DSLRs aren’t dead: Canon to offer DSLRs for foreseeable future

Try as they might, the masses who want DSLRs to die can’t seem to get their wish to come true simply because the likes of Canon think there will be demand for DSLRs for a while.

Another day, another story about the DSLRs vs. mirrorless cameras. Will the debate over which technology is better ever end? No, and the reason is that while mirrorless technology might be newer and offer advantages over DSLRs, the truth is, DSLRs didn’t suddenly become terrible just because a new technology entered the playing field. Canon knows this, Nikon knows this, Pentax (read our review of their latest DSLR, the K-3 III here) knows this.

Thousands of photographers still use DSLRs every day. These photographers will continue to do so as they have spent years building up their lens collections and learning how to get the most out of their gear.

For many, there’s simply no reason to shift to mirrorless cameras. It’s like the car industry. Electric cars are the future and offer many benefits over gas cars on the road. However, just because electric cars are now here, it doesn’t mean gas-powered cars are automatically dead. People will continue to use them for many years, and drivers and manufacturers will still support gas cars for years to come. It’s the same thing with DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.

Long live the Canon DSLR

During the Canon Q2 2022 financial meeting, which Canon Rumors shared on their site, Canon execs stated that they believe the camera market has bottomed out. Canon now predicts camera market growth to begin again. This news is excellent after so many years of uncertainty. The execs also noted that they believe DSLRs will be a viable tool for photographers for many more years. While Canon might not release any new DSLRs, they will continue to make DSLRs, like the EOS 1DX III, as long as there is demand.

Honestly, there will be demand for these cameras. Many professional photographers have been using DSLRs their whole careers. So they feel comfortable with them. These photographers know what to expect with these cameras. They know how hard they can push them and can count on them when they absolutely must get the shot.

Having that level of trust in your gear is vital when you have a critical job like photojournalism. I know a lot of photographers who still use DSLRs. They have all told me the same thing; that they will seek out another DSLR when their current one retires to the big camera store in the sky. The bond between photographers and their favorite cameras can be hard to break. So, kudos to Canon for recognizing this. For them, it’s a business opportunity first and foremost, but for the photographers, it’s so much more. I can at least appreciate that Canon also sees this.

The future is still mirrorless

As great as mirrorless cameras are now, they still have some issues regarding stability. I have used many mirrorless cameras — more than most as it’s part of my job — and I can tell you that the rest of the review team here at Photofocus and I often run into issues with stability and performance due to poor firmware implementation in new cameras.

The great thing with mirrorless cameras is that it’s easier than ever for camera manufacturers to push firmware updates to fix issues. It’s also easy for the end user to apply them. Still, sometimes, it might take some time for these issues to be resolved. Time those out in the field who rely on their cameras simply don’t have.

DSLRs and mirrorless cameras can coexist

Mirrorless technology isn’t exactly new at this point. However, newer technologies that are constantly being implemented into the computers we still call cameras will inherently have problems. That’s just the nature of the latest technology beast. So there will always be teething problems with newer, bigger, better, faster, shinier cameras.

Mirrorless cameras are the future, and yes, one day, DSLRs will fade away. Still, don’t expect that time to be soon. Camera manufacturers are continuing to pivot to mirrorless cameras. Still, they know that DSLRs, which were perfected and had reached their final form by the time mirrorless cameras took off, will still be wanted by many thousands of photographers who simply don’t want to put their trust into what is still an experimental beta platform.

At the end of the day, DSLRs — like mirrorless cameras — are just a tool that helps us get our work done. Both platforms have pros and cons, and photographers will prefer one to the other. Both technologies can coexist quite easily. I just don’t understand the hate many photographers have for DSLRs at this point.

Owning a mirrorless camera over a DSLR doesn’t make you a better photographer and vice versa. Just use what you’re comfortable with and go on about life, not worrying about what others might be doing. Let’s all create and be supportive of each other. Do you use DSLRs? Do you think Canon is making the right move? Let us know in the comment section.