After the announcement of Canon 60D - Should you Switch to Nikon, Sony or Samsung DSLRs?

Canon has just announced the Canon EOS 60D, and we are already hearing some negative opinions. It seems that some photographers don't like the fact that the Canon 60D is not the upgrade which they have been waiting for. Photographers bashed the in-camera RAW editing, old focusing system & a REBEL-like plastic body. However, what you expected?. Canon hasn't left much room for an upgrade, when it introduced the Canon EOS 7D.  Canon 60D vs. 550D, I have already seen photographers upgrading to the 7D, instead of the 60D. Did Canon make a mistake with the 60D?

I think that Canon has done the right thing in releasing the 60D as it is. I think that this is a good upgrade from the 550D, but not from the 50D or the 40D.  It looks like Canon gave more attention to the video functionality, with a dedicated movie button, swivel TruBlack LCD screen and 1080p HD movies. Canon 60D can take gorgeous HD movies. Nevertheless, the fact that we can already see more companies, showing new technology innovations, that leads me to think that something is wrong out there. Maybe Canon has really failed in innovating. After all, photographers have been waiting for a along time for the 50D upgrade. Many photographers don't care about videos, and they want to see still-image technology innovations. At least Canon is not disappointing in the lens section.

Mass Market Telephoto-Zoom L-Lens?

Canon has introduced the Canon EF 70-300mm F/4-5.6L IS USM lens a few days ago. It seems like a great companion to the 60D when shooting still pics and HD movies. I have personally owned Tamron and Canon telephoto zoom lenses, and I glad that Canon has decided to release a premium, yet affordable L-series Telephoto-zoom lens. When we mention the 70-300mm f4-5.6L IS and the EOS 60D, we talk about enthusiast photography gear. Photographers who fall into that category, usually invest in at least one high-grade L-lens and a fairly expensive camera body. However, as I told you earlier, many of them decide to upgrade their Canon body to a more advanced DSLR, like the Canon EOS 7D, for example.

This is a marketing strategy, no doubt about it. Canon wants advanced photographers, to upgrade their 50D or 40D, to the more expensive 7D. I am sure that after the announcement of the 60D, many enthusiast photographers will do so. Do you want to buy new SD memory cards, new battery grip and accept the fact that you won't have a magnesium-alloy body construction?

Jared Polin tells you what he thinks about the Canon 60D:

If you already own Canon photography gear, I am sure that you won't do the switch now. The only option for you, is to decide, whether you want to upgrade for the 60D or the 7D. When you compare the 7D vs. the 60D, you can see that the 7D is a more advanced tool. Many photographers are basing their buying decision on the built quality, and how the camera ergonomically feels in their hands. I am sure that the 7D wins in that respect.

But for other photographers, this is probably a good landing point to switch to other camera manufacturers, like Sony, Nikon or even Samsung. Nikon will announce the Nikon D90 replacement pretty soon, probably in the upcoming weeks. If Nikon implemented new technology innovations inside the Nikon D95, this will probably be a winning factor to Nikon in 2010/2011. The Nikon D90 is still one of the best amateur/enthusiast DSLR camera on the market today. The Nikon D90 can't shoot 1080p HD videos, and the 720p quality is not comparable with the high video quality of the 60D.

I personally think that Nikon will greatly improve the HD movie function on the D90 replacement. They need to utilize a 1080p HD movie functionality, and also improve the video quality. Add one or two new technology innovations to it, and you can say bye bye to your Canon camera.

Way to Go Sony!

Sony has done a tremendous work with the Sony SLT-A55 Translucent-Mirror DSLR camera. I have personally expected Sony to be the first company to innovate in the DSLR market, and it did it, BIG TIME!
Sony Alpha SLT-A55 brings 10fps and full-time stills and HD movies AF & Phase detection to the amateur photographer's hands. I also think that the HD video quality is on par with Canon's 7D and 550D DSLR cameras. Sony has a long history and experience in the videography field, like Canon does. So you probably asking yourself: "Where does Canon has the advantage over Sony in the DSLR market?". The first advantage comes in the lens manufacturing department. Canon has the largest collection of high-quality lenses, especially their professional-grade L-series lenses.

Will Canon 70-300mm F4-5.6L IS Prevent you from Switching?

When you see a lens like the Canon 70-300mm F4-5.6L IS USM, you will think twice before switching to Nikon or Canon. Why?, because this is a great L-lens in (probably) a very affordable price. We are talking about the amateur DSLR market. Photographers look not only on the camera body itself, but also on other complementary products, like flash, lenses & lens extenders. In that field, Canon and Nikon still has the upper hand. I think that Canon has done right, announcing both the 60D and the EF 70-300mm F/4-5.6L USM IS at the same time. Amateur photographers who thought about switching, will think twice, after seeing the new L-lens.

Camera bodies come and go, but lenses will always be the long time investment. You will probably replace your DSLR body every two years or so, but you will keep your lenses for a long period of time. So this is an art-crafted marketing strategy, that worked well for Canon for many years.

Even so, we are not living in a perfect world, aren't we. Many of us make emotional decisions, based on our long experience with the companies, which supplies us with photography gear for over the years. I haven't personally experienced the Sony SLT-A55 or the 60D, but I think that Sony is certainly more convincing and elevates the "reliability factor". Over the time, when photographers see a company that continuously succeeding innovating, it changes something. I think that Canon has failed innovating, and when I see Canon and hopefully Nikon and Samsung, bringing new technologies into the DSLR market, I truly think about switching.

Waiting for Samsung's Big Announcements

Samsung has introduced the Samsung NX-10 DSLR camera at Pre-CES 2010, 4 Jan, 2010. Utilizing a 3.0" AMOLED display (3000 times faster in response rate than LCD displays), 720p H.264 HD movies, supersonic dust removing function and many other features. Until now, we looked at Samsung with mixed feelings. This giant company has all the funds and technology knowledge and experience to create amazing products. Over the years, it seems that it failed to impress photographers. Samsung has the ability to truly surprise us. Their GX20 DSLR camera has a CMOS sensor with small micro lens gap, Optical anti-shake function (OIS), water & dust resistance body & pentaprism viewfinder. So if Samsung will pack all of these features, adding new technology innovations and some new high-grade lenses, it can really keep up with the competition, and attract new photographers.

Samsung has already announced that it will present a new revolutionary DSLR camera at Photokina. In the Photokina launch event invitation, Samsung wrote:

"For the first time... will introduce the new product that is set to change the lives of creative customers around the world, and take the camera industry by storm."

Well, after reading this, and also after reading some rumors about an upcoming Samsung NX100, it seems that Samsung is planning a big surprise at Photokina-Show 2010. Who knows, maybe a micro four-thirds mirrorless camera with new micro four-thirds lenses?

Mirrorless & DSLR Market

My EVIL
Camera Design

 When you see the Mirrorless Market share figures in Japan, you can clearly see the change in trend. Mirrorless (EVIL) cameras are becoming very popular among amateur photographers and newbie ones. Of course in the professional photography market the game is different. However, as mirrorless cameras' market share grows, companies need to adapt to that trend, and present their own products of mirrorless cameras. That's the reason many people think that Samsung will enter the mirrorless business, after Olympus, Panasonic, Sony and Nikon and Canon later this year.

Waiting for Photokina 2010

You can clearly see that the photography market shifts to different angles, and when one company innovates, other companies follow. Canon has certainly failed to innovate. However, the game is not over yet. Canon will probably announce their own Mirrorless camera's line at Photokina 2010 next month.  My eyes are totally towards Nikon and Samsung's new camera & lens announcements.  If you wait until now, it surely won't hurt to wait a little more, at least after Photokina, before making your buying decision and think about switching to Sony, Nikon or Samsung digital SLR cameras.