How many of these advanced compacts will we see?

[froyd]

Nice to see the new category on the left hand navigation menu, but my guess is that this time next year they'll be all collapsed under one heading, just like m4/3.

I think we are on the verge of being inundated by a bunch of advanced compacts following in the trail of the RX100 and soon of the new Fuji XF1.

Never really cared for these compacts for more than family snaps, but this new generation has definitely caught my attention!

[GaryLH]

Panasonic lx3, canon s90 and g series were the early pioneers of this type of p&s, then cameras like the x10, s100, lx5, (nikon one, and pentax q in terms of sensor size) up'd the ante. But due to limitations in high iso performance, they tend to not intrude the m43 space in terms of someone making a decision on which camera. Now with the Sony rx100 blowing the doors off of m43 space in terms of both iq and iso, what used to be easy decision points are blurring the lines for p&s using small sensor or just go m43...

Rx1 changed the game in terms of what to expect from the large sensor p&s world that was owned by x1/2, x100, and others. the saving grace for Sony competitors is price.. If rx1 was 2k or 2800 with evf, it might have been different story.. By early next year we will c how well the rx1 does in the market

Next year is going to be interesting to c how others respond to the Sony pair of p&s... Choice is good and we are going to benefit

Gary

Ps I have the rx100 and love it.. It retired my lx3... I have an x100 and dont plan to upgrade to an Rx1..

[sevo]

Originally Posted by froyd

I think we are on the verge of being inundated by a bunch of advanced compacts following in the trail of the RX100 and soon of the new Fuji XF1.

Hard to tell. The current ones have all the marks of a fad - even if there should still be some new ones coming by the next Photokina, they'll occupy a tiny niche, just like the luxury compacts of film days.

But I think it is very likely that a new class of large sensor large zoom compacts will emerge - "bridge" fixed superzoom cameras have for more than twenty years ruled the niche between compacts and exchangeable lens cameras, and it would be very surprising if that (large) stratum of the consumer class can be convinced to switch to a prime, even more so now that smartphones are beginning to grow the (3-4x) zoom capabilities of classic compacts.

[jsrockit]

Originally Posted by sevo

even if there should still be some new ones coming by the next Photokina, they'll occupy a tiny niche, just like the luxury compacts of film days.

I agree. The general population doesn't know about sensor size. These are advertised as serious cameras. $650 for the RX100 is way too expensive for most consumers. They'll always think the DSLR (the norm) is the better buy and the more serious camera.

[froyd]

I guess "inundated" was a bit too strong a word. But I doubt the X-F1 will be the only alternative to the RX100. I guess by "inundated", I mean, more than 2 cameras

Hey, after a drought even a few drops of water seem like a tidal wave!

[unixrevolution]

I think actually that with Cell Phone cameras inundating the "I just wanna take some pitchers" market, the compact camera makers are all running upmarket, and those who are serious about their photography are going with them. I think this part of the market will grow markedly in the next few years.

[thegman]

I think we'll see a lot more of them. I've read on RFF that many manufacturers see that the low end will be taken by mobile phones, so the enthusiast market will be where the money is.

[sevo]

I agree that the future niche for compacts is between cellphone

and EVIL, where they once had a far greater place between disposable and SLR. But how many buyers upward of cell phones but below SLRs will agree that "up-market" means big sensors and fast primes, when the bottom 90% of the SLR market consider primes some horribly inferior thing from a remote past?

I rather think that we'll see most of the growth in electronic viewfinder superzoom cameras - kind of a future ******* between the formerly popular "hybrid" fixed superzoom (D)SLRs and superzoom compacts like the Panasonic TZ series.

[GaryLH]

Originally Posted by sevo

I agree that the future niche for compacts is between cellphone

and EVIL, where they once had a far greater place between disposable and SLR. But how many buyers upward of cell phones but below SLRs will agree that "up-market" means big sensors and fast primes, when the bottom 90% of the SLR market consider primes some horribly inferior thing from a remote past?

I rather think that we'll see most of the growth in electronic viewfinder superzoom cameras - kind of a future ******* between the formerly popular "hybrid" fixed superzoom (D)SLRs and superzoom compacts like the Panasonic TZ series.

I think I have to agree w/ u... For the average consumer looking to go better those type of cameras this will be the sweet spot.

Cameras like the rx100, lx7, x10, x100, dp2m, etc. are targeted for a much smaller market segment.

Gary