OM System announced a new E-M1 Mark III ASTRO dedicated camera for astrophotography (check for pre-orders, but it seems that for now, the camera is announced only in Japan):
"The OM SYSTEM E-M1 MarkIII ASTRO is a dedicated camera for astrophotography that optimizes the IR cut filter located in front of the image sensor of the mirrorless single-lens camera E-M1 MarkIII for astrophotography, allowing you to capture colorful red nebulae that are popular among astrophotography enthusiasts. In addition, the filters included with this product, OM SYSTEM's computational photography, and M.ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses enable a wide range of expression from starry sky photography to full-scale astrophotography such as constellations and nebulae."
The camera will be released on July 25 and will cost 327,800 yen, including tax (around $2,000). Additional information is available here.
"For wildlife and nature photographers looking for a compact camera with huge reach, Panasonic has just announced the Lumix FZ80D. An update to 2017’s Lumix FZ80, this new superzoom point-and-shoot features the same 18.1MP High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor as it predecessor, a Lumix DC Vario 60x zoom lens, and POWER O.I.S, while adding an improved viewfinder and rear LCD touchscreen. The new model also upgrades in-camera charging with a new USB-C port and included cable."
Other features returning from the FZ80 include:
Recording UHD 4K/30p video at 100 Mbps in the MP4 format, as well as Full HD 1080p and slow-motion 720p/120 and 480p/240
4K Burst, 4K Pre-Burst, and 4K Burst (S/S) modes for recording continuous 8MP stills at a 30-fps shooting rate
Zoom Compose Assist function lets users quickly zoom out with a single press of a button to reconfirm composition
A dedicated macro mode allowing focus on subjects with a 0.4" working distance
Both a built-in pop-up flash and a hot shoe for working with an optional external flash
A new Yes!Star S1 compact 35mm film camera was announced in China today. The specs are a 31mm f/11 lens, built-in flash, and a weight of only 280 grams. Yes!Star seems to be the same company that will start producing Fujifilm C200 and C400 color negative film in China. See the details over at FujiAddict:
"A little over one week ago we announced that Fujifilm C200 and C400 film production would resume in China. It turns out that production has resumed with Yes!Star a Chinese company that has now announced a film camera the Yes!Star S1 Film Camera. Yes!Star was a company known for producing medical film but it looks like they are trying to capitalize on the analog photography craze."
Sony's PDT-FP1 tethered 5G transmitter module is available now at a price of $1095. It was originally announced in early 2024 but was announced with an availability date of "Summer 2024."
Conceptually the Portable Data Transmitter is essentially a 5G Xperia phone that can only send and receive data, rather than making phone calls. In practice it's a little more complex than that: adding direct HDMI and LAN inputs and dual USB-C sockets so that it can stream data and video directly from cameras to the internet using its 5G cellular connection.
With compatible cameras it will automatically launch the correct Sony app and make a wired connection, avoiding the need to launch and configure a connectivity app.
The PDT-FP1 also has a fan, meaning it can keep operating for long periods, even in warm environments. Its dual USB-C sockets mean it can be connected to a power source at the same time as using the other socket to receive data. Sony stresses that the unit, which has a more substantial case than a typical smartphone, has "optimized antenna" for reliable 5G connection and the option of automatic switching between its nano SIM and eSIM to allow it to constantly connect to the strongest available network.
The PDT-FP1 is designed for use in professional environments with the company's pro-focused stills and video cameras.
Press Release:
Now Available: Sony Electronics’ PDT-FP1 5G Portable Data Transmitter
New Device Supports Sustained High-Speed Still and Video Transmission from Sony Cameras, Providing a Competitive Advantage for Live Event Photographers and Broadcast Professionals
SAN DIEGO – July 1, 2024 – Sony Electronics is furthering its commitment to live content creators with today’s launch of the PDT-FP1 portable data transmitter. The previously announced device, which enables high-speed, stable still image and video transport over 5G networks, provides efficiencies for news agencies, photojournalists, corporate and event photographers, and broadcast professionals, among others. It is now available to purchase for a suggested price of $1,099.99 USD: https://electronics.sony.com/mobile/5g-iot-devices/portable-data-transmitter/p/pdtfp1.
Highlights of the new PDT-FP1 include the ability to capture and transmit content from virtually anywhere; simple operation; optimized battery efficiency; reliable heat dissipation; wireless livestreaming capabilities; versatile input interfaces; support for broadcasting high-quality, low-latency video; and real-time, off-site network monitoring during data transfer.
The PDT-FP1 has already been tested for precise, real-time photo and video transmission by broadcasters and individuals, benefiting a range of high-profile events and clients. Award-winning photographer and photojournalist Nick Didlick used the new device for his worldwide travels and provided critical input that helped shape its usability. He called the PDT-FP1 “one of the most significant developments in mobile communications in the last decade,” and noted its agility and cost-effectiveness. Didlick added, “The PDT-FP1 allows me to transmit from where I am shooting rather than having to return to a media center. It worked flawlessly, allowing me to connect and upload images in real-time from various venues.”
The latest industry figures from trade body CIPA show more cameras were shipped between January and May 2024 than in the same periods of 2022 or 2023.
The figures, published today, show 2.3M interchangeable lens cameras were shipped: a 9.8% rise over the same period of 2023, and 11.9% up on 2022. Meanwhile, cameras with built-in lenses were up 7% compared with the same period of last year, leaving them 4.2% lower than 2022.
The value of ILC sales grew 28.6% compared with last year, to ¥251.8B ($1.6B), aided in part by the weak Yen boosting the value received from overseas sales. Meanwhile, the value of fixed-lens camera sales rocketed by 34.7%, to ¥37.6B ($233M) which suggests that at least some of the growth in the compact market is being driven by high-value cameras such as Fujifilm's X100 VI.
Unsurprisingly, the shift from DSLR to mirrorless continued, with mirrorless cameras making up 83.7% of ILC shipments by volume and 92.9% by value. This compares with mirrorless making up 78.4% of volumes and 90.7% by value, for the same period in 2023. With the majority of camera makers focusing their efforts on mirrorless, this trend seems likely to continue.
In its annual results, posted in May, Nikon upped its prediction of the size of the ILC market from 6.1M cameras to 6.2M cameras for the current financial year, which would represent a 6.7% increase over the 2023/24 figures.
The new Lumix S9 camera launch has been a disaster for Panasonic (see this, this, this, and this posts). The company has now issued a final statement acknowledging that 77 stock photos not shot with a Panasonic camera or lens were used to promote Panasonic products (still, they did not address the bogus "short supply" press release):
Completion of provisional corrections to the LUMIX product site
We would like to thank you for your continued interest in LUMIX products.
Regarding the recent incident in which inappropriate images were used through a stock photo service on the Lumix product website, we deeply regret that this incident was caused by our clear lack of awareness of the images used, even though we are a camera manufacturer, and our lack of an appropriate image selection and checking process, which is essential when creating a website for a camera product.
Up until now, we have conducted a detailed check of all images used on the LUMIX product website, and have removed images using stock photo services. We have also revised the LUMIX product website based on the following principles: "All images used must be taken with our own camera products," and "For images taken with other models of our own cameras, images with the same mount or similar pixel count must be used, and the equipment used must be clearly stated." We have now completed our response.
Going forward, in order to firmly establish our commitment to the "examples" of LUMIX products, we will continue to update our website this fall, for example by replacing images taken with other models of our own cameras with images taken with the relevant models. We take the opinions and comments we have received seriously, and will continue to work on improvements in order to regain the trust of our customers as soon as possible.
Please be advised that the following changes have been made to the site:
Product sites where the above revisions have been implemented
S series product site: 8 models
S Series Lens Product Site: 17 models
G Series product site: 6 models
G Series Lens Product Site: 28 models
As production has now ended, the site has been moved to a simplified page focusing on product specifications.
Discontinued product site: 18 models
*The DC-GH7 website, which was added on June 6th, was created and published based on the above principles. (source)
7Artisans will officially announce the previously rumored/reported AF 85mm f/1.8 full-frame autofocus lens next week (on July 5th). The lens will be initially released for Sony E cameras with other mounts to follow later.
FujiAddict spotted a new Fujifilm FF240002 camera registration:
"Hopefully, it will be the Fujifilm X-E5 because it is one of my favorite form factors, but it could also be a Fujifilm X-Pro5 (will probably skip XPro4 like XT40) since the X-Pro hasn’t been updated yet."
Previously in this series, I talked about my visits to Andasibe NP, where I shot lemurs and chameleons, and to Tsingy Rouge NP, where I shot beautiful formations made by erosion. I also talked about shooting sifaka lemurs and baobab trees in Kirindy Forest reserve and about visiting several secluded stops on my way to the southern part of Madagascar. This time, I'll talk about two short but fruitful visits: one to Isalo National Park and the other to Ranomafana National Park.
Isalo is a National Park in the Ihorombe region of Madagascar. It is a sandstone landscape dissected by wind and water erosion into rocky outcrops, plateaus, extensive plains and up to 200 m (660 ft) deep canyons. The park was created in 1962 and has been administered by the Madagascar National Parks authority since 1997. It includes landscapes considered part of the subhumid forests ecoregion. This ecoregion is home to numerous endemic species and has been given Critical/Endangered status because only small areas of native habitat remain, and most of those are highly fragmented.
As you've seen in previous articles, this fragmentation of ecosystems and, thus, the endangerment and rapid decline of endemic species is, unfortunately, very typical of Madagascar. Ecotourism is thus a most powerful and important tool to preserve what's left of the fragile habitats and beautiful species of this poor country.
Isalo might not have infinite landscape photography attractions, but it does have some nice locations with fantastic rock formations, the principal of which is the famous rock arch. As with many locations in Madagascar, this arch is very crowded at sunset with tourist groups and locals but surprisingly empty during sunrise.
The arch can be photographed from both sides. The easier eastern side is basically connected to the road and is thus harder to shoot when it's crowded, but getting to the shooting spot on the western side requires some agility and a bit of climbing and is thus much emptier, even during sunset. Thus, I chose to shoot the arch from the west during sunset and from the east during sunrise.
The eastern side of the rock arch during a cloudy sunrise.
The western side a few minutes after sunset, under a strong post-sunset glow. This phenomenon happens when the western horizon is clear of clouds. The glow is surprisingly red and reflects beautifully off of brighter surfaces such as the rock arch.
Apart from the arch, there are eroded rock formations nearby, surrounded by fields where termites build huge mounds, which can serve as nice foregrounds.
A termite mound under post-sunset glow. I took this shot right after the arch shot since it was located just two minutes away.
As for wildlife, Isalo has a small variety, including the sportive lemur and the red-fronted brown lemur, which I had already seen and photographed. It also has a decent-sized population of the ring-tailed lemur, perhaps the most famous of this primate family.
Getting to the ring-tailed lemurs was a bit of a challenge, and it took some precarious rock climbing to get to the point where they were hanging out. Still, nothing extreme. Upon getting to the lemur group, I got plenty of interesting poses by the lemurs, which were super cute and fun to shoot.
"Why hello there!" It seems like this lemur was a top model in a previous life!
I will talk about ring-tailed lemurs much more extensively in the next article, but for now, I will say that it's not only their beauty but their wonderful behaviors that make them a joy to shoot. One such behavior is licking the branches for a taste of pheromones. Both male and female ring-tailed lemurs have scent glands that secrete pungent substances, which some lemurs find irresistible!
Like other lemurs, this species relies strongly on their sense of smell and territorial marking with scent glands, providing communication signals throughout a group’s home range. The males will participate in stink fights by dousing their tails with their pheromones and ‘wafting’ them at opponents. Additionally, lemurs of both sexes will scent-mark trees, rocks or other objects by simply rubbing their faces and bodies onto it. I guess the eyes say it all.
What I'll talk about next wasn't the next stop in my trip after Isalo. That stop deserves its own article, so for now, I'll skip it and talk about the very last stop - Ranomafana NP. The park protects more than 41,600 hectares (161 square miles) of tropical rainforest at elevations ranging from 800 to 1,200 m (2,645 to 3,937 ft) and is home to several rare species of plants and animals. Out of these species, I had a really good time shooting the golden bamboo lemur, a medium-sized lemur endemic to the area.
Golden bamboo lemur. These guys are super fast and jump around constantly, but once in a while, they'll stop and allow a shot or two. I think they're absolutely beautiful!
This was the second bamboo lemur I shot (the first was the gray bamboo lemur in Andasibe (see the first article in the series), but it was the most photogenic, and by far the harder one to shoot. I had to run across narrow trails through thick vegetation, sometimes only to find out the lemur had already gone away. But I was very happy with this final shot: a golden bamboo lemur inside a heart-shaped leafy frame.
It's hard to beat cuteness in a heart-shaped frame. This was a difficult shot technically, as it was very dark inside the thick vegetation, and my camera found it hard to focus. Only a few shots turned out good, and this is my favorite. You may remember framing as one of the methods I discussed in my landscape composition series—I would say it's even more useful in wildlife photography!
In the next, final article in this series, I'll talk about the crown jewel of my Madagascar visit: Anja Reserve.
Erez Marom is a professional nature photographer, photography guide and traveller based in Israel. You can follow Erez's work on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe to his mailing list for updates and to his YouTube channel.
Recognising the increasing demand for time-saving tools in portrait photography, we collaborated with the renowned portrait photographer Julia Trotti to bring a revolutionary new software solution to the market, that will help portrait photographers edit faster and more accurately.
Set for release in September 2024, Aperty is designed to empower photographers by automating routine face retouching processes through an efficient, AI-optimized workflow that runs locally on the user’s device.
Aperty will make retouching as easy as applying presets, saving valuable time for professional and semi-professional photographers alike. A great tool for portrait photographers and especially wedding photographers.
Why Choose Aperty?
High-Quality Results with an Easy-to-Use Editor: Aperty has been developed with insights from professional photographers to ensure exceptional quality and user-friendly operation.
Expert Collaboration: We have partnered with renowned photographer Julia Trotti, incorporating her expertise to refine the software’s design and guarantee top-notch results.
Retouching Automation: Our software streamlines the editing workflow, reducing the number of steps required to achieve professional-quality results.
Time-Saving Technology: Aperty’s advanced algorithms allow users to complete their editing tasks in a fraction of the time compared to traditional editors.
Batch Editing: Effortlessly group and edit multiple photos simultaneously, applying consistent changes across your entire collection.
We now have the first teaser for the upcoming camera:
As I already mentioned on LeicaRumors, this could be a new monochrome camera or a new full-frame camera with Leica M-mount (less likely). What do you think?
Belgian photographer Eric T’Kindt photo was awarded the overall Gold prize at this year's World Sports Photography Awards. The photo of Japanese gymnast Daiki Hashimoto was shot at the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, Antwerp, Belgium.
T'Kindt's photo took the overall prize having been awarded Gold in the Gymnastics category.
Nikon Z9 with Nikkor VR 70-200mm F2.8G
Overall Silver - Isaac Julián Morillas Sánchez
The Silver award went to Spanish photographer Isaac Julián Morillas Sánchez, with a photo called "A new superhero? The perfect match between a spotlight and a head." The photo won Gold in the "Other" category.
Sony a9 II with FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS
Overall Bronze - Ryan Pierse
The overall Bronze award went to Australian photographer Ryan Pierse for their image "Duck Dive," which came top in the "Aquatics" section of the competition.
Canon EOS-1D X Mark III with EF15mm F2.8 Fisheye
American Football Gold - Kevin Sabitus
The World Sports Photography Awards recognize images taken across 24 disciplines, from American Football to Cricket. Kevin Sabitu's image "Dobbsanity" won the American Football category.
Canon EOS R3 with RF135mm F1.8
Athletics
More than 1400 professional photographers from around the world submitted images to this year's competition. Tetsu Lee "The Sprint" took Gold in the Athletics category.
Baseball - Lindsey Wasson
Seattle photographer Lindsey Wasson took the Gold in the baseball category with the photo "Dunk."
Sony a9 II with FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS
Basketball - Steph Chambers
There were more than 9000 images submitted. Steph Chambers' image, "Rainbow Hair" took Gold amongst the Basketball photos.
Canon EOS-1D X Mark III with EF24-70mm F2.8 L II USM
Boxing - Andrew Moss
Ten images were selected in each of the 24 categories. Andrew Moss's "The Dynamic Duo" tool Gold in the Boxing arena.
Nikon Z7 II with Nikkor Z 14-30mm F4
Cricket - Darrian Traynor
Darrian Traynor's "So Close" captures a critical moment in Australia's game against New Zealand in the 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in India.
Canon EOS-1D X Mark II with EF600mm F4L IS II USM
Cycling - James Startt
James Startt took a wider view on the action to take this photo of the Strade Bianchi race in Tuscany, creating a Gold-winning image that captures the essence of the race.
Nikon Z7 with Nikkor 70-200mm F2.8
Equestrian - David Davies
Bronze, Silver and Gold winners were then selected from ten leading images in each category of the competition. David Davies' "Glorious Mud" took Gold in the Equestrian category.
Sony a9 II with FE 70-200mm GM II OSS
Football (Soccer) - Marcelo Guelber Goes
The three overall winners were then selected from the Gold position in each category. Marcelo Guelber Goes' image of Portugese striker Cristiano Ronaldo was awarded Gold in the Football section of the competition.
Canon EOS-1D X Mark III with EF300m F2.8L IS USM
Formula 1 - Cristiano Barni
22 of the 24 Gold-winning images include camera data. Cristiano Barni's dynamic shot that won Gold in the Formula 1 category was taken with a Canon EOS-1D X Mark II, for instance.
Canon EOS-1D X Mark II with EF11-24mm F4 USM
Golf - Octávio Passos
Octávio Passos's winner of the Golf category was shot using a Nikon Zf c, the only APS-C camera used by any of the winners.
Nikon Zf c with Nikkor Z 14-30mm F4 S
Ice Hockey - Bruce Bennett
The most common camera brand amongst the winners was Canon, perhaps unsurprisingly, given the company's historic dominance of the pro sports field. Bruce Bennett used a Canon EOS R5 for his winning Ice Hockey image, "50th Anniversary Score."
Canon EOS R5 with EF15mm F2.8 Fisheye
Martial Arts - Victor Joly
Half of the winning images shot using Canon cameras were taken with EOS-1D X series DSLRs. The only other winning image to be shot with a DSLR was Victor Joly's "Upside Down - Judo Paris Grand Slam," shot with a Nikon D5.
Nikon D5 with 70-200mm F2.8
Motor Sports - Pavol Tomaskin
Nikon was the second most used brand among winners, with six entries using Z or D series bodies. Pavol Tomaskin used a Z9 for his image of Argentina motorcyclist Luciano Benavides, which won in the Motor Sports category.
Nikon Z9 with Nikkor Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR S
Racquet Sports - Benjamin Lau
Benjamin Lau won the Racquet Sports category. The increased professional use of mirrorless can be seen in the winners, with just seven of the twenty two images with camera data being shot with DSLRs.
Canon EOS R6 - RF70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM
Rugby - Morgan Treacy
Morgan Treacy won Gold in the Rugby category with their image "maul," shot during England's encounter with Ireland at the Six Nations Championship.
Canon EOS-1D X Mark II with EF500mm f/4L IS II USM
Swimming & diving - Sean M Haffey
Sean M Haffey won the Swimming & diving Gold for his image "Submerged" of British swimmer Alicia Wilson.
Tennis - Marc Aspland
Marc Aspland's photo of Novak Djokovic won the Tennis section of the competition.
Canon EOS R3 with EF200-400mm f/4L IS USM
Urban & Extreme - Volodya Voronon
Sony was the third most common, with three winning images shot using a9 IIs and Volodya Voronon's image "Reflection," which won the Urban & Extreme category using an a7 IV.
Sony a7 IV with FE 50mm F2.8 Macro
Venues and views - Brett Phibbs
The awards also include a Venues and Views category, expanding beyond a focus simply on the action itself. New Zealand photographer Brett Phibbs took the award for his photo of a football pitch a world away from, but every bit as dramatic as the Maracanā or Camp Nou.
Canon EOS R5 with 28-70mm F2L USM
Winter Sports - Alexander Hassenstein
German photographer Alexander Hassenstein rounds-out the competition with some flare, with his image "Mikaela's World," taken of USA skier Mikaela Shiffrin at the Ski World Cup at Sölden, Austria.
Yusuke Adachi Section Manager, UX Strategy Section, UX Planning Department, Imaging Business Unit
Photo: Dale Baskin
"State-of-the-art technology needs to be embedded in our products because that’s what customers expect." says Yusuke Adachi, Nikon's Section Manager for UX Strategy and Planning at Nikon's Imaging Business Unit.
Adachi was speaking to us at Nikon headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, shortly after this year's CP+ Expo. In an exclusive interview, he addressed a range of topics, including the current state of the camera market, the impact of AI on photography, and the importance of video.
State of the market
"The 2023 global market for digital cameras has been back in the recovery phase from the pandemic," Adachi tells us. "This has allowed more people to go out and enjoy taking photos. During this period, more younger users chose Nikon as their creative work. So, all these contributed to an increase in shipments of our products, and it's almost coming back to the same level as pre-covid."
He calls out two specific product areas that are driving this growth. "Specifically, we have seen success with the Z8, which we rolled out last year. On top of that, Nikkor Z lenses have performed very well. When it comes to the lens lineup, the large-diameter lens mount and lenses like the Plena and super telephoto lenses have been received very well."
Looking to the future, we ask Adachi what types of customers he expects will have the most significant influence on the camera market over the next five years.
Adachi credits the Z8 for helping drive Nikon's recent success, along with strong performance from Z-mount lenses.
"I believe there are two types of customers," he says. "The first is small groups or individual content or image creators. Often, these customers operate and shoot videos of themselves or with a small team. They want to have downsized, compact systems or cameras. These customers have become very discerning thanks to video streaming platforms such as Netflix or Amazon Prime, where they see beautiful content and want to live up to that high level of expectation. Such customers want to have better capability to create high-quality and impressive imaging."
"The second type," he explains, "is the younger generation. Those people are not only looking for quality but also for design capability. They would like to capture images in a more emotional way and are looking for a camera that enables them to do that. For us, these are cameras like the Zf and Z fc. This lineup is considered the heritage of the company, and we would like to have customers who can relate themselves to our heritage."
"Customers have become very discerning thanks to video streaming platforms such as Netflix or Amazon Prime, where they see beautiful content and want to live up to that high level..."
Are there customers who are being underserved by the industry today? we ask.
"Yes, of course. We have been expanding our lineup of high-spec cameras and lenses for customers who are seeking to pursue imaging expression. But maybe one underserved group is first-time camera purchasers. Maybe we haven’t been able to offer the [right] options to them. We can’t share information about our product development, but one of the factors we consider very important for this underserved but significant group of people is connectivity."
AI in photography
As our conversation shifts toward other market changes, we wanted to know what Mr Adachi thinks was the most important trend in imaging over the past year.
"The key word would be generative AI," he says. "We believe that generative AI can leave a positive impact on both cameras and the industry as a whole, but at the same time, it’s been causing issues such as fake images or fraudulent use of images, which leads to the issue of credibility and confidence. So, in order to grapple with these issues, we’ve been working on technology to record histories of captured images [ie Content Authenticity Initiative]. Right now, we’re in the demonstration phase to verify and validate the efficacy of these functions we’re trying to deploy together with AFP (Agence France-Presse)."
Continuing down the AI path, we discuss the importance of AI and machine learning in camera development. Mr Adachi believes customers are pleased with the advancements these technologies have delivered, particularly for subject recognition and tracking, but tells us there are more opportunities ahead.
Adachi cites the Auto Capture feature on the Z9 (and Z8) as an example of leveraging AI and machine learning technologies to deliver more benefits to customers.
"I believe there is further room for improvement or evolution using AI or computer vision. The point is that, of course, state-of-the-art technology needs to be embedded in our products because that’s what customers expect. For us, it’s very important to consider what benefit we can provide to our customers and what expectations they place on us."
He cites the Auto Capture feature on the Z8 and Z9, which can take a photo or video when one or more specified criteria, such as distance, motion and subject detection, are met, as one example of a benefit Nikon can provide through technology.
"That means that if you’re a solo photographer at a scene, you can set a remote, fixed camera somewhere else. So, if you’re a solo photographer, you can capture one scene from multiple angles, which could lead to new types of imaging experiences for our audience. AI machine learning has been the enabler for us to make the auto-identification of objects or subjects or the auto-identification of scenes themselves."
Smartphones and computational photography
Photographers frequently ask about the possibility of porting computational photography features, like those found on smartphones, to cameras. We ask Mr Adachi if that's the right question or if the role of computational photography is different on a device where a photographer wants complete control of the creative process.
"When it comes to computational photography, smartphones and cameras are different in terms of the applications of this technology. I can’t share the details of the development we’re doing right now, but maybe what I could say is that we are actively engaged in technology development to not only prevent customers from making mistakes but also to expand the possibilities of expression in latest imaging, such as Nikon Creates."
"When it comes to the latest in imaging, what the camera can render is very different from smartphone rendering using computational photography technology."
"When it comes to the latest in imaging, what the camera can render is very different from smartphone rendering using computational photography technology."
Of course, virtually every camera user is also a smartphone user, and consumers have come to expect integration between the two devices. What, we wonder, are the workflow challenges that need to be addressed to allow better integration between these devices?
"There are actually several factors," Adachi explains. "One of the pain points for customers is the workflow of sharing a photo they take with a camera and loading it onto their social media accounts. There are multiple steps that a customer needs to go through: taking a photo, sending it to the smartphone, and then handing it off to a social media account are too many steps for them."
"That’s the area where we can actually make an improvement and where we should make an improvement. And that’s just one example of a pain point customers have. We should really think about how we can improve the customer’s experience based on such use cases and identify what needs they have."
The importance of video
When we interviewed Nikon executives in 2023, they told us video was vital to the company's future, so we asked Mr Adachi about how this might impact the continued evolution of mirrorless cameras.
"When we interviewed Nikon executives in 2023, they told us video was vital to the company's future."
"When we talk about video, there are so many different types of customers – the Z30 for vlog and general customers, but the Z9 has been very well received even by broadcast stations. So, our customer base is really broad, and we should be able to appeal to a wide range of customers while incorporating the necessary evolution on the product side to catch up with the needs of this broader range of customers."
"What kind of impact will video have on the camera itself? It’s hard to comment on that, but video has had a significant impact on still image functions like high-speed capture and high frame rates, so video functions can be leveraged for imaging solutions."
As he points out, there is a wide range of video users, some of whom rely heavily on smartphones for video today. He identifies one improvement mirrorless camera makers could make to encourage more people to use their cameras for video.
Just a few days after our interview, Nikon announced its acquisition of RED Digital Cinema, reinforcing the importance of video to the company's future.*
"We often receive feedback from customers who say that video takes more time for them to edit compared to pictures. So, we should make the entire video editing procedure much easier and a more casual thing for them. Otherwise, people won’t use their cameras for video."
He also acknowledges that smartphones play a valuable role for video, albeit with limitations. "One of the major reasons for using smartphone video is to record everyday life," he says. "But there is another reason for people to shoot video, and that is to render something creative through filming. If they want to do that, the smartphone has limitations. So, that’s the place where we can go further with a camera. What we can do is open up and expand our customer base and focus on customers who have a desire to pursue imaging expression so that people can render something unique and impressive with a mirrorless solution."
*Editors note: This interview occurred a few days before Nikon announced its acquisition of RED Digital Cinema, a leading manufacturer of professional cinema cameras. We look forward to asking Nikon representatives more about this significant development in a future interview.
Connexion
