Canon CEO thinks the digital camera market will shrink further the next two years until we finally hit the bottom

Canon CEO Fujio Mitarai released some interesting info in a recent interview with Nikkei:

1) Canon will shift the camera business’s focus to corporate customers
2) The market for digital cameras could shrink to about half in the next two years.
3) n our company cameras have declined at around 10% a year (sales volume) in the past few years (combined with single lens reflex and mirrorless) The world market for interchangeable lens cameras is around 10 million, but decreased
4) The mirrorless product is growing, but it is a replacement with a single lens reflex, it is not adding to the market as a whole “
5) People usually shoot with smartphones.The digital camera market will keep falling for about 2 years, but professional and high amateur (advanced) amateurs use about 5 to 6 million units. Finally there I will hit the bottom.

I believe Canon is right on this: The camera market will still shrink the upcoming years and probably their DSLR line will slowly fade out too with less and less DSLR cameras being released.

via Digicame-info.com

Confirmed: Canon announcement in mid-February!!!

Highly reliable source at CanonWatch told that Canon will have an EOS-R related announcement in mid February. It’sm unclear WHAT is going to be announced. Here are some rumors:

The EOS-RP camera:
I guess the RP will be a new professional model. No specs are rumored yet…

The RF lenses:
Back at Photokina Canon Japan gave us some more info about the future Canon RF lens roadmap. There will be three f/2.8 zooms in 2019-2021. This is just my guess but I think these will be the 16-35mm, 24-70mm and 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses.

Is Canon going to launch a new EOS-RP camera soon?

Nokishita spotted the registration for a new focusing screens or eyecups. And Nokishita added a mysterious note: Canon could soon announce a new “EOS-RP” camera! I have no clue that the “P” stands for…maybe for “professional”???

Here is the google translated text from the tweet:

‘There seem to be 3 colours (black · red · blue?) for Canon “EG-E1”.
Although “EOS RP body only” and “EOS RP 24-105mm kit” are listed on the same list, it’s unknown whether this is a product name or an abbreviation, so at the moment it’s half a story.‘

 

 

First image showing the new “production ready” Panasonic 24-105mm f/4.0 S L-mount lens!

This is the first time we see the aperture info. As expected the lens has a constant f/4.0 aperture. Reminder: The new S1-S1R cameras and S lenses will be fully unveiled next week on Jan 31. Full info on L-rumors.com!

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You can join the new L Full Frame Facebook group if you plan to buy this camera. There you can discuss all features and tests once it’s released!

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At last! Panasonic S1-S1R cameras will be officially launched on January 31!!!

The long wait will be over soon! Next week and more precisely on January 31 Panasonic will announce the full S1-S1R specs! Preorders will open on the same day. Here is a roundup of the confirmed and rumored specs via L-rumors.com:

Panasonic S1
24MP
L-mount
4k60p
Dual IS (in body stabilization and in lens stabilization)
Contrast AF (DFD technology)
Industry highest resolution EVF (Rumor: Could be 5.6 milion dot)
Deep learning AI
1 XQD and 1 SD slot
3-axis tiltable LCD
100% weather sealing
High Resolution mode (eight consecutive images are captured while shifting the sensor)
HLG Photo
Ships in March
Rumor: Price around $2,000
L-rumors.com

Panasonic S1R
47MP
L-mount
4k60p
Dual IS (in body stabilization and in lens stabilization)
Contrast AF (DFD technology)
Industry highest resolution EVF (Rumor: Could be 5.6 milion dot)
Deep learning AI
1 XQD and 1 SD slot
3-axis tiltable LCD
100% weather sealing
High Resolution mode (eight consecutive images are captured while shifting the sensor)
HLG Photo
Ships in March
Rumor: Price around $4,000

Panasonic S lenses:
50mm f/1.4
24-105mm (Rumor: f/4.0)
70-200mm (Rumor: f/2.8)

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You can join the new L Full Frame Facebook group if you plan to buy this camera. There you can discuss all features and tests once it’s released!

To readers: While I am working to get some early specs I kindly invite you to stay tuned on L-rumors by subscribing here:
RSS feed: http://www.L-rumors.com/feed/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/L-rumors-266550040642592/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lrumors1

Pentax says the “Q development is not discontinued” and that there will be a major (mirrorless?) surprise in 2019

The new Nippon Camera magazine contains an interview with Pentax. The translation has been provided by Pentaxforums:

About their direction for 2019
They’re not the kind of company that can come out with large numbers of cameras. They plan to continue prioritizing cameras and the photographic process with customers in mind. The first topic for 2019 will be the all new GR III.

Quite a lot of the interview was about the GR III, and I’ll just refer you to the thread in the GR III, where I already posted about this. Post #499 of the following thread.
Ricoh GR III – Page 34 – PentaxForums.com

Pentax centenary
– It’s actually the centenary of the optical company that was the precursor to Pentax that celebrates it’s centenary this year.
– The actual date is in November
– They are considering how to celebrate the event, but cannot share details yet.
– They don’t think that merely putting a 100-year logo on products is what their customers are hoping for. (The implication is they will do something more)

About Q and 645
– Q has been highly valued for it’s compact size by core users. They are looking at the situation with the Q, and it is not accurate to say development in discontinued. (I think this should be taken with a pinch of salt, because in Japan, Q bodies are only available from Ricoh direct, some shops list the lenses as “production ended”, and that macro disappeared from the roadmap)
– Regarding 645, the next model is currently being considered. 645 is a very important product to the company and they are not stopping the line. (Resolute answer)

Lenses
– The interviewer mentioned that 645 users are worried about the lack of new lenses. They have not stopped development. However, for now their priority is for FF K-mount lenses.
– They have a lot of demands from full frame users, especially for lightweight tele zooms.
– They 85mm on the roadmap has been put back, but it is still coming (the strong implication is that prioritizing the tele zooms pushed back the 85mm).
– The DA* 11-18 is in the final stages of development. They expect to make an announcement before CP+.
– They are also planning a “surprise” for next year. (I take this to mean a lens not on the roadmap, because of the context of the comment)

About FF/MF mirrorless
– They expressed respect for the competing FF mirrorless systems, saying that they have many good points.
– However, they are more interested in serving their customers than following trends. They will listen to user requirements, not be swayed. (This was difficult to understand, but I think this means they are going to stick to their judgement, rather than caving in to peer pressure)
– They seem positive about Fuji’s entry into the MF market, because they think it will draw more attention to the MF market.

The K-1 upgrade
– They are proud of their achievement in clearing the logistical hurdles to making this possible.
– The reaction has been positive.
– (I can’t understand what they say about noise reduction, but it seems that they are aware that opinion is divided on the approach to noise reduction in the K-1 mark II)

The SDK
– They haven’t seen much development yet, but the reaction was greater than expected. They are currently gathering information. and looking forward to what users do with it.