DSLR future

[Docmom2003]

I keep hearing things like DSLRs are going away and about to be a thing of the past. Having a substantial investment in Canon DSLRs and associated lenses, and neither interest nor funds in buying mirrorless, what is UP with this?

[rs-eos]

It's all a natural progression of things.   This is true for any technology.

DLSRs can still be used a-ok along with their lenses.   Do note though that over time, more and more DSLR models will reach their end-of-life in terms of support.  That doesn't mean you have to stop using them, just means that having them serviced will become increasingly difficult (e.g. having to find 3rd-party repair shops outside of Canon that would still have proper replacement parts).

Again, this is not unique to cameras.  Apple does the same exact thing for all their computers and other devices.  There will always be a point in time where certain older tech will no longer be supported.

[kvbarkley]

And DSLR's have always been a klugey technology, The mechanical aspects of the mirror/shutter are a nightmare. The requirement for a prism or mirror to invert the viewfinder image adds more complexity and cost. The focus location is de-coupled from the sensor leading to misalignment issues. Mirrorless is conceptually simpler and cheaper.

But don't worry too much, DSLR's are still going to be around a long while, though eventually you will need to move to the used market. If you are happy with what you have now, there is no urgent need to change.

[johnrmoyer]

I have not bought any RF lenses. All of my EF and EF-S lenses work better on my EOS R5 than they do on my EOS 80D. When you get a new Canon R series camera body, all of your lenses will work with the Canon adapter.I saw no reason to replace good lenses when getting a mirrorless R series camera and I can still use the same lenses on my EOS 80D. Auto focus seems to me much improved with mirrorless.

If you have mostly EF-S lenses, then a APS-C mirrorless body might be better than full frame and cost less and weigh less. The EOS R100 is under $500 and the adapter about $130, but there would be no hurry to change to mirrorless so long as what you have works for you.

I also have an adapter so that I can use a 45 year old manual only Minolta lens from a film camera.

[normadel]

What is up is.....Your DSLRs and lenses can last a long time, and you'll be able to buy used (and warrantied) replacements for a long time.

Enjoy what you have and don't obsess about it. I have five Canon DSLRs, two recently bought, and lenses also recently bought. I have NO plans to "upgrade" to new technology just because it's the thing to do.

[ebiggs1]

The last Canon DSLR las already been made. At my age, I too, have no plans to go mirrorless. I still have four 1 series cameras. Some are 20 years old and still work just fine.

[Docmom2003]

My big upgrade was getting a full frame, new, and a second used one for a backup body. Then new lenses. So yeah, that budget is done now that I’m retired!

[wq9nsc]

I will be sticking with my 1 series DSLRs for the foreseeable future.  I MUCH prefer the optical viewfinder and overall ergonomics and personality of the DSLR along with the rock solid reliability and long battery life of the 1 series.

I only upgrade to new camera bodies when one is better suited for my needs than what I currently own.  I have tried the R3 and I much prefer my 1DX III over that setup. At this point for what I do, mirrorless provides drawbacks and no clear advantage.

The R1 may tempt me when it comes out but before I switch to any high end mirrorless I will be taking a close look at the competition.  Or maybe I will just wait a few more years for software defined imaging systems to make high end cameras obsolete.

Rodger

[Tronhard]

Hi and welcome to the forum.
I own both DSLRs (dating back to 2000) and the new Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Cameras (MILCs).  Simply put, the technology has changed and there is a new generation of cameras coming to the market.  Competition being what it is, camera makers strive to keep up with each other, but they can't afford to produce designs for legacy platforms forever. 

This change started with Sony about 10 years ago, Canon and Nikon produced compact MILC system series around the same time, but they continued to develop DSLRs as their main market.  However, that changed in 2019 when Canon and Nikon produced large sensor cameras - in Canon's case the R-series of Full-Frame (FF)  cameras (and later APS-C bodies), along with a line of lenses designed for them. 

The technology has dramatically developed with lots of new features like In-Body Image Stabilization (IBIS) to enhance the lens Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), removal of the mirror system and metering off the sensor directly to reduce mechanical complexity and provide more accurate exposure display, face and eye tracking for animals and people.

All that is great, but if your current equipment is providing the images that satisfy you, then you should stick with that.  Right now, Canon continues to support some of the DSLR bodies and lenses, but they are not creating any new models of bodies or lenses, and are slowly dropping current ones off the production line as more folks move to the MILCs and the market for legacy equipment shrinks.   Depending on the age and model of your gear, you can get your own equipment serviced.

That said, there is a huge amount of legacy gear out there, so if you so choose to update your current DSLRs or lenses, you can pick up some great bargains for top-end gear as folks sell theirs off to move to MILCs.

Frankly, this is not new and is perfectly normal.  Technology changes constantly and some changes are more disruptive than evolutionary. Canon changed from the FD mount to the EOS mount in the 1980's, and then from film cameras to digital at the start of the century, but one can still get both of those older techs on the used market, even decades later, some of it in awesome condition.  Again, as long as what you have fulfils your needs, stay as you are and enjoy your gear. 

By the way, if you ever do move to buy a MILC body, you can use your existing lenses via an EF-RF adapter that works extremely well.