Which Camera Do You Use?

[Mike Farley]

An analysis by Mike Johnston at The Online Photographer got me thinking. His article was based on the results from a site which utilses the EXIF data from images to see which cameras and lenses are used. What is shown reflects what is known about the camera market, Canon followed by Nikon dominate. Despite its age, the original Canon 5D still figures highly. As Johnston says, though, this demonstrates what has happened and is not necessarily a snapshot of current activity.

There probably is not much surprise about the most popular lenses, which are mainly mid range zooms going from moderate wide angle to moderate telephoto. That is still what most people use for their photography. The main difference is in the quality of the lens. Kit zooms for the entry and consumer cameras, upmarket ones for the more expensive models. One camera which does buck the trend is the Canon 7D Mk II, where the most common lens is the 100-400 Mk II. That, and the other lenses most commonly used, indicates the purposes to which most people are putting the camera. Look at the original 7D, though, and the most popular lens is the ubiquitous 24-105. It looks as though the 7D is becoming specialised.

http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.co ... ntest.html

So why did this make me think? Looking back to last night's DPI competition, I realised that all my entries were shot on mirrorless cameras. Fuji to be precise. There was nothing from my Canon gear and I am not sure that has happened before. I know that I am using the Canon less and that I am changing, but within the club as a whole DSLRs remain popular. To the extent that replacement cameras are likely to be DSLRs, which is probably due to the investment in lenses.

The question is, how long will that trend continue? It is the conundrum facing both Canon and Nikon. Canon's recent announcement of the M5 indicates that it is adapting, no doubt hoping that a gradual introduction of mirrorless will not adversely affect DSLR sales. It is inevitable that Nikon will also follow suit, although it has yet to declare its hand, the now moribund 1 series notwithstanding.

Of course, in the wider scheme of things, this is all academic. Most photographs are taken with the cameras incorporated into smartphones.

[Mike Farley]

As an indication of what people are buying at the moment, Amazon produces a list which is updated hourly. It is for the US and there does not appear to be a UK version, unless anyone knows different. Nevertheless, I would expect the trends to be similar. There are lots of Canon and Nikon DSLRs, together with a surprising number of compacts given that this is supposed to be a market which is losing out to smartphones. Mirrorless cameras are few and far between. Maybe people are just not buying them from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Ele ... s/281052#1