Bruce wrote:
Bowser wrote:

Likewise, anyone who claims that ANY camera, superzoom or not, is good
for everything is also denying reality. I've yet to see a one size fits
all solution.

True, but a good superzoom comes very close, satisfying the needs of
more people than any other camera type.

I doubt that. See how many people use their mobile phone camera
and are happy enough with it --- happy enough to use it and
not carry another camera with them for most of the time. So I
respectfully submit that the humble mobile phone camera satisfies
the need of more people than the superzoom.

Quite a few people find
superzooms intimidating, and want something smaller and/or simpler,
and a P&S is ideal for them.

The camera phone is always with you, small and usually really
simple. Even a P&S cannot beat that.

P&S and superzooms together cover the needs of the vast majority of
camera users.

Again I disagree. See above. Camera users happen to include
mobile phone camera users.

Very few people need a DSLR, but many more people buy
them than need them.

"Very few" people are professional photographers, who also
need the image quality under iffy conditions and MPix
DSLRs can offer. Amateurs by definition do not *need*
cameras, they can just find another hobby.

Perhaps mirrorless CSCs offer a good compromise?

That would depend on why people who don't "need" a DSLR buy a DSLR.

-Wolfgang