Camera Makers Went Weird in 2025 - and That's Exactly What the Shrinking Industry Needed (dpreview.com) 15
The camera industry shipped 6.5 million interchangeable lens cameras last year -- a 50% decline from 2010's peak -- yet 2025 may have been the most creatively ambitious year in nearly two decades of digital photography. DPReview's Richard Butler argues that this year's releases displayed "invention, experimentation and niche-tickling lunacy" not seen since digital's earliest days.
Interchangeable lens shipments rose 11% in the first ten months of 2025 compared to last year, and fixed lens cameras climbed roughly 26%. The practical cameras arrived as expected: Panasonic's S1 II, Canon's EOS R6 III, and Sony's a7 V all delivered performance that "can go toe-to-toe with the pro sports models of just a few years ago." But the stranger releases drew attention.
Sony's RX1R III faced criticism for being a "lazy update," yet Butler found it "small, fun to use and the pictures look great." Leica launched the Q3 Monochrom, a $7,800 fixed-lens full-frame compact that cannot capture color. Fujifilm's X half targeted young buyers who might otherwise hunt for vintage compacts on eBay. The Sigma BF abandoned traditional camera design entirely -- no viewfinder, one dial, intentionally stylized.
"Look at some of this year's releases through a pragmatic lens of whether they're the best tool for the job, and the conclusion you'd typically draw is 'no,'" Butler wrote. These cameras "aren't trying to be the best, the most flexible or the most practical. They're intentionally, knowingly niche."
Interchangeable lens shipments rose 11% in the first ten months of 2025 compared to last year, and fixed lens cameras climbed roughly 26%. The practical cameras arrived as expected: Panasonic's S1 II, Canon's EOS R6 III, and Sony's a7 V all delivered performance that "can go toe-to-toe with the pro sports models of just a few years ago." But the stranger releases drew attention.
Sony's RX1R III faced criticism for being a "lazy update," yet Butler found it "small, fun to use and the pictures look great." Leica launched the Q3 Monochrom, a $7,800 fixed-lens full-frame compact that cannot capture color. Fujifilm's X half targeted young buyers who might otherwise hunt for vintage compacts on eBay. The Sigma BF abandoned traditional camera design entirely -- no viewfinder, one dial, intentionally stylized.
"Look at some of this year's releases through a pragmatic lens of whether they're the best tool for the job, and the conclusion you'd typically draw is 'no,'" Butler wrote. These cameras "aren't trying to be the best, the most flexible or the most practical. They're intentionally, knowingly niche."
not cheap! (Score:3)
Re:not cheap! (Score:4, Interesting)
The purpose is the same, too. It's not just, or at all, about the photography, or having something stylish to carry your stuff in; it's about being seen to be on trend (usually because some random influencer/celebs was recently photographed holding one) and having a lot of disposable cash within the right set. You know what else all these cameras have in common? They are compact enough to fit easily into an expensive handbag ready to be brought out on a moments notice whenever the paparazzi show up.
Re: (Score:1)
There are some really good and really affordable Chinese lenses on the market now. They have arguably the best phone cameras too, although like everyone they mostly use Sony and Samsung sensors.
I'm hoping they can disrupt the mirrorless market with some cheap and highly automated cameras in the next few years.
Re: (Score:2)
There's no way a black and white only fixed lens camera is worth $7800 price tag.
It ends up in studios who rent them to photographers for like 500 € a day. Photographers will charge their customers who insist on being shot on fancy brands.
Re: (Score:2)
There's no way a black and white only fixed lens camera is worth $7800 price tag.
What do you mean no way? Is that some way of saying only colour should have a nice price tag? For that money you get a 61mpxl sensor that has no de-bayering process meaning it will be fundamentally sharper than a comparable sensor with the same pixel count, and fundamentally lower noise than a sensor with even 1/4 of the pixels.
Also it's smack bang the price you expect for any Leica camera. If you were planning to buy this for holiday snaps you are doing it wrong.
fads (Score:2)
I remember 2010. I tried to convince various relatives that they really did not need a fancy DSLR for the snapshots they were going to take. Deaf ears. Had to keep up with the Joneses. Now, keeping up with the joneses means jonesing for the latest iphone. Fads change.
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It didn't help the camera industry that an iPhone (or any good smartphone, really) can take pictures much better than any DSLR could 15 years ago.
Sure, the new DSLR's still take much better photos, but the iPhone has taken "good enough" pictures for most people for nearly a decade now.
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
It didn't help the camera industry that an iPhone (or any good smartphone, really) can take pictures much better than any DSLR could 15 years ago.
Kinda. Not to detract from your point about smartphones satisfying the masses, but those pictures are invented from AI. Any 15 year old DSLR takes better pictures, the iPhone (or whatever cellphone generally) invents them.
Sigma BF = $2000 simple camera (Score:2)
Some of these cameras baffle me. Sigma's new BF camera is expensive at $2000. It does not offer any new features over its predecessors. It takes away features. Its main selling point is simplicity. Well, we already have cell phone cameras for that. I fail to understand the target market. Somebody jokingly said that it is an expensive camera for people who hate photography.
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>I fail to understand the target market.
Hipsters, artists, celebrities, wealthy tourists, artsy girls and dudes trying to attract artsy girls, etc. People who simply like the design. People going for a certain outward appearance, people who want an aesthetically pleasing minimalist camera strapped over their shoulder on display while out-and-about. Way cooler than a cellphone camera with much better image quality.
It's a matter of marketing to taste. Not every driver wants the utilitarian station wagon. N
Re: (Score:2)
Not everyone who's interested in a camera wants a plastic-bodied camera covered in buttons and dials with a bulky grip and a big lens.
Adding an example to your arguments. I own an alpha 7, one of those "covered in buttons and dials with a bulky grip and a big lens" (no plastic though in this price range). What annoys me a bit is what a review I checked at the time called "esoteric menus". It's impossible to remember which dial to rotate to navigate the menu, which arrow key moves in which direction (it's *that* confusing). I'm just back from picturing sunset in the city, and it took me minutes again to set the right ISO and white balance
Re: (Score:2, Troll)
Sigma BF has a full frame sensor, so much better image quality than a cell phone camera. It's also very small and compact. Price isn't completely outside of the range of the full-frame mirrorless category, especially considering materials. Not sure how comfortable it really would be to hold and shoot with, and wish it had a Foveon sensor, but that would make it even more niche.
Just bought a pair of Mamiya 645s (Score:2)
But I'm weird. And my iPhone 16 gets plenty of work.