More new stuff! Woo-hoo!

As you can see from my posts, I have used a fairly wide range of photography gear: Sony pocket cameras, Panasonic and Sony mirrorless and a bunch of Canon DSLRs. After a few years of transition I have settled on my good old 1DsMkII and 1DMkIII, alongside a NEX F3 (and a GoPro Hero).

Understandably then, it is difficult (hypocritical even) to play the role of the puritan when it comes to new cameras releases and rumours. And yet, as a consumer, I cannot but look some of this and scratch my big fat head :-)

A Sony rumours website has reminded everyone that most major camera manufacturers will be announcing new products around 8-10 January.
http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sr4-sony-to-announce-new-photographic-products-in-early-january/
This has to happen because, clearly, there is dangerously low inventory of 2012 models sitting in warehouses; and, as we all know, there have been historic, seismic developments in sensor technology over the last six months. Ok, I will stop the sarcasm.

The problem is described extremely well by Thom Hogan in this article entitled "The JC Penny Problem":
http://www.sansmirror.com/newsviews/november-2012/the-jc-penney-problem-only.html
In summary: if you teach people that the SRPs are a joke, you get 4-month old cameras being sold at nearly 40% below SRP (check out the trajectory for the NEX 5R and F3 if you include cash-backs ). And if you tell consumers that replacement models will always be in place 10 months down the line, then picking up "last year's model" at close down prices is the way to go: why buy anything new? 

The RX100, F3, 5R and NEX 6 are superb; give them another 10 or 15 months of peace in the market place to find an audience. Immediate price crashes of new products, followed by a mad rush to clear inventory are not helping camera manufacturers establish an identity or camera stores pay the rent.

Also, I wish someone could explain why Sony, Nikon et all bother with non-premium called pocket cameras any longer? 

• The phone cameras are killing them.  
• Is anyone making money out of a £75 camera?

And yet, according to the mighty http://camerapricebuster.co.uk/index.php Fuji has around 25 pocket cameras in the £50 to £100 price range; Nikon and Sony, another 13 or so! And, after 10/1/2013 we will have more.

I will get a bit more time to shoot photos for fun this weekend - here's hoping for a few sunny and chilly days :-)