Source: Megapixel

In this interview Canon minimizes the success of mirrorless cameras saying that their are not really gaining a lot of market share (at least not in Europe and US). But you should take a look on that:
MichaelKJ collected all japanese mirrorless sales data from January to September 2010. It gives you a clear idea about the growing market share!

Single Mirrorless camera share:
Jan: MFT= 13.2%: GF1=8.0%, G1=5.2%
Feb: MFT= 13.9%: GF1=9.1%, G1=4.8%
March: MFT= 16.7%: GF1=7.8%, E-PL1=6.9%
April: MFT= 13.6%: GF1=5.0%, G1=2.2%, E-PL1=6.4%
May: MFT= 13.7%: GF1=3.6%, G2=3.5%, E-PL1=6.5%
June: MFT= 10.0%: GF1=4.1%, E-PL1=5.9% (NEX-5=11.1%, NEX-3=5.3%)
July: MFT= 12.6%: GF1=5.4%, E-PL1=7.2% (NEX-5= 9.0%, NEX-3=5.9%)
August: MFT= 10.6%: GF1=3.6%, E-PL1=7.0% (NEX-5= 9.7%, NEX-3=4.3%)
Sept: MFT= 8.3%: GF1=3.6%, E-PL1=4.7% (NEX-5= 8.9%, NEX-3=4.1%)

Company share:
Jan: Panny=13.2%; Oly=0%; Canon=29.1%; Nikon=27.5%; Sony=0%; Pentax=11.3%
Feb: Panny=13.9%; Oly=0%; Canon=26.3%; Nikon=30.3%; Sony=2.3%;Pentax=8.0%
March: Panny=7.8%; Oly=6.9%; Canon=31.9%; Nikon=28.6%; Sony=0%;Pentax=6.5%
April: Panny=7.2%; Oly=6.4%; Canon=27.4%; Nikon=34.4%; Sony=0%;Pentax=5.9%
May: Panny=7.1%; Oly=6.5%; Canon=25.2%; Nikon=36.5%; Sony=0%;Pentax=5.8%
June: Panny=4.1%; Oly=5.9%; Canon=19.0%; Nikon=29.0%; Sony=16.4%;Pentax=4.4%
July: Pany=5.4%; Oly=7.2%; Canon=24.8%; Nikon=23.3%; Sony=14.9%;Pentax=4.9%
August: Pany=3.6%; Oly=7.0%; Canon=25.3%; Nikon=26.0%; Sony=14.0%;Pentax=4.4%
Sept: Pany=3.6%; Oly=4.7%; Canon=29.3%; Nikon=17.9%; Sony=17.9%;Pentax=4.0%

DSLR vs Mirrorless
Jan: Mirrorless=13.2%; DSLR=67.9%
Feb: Mirrorless=13.9%; DSLR=66.9%
March: Mirrorless=16.7%; DSLR=67.0%
April: Mirrorless=13.6%; DSLR=67.5%
May: Mirrorless=13.7%; DSLR=67.5%
June: Mirrorless=26.4%; DSLR=52.4%
July: Mirrorless=27.5%; DSLR=53.0%
Aug: Mirrorless=24.6%; DSLR=55.7%
Sept: Mirrorless=26.2%; DSLR=51.2%

Ricoh firmware update for the GXR system (Ricoh.com). The firmware adds Spot and Macro AF area selection options, faster AF, auto noise reduction, Exif 2.3 support and 3 magnification ratios to check focus.
And Samsung posted the new firmware upgrade (version 1.01) for the new NX100. This update improves the accuracy of autofocus in the Night mode. You can download the firmware at samsungimaging.com. There is also a pdf file with a How-to at downloadcenter.samsung.com.

We used google trends to see which is the most searched mirrorless camera. The winner is the Sony NEX-5. But if we compare any mirrorless camera with a DSLR oyu easily see that Canon and Nikon still dominate the world (look the graph below).

Amazon recently added a new bestseller category for mirrrorless cameras! That’s one more proof for the success of such cameras. But there is one BIG mistake. Amazon US names the category “Micro Four Thirds cameras” unlike other Amazon Europe stores where they call it “Compact System Cameras”. Is that a mistake or a Panasonic/Olympus marketing action?

Check out the current rankings:
– Mirrorless camera ranking at Amazon US (Click here)
– Mirrorless camera ranking at Amazon Deutschland (Click here)
– Mirrorless camera ranking at Amazon UK (Click here)
– Mirrorless camera ranking at Amazon France (Click here)

Amazon Canada and Amazon Japan do not offer the new ranking system.

What can we learn from those rankings? Generally spoken Micro Four Thirds is winning the game against Sony and Samsung. In UK and Germany, Samsung is doing surprisingly well and in France the NEX cameras are on top of the list. And the most popular camera is (as usual) the .

Sony-alpha.saloon.jp found a scheduled press release from Sony at SankeiBiz that says that on October 12 at 13:00 Sony will “Unveil a new SLR mirror-less product“. Probably they will show the colored NEX cameras or some new mirrorless accessories. A NEX7 seems very unlikely to be announced after Photokina!

According to X-rumors.om Samsung will launch two new NX camera in March 2011. One of the cameras is the new Samsung compact camera, the NX200. Compared to the new NX100 it will have new advanced features (like better video and high-ISO quality) and very likely a new built-in flash and swivel display. It will use the same 14 Megapixel sensor (but with a new better processor engine). The other NX camera will replace the current .

With the new firmware (version 1.20) also the is compatible with the iFunction of the new 20mm and 20-50mm lenses. Also the AF performance becomes better and support for the GPS10 module has been added. And last but not least there is also a new “distortion compensate” function to correct lens distortion.

Download: http://www.samsungimaging.com

Ricoh GXR-Modul 2,5/28 mm Mit 12-Megapixel-APS-C-Sensor (Colorfoto.de)

Samsung NX100 • 12 Hours “Hands-on” at Photokina (Flickr)

According to Amateur Photographer UK “sales of mirrorless interchangeable lens system cameras grew 191% compared to August 2009.”

Sony Nex with Sony E 18-200/3.5-6.3 OSS (Motimotion.at)

A Year with the GF1 (Sam Bennet)

Sony Japan officially sent “Apology and Notice of insufficient supply of the new E18-200mm F3.5-6.3 OSS“

My first look at the Gh2…Clean HDMI out?! (Philip Bloom)

DIWA Gold Award for Olympus E-PL1 (Photographyblog)