How long before 1080p DSLR's (5D,7D,T#i,60D) are considered obsolete?

[James A. Davis]

With the GH4 and Blackmagic 4K (with updated FPN fix) becoming more popular, how long before the current DSLR's lose traction as the go to cams).

Looking at those crisp 4K images they create, the 1080p footage with start to look dated.

PS - I still proudly use my 5D Mark II, 7D, and T2i

[Noa Put]

1080p camera's won't be obsolete for several years to come, only if you have clients that demand 4K then you have no other choice but otherwise the latest 1080p camera's such as the sony rx10, a7s or rx1000III just to name a few already deliver high detailed 1080p images that will look just fine when upscaled in a 4k tv.

[Roger Gunkel]

When I deliver a wedding to a client on dvd, then listen to them saying how sharp and clear it looks on their HD tv, I have no concerns that a 1080 hd delivery is going to look anything other than great for a long time to come.

Filming in 4k though is anther matter entirely.

Roger

[Robert Benda]

Really, it will be whether people bother with 4K TVs. We won't know for a few years, most likely. I'll be holding out to replace my cameras until then. Maybe another group of 4K cameras will have come out.

[Noa Put]

Sony also advertises about the great upscaling quality when you buy a 4K tv so I expect that good 1080p will look great on a 4K tv as well.

[Paul Cascio]

Our 1080p DSLR won't become obsolete until the day we try to sell it.

[Noa Put]

I never sold a tv, they get used untill they don't work anymore and then they become trash.

[Brian David Melnyk]

As long as the Internet remains a popular place to post and view media on small handheld devices?

[Noa Put]

Youtube was one of the first to supply 4k playback but it will take many years before laptops or tablets have 4k displays and I even doubt what the advantage is for having such a high resolution on such tiny screens, also 4k playback doesn't play well on youtube, it stutters all the way, even on a fast internet connection here. Good detailed 1080p (like 4k downrezzed to 1080p) does look very sharp on a small 1080p screen and provides plenty resolution. I also don't see many tv stations streaming 4k content, even HD content is still a paying option for many channels and they probably will do the same for 4K. As long as you have to pay extra to have a higher resolution only the tech nerds (like us videographers) will invest in it. The mainstream client though couldn't care less, they don't have a clue what 4K stands for as it all looks fine to them on their 10 inch tablet. My wife is so happy with her pocket camcorder that does 8mbs 720p video, look how sharp that is, she always tells me and I usually don't react to that :)

[Leon Bailey]

My guess will be never. I still think 4k is a fad. We shall see.

[Kyle Root]

Yeah who knows. I saw at Wal Marts Black Friday ad, that you can get a 65" HD TV for $650. That's pretty crazy. With those kinds of affordable prices on big screen TVs, I don't forsee 4K beginning to become "mainstream" for at least 24 -36 months from now.

From the American side, as noted, I just had my first bride ever ask me for 5 Blu Ray DVDs. lol

HD delivery is just now seeming to gain traction in my area.

With the advent of online stuff like Vimeo, I think HD delivery will be "the standard" for a few more years.

[Dave Blackhurst]

@ Noa -
I already have a near 4K 11.6" laptop... and there are multiple cell phones and tablets with "4k"... or at least higher than "HD" resolutions.

Initially the reaction is it doesn't really matter on such small screens, but that is EXACTLY where finer/crisper text and graphic displays make the screens "pop", and lower resolutions start to look "fuzzy".

Moving images probably in some ways don't suffer as much from "low" resolutions as still images, so in that sense, HD for TV's still has a lot of life left in it. BUT, when the consumer comes to EXPECT higher resolutions from their cell phones and tablets and eventually laptops (for those that haven't abandoned the computer for a tablet) and desktop monitors... well, it will catch on quickly.

Editing stills on a 4K monitor, editing 4K video, you start to expect a crisper image, and an HD screen starts to feel a little "soft", very quickly. Not unusable by any means, or even anything one could consider "bad", but noticeable nonetheless.

[Phil Murray]

How long after 1080 was introduced did 480 televisions basically disappear? A long time.

While those 4K televisions look great, there are still many issues that need to be addressed before 1080 DSLRs become obsolete including cost of the cameras, cost of upgraded editing systems, and cost of televisions.

The biggest factor in producing quality video that people want to watch is, and always will be, the person doing the work -- not the camera or the television/monitor.

[Just thought of something related as I was about to hit submit: Remember when 1080 was first talked about as a broadcast standard and actors worried about the higher resolution showing imperfections so much more clearer? What are they thinking about 4K?! Of course, I doubt most of really notice anyway.]

[Roger Gunkel]

It will be great having the flexibility of filming and editing in 4k with all the cropping possibilities that offers. However we are talking about producers and clients having totally different requirements. Jo public may well like the kudos of the latest 4k phone, tablet or other gadget, but when I deliver a video on dvd to a client, they run it on their HD tv and say 'Wow, that's really clear and sharp', I realise that they don't have a clue about SD, HD or 4k and just don't understand what it's about. I can't see that changing for a long time.

Roger

[Michael Thames]

Originally Posted by James A. Davis

With the GH4 and Blackmagic 4K (with updated FPN fix) becoming more popular, how long before the current DSLR's lose traction as the go to cams).

Looking at those crisp 4K images they create, the 1080p footage with start to look dated.

PS - I still proudly use my 5D Mark II, 7D, and T2i

Upgrade to the 5D3 and you'll be alright.