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Posts Tagged ‘denies’

News: Olympus Denies Rumors of Camera Division Shutdown

29 Nov

The post News: Olympus Denies Rumors of Camera Division Shutdown appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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Olympus photographers, look out:

Over the past few weeks, the future of Olympus’s camera business has been the subject of much speculation.

It started when a Personal View admin argued that the Olympus camera division was on the way out, claiming that “closure is near,” and it can “happen in less than 8 months.” The article stated that “it is total instability now in [the Olympus] camera division,” and went on to say that “in various countries, people are running and looking for new positions.” The author also pointed to an Olympus financial report, which revealed that camera revenue has fallen by 17%.

Yet this was rebutted by Olympus; the company quickly released a statement:

Olympus Imaging products play an important role as technology drivers for all Olympus business lines, including the advanced digital technologies used in Olympus’ Medical, Industrial and Scientific businesses. Olympus does indeed plan to continue to develop its imaging produce lines, bringing products to life that embody Olympus’ core benefits, including system compactness and superior lens optics.

For Olympus shooters out there, the relief was short-lived. Because just days later, Bloomberg published an article reporting that the Olympus CEO, Yasuo Takeuchi, “backtracked on some his comments in the past that the camera business was not for sale, saying that may not be the case anymore.” This was followed by Bloomberg reporting that “Olympus plans to regularly reassess its business portfolio to focus on its medical business.”

As expected, this resulted in another swarm of rumors and speculation, which were acknowledged in a recent statement by Olympus:

As announced in our Corporate Strategy, Olympus is further focusing on our Medical business and follows the strong ambition for all of our businesses to be profitable and contribute to our overall business objectives. In that regard, we are continuously evaluating our overall portfolio, as announced in our Corporate Strategy on November 6, 2019.

For Imaging, however, we currently have no plans to sell the business. The task is therefore to stabilize and strengthen its market position. To achieve that, we are actively running marketing activities, and have already established a clear and exciting product roadmap for the coming months and years. We are actively pursuing future technology developments that will enhance photography and video for creators. Furthermore, Imaging is and will continue to be an important technology and innovation driver for our other businesses.

Our Imaging business features a unique product portfolio. Olympus products are compact and lightweight, feature market leading image stabilization and autofocus. Many of our high-end products are also splash-proof. No other product offers customers this level of optical excellence paired with the highest mobility.

Just last month we launched our new OM-D E-M5 Mark III – a light yet feature packed addition to our semi-pro camera portfolio, inheriting pro-features like a high precision AF from our OM-D E-M1 Mark II model. Furthermore, we have announced the development of M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 150-400mm f/4.5 TC1.25x IS PRO earlier this year to be launched by next year. Customers can follow our break-free campaign on various channels and worldwide.

Out of everything that has been said, I find this statement to be the most reassuring, but I don’t think it puts the speculation entirely to rest. Olympus’s “no plans to sell the business” line doesn’t sound as firm as it could (compare it to a possible “we won’t be selling the business”), and plenty of companies have launched products right up until the end.

What seems most plausible to me is that Olympus is keeping its options open. So while we shouldn’t be surprised if Olympus’s camera division continues to function, it shouldn’t come as a shock if Olympus announces the sale or shutdown of its camera business, either.

So I’d like to know what you think. Do you find Olympus’s statements to be reassuring? Do you think Olympus will continue to manufacture cameras? For the Olympus photographers out there, are you worried? Let me know in the comments!

The post News: Olympus Denies Rumors of Camera Division Shutdown appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


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DJI denies sending flight data to China, looks to manufacture in the U.S.

26 Jun
DJI’s Mavic Enterprise Dual is used by government agencies to aid in numerous efforts.

A little over a month ago, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (USDHS) sent out an alert stating that drones manufactured in China presented a security risk. This past week, representatives from Da Jiang Innovations Science and Technology, better known as DJI, told a Senate subcommittee that the company does not automatically collect data, including flight logs and photos, from its users to share with the Chinese government.

In a letter addressing the Senate subcommittee, DJI’s Vice President and Regional Manager, Mario Rebello, outlined the numerous benefits drones provide both the private and public sectors. He also clearly stated that ‘DJI drones do not share flight logs, photos or videos unless the drone pilot deliberately chooses to do so […] this data stays solely on the drone and the pilot’s mobile device. DJI cannot share customer data it never receives.’

Rebello also warned of potential economic fallout should the Chinese company fall victim to speculation coupled with unverified information presented to the Senate subcommittee at a hearing called Drone Security: Enhancing Innovation and Mitigating Supply Chain Risks. ‘We believe industry and government have a shared responsibility to build on this momentum and keep our skies open for safe and secure commerce and innovation. Unfortunately, some witnesses who appeared before the Subcommittee want to limit competition, innovation, and the availability of drone technology based solely on its country of origin,’ the letter adds.

‘We believe industry and government have a shared responsibility to build on this momentum and keep our skies open for safe and secure commerce and innovation.’

DJI supplies roughly 70 percent of the drones in the U.S. market, according to recent estimates. It offers up a diverse range of models including the Mavic Air and now a Government Drone. The latter is currently being developed and will not be able to transfer any data collected during flight wirelessly or online.

Lightweight, compact, and versatile, the Mavic Air is popular among consumers.

Unlike most of Huawei’s business, DJI has not been put on the Trump administration’s blacklist. Nevertheless, by establishing a manufacturing base in California, they hope it enables them to continue selling products in the U.S.

In response to the Trump administration’s recent crackdown on technology manufactured in China and escalating trade war, the Shenzhen-based company, which is privately held, plans to repurpose a warehouse in Cerritos, California, to assemble a variety of drones in its product line. While production in the Cerritos facility, which was formerly used to store inventory, will only represent a small fraction of DJI’s overall production, the company hopes that manufacturing on U.S. shores will help it fulfill some necessary federal requirements.

DJI plans to assemble 60 percent of its new Government Drone in Cerritos once approval by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection is secured. Once verified, they can file for certification as the devices produced in the warehouse will satisfy the requirements set forth by the Trade Agreement Act. Under the Act, government agencies are required, by law, to purchase products made in the U.S.

‘This new investment will expand DJI’s footprint in the U.S. so we can better serve our customers, create U.S. jobs, and strengthen the U.S. drone economy,’ the company said in a statement. Building on this momentum, the company yesterday released its Government Edition hardware and software solutions aimed at local, state, and federal agencies.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Ricoh denies rumors it will lose the right to use the Pentax brand name

31 May

Rumors that Ricoh will lose the right to use the Pentax brand name in 2020 are being denied by the company. In a statement, Ricoh acknowledged that the Pentax name belongs to Hoya but explained that there are no restrictions on Ricoh using it in the camera business.

The rumors first appeared on the Pentax Rumors website in an article that claimed that Ricoh’s license to use the Pentax name would expire in 2020. According to the rumor, this served as the reason for no new announcements in some time. Ricoh, however, states that it will introduce new items in the future, and will continue to use the Pentax name for its cameras.

In a statement to DPReview, a Ricoh spokesperson said:

‘No, [the rumor] is not a fact.

Hoya is the owner of the PENTAX trademark, but there are no restrictions or limitations attached for RICOH to use the PENTAX brand in the camera business.

We will continue to offer the PENTAX brand products including new items.’

There’s no telling what might come from the Pentax brand next, but now there’s confirmation straight from the source that the Pentax brand will continue to live on via Ricoh.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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DJI denies rumors of Phantom 5 cancellation

28 Apr

DJI launched its brand with the Phantom 1, known at the time as Phantom, in January 2013. The iconic design has spawned numerous imitators but DJI has been able to iterate and outdo its competitors time and again, with more than just the Phantom line. Currently, it has a market share of roughly 74%, according to a 2018 Drone Market Sector Report by Skylogic Research.

With the exception of the Phantom 4 RTK, aimed strictly at professionals, all DJI Phantom 4 models have been out of stock for months. While the release of the Phantom 5 is the next logical step, rumors are swirling that the Chinese drone manufacturer is headed in another direction and discontinuing its Phantom line for good.

DroneDJ first reported these rumors by catching a statement made on a recent podcast by DJI’s own Director of Public Safety Integration, Romeo Durscher. ‘Yes, the Phantom line with the exception of the Phantom 4 Pro RTK has come to an end,’ Durscher told the Drone Owners Network. DroneDJ also cited rumors from sources close to DJI claiming that the Product Manager for the Phantom 5 was reassigned to another project.

DJI denies the rumors. ‘Romeo misspoke,’ DJI communications director Adam Lisberg tells The Verge.

To explain the lack of availability for recent Phantom 4 Pro versions, DJI released the following official statement: ‘Due to a shortage of parts from a supplier, DJI is unable to manufacture more Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 drones until further notice. We apologize for any inconvenience this might cause and recommend our customers explore DJI’s Mavic series drones as an alternative solution to serve their needs.’

This has been their explanation for the past five months and is a bit suspicious, as The Verge points out. While Lisberg told DroneDJ last fall ‘as for the Phantom 5 rumors, we’ve never said we considered making a Phantom 5 in the first place, so there’s nothing to cancel,’ these photos tell a different story. Lisberg also went on record with DroneDJ stating that the photos represented a one-off design for a customer. The Verge points out that a prototype of that magnitude would only be plausible for someone extremely wealthy.

Rumors surrounding the Phantom 5 series include the possibility of one model containing a zoom lens, and starting around $ 1,700, while the other model would come equipped with a series of interchangeable lenses containing fixed widths of 15mm, 24mm, 35mm, and 50mm.

To date, the Mavic 2 Pro is the only model that takes advantage of DJI’s majority stake in Hasselblad camera company. The Mavic series, though not the first to be released, is the overall best-selling line for the drone manufacturer. This fact leads many insiders and enthusiasts to believe that the foldable, more compact model will be the future of drone operations for consumers and professionals.

The Mavic was developed and introduced shortly after GoPro announced its doomed Karma drone. Without a competitor in the arena, it’s possible that DJI won’t be compelled to offer up a Phantom 5. Especially when its much bulkier, and pricier series of Inspire drones, used primarily by filmmakers, top-tier professionals, and wealthy hobbyists, offers up the option of interchangeable lenses.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Ricoh denies Nikkei report that it may leave camera business

14 Apr

Ricoh has issued a response to a report from the Nikkei Asian Review, denying that the company is considering leaving the consumer camera business. Ricoh’s statement says that it will focus its attention on ‘high added value products’ in its Pentax and GR lines. Additionally, the company says it plans to keep expanding its VR business, where it sees plenty of growth.

Nikkei’s article suggests the company considered, or is considering, a more drastic approach:

‘The Japanese company will radically review a production and manufacturing strategy centered on cameras for the retail market, including such brands as Pentax and GR. Options include withdrawing from this segment altogether.’

An investor relations presentation published by Ricoh today only directly mentions the company’s camera division once, indicating that Ricoh will ‘leave no stones unturned’ in examining losses in its camera business. But the overall tone of the document indicates that the company is looking to break from past approaches to structure and growth.

The Nikkei article and Ricoh’s statement seem to be in agreement that the company is looking to expand into commercial applications. Nikkei mentions that Ricoh plans to use spare capacity at compact camera production facilities to increase production of automotive products.

Below is Ricoh’s full statement addressing the article:

With regard to the article about RICOH today

Apr. 12, 2017
Ricoh Co.,Ltd.

Today there was an article saying that RICOH considers to shrink the camera business and withdraw from consumer products. This article is not based on RICOH’s official announcement.

RICOH is focusing its resource on the high added value products such as PENTAX and GR that are appreciated by the existing users and photo hobbyists. RICOH is also a market leader of input device? in the VR or AR market with its “RICOH THETA” where we can see rapid growth, and will keep on expanding the business even more in this field. In addition, RICOH will develop and expand the imaging business in the solution business field for corporate, by creating new market utilizing its own camera technology.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Monkey photo copyright in question as Wikipedia denies photographer’s takedown request

07 Aug

On a trip to Indonesia in 2011, photographer David Slater was photographing a black crested macaque when it grabbed his camera and proceeded to take hundreds of pictures of itself. The resulting ‘monkey selfie’ did the rounds on the internet, winding up in Wikimedia Commons. Mr. Slater has asked that the photo be taken down, but Wikimedia sees things differently. Read more

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Olympus denies reports that it is ceasing DSLR production

14 Feb

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Olympus is denying reports that it is ceasing its production of DSLR cameras. In its official statement Olympus says there is no truth to these reports and the company will continue to offer DSLR cameras alongside its popular mirrorless camera range. The reports came as Olympus promised ‘extensive business restructuring’ in its imaging division, above and beyond the downsizing already taking place as part of its ‘medium term vision.’

News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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