Shrunkenstein: What We Can Learn From Nikon D5000.

The world is getting smaller. Gone are the days when you travel 3months for 3000miles just to see your long lost cousins. Now, you just add them in Facebook.

Despite my introduction only has 4.5% relevance to my title, the irony is, SLR cameras too are getting smaller. It's ironic coz... even with small bodied DSLR, lenses are unlikely to be smaller. So, why make them smaller???

Olympus lauded their 'pocketable' E-420 model. And when scrutinized further, what those smart Japanese meant was; pocketable in a "jacket"... duh! And of coz when mounted with a pancake lens... duh!

Smart Japanese.

Anyway, back to the topic. The trend nowadays is, developing smaller-sized DSLRs. The cash-cow is the entry-level models. Sony has 3 models, Canon has.. duh, I lost count... Nikon has 2 and Olympus has 3. The question is, why make them smaller when the lens will always be big?

Well, the analogy is simple. With prices spiraling down, the race between DSLR makers are on capturing the most migrates of compact camera to the DSLR world. And I guess, the Japanese has got smart socio-scientists to tell them that most of them are either ladies or humans with small hands. And so, the make it smaller.

I seriously think there is a fatal flaw in this analogy. In 5 years time, these newbies will be developing ergonomics problems. Why? Well, in the quest to capture better pictures, newbies will buy better lenses. Better lenses must still confide with the laws of optics. Therefore, the better it is, the bigger and heavier it must be. And same goes with flashes. Now imagine, a cutie small DSLR mounted with a 70-200f/2.8 lens with a gobsmack flash thrice bigger than the camera. I smell neck-pain and frozen-wrist.

So, instead of spending million-hours of Japanese thinking power to reduce the size of a DSLR, think of a different way to attract the newcomers. Stick to an "acceptable" size and load it up with features that no photographer needs, like MP3, loud speakers, text messaging, twibble etc etc. In addition, give it some colors to differentiate the ladies and the menses (that didn't sound right).

Always think: the lenses will always be big. So why bother making smaller DSLR.

I have a special reference to a particular brand that, in my opinion, has gone overboard. Sony's latest entry level models looked great. But in the bid to make it smaller, they've taken off some critical buttons and features. The overall design might be appealing to newbies but half way thru it's life cycle, it'll create tension and frustrations.

Nikon has done a great job with the D5000 model. They created a small DSLR loaded with a hellava features. But, it's just way too small. Poor pinky finger wont have any place to rest.

So, dear smart Japanese, DSLRs aren't just for Japanese. It's for the whole world. So, please don't make it too small.

At the end of the day, it's great that manufacturers are challenging the status quo by producing exciting form factors for DSLR. I applaud that. But I wish, in the bid to do so, critical functions should NOT be removed. Olympus E-620 and Nikon D5000 are both fine examples of "get 'em smaller and better" and should be supported.

Lastly... dear smart Japanese at Olympus - your E-P1 ROCKS!