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DPReview just released their annual Camera Industry Forecasts video in which Chris and Jordan discuss what they think is from the major manufacturers. I think, for the most part, they’re right on the nose.
2020 was a year of the ‘upset the apple cart’ genre. I think without the COVID-19 pandemic we would have seen different decisions from the major camera makers, and many of them looked at what they could do this year and if they found out what ‘they could wait another year before. in taking this action, they chose to do so.
So looking at next year, that’s what I think (along with Chris and Jordan) you can expect from the big names in 2021.
Cannon
Chris and Jordan are pretty specific in their analysis of Canon’s position: the company is in very good shape when it comes to the high end. Right after the launch of the EOS R, Canon spent most of its time developing its line of lenses. By the time he finally released the R5 and R6, there was a robust lens library to back up these two cameras.
The point is, almost everything Canon sells in the RF lineup is extremely expensive, making it difficult for anyone on a budget to jump into Canon’s mirrorless pool. Video duo DPReview think we’ll see cheaper Canon camera gear in 2021 including an RP replacement, and I tend to agree with them.
One area that’s a bit of a wildcard is what Canon plans to do with its M mount. As Jordan puts it, “the M50 Mark II was kind of an embarrassing upgrade.” It is true. This camera doesn’t deserve the name “Mark II” because Canon basically gave it a firmware upgrade and put it on sale. I’m absolutely not confident in this hot take, but I think Canon will keep it. I don’t feel like the company wants to make smaller sensors in the RF line, and the M line is the perfect place to offer that kind of support as the RF line continues to cater for those who want a full frame.
Canon is hard to predict because, while still early in the mirrorless game, the company seems so well positioned to do whatever it wants. The company’s mirrorless strategy seems to have paid off, and now there is so much flexibility with where Canon can take its mark that it’s hard to predict. Canon fans really have many reasons to continue to be optimistic.
Pentax / Ricoh
I think if you pay attention, it’s pretty easy to guess what Pentax / Ricoh is going to do in 2021: not a lot. We’ll have the Pentax K3 Mark III, maybe a new GR under the Ricoh brand, and maybe a Pentax lens, but the company has been repeatedly disappointed for years. The leadership has said over and over again that it will never produce a Pentax product without a mirror and how long it takes the company to make lenses for its DSLRs I believe them. There is no way that at its current rate, Pentax could compete even if it produced an excellent mirrorless ILC: it would have to be 5 or 6 years before there was any flexible library of first-party glass to use on many. like a camera.
I’m a little excited to see how the K3 Mark III incorporates on-sensor stabilization as we’ve never seen this technology in a DSLR before (at least not in my memory, I could be wrong). Other than that, there is little to say about Pentax / Ricoh.
Fujifilm
I have to admit, I can’t predict Fujifilm. I love cameras, but I’ve never been a “Fuji guy”. Jordan has a small list of expectations for the company in 2021 that primarily target the company’s video capability. Fujifilm has steadily improved its video game over the past two years and entered the Panasonic four-thirds mic space. I think what Jordan is saying here is a smart guess: expect them to give video shooters more.
I also agree that it would make sense to see Fujifilm play a bit more with medium format cameras. These cameras are big, bulky, and still relatively expensive today. Fujifilm could try compressing that excellent 100-megapixel sensor into a smaller, more affordable, and even more accessible body.
Leica
Chris doesn’t seem to think we’ll see much on the Leica’s camera path this year, but there are rumors that disagree, like the one hinting at a more affordable rangefinder as well as a new CL camera in early 2021..
Still, over the past couple of years, Leica has made a lot of cameras and I think Chris’s opinion that we’ll be seeing more of the company’s optics this year instead is a safe bet. The L-Mount could use a more interesting and faster glass. I also think Leica should take advantage of its ability to make interesting lenses as opposed to the current trend of high performance, coreless glasses. Hopefully we’ll see them play a bit in this space.
We’ll get to this more in the Panasonic section, but Leica’s autofocus needs some work: it’s not a good sign that the SL2 didn’t convince me until I used focus lenses. manual stitch. Unlike Panasonic which has DFD technology, Leica just has a competent contrast system without the intelligence behind it. Leica either just needs to license what Panasonic owns or add phase detection. This middle ground in which he finds himself does not work for anyone more than an amateur.
Nikon
Nikon has been repeatedly portrayed in the news in a negative light this year, primarily due to its financial situation. Things aren’t great there, but I don’t think we’re anywhere near seeing the end of Nikon. No, instead I think the company will do what it threatens to do – make more mirrorless lenses and produce one more DSLR.
Jordan’s prediction of a Z-mount sports case to compete with the Sony a9 is a pretty good guess, and I agree that we’ll see a new sports case from Nikon in 2021, but it may be. of a digital SLR or mirrorless. I’m not sure Nikon still has the technology to create high performance mirrorless sport, but we know it can do it with DSLRs.
Sigma
Sigma is primarily known as a manufacturer of lenses, but it is also a manufacturer of cameras. While Jordan says he hopes to see a Foveon mirrorless camera, I have my doubts. I have been saying for years that I expect them to use this technology again and always predict that “this year will be the year”.
I think I am done hoping there.
I bet we’re seeing a compact, street / travel-oriented mirrorless camera from Sigma, but I doubt it uses the Foveon sensor. It’s been so long since it’s been seen in a camera that at this point I have to believe Sigma is struggling to make it a compelling option in the market.
What is more likely is that an “I Series” camera goes with the latest early compacts from Sigma.
Olympus
Chris and Jordan agree with me: it’s hard not to believe that this is just the beginning of the end for Olympus. Japan Industrial Partners (JIP) bought the brand last year and it’s hard not to believe that it will slowly let the brand die out.
Financially, I don’t know how this makes sense for JIP. Buying Olympus was not cheap and letting the brand slowly fade doesn’t seem like a poor financial strategy to me. I’m a little more convinced that Olympus will stay a little longer than Chris, but it’s really hard to say. We rarely see new owners of camera brands in this industry, so it’s hard to look at situations from the past and serve as a barometer for what we’re seeing now. Unfortunately, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Panasonic
Panasonic is my favorite brand of camera, and I have no qualms about saying it. I switched to Panasonic with the GH4 and now I am happy to use the GH5, S1, S5 and S1H. Many who don’t use Panasonic products say the company’s DFD tech is bad and its emphasis on contrast-based autofocus never gets anywhere, but I don’t agree. I think Panasonic will stick with DFD and keep improving it. At this point, if Panasonic intended to use phase detection, it would have done so already.
I’m also with Jordan: I’m 100% convinced that we’ll see the GH6 this year as a video-focused micro four-thirds camera that will have at least the same specs as the a7S III. I don’t think video shooters want more resolution, and as such, this will be a camera that focuses on absolutely rocking 4K performance.
Sony
I think if 2020 was a normal year, the a7 IV would already be on the market. Sony has taken a very conservative approach in 2020 because, let’s face it, the company doesn’t have to take any more risks – it sort of owns the mirrorless space. However, that won’t last forever with Canon breathing down the neck, and as such, we’re sure to see Sony release some awesome new products in 2021, starting with an a7 IV.
I think Sony will also make a stronger case for its APS-C line, leaving that a6000 style body behind. Fujifilm could use more competition, and I think Sony recognizes that.
Also, some of the older G-Master lenses are in desperate need of a refresh – I’m looking at you 24-70mm f / 2.8. I’m pretty confident we’ll see new versions of these lenses this year with updated optics and all-new autofocus motors.
Do you agree with Chis and Jordan? What have I missed or misunderstood? What are your forecasts for 2021? Let us know in the comments.
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