Let’s set politics aside for a moment and examine what tariffs are intended to do, and how the current wave is directly impacting every piece of gear we use.

A tariff is supposed to balance trade or protect local industries. If Canadian lumber floods the U.S. market at prices that undercut American producers, a tariff can level the playing field. That makes sense when there’s a domestic industry to protect. But in the case of cameras, there isn’t. No one is building cameras in Iowa or lenses in Michigan. Most photographic equipment is manufactured overseas, primarily in China, Vietnam, and Thailand.

Currently, goods from China face around a 34% tariff, with threats of further increases, although the tariff rates change monthly as the U.S. and China continue trade talks.

 Vietnam’s tariffs, originally a staggering 46%, have been negotiated down to 20%—still a significant burden. And because importers have to pay those fees, they simply pass them down the chain. By the time the gear hits the shelves, it’s people like you and me who are footing the bill.

Why Tariffs May Kill the Photography Market: The Price Problem

The ripple effect is noticeable. We’ve already seen companies like Fujifilm and Nikon raise prices, sometimes multiple times, since last spring, because they can’t predict what the final tariff rates will be. 

Even if tariffs are reduced in the future, history tells us that prices don’t always return to their original levels. Once the market becomes accustomed to higher numbers, manufacturers are unlikely to revert to pre-tariff levels.

We’re always looking for deals to bring to you in our Deals section, and nearly every piece of camera gear has had a price hike. Many cameras and lenses now have a price when on sale that’s a hundred dollars or more than previous discounts. In other words, the best price you can get now on a lot of gear is the worst price it would have been just a year ago. 

And that has real consequences. When Sony launched the RX1R III at around $5,000, many reviews (including my own) pointed out how high that price felt, especially when the camera dropped features compared to its predecessor. Without tariffs, it could have been $4,500 or even less. 

In Canada, the RX1R III retails for approximately $6,300 CAD, equivalent to around $4,550 USD. Even factoring in Canada’s own tariffs, you can see how pricing shifts wildly depending on trade policies. And for an interchangeable lens camera, that extra $500 could have easily been used to purchase a new lens for your kit.

The Demand Dilemma – A Tariff-Driven Return To Bad Times

Here’s where things get scarier: higher prices directly cut demand. Cameras and lenses aren’t bread and milk. You don’t need a new body or lens the moment it’s released. Enthusiasts will hold onto older gear longer, and professionals, already working on tight margins, may stretch their cameras beyond their typical upgrade cycle or raise their rates to compensate. Either way, fewer units get sold.

Leica recently canceled a string of events in the United States, citing “unforeseen circumstances.” This event was thought to have been to introduce a rumored M EV1 camera, a new product category for the company. 

This cancellation could certainly have been due to delays in production, but it also could be the result of tariffs. The problem is we’ll never know. 

We’ve seen fragile moments before in the industry. When the 2011 earthquake in Japan took out Sony’s imaging sensor plant, it caused delays and profit drops across the board because of reduced supply and the resulting increase in component costs.

Tariffs could have a similar effect, only this time, it’s not a natural disaster; it’s a financial earthquake. 

Sure, the booming creator economy might soften the blow. New YouTubers and TikTokers emerge every day, and many invest in cameras instead of relying on their phones. However, many will still go for cheaper camera options instead of the higher-end gear they might have 

The Bottom Line

Tariffs are going to make photography more expensive, period. The only real question is by how much. Maybe we’ll see a few price drops down the line if trade agreements improve, but chances are, the higher baseline is here to stay. That means fewer people buying new cameras, fewer product releases, and more of us wondering if the gear we have will need to last just a little longer than we planned.

For those of us who care about photography, this isn’t just an abstract economic debate. It’s something that could reshape the gear market for years to come. As I said, once prices go up, they rarely go back down. When the cost of goods eventually drops, companies usually keep retail prices the same or similar and use the increased revenue to offset losses incurred during the price hike. 

And while we’ll continue to find ways to create, no matter what, it’s hard not to feel that the industry we love is being dragged into a fight it didn’t ask for.

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DPReview.com has announced its closure after 25 years of operation.

Digital Photography Review has been owned by Amazon since 2007. While the website has operated mostly independent from its parent company in the subsequent years, DPReview has unfortunately been caught up in the latest Amazon restructuring, which has resulted in nearly 30,000 jobs being eliminated so far this year.

DPReview has long been a major player in the photo industry and an incredible resource for all photographers. We have thoroughly enjoyed working alongside the company and its extremely talented staff at press and industry events for decades. While competitors, Imaging Resource and DPReview have always been united by a passion for photography and a desire to deliver in-depth camera and lens reviews to photography enthusiasts worldwide.

DPReview.com will remain active until April 10. Following that date, the site will enter a read-only mode for a limited period. After that, the website will go offline, its massive library of content seemingly lost forever. It’s a major loss to photographers.

DPReview’s many forum users have until April 6 to request a download of all their photos and text.

For the many DPR forum users, any text and photos uploaded to the site can be requested for download until April 6. After that date, further requests will not be fulfiled. A data download request form is available here.

As colleagues, first and foremost, I want to start by commending everyone at DPReview for their years of hard work and dedication to the photo industry. I’ve been with IR, and thus the photo industry, now for about ten years, and it’s going to be hard to imagine it without DPR here alongside us.

Before I started at Imaging Resource, I was a photographer first and foremost. I was learning as I went, teaching myself new things about photography, about cameras, reading reviews, and, of course, lusting after all the latest and great gear like many of us! And during that time, DPReview was right there as one of the stalwart leaders in the camera industry. It was one of the leading resources that I and many others would turn to for reviews and discussions about cameras and photography.

In the years since, I’ve been fortunate to know many of those who have worked at DPR. It was always a joy to cross paths with one another at various press events and tradeshows, and I very much enjoyed working alongside our colleagues at DPR. You all did outstanding work, and I am hopeful that our paths cross again.

-William Brawley, Managing Editor

A copy of the news release is available below:

Dear readers,

After nearly 25 years of operation, DPReview will be closing in the near future. This difficult decision is part of the annual operating plan review that our parent company shared earlier this year.

The site will remain active until April 10, and the editorial team is still working on reviews and looking forward to delivering some of our best-ever content.

Everyone on our staff was a reader and fan of DPReview before working here, and we’re grateful for the communities that formed around the site.

Thank you for your support over the years, and we hope you’ll join us in the coming weeks as we celebrate this journey.

Sincerely,

Scott Everett General Manager – DPReview.com

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SportsShooter.com, a popular online resource for sports photographers, has announced that it will shut down this week on March 15.

As reported by PetaPixel, SportsShooter.com’s origins can be traced back to an email newsletter that USA Today photographer Robert Hanashiro began in 1998. Hanashiro shared his thoughts about photojournalism and sports photography with colleagues. The newsletter eventually reached a subscriber list of around 7,000 readers and featured contributions from many pro photographers.

Freelance photographer Brad Mangin began archiving each newsletter issue of Sports Shooter on his personal website, sharing the original content plus new photos and links. That content evolved into the dedicated SportsShooter.com website in 2002, complete with a searchable database.

In a farewell post, Jason Burfield explains that many people were instrumental to growing SportsShooter into the bustling, lively community it became. Robert Hanashiro’s original newsletter was instrumental, of course, along with work by Joe Gosen, Brad Mangin, Grover Sanschagrin, and Burfield himself.

“We built a site that brought people together from all over the world. They interacted and shared ideas. They looked for feedback on their work. They shared great photography. They learned from each other,” Burfield writes. “Over the years we have added features and removed features. We’ve worked to try to stay on top of everything and do our best. But, at the end of the day, this was a passion project for us and not something that would replace our day jobs.”

For many years, SportsShooter.com was among the only places where dedicated, enthusiastic sports photographers could gather to discuss technique, gear, and photos on the web. When the website launched, social media was still a long way off.

Original contributors became less involved over time. Web content and how people consume it has changed. Burfield writes, “It’s time to turn off the lights.” SportsShooter.com has had a “great ride,” adds Burfield.

In a forum post about the website shutting down, many longtime users have offered their thoughts. Photographer Kevin M. Cox writes, “I joined the site on that first day, June 21, 2002, and got a member ID of 73. SportShooter.com was such an awesome resource for me when I was transition from student to professional all those years ago; it really did have a large impact on my career.” Cox found his second newspaper staff job, where he worked for 15 years, via a classified listing on SportsShooter.com.

Photographer Ron Erdrich adds, “It’s been a minute since I contributed to a thread, but it can’t be understated what an invaluable resource this site became. Just look at that photo, I’ve got brown hair.” Erdrich is referring to his profile photo in which he has a head of dense brown hair. Based on his remarks, I’m guessing that’s not the case anymore. Nearly 21 years is a long time, and much has changed during SportsShooter.com’s lifetime.

Dirk Dewachter, an early subscriber to Hanashiro’s original newsletter, remarks that “Throughout the years, I learned from the best and sometimes the most specialized photographers…I am forever grateful for the experience and to this date formed friendships with people who I otherwise never would have met.”

Over the years, the website has included 1.1 million images, nearly 73,000 contest entries, more than 42,800 message threads, over 400,000 message board posts, and 2,645 news articles. To view some selected highlights before the website shuts down, read Burfield’s full announcement.

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According to PetaPixel and Sony Alpha Rumors, the fascinating Zeiss ZX1 camera has been discontinued.

We first wrote about the ZX1 way back in September of 2018, with a full preview of the fixed-lens full-frame mirrorless camera. At that time, we expected the ZX1 to hit store shelves the following year. We even saw the camera at the CP+ tradeshow in Japan the following February. However, it was in October 2020, more than two years after being announced, that the Zeiss ZX1 was finally available to order at an eye-watering price of $6,000.

We saw the ZX1 at CP+ in 2019, albeit behind glass.

Over at B&H, the only ZX1 you can order is used, and the camera is listed as discontinued. Adorama says that the ZX1 is “no longer available.” While Zeiss hasn’t officially said that the ZX1 is no more, it seems clear that the camera is gone. It’s an unceremonious end for the ZX1. While the $6,000 price tag was prohibitive for most photographers, the ZX1 is still gone too soon.

Let’s look at some of the camera’s interesting and unique features. For starters, it’s sleek and stylish. It’s a camera I’d be proud to carry around. It also sports some exciting technology that was ahead of its time, including an EVF with 6.22M dots, eclipsing a fair few full-frame cameras still, and a massive 4.34-inch multitouch display.

The large display, which dominates the camera’s rear, belies one of the ZX1’s most intriguing tricks, an Android-based operating system complete with built-in Adobe Lightroom CC. The built-in software lets you view your raw DNG images on the ZX1 itself, including a raw histogram. That’s cool! You can store and edit raw images right on the ZX1, too. It includes a built-in 512GB SSD, a welcome feature that still isn’t offered with many cameras, save for the recent Hasselblad X2D 100C.

While much of the ZX1’s user experience takes place via the multitouch display, the camera sports some physical dials on its top deck, including dedicated shutter speed and ISO dials. Even so, the ZX1 employs an unusual design.

Zeiss ZX1

The ZX1 is a fixed-lens camera in the spirit of the Sony RX1R Mark II. Like the Sony camera, the ZX1 also has a built-in 35mm F2 lens, and of course, the Zeiss camera uses a Zeiss lens. Interestingly, although perhaps not surprisingly given Sony and Zeiss’s relationship, the Sony RX1R II also has a Zeiss lens, albeit a different Zeiss 35mm F2 design.

The ZX1 has a 37.4-megapixel full-frame image sensor, which is an unusual sensor. Zeiss says that it designed the sensor in-house, but we don’t know precisely who made it. It doesn’t appear that Zeiss itself has the capacity to make image sensors, although it manufactures technology used in semiconductor production. In any case, no matter who built the sensor, it’s Zeiss’ image sensor, for all intents and purposes. No other camera we know of has ever used the same sensor.

The Zeiss ZX1 has a high-res EVF and a massive touchscreen

Additional features include 4K/30p video, USB-C, a Sigma-compatible hot shoe, and built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Thanks to firmware updates following launch, the ZX1 received newer versions of Lightroom CC, face-detection autofocus, full-resolution raw rendering with 100% view, support for a Zeiss ZX1 companion app, better battery efficiency, and more.

I was never going to buy a Zeiss ZX1. It’s not that I have anything against a full-frame camera with a fixed lens – I frequently hope for Sony to release an RX1R Mark III, as my colleague William Brawley can attest. But $6,000? That’s too much. Way too much.

How cool is it that you can view and edit full-resolution raw images right on the ZX1?

However, for that high asking price, the ZX1 delivered something rare in our industry – something unique. While the most popular mirrorless cameras of the last few years differ from each other in terms of specs and performance, and to an extent with their designs, you use most cameras in the same way. They do roughly the same things, even if some are better. On the other hand, the ZX1 is (or “was”) different in a special way.

It’s a shame that Zeiss didn’t find its full-frame footing with the ZX1. I will hold out hope for a Zeiss ZX2, but much like with a Sony RX1R III, I suspect it’ll be a very long wait. Let’s not call it a “goodbye,” Zeiss. Let’s go with “Until we meet again.”

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The annual BCN Awards have been published in Japan, showcasing the most popular camera brands among Japanese retailers in 2022. While not a perfect representation of the global camera market, the BCN Ranking data comes from about 40% of all Japanese retailers, so it’s a large sample size that offers interesting insights into the state of the photography market.

Before diving into the specifics, BCN Rankings says that total interchangeable lens camera sales were up compared to 2021. Sales in 2022 were 106.9% of the prior year’s sales. The total sales amount – money spent versus individual cameras purchased – increased to 122.1% of 2021’s results.

The ILC camera market is divided into two categories: SLR and mirrorless. It will come as no surprise, given the industry trends in the last few years, but mirrorless cameras remained more popular than SLR cameras in 2022. Mirrorless cameras accounted for just over 77% of camera sales in the BCN Ranking data.

Image credit: BCN Rankings

Looking at specifics, for DSLR camera sales in 2022, Canon accounted for 76.8% of the market, up from 59.8% in 2021. Nikon captured the second spot with 17.2%, down from 33.9%. Ricoh Imaging, the maker of Pentax DSLR cameras, is in third position with 5.7%, which is nearly identical to their 5.8% share in 2021.

For mirrorless ILC sales, Canon is on top again, albeit with a much smaller share than in the DSLR segment. Canon accounted for 31.7% of mirrorless camera sales, up from 28.2% in 2021. Sony is in second place with 29.4%. In 2021, Sony was the top mirrorless camera in the BCN Awards with 32.0%. OM Digital Solutions earns a strong third-place position with a 14.3% market share, up from 12.7% in 2021.

In the digital video camera category – it’s not clear precisely how BCN Ranking differentiates between SLR cameras and video cameras – Panasonic is in first with 42.4%. Sony is in second at 34.7%. DJI rounds out the top three with 9.4%.

BCN Rankings also captures lens data. Sony has the highest share at 16.4%, followed by Canon (15.9%) and Sigma (14.5%). We can see additional information in the chart below, including Tamron in the fourth spot and Nikon in the fifth. Safari’s translate tool didn’t work perfectly on the chart below, but the blue wedge in the bottom left is Tamron and the green wedge titled “Wealth + Film” is Fujifilm. The light gray wedge to the left of Sony is “other.”

Image credit: BCN Rankings

Again, there’s no way to know precisely how the BCN Rankings data corresponds to camera sales in other markets. Still, it’s always interesting to see how different manufacturers are performing. For more information, visit the BCN Awards website.

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Last week, Fujifilm announced plans to build an advanced semiconductor materials manufacturing facility in PyeongTaek City in the Gyeonggi Province in South Korea. The plant will manufacture color filter materials for image sensors. The manufacturing facility will be Fujifilm’s second in South Korea, joining an existing plant that produces Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) slurries. These slurries are used to polish and level semiconductor surfaces.

Fujifilm’s announcement states that the company already “boasts over 80% global share in color filter materials for image sensors,” per Fujifilm’s internal data. The new manufacturing facility aims to bolster the company’s strength, and the plant will feature “cutting-edge manufacturing capabilities and state-of-the-art evaluation equipment to enable the production of high-quality and high-performance products.”

It’s unclear for what products the color filters will be used. Fujifilm mentions that image sensors are a type of semiconductor that converts light into electrical signals, as we know, and that image sensors are used in a wide variety of products, including digital cameras, smartphones and other devices, such as autonomous vehicles and security devices. Fujifilm also states that it expects the image sensor market to grow by 7% per year. However, the press release doesn’t mention Fujifilm’s X or GFX cameras specifically.

It’s unclear if any color filter materials manufactured at the new plant in South Korea will be used for Fujifilm’s digital cameras, such as its X Series or GFX cameras.

Given Fujifilm’s 80% market share of color filter materials for image sensors, it’s no surprise that the company has multiple existing production sites, including plants in Japan and Taiwan. The new manufacturing plant in South Korea will facilitate the production of color filter materials that target a broader wavelength range.

The release mentions Wave Control Mosaic (WCM), specifically. Fujifilm describes WCM as follows: “Wave Control Mosaic and Color Mosaic technology comprises a series of pigmented, negative tone, photosensitive imaging materials used to produce color filter arrays and optical layers. The Wave Control Mosaic and Color Mosaic technology provides color filters with high transparency and colorimetric purity and also includes black materials for efficient light blocking / shielding needs. These Wave Control Mosaic and Color Mosaic materials are used by manufacturers worldwide to produce color filters for incorporation into leading-edge Image Sensor (IS) devices and other sensing devices.

You can read much more about Fujifilm’s semiconductor business on Fujifilm’s business website. In total, Fujifilm lists 35 semiconductor products and solutions for various imaging needs, including enterprise, consumer and medical applications. The new plant in South Korea is already under construction, and Fujifilm anticipates it to begin operations in the spring of 2024.

(Via DPReview)

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Leica Camera AG and Panasonic have signed a comprehensive strategic collaboration agreement to develop L² Technology (L squared Technology), which symbolically fuses the two “L” of Leica and LUMIX. All marketing activities going forward will incorporate the new branding.

Panasonic and Leica have a long history of cooperation. The companies have worked together since August 2000 when the two signed a cooperation agreement for lenses of digital, audio-visual equipment. The next year, the agreement expanded to include the digital camera sector. Since then, Panasonic and Leica have continued to work together, including in 2018 when Panasonic and Leica joined with Sigma to form the L-Mount Alliance.

Leica and Panasonic write, “L2 Technology will unify the strengths of two brands, Leica and LUMIX, be a symbol of the collaboration by combining the technologies and know-how of the two companies in the fields of new camera and lens products and next generation software, and create technologies and solutions that deliver new value in the new era.” The collaboration will allow Leica and Panasonic to capitalize on their respective strengths, including Leica’s optical and imaging technology and Panasonic’s video and digital technology that “have been cultivated over many years in the camera and imaging market.”

Matthias Harsch, CEO Leica Camera AG (left) and Yosuke Yamane, Executive Vice President Director, Imaging Business Unit (right)

Through this collaboration, Leica and Panasonic will jointly invest in new technologies to be incorporated into each other’s Leica and LUMIX products to further improve their capabilities and performance. Moving forward, all Leica and LUMIX products will utilize “L2 Technology.”

“With the arrival of an era in which photos and videos are shared globally in real-time, cameras are required to have capability to create more impressive and breathtaking expression. I have always been impressed by the high picture quality and the picture-making philosophy that Leica has developed over its long history. I am very pleased and excited to continue working with Leica to develop technology that will enable people around the world to share their emotions,” said Akira Toyoshima, CEO of Panasonic Entertainment & Communication Co., Ltd.

“We have been working with Panasonic for many years in a spirit of partnership and trust, and their extensive expertise is undisputed. The combination of our competencies in L2 Technology is another milestone in the partnership and proves that the best way to meet today’s challenges in the camera market is not to segment and specialize, but to deepen capabilities in order to jointly create solutions for the future,” said Matthias Harsch, CEO of Leica Camera AG.

Leica and Panasonic have a long history of collaboration, including with the L-Mount Alliance

We had the chance to speak with a Panasonic representative following today’s announcement for further clarity about what the collaboration means for Panasonic moving forward. The first important distinction to make is that the new collaborative agreement is different from the L-Mount Alliance. Leica essentially licensed its mount to other companies, like Panasonic and Sigma, to further enhance compatibility across products. Today’s agreement is not a licensing agreement, but rather a joint development agreement.

Panasonic and Leica will continue to operate as independent companies – there’s no merger – but they will each bring their respective strengths to the table and work closely with each other to develop new products and technologies. It’s not clear what the first tangible result of the agreement will be, but there will be joint products moving forward. The products could include Micro Four Thirds or full-frame products, but we’ve been told that Panasonic’s camcorder products are not part of the agreement. Future products will be branded by each company. Neither company is speaking about whether there’s any investment in each other, and R&D will continue in each other’s departments in Japan and Germany.

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Next month, Canon will celebrate the 35th anniversary of the launch of the EOS System, which includes EOS-series interchangeable lens cameras, EF and RF lenses and many different accessories.

The Canon EOS System debuted in March of 1987 with the launch of the Canon EOS 650 SLR camera and EF lenses. The EOS name itself has an interesting origin. It’s an acronym of ‘Electro Optical System,’ and the EOS 650 included the world’s first fully electronic mount system, ushering in a new era of autofocus-equipped SLR cameras. Eos is also the Greek Goddess of the dawn. New era. Dawn. It’s quite clever, even though most people probably take the name ‘EOS’ for granted today.

Canon EOS 650

Looking back at some important EOS film cameras, there’s the EOS 650, of course, but also the professional model EOS-1 that launched in 1989. For amateur photographers looking for ease-of-use and convenience, the EOS Kiss (EOS Rebel XS and EOS 500 in other regions) fit the bill in 1993.

Canon EOS Kiss Digital (EOS Digital Rebel / EOS 300D)

The digital revolution took hold at Canon in 2000 with the release of the EOS D30. The professional EOS-1D, a series that continues to go strong, came out in 2001. The EOS Kiss Digital (EOS Digital Rebel or EOS 300D in other regions) followed in 2003. In 2008, Canon launched the iconic EOS 5D Mark II, which featured full HD recording and an impressive 20MP image sensor. It was a game-changer, to be sure. Canon further pushed its video initiatives and gained a foothold in the video production industry with the launch of the Cinema EOS System in 2012.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

While DSLR cameras were popular for a long time, and still are, Canon’s entry into mirrorless was marked by the EOS M system. However, Canon’s bigger mirrorless splash came in 2018 with the launch of the EOS R system. Canon writes, ‘the EOS R System was born from Canon’s desire to construct the optimal rear lens element diameter and shorter distance (back focus) for a Full-Frame image sensor.’ Canon has continued to expand its EOS R system with many fantastic cameras, like the 8K-equipped EOS R5, the world’s first full-frame mirrorless camera to offer 8K recording, and the recent Canon EOS R3, which features incredible speed eye-control AF.

The EOS System comprises 21 EOS series cameras and 104 RF and EF lenses. Canon’s EOS system has been going strong for nearly 35 years and shows no signs of slowing down. Canon has maintained the world’s number one share of the digital interchangeable lens camera market since 2003, a total of 18 years running. Today, Canon USA tweeted that Canon is America’s leader in the digital camera industry, earning the top spot for mirrorless camera unit sales, full-frame camera sales and lens sales.

Source: The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service, U.S.

Congratulations to Canon for its continued success, and here’s to many more years of fantastic Canon cameras and lenses.

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Sony continues to make significant inroads in the photojournalism space with its Alpha series cameras. In July 2020, the Associated Press announced its switch to Sony mirrorless cameras for all its photo and video journalism requirements. Last summer, the PA in the United Kingdom and Ireland announced the same switch, moving exclusively to Sony full-frame cameras and lenses. In November, the USA Today Network and Gannett Co. partnered with Sony. Now it’s Canada’s turn. The Canadian Press, a trusted news source in Canada for more than a century and the exclusive Canadian distributor of international news from the AP, has made Sony Electronics its exclusive provider for imaging products.

The Canadian Press employs more than 180 journalists and specializes in bilingual media for Canada’s anglophone and francophone population. The organization produces digital, broadcast and print media. The move to Sony means that photojournalists and videographers will exclusively use various Sony cameras, including the Sony A1 and Sony A9 II when covering news, politics, lifestyle and sports stories.

Sony A9 II

‘We are honored to announce this collaboration with The Canadian Press, a leader in delivering news and best-in-class multimedia content across Canada,’ said Mark Saddleton, Sony Canada Country Head and Director of Sales. ‘The journalists at The Canadian Press have a front row seat for Canada’s biggest events across politics, sports and entertainment and we are delighted to support their visual storytelling.’

‘Sony’s innovative technology takes the high quality of our visual journalism to a whole new level,’ said Malcolm Kirk, President of The Canadian Press. ‘More than 600 media clients rely on our online CP Images archive as the go-to destination for contemporary and historic multimedia imagery of Canada’s people, places and events. That’s why we were looking for more than just a camera provider. We needed a true partner committed to helping us deliver first-rate visual journalism.’

Sony A1

The sentiments echo what we’ve heard when other news organizations made the switch to Sony. It’s about more than just the camera gear. It’s about a fruitful, productive relationship between news organizations, journalists, and Sony. ‘From the outset, they’ve taken a relationship-driven approach to the upgrade, which will bring a unified look to our coverage since all our staff photographers and reporters will be shooting with the same brand of cameras for photos and videos for the first time. They understood the ongoing training and support was as critical as the technology. We’re thrilled to have their support as we expand our visual coverage and meet the future needs of our industry,’ said Megan Leach. She manages visual journalists at The Canadian Press.

The transition to Sony equipment and the rollout of Sony imaging kits is in progress. Distribution will continue through early 2022.

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Ricoh Imaging Co., Ltd. has released an update on its business model. In a Japanese statement, Ricoh Imaging’s President and CEO, Noboru Akabane, addressed different market challenges and how the company will restructure its business operations moving forward, including incorporating a more digital, direct-to-consumer sales method and a ‘workshop-like’ production for the Japanese market.

According to a statement from Ricoh Imaging North America, their distribution in North America is not changing, and Ricoh is still continuing mass production of their imaging products. Rather, Ricoh is extending their distribution strategy to include more direct-to-consumer approaches.

STATEMENT FROM RICOH IMAGING AMERICAS:
The announcement made by Ricoh Imaging Co., Ltd. on January 20, 2022 regarding a revamped approach to Ricoh’s digital camera manufacturing and distribution was specific to the local market in Japan only. “Ricoh/Pentax will not change its distribution structure in North America, and the company has significant plans and goals for the North America market this year that will utilize mass production of its products,” said Kazumichi Eguchi, President, Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation. “Customers in North America can continue to purchase Ricoh and Pentax cameras through our authorized dealers and directly via our website: https://us.ricoh-imaging.com/.”

In a translated statement, Akabane writes that Ricoh Imaging faces numerous challenges and that the current way of doing business, mass production and retail shops, is not sustainable. The solution is to focus on having a more open line of communication between photographers and the company itself and providing better ways for customers to offer feedback and participate in the planning stage of product development.

Looking at the Pentax brand, the company will continue to focus on SLR development. The Pentax brand is a strong one with a committed following. While, of course, mirrorless cameras are more prevalent and are the primary focus for companies like Canon and Nikon, there’s still a market for new DSLR cameras, as evidenced by the popular Pentax K-3 Mark III last year. Ricoh has long been offering different colors and special editions for its cameras. It sounds like the Pentax brand will soon offer more ways for customers to customize their cameras.

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The Ricoh GR brand focuses more on snapshots and social community. Ricoh wants to strengthen this community by revitalizing its social media presence and creating a place for GR photographers to communicate with each other and speak directly to Ricoh itself. On the product side of things, the messaging is a bit vague, but Ricoh GR products will focus on high image quality, operability, and portability. The recent Ricoh GR IIIx fits the bill when it comes to high-quality images in a portable form factor.

That focuses on the relationship portion, but what about production and sales? Ricoh says it will shift from sales methods based on distribution networks and dealers and instead push sales through the internet. This will increase efficiency. Ricoh also wants, at least in Japan, to have directly managed retail operations in major shopping malls. The general idea is to utilize more digital sales methods and move away from conventional sales operations.

The company will also incorporate a ‘workshop-like’ approach in Japan that will provide customers the chance to influence product design and communicate more directly with the manufacturing process. You may recall that Pentax has previously offered a Pentax KP J limited edition custom camera, where users could order a camera with specific colors and materials. More recently, Japan had the K-1 II J Limited 01 DSLR, which is another made-to-order camera with different color and material options. You can see that below.

If you’d like to read the full statement in its native Japanese, click here.

To inject a bit of my opinion, I think this is a wise move for Ricoh. The camera market has changed significantly over the last few years. There’s much less room to be successful with entry-level cameras, and DSLR camera popularity has waned. However, as other companies have left the DSLR market, Pentax remains. The remaining market, if not large, is certainly loyal and I suspect willing to pay more for a made-to-order, custom-built product.

Mass production and traditional sales methods make less sense than they did even just a few years ago. While it may no longer be possible to have a successful business model by sticking with convention, that doesn’t mean that success is impossible. By pivoting its focus, Ricoh looks poised to build a stronger relationship with its customers and develop ways to make more appealing, custom-built cameras. The company is doubling down on its biggest strength, its customers.

(Via Pentax Rumors)

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