It’s time we all moved on from DSLRs. They are a dead-end. If you are buying a new camera, then a DSLR is a bad choice, except in certain circumstances. However, if you already have a DSLR and a range of lenses, then great, keep using it till it breaks.
But if you’re looking to buy your first camera, and want to continue investing in new camera bodies, new camera lenses, and accessories to go with it, then unfortunately the DSLR is a dead-end, and mostly a discontinued system (outside of Pentax).
Canon and Nikon are not making new DSLR camera bodies, they are not making new lenses, and third-party manufacturers like Sigma, Tamron and others are discontinuing support as well.
This is all great news for those looking for a bargain camera system, especially if you enjoy buying used and second-hand, and can cope with the occasional camera or lens that doesn’t work perfectly.
But it’s a risky move for many people, especially beginners, who don’t know if their lens is faulty, or if the lens is just bad, or if they are doing something wrong themselves. Can you recognise a decentred lens that could have been knocked in transit, for example? (One side of the image is out of focus or blurry but shouldn’t be…)
And it could end up with money being wasted, as you send back lenses or buy extra lenses if you find out the second-hand lens comes with a no returns policy. (Always buy from reputable dealers with solid return policies and warranties).
Similarly, did you try the flash on your DSLR within the warranty / return period and then later find out that the flash doesn’t work? Or some other obscure function that you rarely use, but the one time you do use it, you find out too late that it doesn’t work.
This is not to say that you can’t take great photos with a DSLR, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult to recommend people buy a DSLR when we all know that there are no new models outside of Pentax.
Mirrorless cameras have now become the number one priority for all camera brands, with Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, OM System/Olympus, Panasonic all fully committed to mirrorless cameras. Lens manufacturers outside of these main brands are also fully committed to mirrorless camera systems.
There are those in the industry, that know a lot more than me, who think there will be no new DSLR cameras or lenses ever manufactured again. Existing stock will get sold off. And then that will be that.
If you do want a DSLR, your options are to buy a second-hand DSLR, of which there are many to choose from, or go for a Pentax DSLR. If you do go for a Pentax DSLR, then there are a fairly limited number of options available, as Pentax have a more relaxed release schedule than most other companies.
Related reading:
- Another nail in the coffin for DSLRs as Sigma say no more new DSLR lenses
- The best mirrorless cameras you can buy right now
- How to check a second-hand lens for faults
- Photography exercises to improve your camera skills
The views expressed in this column are not necessarily those of Amateur Photographer magazine or Kelsey Media Limited. If you have an opinion you’d like to share on this topic, or any other photography related subject, email: ap.ed@kelsey.co.uk
