Sigma launched new camera - BF

[BB13]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3aWpngPnFI

[Nishit Dave]

It's a good looking camera, and it might succeed with the young generation.

However, what's most noteworthy is the new Sigma 300-600mm f/4 lens. Just $6000! I think it will be sold in India at around Rs. 6 lacs, which would make it quite attractive for the doctors and lawyers.

[Krish Chandran]

No viewfinder
No removable memory - internal memory only
Fixed back - not tilt-able
Stripped down controls

Kind of like the Sigma FP or Panasonic S9

Interesting

[Nishit Dave]

No viewfinder
No removable memory - internal memory only
Fixed back - not tilt-able
Stripped down controls

Kind of like the Sigma FP or Panasonic S9

Interesting

Also quite like an iPhone. I think it could be a hit among the self-obsessed crowd if the right influencers shill for it.

[BB13]

Yeah it is like they converted the phone camera app to actual camera. (well phone app has more controls than this!! :D)

[Hankosaurus]

So much attention to so many things, aesthetics, mass, advanced technology, but not to the viewfinder.  IMO, no serious photographer will look at a cellphone class screen/viewfinder and think "Now that's a fine camera right there!"

One needs to see what they are doing with the camera.  Bright sunlight viewing is very important.  I'm trying to appreciate the logic of those who would buy a camera without a viewfinder.

[BB13]

Probably the target market for these kind of cameras is not serious/pro shooters, with smartphone cameras improving very rapidly it is eating away the camera sales, especially the novice/beginner category and influencers/video shooters etc and I guess those guys won't care about EVF.

[Hankosaurus]

Probably the target market for these kind of cameras is not serious/pro shooters, with smartphone cameras improving very rapidly it is eating away the camera sales, especially the novice/beginner category and influencers/video shooters etc and I guess those guys won't care about EVF.

Yes, I see your point, BB13.  Evidently, the object of the marketeers is not to make a great camera, but rather to identify an addressable market and to sell something into it.  Now that I think about it, I believe there was a Hasselblad cellphone product some time back.  No viewfinder.  I wonder how it fared in the marketplace.

[Nishit Dave]

If a non-EVF camera helps more people to turn towards serious photography, so be it. I've recently given my old NEX-6 to my daughter, and she's happily clicking photos in Auto mode. It lets her do more than her iPhone would allow.

She would be just fine with a camera like the Sigma BF.

[BB13]

Probably the target market for these kind of cameras is not serious/pro shooters, with smartphone cameras improving very rapidly it is eating away the camera sales, especially the novice/beginner category and influencers/video shooters etc and I guess those guys won't care about EVF.

Yes, I see your point, BB13.  Evidently, the object of the marketeers is not to make a great camera, but rather to identify an addressable market and to sell something into it.  Now that I think about it, I believe there was a Hasselblad cellphone product some time back.  No viewfinder.  I wonder how it fared in the marketplace.

Smartphones ate huge chunk of camera market, especially entry level segment. People used to buy point to shoot, DSLRs just for taking regular day to day photos as quality difference between phones and cameras was very huge but nowadays you don't even see any PTS cameras or decent mirroless/DSLR cameras under 40-50k in market and that is why probably Hasselblad, Sony multiple companies tried to create such phone attachment camera accessories but failed but now the phone manufacturers are moving in this direction.
Xiaomi's implementation looks better, magnetic attachment; compatibility with native camera app etc compared to Realme where they just exposed sensor on the back which is like getting android powered camera.