Allegedly one of the best cameras of it’s time
Galaxy S9 
Great for the likes of me, taking holiday snaps, but not a patch on any of the professional gear.
Only 2018 so there were some big advances even that next year in camera tech for smartphones.
For me yes (and I worked as a pro photographer for 5 years). My Iphone 11 pro is the only camera I ever use even on holiday, the three lenses are not the prettiest but the image quality is unreal. Even with Zoom.
I think there will always be a place for the DSLR, but more and more for professionals and hobbiests, which is in a way funny as it’s going back full circle to how it started out…
In a time when more photographs are taken than any other time, the best camera is the one with you, which is most often a smart phone.
As a professional photographer, rates have plummeted, expected standards have plummeted as most photography is used for quick insta hits and much of that is done using in house staff, so the expectation becomes just that…a snap with a smart phone. But equally on a philosophical level, everyone can take incredible snaps now as the technology has made the photographic process simple, raw files enable huge manipulations in exposure and, tone and colours allowing post processing with ease.
I run wildlife photographic workshops, long lenses are a must, I have not yet seen anything in the smart phone realm that can get over this hurdle.
Maybe worth pointing out this was on set in LA. Might be less common over here. In fact there were multiple BM rigs on the shoot.
Fascinating discussion.
For most people who want ‘snaps’ they need nothing more than a smartphone.
For people who consider photographs to be art, and who know how to best use lenses, exposure, lighting etc etc, then a dedicated camera will always be preferred.
‘Conventional’ cameras then (which I take as being those that are bought and used by hobbyists to professionals) will be fine. Point and shoot are already losing out and I don’t see that trend changing any time soon.
Everything else is down to your own definition of art/quality. That washed out, over saturated image might be someone’s favourite photo and they won’t care if it’s over exposed or not. Knowledge does not equal art.
I would say that it came at the behest of who ever was working on the shoot, all I know is most of the DOP’s I work with won’t touch the thing.
The moment you need to start adding accessories to the camera the black magic is the wrong shape and size to make it useable.
Location doesn’t change how crew works, most HETV and Films will have the same work flow requirements.
Define price?
Is it a bad thing that there is a decline? I mean sure, I bet Canon, Nikon, et al aren’t to happy but what does that matter to the vast majority of people who now take far far more photos (snapshots) that are memories to be stored?
#devilsadvocate
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I think it’s important to see in those figures what portion of that is the compact camera market, I can’t see DSLR or Mirrorless bring hugely affected in that.
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Yeah, the real discussion here is ‘smartphone vs compact (point/shoot) cameras’ although that’s still from a profit view I guess.
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I won’t be moving away from Mirrorless anytime soon. Think Sony is making some of the best sensors on the market right now.
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So am I right in thinking a mirrorless approach gives you all the benefits of lense variety, with the sensory capabilities of current DSLRs (not sure on that point?) but wiht a much smaller body form factor, or is there something else?
- Smaller form factor
- What you see through the viewfinder is what you shoot (DSLR viewfinders are slightly offset)
- No shutter = one less potential failure point
- More discreet due to lack of noisy shutter!
There may be more, that’s just off the top of my head.
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It’s size and weight without the mirror box, so when I look at an image in my electronic view finder I’m seeing what the sensor is processing, with exposure ect.
On a DSLR you are looking through mirror box and seeing a reflected imagine off the mirror so you can’t see how the image will look until after you take the pic (most top range DSLRs now give you the choice of both views)
Also without the mirror box the lens can be closer to the sensor saving more weight which is why you see new lenses for Mirrorless.
There are various other differences but in terms of image quality there are the same.
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That’s wrong they do have shutters, but you also have the option to turn it off and use the electronic shutter. Most DSLR’s have this setting as well.
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Thanks for the correction. The one I used must’ve been set to shutterless by the owner. I didn’t know DSLRs had shutterless options too, is that a new thing? (Or maybe I did know once, but there were drawbacks meaning I decided to never use it and so forgot over time…)
To be fair nick there may be Mirrorless options that are sold without a shutter 
so you are probably right as well.
I keep my shutter on for the most part because it’s quicker than the electronic one.
As far as I’m aware there are a few new DSLR’s at the top end where you can lock the mirror in the up position and use live view and electronic shutter.
I’m not pro so not sure what models they are.
I had a Canon 6D some years ago which had this facility. It was a right PITA to be honest, other than for those occasions when using a tripod.
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It is very plain that the market for all types of camera is declining, DSLR continue to fall.
High end DSLR makers are suffering financially.
" As per their newly released financial reports covering sales for the first quarter of 2019, both Canon and Nikon suffered a decline in imaging business sales of around 17% when compared with 2018. Canon’s report shows they were 17% down on last year, meanwhile Nikon’s results reveal a marginally worse decline of 17.9%.13 May 2019”
It is plain that makers will need to increase prices of products dramatically or cease production.