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This is a summary of interviews made by Tanaka, the same person as the one with Olympus.
The interviewer is a photographer and, for example, he served as an alpha/beta tester of Pentax 645D during its R&D processes.
yoshi
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Canon (a director in charge of photo imaging)
1. Canon hints that their version of mirrorless models will be introduced next year. He says that Canon is (continuously) scrutinizing the market situation.
He also says he is wondering whether the lens interchangeability is an indispensasble feature for mirrorless models.
Anyway he boasts that Canon can introduce mirrorless models at anytime when Canon wishes to do so.
2. Canon is planning to introduce compact cameras as well as dSLRs'. Compact cameras will have more high-end features and dSLRs' will be getting smaller.The both could directly compete against mirrorless models.
(In that sense he is afraid of a poosible cannibalisation among their own products.)
Compact cameras can have larger sensors than the ones currently used.
3. Canon puts higher priorities on the high iso sensitivities rather than on the more mega pixels, which he says Canon started two years ago.
4. Canon can manufacture 100 mil. pixel sensor but won't launch MF(medium format) models.
Sigma (interviewee: Mr. Yamamoto, President)
1. Lenses dedicated to micro 4/3rds are being developed.
2. No plan to develop a full size Foveon sensor for SD-1 or their dSLRs.
SD-1 price became much more expensive than initially planned, as R&D costs for the APS-C FOVEON sensor far exceeded the level of initial planning stage.
3. Successor to SD-15 will be priced competitively.
Sony (Mr. Nagata)
1. Smaller E-mount lenses are being studied. (A reply to a question of the interviewer who pointed out that their mirroless models NEX have smaller bodies but existing lenses are not that small.)
2. No comment as to whether the flagship model A-900 will continuously have OVF or trans luscent mirror (EVF made of organic EL) will be installed like A-77 and others.
The interviewer however believes firmly that it will have a trans luscent mirror like Alpha-77.
3. Sony foresees that more electronics componet parts are used in future cameras. Out of the two remaining mechanical components,aperture and shutter, the electronic shutter is R&Ded by Sony and by others as well and will be adopted in a few years.
As far as sensor R&D is concerned, Sony will put pritorities on more mega pixel sensors.
Nikon (Mr. Sasagaki)
1. The interviewer believes that successors to D3 and D700 will be annouced relatively soon. Nikon says that those succesors will have further big improvements on high iso performance, high resolution and high speed performance.
2. Nikon also foresees that a 100 mil. pixel sensor will become available sooner or later. Total design concepts of both bodies and lenses will be appropriately investigated and reviewed accordingly.
Pentax (Mr. Kitazawa)
1. All Pentax dSLR's will have a 100% FOV view finder. The big difference between mirrorless models and dSLRs' is view finders these days. (my remarks: it was said to be AF until recently but contrast detect AF speed has been improved tremendously since then.)
2. (my remarks: not sure how serious the Pentax guy is when he said this. He was in a sence forced to agree with the idea when the interviewer asked about them.)
A mirroless model with full size sensor might/will be studied. A mirroless model of 645D (medium format model) is being R&Ded, as the mirror shock could deteriorate image quality to some extent.
Ricoh (Mr. Noguchi)
1. Mutual cooperation between Pentax and Ricoh is to be started soon. Technical information exhange has started. Richo and Pentax will jointly participate in camera shows from now on.
2. They say something about GR series and but I omit it.
Fujifilm (Mr. Higuchi)
1. The mirroless model(s) to be introduced in January has a APS-C sensor.(not micro 4/3rds) Fujifilm wants higher end of the market segments.
2. Lenses for the mirroless will also be enriched one by one.
*****
The interviewer is a photographer and, for example, he served as an alpha/beta tester of Pentax 645D during its R&D processes.
yoshi
**********
Canon (a director in charge of photo imaging)
1. Canon hints that their version of mirrorless models will be introduced next year. He says that Canon is (continuously) scrutinizing the market situation.
He also says he is wondering whether the lens interchangeability is an indispensasble feature for mirrorless models.
Anyway he boasts that Canon can introduce mirrorless models at anytime when Canon wishes to do so.
2. Canon is planning to introduce compact cameras as well as dSLRs'. Compact cameras will have more high-end features and dSLRs' will be getting smaller.The both could directly compete against mirrorless models.
(In that sense he is afraid of a poosible cannibalisation among their own products.)
Compact cameras can have larger sensors than the ones currently used.
3. Canon puts higher priorities on the high iso sensitivities rather than on the more mega pixels, which he says Canon started two years ago.
4. Canon can manufacture 100 mil. pixel sensor but won't launch MF(medium format) models.
Sigma (interviewee: Mr. Yamamoto, President)
1. Lenses dedicated to micro 4/3rds are being developed.
2. No plan to develop a full size Foveon sensor for SD-1 or their dSLRs.
SD-1 price became much more expensive than initially planned, as R&D costs for the APS-C FOVEON sensor far exceeded the level of initial planning stage.
3. Successor to SD-15 will be priced competitively.
Sony (Mr. Nagata)
1. Smaller E-mount lenses are being studied. (A reply to a question of the interviewer who pointed out that their mirroless models NEX have smaller bodies but existing lenses are not that small.)
2. No comment as to whether the flagship model A-900 will continuously have OVF or trans luscent mirror (EVF made of organic EL) will be installed like A-77 and others.
The interviewer however believes firmly that it will have a trans luscent mirror like Alpha-77.
3. Sony foresees that more electronics componet parts are used in future cameras. Out of the two remaining mechanical components,aperture and shutter, the electronic shutter is R&Ded by Sony and by others as well and will be adopted in a few years.
As far as sensor R&D is concerned, Sony will put pritorities on more mega pixel sensors.
Nikon (Mr. Sasagaki)
1. The interviewer believes that successors to D3 and D700 will be annouced relatively soon. Nikon says that those succesors will have further big improvements on high iso performance, high resolution and high speed performance.
2. Nikon also foresees that a 100 mil. pixel sensor will become available sooner or later. Total design concepts of both bodies and lenses will be appropriately investigated and reviewed accordingly.
Pentax (Mr. Kitazawa)
1. All Pentax dSLR's will have a 100% FOV view finder. The big difference between mirrorless models and dSLRs' is view finders these days. (my remarks: it was said to be AF until recently but contrast detect AF speed has been improved tremendously since then.)
2. (my remarks: not sure how serious the Pentax guy is when he said this. He was in a sence forced to agree with the idea when the interviewer asked about them.)
A mirroless model with full size sensor might/will be studied. A mirroless model of 645D (medium format model) is being R&Ded, as the mirror shock could deteriorate image quality to some extent.
Ricoh (Mr. Noguchi)
1. Mutual cooperation between Pentax and Ricoh is to be started soon. Technical information exhange has started. Richo and Pentax will jointly participate in camera shows from now on.
2. They say something about GR series and but I omit it.
Fujifilm (Mr. Higuchi)
1. The mirroless model(s) to be introduced in January has a APS-C sensor.(not micro 4/3rds) Fujifilm wants higher end of the market segments.
2. Lenses for the mirroless will also be enriched one by one.
*****
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