Have the guys and gals at Ricoh bashed their heads on a wall, or could they be on to something when it comes to DSLRs and Mirrorless cameras?
Mirrorless is the future. Mirrorless is the best. DSLRs are dead! These are things we all hear every single day in the photography world, but there are some out there who believe otherwise. There is no doubt that further (much further) down the line, Mirrorless cameras will likely kill off the DSLR, but Ricoh believes that the mighty DSLR will put up a heck of a fight along the road to inevitability, in fact, they are so confident that they think DSLR deserters will return to the cameras two years after leaving for the promised land of Mirrorless. Join us after the break for more details.
A recent interview which was shared by Mirrorless Rumors in which Hiroki Sugahara the General Manager in Ricoh’s marketing communication department, and Hiraku Kawauchi the Group Leader of PR and marketing communications department at Ricoh stated that they believe that some who have jumped ship to Mirrorless platforms will return to DSLRs. Their belief is that Mirrorless cameras are nothing more than a movement and that many are merely interested in seeing the technology works. They state that Mirrorless cameras certainly have their benefits, but they state that DSLRs have their benefits too. Have these two execs hit their heads on something hard, or could they be on to something? Does it really even matter?
Almost two years to the day of me switching over to Mirrorless cameras, I switched back to a DSLR. I played around with offerings from Canon, Sony, and Fujifilm, but always felt like they were lacking something. Funnily enough, when I made the switch back to a DSLR, I jumped into Ricoh’s world with the Pentax K1 II. Why would you do such a thing you’re asking! Well read my review and find out why I fell in love with the camera. In a nutshell, though, I just happen to love using DSLRs. I love optical viewfinders, I love how tough and rugged they are, and I love the battery life they offer. So yes, I fall into the camp that Ricoh has mentioned, but who the heck cares!
Here’s my take on the Mirrorless, and DSLR wars. As photographers, we have to use the tools we feel comfortable with. We have to use the tools we trust, and that we can rely on. It doesn’t matter if you shoot with Mirrorless cameras, it doesn’t matter if you shoot with DSLRs, and it doesn’t matter if you shoot with film cameras. Use whatever you’re comfortable with. Use what you know you can get good images with.
Yes, Mirrorless cameras will more than likely put DSLRs in the back seat eventually, but really, the only people who care what you shoot with are other photographers. Elitists who think they’re better than everyone else because they shoot with a Mirrorless camera will try to shame you for using DSLRs and vice versa, DSLR users will howl at the moon in the night sky and will yell about all the reasons why DSLRs are better then Mirrorless cameras. It simply does not matter what you shoot with. You like shooting with Mirrorless cameras? Good for you. Go and capture gorgeous images with it champ. You like shooting with DSLRs? Good for you. Go and capture gorgeous images with it. Let’s get out of the business of trying to shame others though because their preferences don’t line up with your own.
A camera, is a camera, is a camera. It doesn’t matter what brand it is, it doesn’t matter if it does or doesn’t have a mirror, and it really doesn’t matter what nonsense companies spew out to the masses about certain technologies. Could Ricoh be right about users abandoning Mirrorless cameras? Who cares! Is Sony in the right to put all of their eggs in the Mirrorless cameras basket? Who cares! Just use what you like, and put all of the energy that would be spent mocking others because of what they shoot with into being creative with the camera of your choice.