Despite smartphones, digital cameras are still in demand
Yes, digital cameras are still a thing, notwithstanding the fabulous photographic capabilities of today’s high-end mobiles.
When I began my annual survey of cameras in mid-November I was expecting to once again see a sharp falloff in the variety and number of models for sale, driven in part by changing technology, but also by the lingering throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, now nearing the three-year anniversary.
However, as I write, I already have a little over two hundred camera models and packages listed on my survey website, with more likely to be added. At this stage, still ahead of the Black Friday sales hoopla, I’m only down slightly from last year’s count and will likely match or even exceed it by year’s end.
Once again, then, here is a summary of my annual survey of digital cameras for sale in the Vancouver area, something we’ve been doing in this space since 2002, and, in a slightly simpler form, going all the way back to 1996, when a sub-megapixel camera went for around $1,000.
As in the past two years I was surprised just how many models of cameras remain from the previous year’s list, certainly well over 80 per cent. Some new models appear to be little more than tweaks and rebranding of last year’s models. As was the case a year ago, prices appear to be up over those of the previous year, sometimes substantially so. Purchasers need to be careful, as some stores once again appear to list discontinued models as being current.
Those that do develop an interest in photography through their experience with today’s sophisticated smartphones tend to migrate to advanced digital cameras, mostly bypassing the point-and-shoot or compact models that once dominated the market.
While the camera market has long been dominated by the big two, Canon and Nikon, there is an argument to be made that the new big two are Sony and Fuji. Both have extensive product lineups, and they aren’t Johnny-come-latelys to the field.
A recent article headline underscores the inroads made by Fuji. The parent company noted that it was temporarily interrupting orders for its wildly popular X100V camera, the fifth generation of that model. According to the company it simply couldn’t keep up with the demand. And that’s for a camera with real knobs and dials which retails in the $1,700 range here in Canada. Driving the demand is vlogging, video blogging, on platforms such as TikTok.
Here are some more of the cameras making inroads with vloggers: Sony’s ZV-1 and ZV-1F, Nikon’s Z30, Panasonic’s GH5/GH6 units, and Sony’s ZV-E10. Vloggers demand high-quality 4K/30 fps video or better, a bright lens, and a sensor that facilitates background defocusing.
For those considering a step up from still photography or vlogging on a mobile, check out our dedicated single-page website, https://vandigicams.ca. Updates are made each day through to January 6. Links are also provided to the surveys from previous years to enable price comparisons.
Cameras on the site are primarily those advertised on retailer websites and from print advertising in Vancouver’s major daily papers, and in flyers accompanying regional community papers.
Prices on the site, rounded to the nearest $5 increment, are the lowest found in the November-December survey period, which often occur mid-November. If you decide to buy a unit on the list, you may be able to convince the salesperson to roll the price back to the earlier low point if it has risen in the interim.
Individual cameras, and camera packages, in the survey are allocated a single line on the https://vandigicams.ca site. Each listing is hyperlinked to the corresponding manufacturer’s web site for that camera’s full specifications. Along with the camera sensor megapixel rating, there is an optical zoom value, an overview of around half a dozen features, and “street” pricing from up to three local retailers.
Dominating this year’s survey once again is the 24-megapixel sensor class, mostly with units from Canon, Fuji, Nikon, and Sony, representing a little under 40 per cent of the cameras, followed by the slightly lower resolution 20-megapixel units with around a quarter. These two classes together account for two-thirds of all the cameras in the survey. The once dominant “16” class has dropped to fifth place. The remaining 20 per cent or so of the survey is fragmented across classes spanning from 12 all the way up to an impressive 100+ megapixels.
As in years past, the survey identifies several cameras as best buys, an optimum combination of features and price within a given class. When considering buying a camera, do check out the manufacturer’s website (they are all listed at the bottom of the survey site) to be sure that the model remains current.
Want an inexpensive point-and-shoot digital camera? The Canon ELPH 360 with a 3-inch screen, is around $300. A starter digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) camera such as Canon’s T7 with a basic kit lens can be picked up for around $600. At the other extreme you’ll find a 102-megapixel unit from Fuji, a holdover from last year, for around $13,000, and a 50-megapixel Hasselblad for $21,000. If you really want to get carried away, there is a $30,000 Leica unit branded for musician-photographer Lenny Kravitz.
Looking for a rugged camera? The Olympus TG-6 (shockproof, freezeproof, waterproof, dustproof and crushproof) remains popular. Sony and Ricoh also offer ruggedized units. Prices range from $400 up to approximately $1,000, the latter for a unit designed for harsh environments.
As for a solid general-purpose camera, how about something like the Nikon P950 with an incredible 83× zoom lens. Priced in the $1,000 range, this unit takes fine outdoor shots and perfectly acceptable indoor ones as well, something often lacking in lower-cost units. Its successor, the P1000, is the first unit to pass 100× zoom, offering an amazing 125×, at around $1,300.
Some other manufacturers still offer high-zoom models in their lineups. Examples include Panasonic’s FZ80 (60×, $400), and Canon’s SX70 (50×, $800). Panasonic, however, may be nearing the end of the road as a camera supplier, at least for its line of point-and-shoot units. It seems the company may instead direct its attention towards its mirrorless video cameras such as the GH lineup.
Want a DSLR package with two lenses, say a basic 3× zoom and a telephoto? Canon and Nikon used to have several such packages around the $600 mark, but these have mostly disappeared for 2022. This year you might consider, for example, the Canon T7 package with 18–55 mm and 75–300 mm lenses priced at $720, the same price as last year.
MILC (mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras) units have now far surpassed DSLRs in popularity. Canon’s EOS M and R lines are good examples, as is Sony’s Alpha lineup and Nikon’s Z range.
There are even indications that new DSLRs may no longer appear. Canon and Nikon have come late to the MILC party, first dominated by Fuji, and to a lesser extent by Olympus and Sony. MILC units represent almost 65 per cent of the listings in this year’s survey (up from 40 per cent two years ago). DSLR units, by contrast, have dropped to just 15 per cent.
Do check out this year’s survey list. https://vandigicams.ca. You’ll find cameras at every price point, from a few hundred dollars to $10,000 and more. In between you’ll find cameras equipped with Wi-Fi, GPS, and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) touch screens, and numerous other features and technologies. Digital cameras are indeed still a thing.
Follow me on Facebook (facebook.com/PeterVogelCA) or on Twitter (@PeterVogel).
