 
> gmail.com>wrote:
> 
>> They are doing well in at least one area, albeit very niche area:
>> underwater photography. A couple of the major dealers in the country for 
>> UW
>> photo and video gear tell me that m4/3 is outselling DLSR systems 6 to 1.
>> 
>> The disappointing popularity of mirrorless in North America is due to
>> uninformed consumers and also the fallacy that really good image quality
>> starts at APS-C. Already M4/3 is very hard to distinguish from APS-C for
>> most applications. And the fact remains that larger sensors mean larger
>> lenses. Neither of the top 2 manufacturers of APS-C DSLRs has ever made a
>> serious attempt at a high quality lens line for their cop sensor cameras.
>> I'm talking about a full range of high speed primes and fast zooms, so if
>> the users of APS-C cameras want really good glass, they're forced into the
>> full frame lines. Only the m4/3 consortium have made a serious attempt at 
>> a
>> complete system with premium glass optimized for the smaller sensor. The
>> jewel-like Olympus 12mm f/1.8, the 75mm f/1.8, Panasonic 8mm fisheye and
>> 7-14 are the result. Extremely compact lenses of extremely high optical
>> quality.
>> 
>> It's funny to look back and remember all the prejudice against the "small
>> format"  24mm x 26mm when it was first introduced. But as film quality
>> improved, so did the viability of the 135 format for almost every
>> application. The same will be true of sensors, only it will happen faster,
>> and in 10 years' time, a lens the size and weight of Canon's 70-200mm 
>> f/2.8
>> IS USM will look like quite the relic, while Panasonic's 35-100 f/2.8 will
>> be regarded as having been a harbinger of the future.
>> 
>> --Jim
>> 
>> 
>> On Feb 24, 2014, at 1:07 PM, Mark Rabiner <mark at rabinergroup.com> 
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> And Panasonic.
>>> 
>>> It seems to the average western consumer a mirrorless is a step up from
>> what
>>> they get with their Smartphone but they don't find it necessary to take
>> that
>>> step they are more conserved with getting the pix out of their phones
>> onto
>>> their facebook or Instasgram or other social network galleries than
>> hanging
>>> a show on the wall of a gallery with exposed brick behind them.
>>> We have to be careful when we say "mirrorless" now as they seem to come
>> in
>>> two distinct form factors. The original flat ones which could also
>> emulate
>>> compact rangefinder cameras. And ones which look like DSLR'S which are
>>> lightweight but too chunky to be called flat.
>>> The articles states Asian ladies like the mirrorless as they are light
>> into
>>> to put in their purse. Western ladies don't see that?
>>> The bottom line from all I can see is how to get the publics smart phones
>>> out of their cold dead hands to take a picture or do anything with
>> anything
>>> else. One step up is not enough over here it seems it seems we need to go
>>> two steps up and make it a camera which really shoots a quality pictures
>> IE
>>> having a sensor at least 1.5x crop.
>>> 
>>> 
>> http://www.businessinsider.com/mirrorless-camera-sales-disappoint-2013-12
>>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Regards,
> 
> Sonny
> http://sonc.com/look/
> Natchitoches, Louisiana
> 1714
> Oldest Permanent Settlement in the Louisiana Purchase
> 
> USA
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information



Replies: Reply from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] OT - Fuji)
In reply to: Message from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] OT - Fuji)
Message from jplaurel at gmail.com (Jim Laurel (gmail)) ([Leica] OT - Fuji)
Message from sonc.hegr at gmail.com (Sonny Carter) ([Leica] OT - Fuji)