Personally, I think it’s about as much a gimmick as video on a DSLR. Though, it was only a matter of time before video and stills technology were combined along with touch input and LCD technology in the same way the iPod was combined with a phone and given a touchscreen to make it work without buttons. Ironically, it’ll be hard to tear away most photographers from their buttons and knobs. I guess it retains a measure of validation to what they do in the face of ever-advancing technology which seeks to take them away in the same way their film was taken away. They will drag them kicking and screaming and in the end, they will thank them for it, as they did when digital took over.
And it will be only a matter of time before a DSLR is given the same capability of a smartphone, it’s already in the works for compacts. Imagine uploading photos directly to flickr or facebook via bluetooth connection with a smartphone, or direct-to-wifi with your DSLR, it’s already been rumored. The more people don’t think they’ll either need or want something, the more the manufacturers will try to convince them otherwise. This is as much a question about the fear of change as it is thoughts of this one feature. Many photographers will deplore such a feature as gimmick and declare its only use for amateurs (which is offensive because I consider myself an amateur and I have as much as if not more knowledge and experience as many who would do so) or consumers.
The single greatest enemy to modern photography is the vernacular pursuits of amateurs and consumers, who have ironically, driven the very technology which simultaneously affords professionals their livelihood, and something to complain about. Bottom line is, you won’t be able to find a camera today that doesn’t have some form, feature, or function that appeals to lesser photographers based on either ease of use or fad. Use the ones you need, ignore the ones you don’t. I shoot with a Canon 60D that I find to be the best camera I’ve owned to date, it does everything I need it to do without me having to put forth much thought into it, which is how I now prefer it after years of poking and prodding the camera in order for it to do what I want it to. I welcome technology that allows me to simply see what I want to photograph in the viewfinder. But I will admit, I have yet to record a single video clip.
