The Next Digital SLR Price/Performance Milestone

Summer Wind wrote:
> What's the current thinking on when the next digital SLR price/performance
> milestone will be reached? In three years, will a Canon Digital Rebel have
> the same specs as today's EOS-1Ds? What is the limiting factor that's
> holding back the next price break? Will the gap between consumer and pro
> gear become more narrow in the future?
>
> SW

The cardboard, one-use DSLR the size of a Sony P&S. The Nikon D40 and
Canon Rebel XTi are a step in that direction.
 >> Stay informed about: The Next Digital SLR Price/Performance Milestone 

Summer Wind wrote:
> What's the current thinking on when the next digital SLR price/performance
> milestone will be reached? In three years, will a Canon Digital Rebel have
> the same specs as today's EOS-1Ds? What is the limiting factor that's
> holding back the next price break? Will the gap between consumer and pro
> gear become more narrow in the future?
>
> SW
>
>
I'll tell you in three years if I'm still around. Just what is the point
of this type of post anyway.
Dave Cohen
 >> Stay informed about: The Next Digital SLR Price/Performance Milestone 

Not sure what the next milestone is, but what I'd like to see is some
simplification, and some variations on the current crop, with models
designed for specific shooting styles and results. For example, how about a
FF model similar to the 5D with three times the resolution? Yes, I know,
noise will rise, but for studio shooting and landscapes where high ISOs
aren't necessary, why not? And how about a return to buttons and sliders
(I'm thinking of a control system similar to the Pentax 645 NII) for most
major functions rather than the ridiculous menu systems that plague most
digicams? What about a digicam that can shoot IR? Without needing major
surgery? I like my SLR, but there's lots I'd like to see change.

"Summer Wind" <summer-wind DeleteThis @swbell.net> wrote in message
news:fNUeh.3570$Gr2.1433@newssvr21.news.prodigy.net...
> What's the current thinking on when the next digital SLR price/performance
> milestone will be reached? In three years, will a Canon Digital Rebel
> have the same specs as today's EOS-1Ds? What is the limiting factor
> that's holding back the next price break? Will the gap between consumer
> and pro gear become more narrow in the future?
>
> SW
>
 >> Stay informed about: The Next Digital SLR Price/Performance Milestone 

"Rich" <rander3127 DeleteThis @gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1165780267.139310.78960@j44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...


> The cardboard, one-use DSLR the size of a Sony P&S. The Nikon D40 and
> Canon Rebel XTi are a step in that direction.

Sigh.
 >> Stay informed about: The Next Digital SLR Price/Performance Milestone 

I kind of both agree and yet disagree with Kinon on the simplification
issue - but maybe not in the sense that he/she is referring to. IMO,
there are too many technology variants, and manufacturers going off in
their own direction

The milestone that I'd LIKE to see is a greater degree of industry
standardisation, not just in the slr category, but in all digital
cameras.
For example, more manufacturers using the same sized sensor - not
necessarily full frame (although would be nice) - but all with the
same field-of-view factor, and same ISO-to-noise ratio characteristics,
same no. of megapixels on the sensor, compatible lens mount. The
Four-Thirds concept that Olympus, Panasonic / Leica, and Sigma use is
sort of a step in the right direction.
Given that 10 MP cameras can now pretty well reproduce more detail than
what I would consider most likely hobbyist / casual camera users would
ever need, and even 12 to 16 MP can pretty well satisfy most
professionals, do we really need to keep pushing up the MPs ? (apart
from being ahead of the competition)
And why couldn't they all use the same media card type as well, instead
of Sony running mainly memory sticks, some using Compact Flash, some
using Secure Digital, some using X-media cards, etc, etc

Look at the standards that film cameras had. All cameras of the same
format type used the same size film, so any roll of 35mm film could
fit in any 35mm camera, any roll of 120 film could be used in any
medium format camera, any sheet of 4x5" film could be used in any 4x5
camera.
And the degree of interchangeability of lenses between 4x5 cameras -
basically any Schneider / Rodenstock / Nikkor / Fujinon largeformat
lens could be fitted to just about any brand of large-format camera
lens board. And similar interchangeability in 35mm, by the use of
adaptors - a la Tamron / Sigma / Novoflex etc

Could there not be - if there is not already - a group of industry
'gurus/ experts" to sit down and nut out a set standard of what ALL
digital cameras should have and be able to do, (like with the EXIF,
JPEG file standards) in terms of camera capabilities, performance
(sensor size - and FoV factor, ISO-to-noise levels, one type of media
card, White Balance setting performance, a realistically minimum amount
of optical and digital zoom, ... ...).
To me there seems to be a sad lack of industry consistency in these
areas , making it too difficult for buyers to have to choose between
one make / model and another , when the models are not all equal in
their specs and capabilities.

My main bugbear about digital is that to buy any one brand / model of
digital camera, I basically have to restrict myself as to what lenses
/ memory cards / sensor capability and characteristics that particular
model uses. Again, the Four-Thirds concept seems to be at least be an
effort to improve what I'm talking about.

In my opinion, with film cameras I had choice of models but there was
more of a level playing field for comparison than with the current
crop of digital cameras. There may have been plenty of brands of film
camera to choose from, but I could be sure that most could achieve a
comparable standard of picture quality, and could all accept the same
film type in their respective categories, and to an extent, lenses
could be swapped from one camera to another.

I realise that there are both pros and cons for more standardisation,
but in my opinion more pros. I am also aware that some standardisation
is occurring through industry competitiveness, but we need more.
I'm not trying to stifle competition, but increase it through quality
and performance, rather than type /size / format of sensor.

Any constructive arguments welcomed.

D.B.



Kinon O'Cann wrote:
> Not sure what the next milestone is, but what I'd like to see is some
> simplification, and some variations on the current crop, with models
> designed for specific shooting styles and results. ......

>
> "Summer Wind" <summer-wind.TakeThisOut@swbell.net> wrote in message
> news:fNUeh.3570$Gr2.1433@newssvr21.news.prodigy.net...
> > What's the current thinking on when the next digital SLR price/performance
> > milestone will be reached? ......
> >
> > SW
> >
 >> Stay informed about: The Next Digital SLR Price/Performance Milestone 

Jim Townsend wrote:
> Summer Wind wrote:
>
>> What's the current thinking on when the next digital SLR price/performance
>> milestone will be reached? In three years, will a Canon Digital Rebel have
>> the same specs as today's EOS-1Ds? What is the limiting factor that's
>> holding back the next price break? Will the gap between consumer and pro
>> gear become more narrow in the future?
>
> The next milestone is a full frame DSLR for $1000 USD
>
>
I would expect improvements in the ADC Pentax now has a 22 bit ADC so in
three years, perhaps 48 bit. I expect improvements in the camera
internal bus speed and processing to a point faster than the average 9
mbps that dSLR now do. What's the point of 20 and 40 mbps CF/SD cards
when the cameras only do 9 mbps.

The Nikon D30 Canon XTiii might to live view and video to attract more
entry level users.

As for FF few FF cameras sell, The Canon 5D sits on the shelves for
months, whereas the XTi D5, D40, K100D move out in days. Look at the D40
to see the future.

Remember it's the Marketing people that decide.
 >> Stay informed about: The Next Digital SLR Price/Performance Milestone 

Not Disclosed wrote:
>>
> I would expect improvements in the ADC Pentax now has a 22 bit ADC so in
> three years, perhaps 48 bit. I expect improvements in the camera


But what improvements do you expect these higher bit depth rates to
bring? 22bits would be enough to count more than 4 million electrons. We
won't have sensors with this kind of full well capacities any time soon
(unless they start using 64*64 micron^2 sized pixels). And if for
processing, a) Could you show me the results of insufficient bit depth?
b) If yes, do you believe that this could not be prevented by simply
processing in (eg) 22 bits (but still using a 12 or 14 bit ADC)? In
short, can you explain what the advantage of a higher bit depth ADC will
be? (if possible, can you also explain why, eg "better tonal gradations"
is ok but "better tonal gradations because blah blah" is better).

Although I must admit I would not be surprised if the next race bet
camera manufacturers would be 16 bit ADC, 22 bit ADC, 48 bit ADC and so
on (throwing away lots of processing power all the while).

I guess more bits could be useful to get rid of the need to change ISO
when shooting RAW. We'll see.

Thanks.
 >> Stay informed about: The Next Digital SLR Price/Performance Milestone