Canon decides to go mirror with less: the SL1; smallest DSLR

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/945057-REG/canon_8575b001_eos_digital_rebel_sl1.html

18mp, supposedly the world's smallest DSLR. ; Just announced.

 

I think Canon still believes that mirrorless is just a fad or will only cannibalize P&S sales; ignoring the fact that it's smartphones that are doing that. ; The old transition used to be:

P&S -->entry level SLR --> {stop unless professional}

Now it's

smartphone --> mirrorless/entry level SLR --> prosumer DSLR

Samsung is getting the point which is why they have the Galaxy camera (really cool for a P&S); but Canon still doesn't think mirrorless is going anywhere, which is why they haven't been as aggressive as Olympus and Samsung in the remaining P&S market.

 

As a DSLR lover, I don't think they're going to go away, and certainly not anytime soon, but I can see them being narrowed and focused, as more of a niche for certain hobbyists, and staying prominent in the professional market. ; But certainly it seems feasible to see the consumer market someday see mirrorless as a better option, and it has future potential to be the bigger seller for the mass majority of the consumer camera market. ; In fact, probably the only thing holding mirrorless back in the consumer market right now is lack of knowledge - if most consumers who are not enthusiasts with specific need for a DSLR knew that the mirrorless systems can deliver the same image quality, with the flexibility of interchangeable lenses, in packages weighing half as much or less, and could handle all the same basic shooting needs the average consumer has, many more people would probably buy one instead of an entry-level DSLR. ; Certainly we all know how many DSLRs are out there in the world with a kit lens onboard, and left mainly in 'P' or 'Auto' mode - territory that could have easily been covered with a mirrorless camera that has the same sensor in a much smaller footprint.


I see this as Canon's attempt to fortify its position as the entry-level DSLR king - this will appeal to those who still don't know anything about mirrorless, but also aren't necessarily DSLR enthusiasts - they buy entry-level DSLRs because they think that's what's necessary to get better photographs, but never intend to move beyond a kit lens. ; Seeing a much more compact DSLR body with that familiar name on the front will probably result in this being a very strong seller for Canon, even if the enthusiasts are less-than-overwhelmed and the mirrorless buyers aren't remotely tempted or threatened.