The good news is still there, at least if you are interested in a healthy photo market in terms of competition and innovation. After the turmoil of the pandemic, in which first a lot and then a lot less was sold, this has now stabilized. This emerges from Canon’s current annual report for the first quarter of 2023.
If you want to delve a little into the figures of a balance sheet, you will find very detailed information bei canon. More important for our column, however, is the message that is not in the tables: the industry leader is growing, including for system cameras. In addition, the models launched in 2022 also sold well in early 2023. Since Canon had delivery problems throughout last year, these should now be resolved.
5.9 million cameras in 2023
Canon’s presentations also include the number of 5.9 million system cameras that are to be sold globally by all manufacturers in 2023, just as many as in the previous year. The industry association CIPA made the same prediction in February 2023, and Canon’s figures confirm the forecasts. It is not known who is copying from whom, but it is unlikely that the market is praying for health.
This is also supported by the fact that more and more cheap devices are now coming onto the market. Canon attributes its growth to the R50, among other things, and for Nikon, too, the comparable Z30 was apparently not just an experiment with a video mirrorless. For these and other Nikons with a Z bayonet, the first motorized zoom Nikkor Z DX 12-28 mm was launched this week. And for the moderate price of around 430 euros.
Film setup for 1,500 euros
This allows the camera and optics to be completely remotely controlled using a suitable gimbal, and for a total of around 1,500 euros you have a system in your hands that can be used almost like professional film equipment. Just a few years ago, it was easy to add a zero to the price. Of course, you then have to do without RAW recording with a large color space, even with additional devices, only: It has now become easier to learn the craft comprehensively. Next Nikon will probably turn to the high end again, because the Z8 is still pending.
Pentax Unbunte already sold out
While the Big Three (Canon, Sony, Nikon) have to offer a comprehensive range of products in which everyone can somehow find happiness, others seek success in the niche. Pentax in particular relies heavily on special equipment, currently with the K-3 Mark III monochrome. It’s already sold out before delivery, for which there are two possible explanations: Either the demand was underestimated, or the camera is only ever produced in small batches depending on the pre-order. We’re betting on the latter, mainly because customers have gotten used to waiting times for special products as a result of crowdfunding campaigns or the shortages during the pandemic, among other things.
DJI’s Mavic 3 Pro sets standards
If you have the market almost alone, you can of course produce in stock before the market launch, and that applies to DJI. They have now presented the upper class whorl, the Mavic 3, as a Pro model. This is only an understatement in the name, because in fact this quadrocopter redefines the at least semi-professional drone suitable for filming. Three cameras with focal lengths of 24, 70 and 166 millimeters, the longer optics also with zoom, 120 fps, 8K to 5K resolution – almost nothing is left to be desired.
With 10-bit Dlog M, it’s already poaching properly in the field of film cameras, and photographers have also been thought of: the camera module with a short lens can take RAW images with 12-bit color depth and 20 megapixels. Because even if drones are mainly sold because of their video capabilities, the perspectives as a flying tripod are also quite attractive for photographers. Anyone who dismissed the noisy things as toy cameras a few years ago should take a fresh look at the results of the current device. It is not for nothing that the 24 mm lens has an initial aperture of f/2.8, which can be used very creatively in photography in connection with the ND filters available as accessories.
Frame.io learns photos
The boundaries between film and photography are now blurring to such an extent that still images can be integrated into video tools and not, as was previously the case, primarily the other way around. At NAB 2023 asked Adobe new functions for the online tool Frame.io, with which filmmakers can work together on selection, editing and versioning via the cloud. And this now also works for photos that can be loaded directly into the cloud in their original format. The catch: so far only the Fuji cameras X-H2 and X-H2S support this, models from other manufacturers need software updates. And nothing has been announced yet.
Real eye-catchers
Finally we were able to announce the winners of our own photo competition. The booth had the motto “framed” and NilsSch carried off the victory. Second was Patrick Ehlen and third place went to berberbeard. His shot, “framed”, also serves as the cover for this column. The eye for the special, not the everyday, is what makes this recording so appealing. The same applies to the picture of the nature photographer of the year, Silke Hüttche. She noticed two kites stubbornly looking in different directions and ironically dubbed them “scenes from a marriage.” It remains to be hoped, not only for the birds, that the dance into the merry month of May can put things together if necessary.
(huh)
