News: Demand for DSLRs is Still Strong, According to Canon

By: Jaymes Dempsey  on November 19, 2019

If you were hoping for a flagship, pro-sports mirrorless camera from Canon, you may be waiting for longer than expected.
Earlier this month, DPReview sat down for an interview with two key Canon representatives and came away with some key information regarding Canon’s transition from DSLR to mirrorless.
The number one takeaway:
The demand for DSLRs is still strong. They are performing well, so Canon is continuing to work hard on its DSLR lineup. And a professional-grade mirrorless camera may not be ready anytime soon.
In other words, Canon won’t be making a full-throttle transition to mirrorless at present.
Of course, a rapid transition to Canon’s mirrorless systems was never a guarantee. But reports of the declining DSLR market, combined with Canon’s teasing of a professional-grade mirrorless camera, had led many to believe that a significant shift to mirrorless was on the way. Instead, it seems like Canon may continue to strike a balance between their DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.
What triggered this hesitation regarding mirrorless systems?
As explained by the Canon representatives:
“[A]s of now, we…see a lot of demand from photographers asking for DSLRs, specifically [because of] the benefits of an OVF.”
The reps go on to explain that “there are huge benefits to mirrorless, and we implemented, or combined as much of that [technology] as we could into the [EOS-1D X Mark III].”
For Canon fans still waiting for their dream mirrorless camera, this may not be an adequate consolation. But even as Canon staves off a true move to mirrorless, you can expect plenty of mirrorless features to be integrated into new Canon DSLRs.
It’s certainly interesting to hear that professional Canon photographers have been asking for an optical viewfinder over an EVF. One thing to keep in mind is that Canon is mostly listening to sports and action photographers, who prioritize viewfinder tracking over other features (such as WYSIWYG depth of field). Yet the Canon representatives note that there’s a generational split here, explaining:

At this point in time the biggest difference [between DSLRs and mirrorless cameras] is the finder. The fact that you can see everything in real time, without any layers in the way. That’s really big for a lot professional sports photographers. On the other hand, we do see a lot of the younger generation of professionals favoring EVFs, because what you see is what you get.

What do you think about this generational split in terms of OVFs and EVFs? If you’re a sports photographer, which do you prefer?
And how do you feel about Canon’s choice to maintain a focus on DSLRs (for now)?
Share your thoughts in the comments!

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