If you wanted more proof that time and technology wait for no man,
check out the newest kid on the digital block: the mirror-less camera.
It’s the innovation we never knew we needed, but the powers-that-be
(camera branding heavyweights like Canon), are, happily, here to sharpen
our focus.
Camera technology evolves at the blink of the
shutter, but these evolutions are usually microevolutions that bring us
slightly brighter colors and somewhat sharper pictures. The mirror-less
camera, on the other hand is a macroevolution and will become a
strapping competitor for the popular standards: the digital SLR
(single-lens reflex) camera and the user-friendly point-and-shoot
camera.
The mirror-less camera builds on its forbears, phasing
out the mirror-based optical viewfinder of the SLR camera and adding an
interchangeable lens mount, while keeping the light-weight feel of the
compact camera. Even though the picture quality isn’t quite as good as
you’ll find with the SLR camera, it’s a good compromise between quality
and user-friendliness for the consumer-space.
While mirror-less
cameras are framed for category domination, SLR currently remains the
choice for the developing amateur. The Brand Keys Customer Loyalty
Index rankings, a very high-resolution snapshot of the emotional and
rational aspects for the digital SLR camera category, show a photo
finish for the consumer-favorite brand in 2012, but Canon wins out by
the narrowest of margins:
- Canon
- Nikon
- Olympus
- Leica
- Sony
- Pentax
- Panasonic
- Fuji
Interestingly,
Canon is the only major camera brand that has not yet introduced a
mirror-less model. As the mirror-less gains traction, Canon may have to
play a bit of brand catch-up if they want to continue to reflect their
tony brand rep.
Photographer Yousef Karsh noted, “The heart
and mind are the true lens of the camera.” Based on consumer
expectations and emotional category drivers, the brands that will be most
successful combine heart, mind, and technology.
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