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Photokina 2018: Sony interview – ‘I don’t care about competitors, I care about customers’

19 Oct
Kenji Tanaka, VP and Senior General Manager of Sony’s Business Unit 1, Digital Imaging Group, pictured at the Photokina trade show in Cologne, Germany last month.

At last month’s Photokina trade show in Cologne, Germany we made time to speak to senior executives from several major manufacturers, including Sony. In a broad-ranging conversation, Kenji Tanaka talked to us about competition in the full-frame mirrorless market, the value of APS-C, and future plans for the a7S lineup.

Is there a customer group that you feel you could reach more effectively?

There are many customers in the field of photography, and we want to create products for all of them. Recently, we launched products for sports photographers. That’s just one example. One by one, we want to expand.

What is Sony doing that’s unique?

We are the world’s largest manufacturer of image sensors, and have developed many unique sensors. Looking at the Alpha 9, the stacked CMOS sensor is a good example of both a unique and innovative product. These kinds of things are a strength compared to our competitors.

But the stacked image sensor in the Alpha 9 is kind of like the engine in a formula 1 car. If you only had the engine, the car wouldn’t work. You also need good tires, a good chassis, and a good driver to control the machine.

Our vision is […] to expand the market

How do new competitive full-frame mirrorless cameras affect your planning?

I welcome the shift in the market. Our vision is not to move the customer [from DSLR to mirrorless], it is to expand the market.

I don’t know what the impact of [Canon and Nikon entering the full-frame mirrrorless market] will be but we remain focused on creating new customers. That is our priority. Honestly speaking, I don’t care about competitors, I care about the customers. If customers need more functionality, or more quality, we’ll try to do it.

The Sony a7 III is a high-performance full-frame mirrorless interchangeable lens camera aimed at enthusiast photographers and videographers. According to Mr Tanaka, Sony is more interested in expanding the market than in responding to what his competitors are doing.

Is there anything that surprised you about the announcements from your competitors?

No, not really. I already predicted that Canon and Nikon would join the market, and even Panasonic. It wasn’t a surprise to me. But thinking about innovation in cameras, every company should join the mirrorless market, as this is where there is the most opportunity to innovate.

There are five fundamentals to mirrorless – lens, image quality, speed, battery life – some of our competitors especially struggle with that one – and compactness and light weight. These are areas that everyone is trying to improve, but right now I think Sony is in a good position.

Do you see any customer demand for sensors larger than full frame?

Right now there are a lot of things still to do with full-frame sensors, so at the moment I don’t have any ideas about starting work on new larger imaging sensors.

Sony’s 24mm F1.4 G Master is an impressively compact, but stunningly sharp full-frame wideangle prime lens. On Sony’s APS-C cameras, it offers an equivalent focal length of 36mm.

We’ve been enjoying using your 24mm F1.4 G Master lens. Do you have plans to create more, smaller, lenses in this lineup?

Of course, yes. Some customers want small size as well as high quality, so that’s one of our targets.

Do you have any plans to release new APS-C lenses?

Yes, APS-C is a big market for us. Recently most of our new lenses have been full frame, but APS-C remains a key target.

What are the advantages of APS-C?

Mobility, and ease of use.

The APS-C market is very important for us, […] but we need to ask customers what kind of models they want.

What is your long-term strategy for APS-C and will we ever see another NEX-7 equivalent camera with dual dials ?

We have to get customer feedback. The dual dial on the NEX-7, some customers appreciated it, but some customers didn’t. The APS-C market is very important for us, so we will create new models in the APS-C market, but we need to ask customers what kind of models they want.

Do you think APS-C could be a professional format for Sony in the future?

Professionals have many cameras. Of course, full-frame is usually their main camera, but for a long time, they’ve also used APS-C as their second camera, so of course, APS-C cameras for professional use must exist.

Will we ever see another ‘professional’ APS-C camera from Sony, in the mold of the erstwhile NEX-7? According to Mr Tanaka, the strengths of APS-C are size and weight, and ease of use. But professionals do use APS-C cameras as ‘second’ bodies.

Do you have a different design approach for APS-C and full-frame lenses?

No. Our strategy is unique – one single mount. For example, future APS-C customers might use our G-Master 24mm F1.4. So our lens design should be consistent for all types of models.

Do a lot of your APS-C customers buy full-frame lenses?

Yes.

Some Sony shooters tell us they want improved weather-sealing. Is that something that you’re working on?

Yes, of course. We’ve heard from many customers. We’re trying.

Someday the a7 III will come down in price and it’ll be easy to buy for anybody

Do you think the price of full-frame mirrorless cameras needs to come down, to make them more accessible?

I can’t speak about pricing strategy, but if we want to increase the number of customers, of course some will accept cameras in the $ 2000-3000 range, but others won’t. Recently, our a7 II was priced at around $ 1000. So I think our customers are pleased with our wide price range in full-frame.

Someday the a7 III will come down in price and it’ll be easy to buy for anybody. A lot of customers want the a7 III, but it will take time.

Why is Sony sticking to SD memory cards?

Memory card performance is related to image processing speed. Right now, processing speed is slower than SD UHS-II, so using SD is OK. But in the future, for example in any camera with 8K/30p video, SD won’t be enough. But for right now, SD is OK. Recently we announced SD ‘tough’ cards, for professionals that need more durability.

Why do your cameras use two card slots?

There are a lot of use cases for dual card slots. For example using one card as backup, or one for JPEG and one for Raw. Dual card slots are very useful to the customer, we think. Some customers are OK with just one card, but from our research we think that many people will want two slots.

The Sony E-mount is ‘open’, to the extent that other lens manufacturers can apply to use the standard. Sigma’s 70mm F2.8 Macro is one of a growing range of lenses from third-party manufacturers that are available in FE mount-compatible versions.

How important are third-party lens manufacturers to your long-term growth?

As you know, the E mount is an open mount. And of course competition will happen. If the customer can choose between many high quality lenses, that is a good thing.

Can you describe your relationship with third-party lens manufacturers?

We have a contract, and if a lens manufacturer wants to create an E-mount lens, they apply to Sony. Then we disclose the specification to that manufacturer. Sony does not approve lens designs, we just disclose the mount specification.

We’re planning a future a7S model right now, but it will take time.

4K is becoming a standard across all categories now, and the a7S II is getting rather old. Are you still interested in this market segment?

Of course, yes. Our a7S II customers want to create many things, and to meet their demands we are thinking about creating a successor model. But the next model should of course be more than they expect. So we’re planning a future S model right now, but it will take time.

What do your existing a7S II customers want to see improved?

They want 4K/60p, 4:2:2 10-bit, and of course more battery power, increased AF accuracy – many things!

The Sony a7S II is aimed at videographers, but in the three years since its release, its capabilities have in some respects been superseded by more conventional a7-series cameras, and the a9. According to Mr Tanaka, an a7S III is on its way, possibly offering 4K/60p, but ‘it will take time’.

Do you think it’s necessary for the a7S II successor to be a hybrid camera, or could it be a dedicated video model?

In my personal experience, the a7S II is a good stills camera. The pixels are very large, so the dynamic range is very wide. There is demand for still camera features I think.

You’ve said that artificial intelligence will play more of a role in future Sony cameras. Can you elaborate on that?

I can’t give you an exact answer, but we feel that AI is useful for many customers. Currently we’re planning upgrades to existing models, and of course future models that will contain new AI features.

Cameras should support creators. Focusing on eyes or focusing on other shapes is a very complex action. Photographers just want to think about composition, or capturing a moment. So I want to remove the need for focus manipulation, or other manipulation. When it comes to autofocus, Sony is very dedicated to developing AI.

Editor’s note: Barnaby Britton

Our meeting with Mr Tanaka last month followed Canon and Nikon’s long-awaited entry into the full-frame mirrorless market, after five years during which Sony effectively had the field to itself. When I spoke to him in Japan earlier this year, Mr Tanaka predicted that both companies would make the leap before the end of the year, and it doesn’t sound like he was surprised to see Panasonic joining in, too. Either way, in his own words, ‘I don’t care about competitors, I care about the customers’.

The a7 III isn’t going to become a poor camera once a future Mark IV version comes out

That should be encouraging news for users of Sony’s well-established a7-series and a9 cameras, who might be justifiably interested in what Canon, Nikon and Panasonic have to offer in the coming years. Also encouraging, for consumers willing to wait a couple of years before buying into new technologies, it seems that Sony will continue its strategy of keeping older models on the market at reduced prices. The last-generation a7 II is a bargain right now, and the a7 III isn’t going to become a poor camera once a future Mark IV version comes out, even if future AI-assisted cameras make photography even easier than it is now.

Speaking of AI, this particular comment is highly significant and worth quoting again in its entirety:

“Cameras should support creators. Focusing on eyes or focusing on other shapes is a very complex action. Photographers just want to think about composition, or capturing a moment. So I want to remove the need for focus manipulation, or other manipulation. When it comes to autofocus, Sony is very dedicated to developing AI“.

Mr Tanaka also had good news for fans of APS-C camera users, and users of the video-oriented a7S II. On the APS-C side, he admits that full-frame has been a major focus recently, but ” APS-C cameras for professional use must exist” and “APS-C remains a key target”.

Mr Tanaka’s list of customer requests serves as a strong hint at features that could make it into an a7S III

The a7S II is a highly specialized camera, intended to satisfy the needs of enthusiast and professional videographers. It’s been due for an upgrade for a little while, and Mr Tanaka’s list of customer requests serves as a strong hint at features that could make it into a Mark III version. Perhaps at next year’s NAB show in spring? Here’s hoping.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Photokina 2018: Sigma interview – ‘There’s no magic to it, we just try to be unique’

14 Oct
Katuto Yamaki, CEO of Sigma, pictured at this year’s Photokina trade show in Cologne Germany, last month.

We spoke to several senior executives last month in Germany at the Photokina trade show. Among them was Sigma CEO Kazuto Yamaki, who shared his thoughts on the photography marketplace in general, and the just-announced L-mount alliance. The following interview has been edited for clarity and flow.

How did the L-mount alliance come about?

I don’t remember exactly when but I think it was two or three years ago. At that time we’d already decided to make a full frame mirrorless camera featuring Foveon technology. We were planning to develop our own short flange back mirrorless system. Actually we already had a design. I don’t remember the exact spec but I think the flange back was about the same [as the L mount], about 20mm, and a similar mount diameter.

And around that time, Panasonic approached us and proposed that we work on it jointly. At around that same time, Panasonic approached Leica, and finally the three companies came together – I think it was about two years ago. And then we agreed to join the L mount system and we discontinued the development of our own original mount system.

Panasonic’s forthcoming Lumix S1R will be a professional-grade full-frame mirrorless camera built around the L-mount. One of the biggest announcements at this year’s Photokina was the alliance between Leica, Sigma and Panasonic – the first fruits of which are expected in spring of next year.

Was there anything about the L mount from a technical point of view that made it particularly attractive?

I would say it’s a well-balanced mount. The flange back is short enough without being too short, and the diameter isn’t too big. It’s a good balance. If the diameter is too big, sometimes it’s difficult to make the camera bodies compact. And if we make a slow lens, like an F2.8 prime or an F3.4-5.6 zoom lens, with a wide diameter mount the shape of the lens will be like this [indicates a funnel shape, tapering from a wide mount to a narrow front element] where the front is slimmer than the back. That doesn’t look great, in my opinion. So the L mount is a well-balanced mount size. 20mm is not too short.

Do you have a timeframe for your own L mount lenses?

I need to check with our engineers, but probably we’ll start shipping our first L mount lenses sometime in the middle of next year.

Will they be L mount versions of your existing designs, or will they be entirely new designs?

Both. We already have the 14 lenses for Sony E-mount, so we’ll make L mount versions of those lenses, and they’ll start shipping next year. We’ll also start shipping brand new L mount lenses.

Canon’s new EOS R debuts the RF mount, which will eventually replace EF as Canon’s main interchangeable lens mount. Alongside the camera, Canon launched a brace of excellent new RF mount L-series lenses, optimized for mirrorless.

Are you in communication with Canon and Nikon around their new mounts?

Around the new systems? No, not at all. We have a great interest in the two new systems but right now I have no plans.

In the past, there could be problems when Canon and Nikon might release new cameras, with slightly changed software, and third-party lenses would stop working properly. Is that a worrying possibility for you?

I can’t deny the potential risks of a similar problem in the future. However, I think such possibilities are significantly lower than before. To be honest, our firmware in the past was not so robust, therefore, we experienced some issues in the compatibility. However, the situation today is quite different.

We’ve worked hard to make the current firmware very robust, and we will continuously enhance the strength of our firmware. Even if we see some minor issues, we’ll upgrade our firmware to make our lenses work perfectly using our USB Dock.

Did Sigma have any influence into the design of the new Panasonic S1/R?

No. Actually, I personally had no idea about the new camera. So at the press conference [at Photokina] I saw the camera for the first time. We do not exchange information [between Sigma, Panasonic and Leica] about our roadmap for products for the new system. It’s a matter of compliance [with antitrust legislation]. We simply cannot do that.

With the announcement of the L-mount alliance, Sigma has confirmed that it will discontinue development of its own SD-series APS-C format cameras, in favor of a new full-frame system built around the L mount.

Now that you’re working on a new full-frame L-mount camera, does this mean that you’ll cease production of your SA mount mirrorless cameras?

We will continue to manufacture and sell our existing SA mount cameras, but we won’t develop any new SA mount cameras in the future.

Will you continue to make lenses in the SA mount?

Yes, as long as we manufacturer lenses for DSLRs, we’ll continue to make lenses in the SA mount. There are still SA mount camera users out there in the world.

Do you expect that the market for M43 lenses will be reduced, following Panasonic’s entry into the full-frame market?

I don’t know, and I might not be the best person to comment, but I’ve seen many journalists using M4/3 system cameras here in Photokina. In my opinion, M4/3 is a great system if you need compactness.

Today we have some second-generation employees and even some third-generation employees.

How will Sigma continue to differentiate its products in the future, from other third-party lens manufacturers?

I don’t believe there’s any magic to it, but we try to be unique and different to other companies. We just invest in the technology, and in the factory, and we improve communication with our customers. We will do everything that we can do, to differentiate from other manufacturers. Also, we have very loyal employees. They’ve worked for us a long time. Today we have some second-generation employees and even some third-generation employees.

It’s different for example from the semiconductor business. When it comes to lenses, the experience and the know-how of the employees makes a big difference. With lenses it’s analog-based technology, where experienced workers are key. And that’s why we [don’t want to] move our factory. If our factory moved, we’d lose our experienced workers.

Sigma’s new 40mm F1.4 Art has been designed as a ‘reference’ prime lens for the Global Vision series, and offers excellent performance, albeit in a relatively large, heavy form factor.

Check out our full gallery of samples here

Why did you decide to create a 40mm Art-series lens?

40mm is a very popular focal length for videographers, so there was a demand from the cine market. Also there were some requests from our own users. Our first DP2 camera was a 40mm equivalent focal length.

Do you have any predictions for the proportion of your lenses that you expect to sell in mirrorless mounts versus DSLR mounts, in the future?

Within three or four years I expect our mirrorless mount lens sales to be much bigger than for DSLR. Maybe 70% to 30%.

What is your opinion of Canon and Nikon’s new lenses for the RF and Z mounts?

I’ve been very impressed by Canon’s new lenses for RF. The 50mm F1.2 and 28-70mm F2. Very impressed – and a little jealous! They’re possible due to the wide diameter and short flange back. Otherwise such lenses would be very difficult or impossible. Having the larger elements at the rear of the optical system makes it easier to achieve good performance at large apertures.

Software can’t create detail, only good optics can do that.

One thing that is an option in mirrorless cameras and not DSLRs is in-camera lens corrections. When you’re designing new lenses for mirrorless do you include software correction into your planning?

Until just a few years ago I was quite negative about software corrections. Software can’t create detail, only good optics can do that. But today, sensors have more resolution, and the correction algorithms are much better than in the past. So I think software correction is a good tool, when it comes to achieving good image quality. That’s why we started to support Canon EOS DSLRs’ lens correction. Software lens correction is a useful tool, but it’s not a good idea to rely on it too much.

How do you prioritize development of which system you’ll develop lenses for?

It’s basically done based on demand. But for example even if demand for our SA mount lenses is very small, we’ll still prioritize it because that’s our own system. Moving forward, now that we have the L mount, we’ll give that priority.

The new ‘S’ class Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 features ten low-dispersion glass elements including nine FLD elements which have very similar properties to fluorite. The FLD elements are indicated in yellow, in this schematic.

The new 70-200mm F2.8 is classified as ‘Sport’. How would an ‘Art’ version of this lens be different?

It’s a sort of a mid-point between Sport and Art. But it’s Art-class glass. This lens uses nine FLD glass elements. FLD glass has almost the exact same optical characteristics as fluorite. To be honest, Canon and Nikon’s 70-200mm F2.8 lenses already represent the highest optical quality for this type of lens. We believe that we can [still] improve on that but the difference is not huge. It’s hard to differentiate just by optical performance.

Are there future technologies that would allow you to take the next step, and move performance forward?

I think so, for example FLD. We didn’t have that before. This is Hoya glass, and we worked together to develop this new glass material, which helps achieve better performance. If a careful photographer checks the amount of longitudinal chromatic aberration and bilateral chromatic aberration, we believe they’ll see this lens is better. But if they just check resolution, they may not see a difference [compared to Canon and Nikon’s current 70-200mm F2.8].

Sigma now supports several mounts, plus the L mount, plus potentially Canon RF and Nikon Z in the future. How will you grow the company to accommodate this scaling-up without losing Sigma’s identity?

I will admit that is quite challenging. But obviously the volume of lenses produced per mount will be reduced, because I don’t think the market will grow like it has in the past. That means we have to produce more kinds of products per month. Which could cause us to lose efficiency, and ultimately drive up production cost. This is very challenging for us. We need to create a new production system to keep our efficiency up, even if we manufacture more products per month.

Kazuto Yamaki, pictured at Sigma’s main assembly plant in Aizu, Japan, during our visit to the site in 2014.

Read our complete factory tour

If we used external suppliers it would be easy – we’d just reduce our purchases from those suppliers, but we do almost everything by ourselves. We’re continuously increasing the size of our factory, and even right now we’re planning to build another facility [at our main site in Aizu] and we’ll continuously invest in new manufacturing over the next few years.

After I took over my father’s business, over the past six years we’ve built new three buildings at Aizu. This will continue.

Will you run out of space?

Yes, this is a problem! Usually manufacturers choose flat ground for their factories, but my father liked to build in the middle of the mountains. His dream was to become a company like Carl Zeiss, and they have a factory in the hills. He thought that flat ground was boring! It’s very challenging.

Editors’ note: Barnaby Britton

In 2018, Sigma is a company in flux. Since the launch of the Global Vision lineup in 2012, Sigma has gone from focusing primarily on just two DSLR lens mounts (plus lower-volume production of Some Sony A, Pentax PK and Sigma SA-compatible lenses) to soon supporting eight, excluding PK but including the L-mount, which will effectively replace the older SA mount in Sigma’s own forthcoming full-frame camera lineup.

That’s a of a lot of work for any company, let alone a relatively small manufacturer but if CEO Kazuto Yamaki is daunted by the prospect, he doesn’t show it. His main concern, expressed in this interview and in previous conversations, seems to be making sure that as it evolves and grows, Sigma doesn’t lose its identity along the way.

In order to maintain efficiency and keep costs manageable, Sigma will need to develop new manufacturing processes

Sigma’s Global Vision lenses are popular for two main reasons: they’re very good, and they’re excellent value for money. Doubling the number of lens mounts that it supports is not an automatic win for Sigma, or even necessarily for its customers. As Mr. Yamaki points out, increasing the number of products in the company’s lineup does not mean that total sales will increase by the same proportion.

In order to maintain efficiency and keep costs manageable, Sigma will need to develop new manufacturing processes – something that Mr. Yamaki freely admits. Add to that the challenge of creating a brand new lineup of full-frame cameras, and the next few years at Aizu promise to be very busy.

Yamaki is confident in his products, proud of his engineers, and trusts their ability to tool up for the new mirrorless mounts

As usual, Mr. Yamaki’s responses to our questions at Photokina were candid and thoughtful. He’s confident in his products, proud of his engineers, and trusts their ability to tool up for the new mirrorless mounts. Despite the challenges ahead he’s genuinely excited by the possibilities presented by Canon and Nikon’s entry into the full-frame mirrorless market, not only for Sigma but for the industry as a whole. We’ve noted before that while many senior executives seem to prefer pretending that competitors don’t exist, Mr. Yamaki’s respect – and praise – of his competitor’s products is unusual.

In return, Sigma’s CEO is widely liked by his peers in the industry. The recently announced L-mount alliance with Panasonic and Leica would quite possibly never have happened if it weren’t for the close relationship between Mr. Yamaki and Panasonic’s Yosuke Yamane. Leica’s majority shareholder Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, in turn, has praised Mr. Yamaki’s leadership of Sigma, which remains a family-owned company.

In Mr. Yamaki’s own words: ‘There’s no magic to it – we just try to be unique’.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Google Pixel 3 interview: technical deep dive with the camera team

11 Oct

Recently, Science Editor Rishi Sanyal had the chance to sit down with two of Google’s most prominent imaging engineers and pick their brains about the software advances in the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. Isaac Reynolds is the Product Manager for Camera on Pixel and Marc Levoy is a Distinguished Engineer and is the Computational Photography Lead at Google. From computational Raw to learning-based auto white balance, they gave us an overview of some key new camera features and an explanation of the tech that makes them tick.

Features covered in this video include the wide-angle selfie camera, Synthetic Fill Flash, Night Sight, Super Resolution Zoom, computational Raw, Top Shot and the method behind improving depth maps in Portrait Mode.

These features are also covered in written form in a previously published article here.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Interview: How the Panasonic DC-G9 and GH5S were born

07 May
Sean Robinson is Imaging Product Manager at Panasonic Lumix Professional Services, based in New Jersey, USA.

Panasonic’s latest cameras are flagship products aimed at very specific kinds of photographers. The Lumix DC-G9 is Panasonic’s first high-performance model intended for sports and wildlife photography, while the GH5S offers a more focused, professional-friendly 4K video feature set than the original GH5.

We sat down with Sean Robinson, Imaging Product Manager at Panasonic Lumix Professional Services recently to learn more about how the G9 and GH5S were developed. The following interview has been edited slightly for clarity and flow.

Sean – can you describe your job at Panasonic?

I’m one of four product managers for Panasonic Lumix imaging products in the United States. My job is to be a touch-point between our merchandising and product management groups, and the photo specialty retailers and media partners like DPReview.

How much contact do you have with Lumix photographers?

I have a direct line to our team of Lumix ambassadors – primarily in the United States, some of our European and Canadian photographers. Depending on where we are in a product cycle, I’d say about 40-60% of my time is taken up with collecting feedback and working with photographers.

We start by asking ‘what can we build for you?’

How does a camera like the G9 get developed?

Like all of our products, we always hold a number of brainstorming sessions with our internal teams and select external photographers and videographers. With the G9 there was a very heavy emphasis on figuring out what are missing in the lineup right now, and what can we do to create something new. Something that doesn’t necessarily have to be bound by the hybrid photography mentality that we’ve been in since the beginning of the GH line.

So we start by asking ‘what can we build for you? What do you want to see from a camera from us?’ And from that initial list of requests our engineers go back and start working on the feasibility of implementing those requests.

There’s a ton of information coming in from various different professionals

The Lumix DC-G9 represents something of a departure for Panasonic, being aimed squarely at sports and wildlife photographers who want ultra-fast frame-rates and tough build quality, without paying too much of a penalty in terms of size and weight.

Who are you asking those questions of?

For the most part we’re speaking to our Lumix ambassadors. And we have ambassadors in pretty much every region where Panasonic has headquarters. Globally that’s between 40-50 photographers and videographers. There are also a number of conversations that happen internally within Panasonic, because a lot of people inside the company have backgrounds in photography. So there’s a ton of information coming in from various different professionals.

Did you reach outside of the pool of existing Lumix ambassadors and speak to photographers that use competitor products?

A lot of feedback was provided from our existing ambassador team, but a number of photographers that we work with are testing the equipment, maybe they’re interested in the Lumix brand but they have allegiances to other products that they’ve been using for years. Their feedback was also critical. Someone who’s using full-frame competitor A, for example, they might have a very different set of requirements or opinions compared to someone who’s on our team as an official brand ambassador.

If we see consistent themes coming through feedback, the requests move into development

We definitely don’t ignore any feedback, from anyone. It’s not always like an official interview, where we sit down and talk to someone 1:1, we’re also constantly scouring forums and Facebook groups, and when someone calls into our call center or messages us on Twitter for example, all of that information is captured. It’s collated weekly, and reported back to our team in Japan.

The addition of the top-plate LCD to the G9 was as a direct result of feedback from photographers during the product planning process.

And that’s everything from pie-in-the-sky requests for features that have never been seen on any camera ever before, to more simple mundane things like dual memory card slots, or having a status LCD on the top of the camera. Both of those requests came from speaking to photographers. If we see consistent themes coming through all of that feedback, then the requests move into development.

Were there any kinds of photographers that you wanted to get feedback from specifically, when you were planning the G9?

With the G9 we were very interested in speaking to wildlife and sports photographers. The three main people that I know personally who we worked with a lot were Daniel Cox, Bence Máté and Daniel Berehulak. For those three, we already work with them, and NDAs are in place, so a lot of the process is very conversational. We sit, we listen to what they want, and our team will counter with some of the things that we could definitely do, versus some things we’d need to study more, and some things that simply can’t be done at the moment.

There’s always a consistent touch-point, of checking the work as we’ve moving forward so that if something has to change in the middle of development, there’s enough time to do that, and put out a product that’s as finished as possible.

We got a lot of feedback from videographers and production houses around where the GH5 fell short for them

Can you think of a specific example of when a feature was tweaked or changed before announcement, based on feedback from photographers?

The menu system in the GH5, when that whole change was initially conceptualized. We needed to change the menu system to the point where a working videographer or stills photographer could easily move through it. The first version of the menu system made a lot of sense from an engineering standpoint, in terms of where features were grouped, but when we started working with the photographers and videographers, they started giving us a lot of feedback about where they expected to see features, and how things should work.

All of that feedback went back to our software and UI designers and they tweaked it. They met a month or so later with a revised version. That was one a fast-paced process, since it didn’t involve complete retooling of equipment or anything like that.

The GH5S shares the same basic chassis as the GH5 but offers a more focused feature set, intended primarily for enthusiast and professional videographers. Feedback from existing GH5 users was critical to establishing whether there was a market for a more specialized variant.

The GH5S is an interesting product – who did you make it for, and what kind of conversations happened in the planning process?

When the GH5S was being planned, we took a very broad look at what the industry’s needs were, as a whole. We got a lot of feedback from videographers and production houses around where the GH5 fell short for them. We have the advantage of a very large broadcast team, obviously and since we have a lot of resources in that world we were able to take a step back and look at the market and ask – ok, if there’s a specific need – in this case a high level cinema camera in a form-factor like the GH bodies -what would the real-world applications be?

So talking with cinematographers, high-level DPs and production houses we worked on finding out the viability of that market. If we figure out that there is a need for a product like that, which nobody else is making, in a lot of cases, that’s enough for us to make the decision and go ahead. In the case of the GH5S, nobody else made a product like it at that price point, and our team had the capabilities to do it, while keeping the same chassis as the GH5.

The entire GH family, from the original GH1 to the GH5 (on the far right). The GH5 and GH5S are larger cameras than their predecessors, but the include features that were hardly even dreamed of when the GH-series was first introduced a decade ago.

The GH5 benefitted from a major mid-life firmware update, based on feedback from users – do you have structured check-in points in your products’ lifespan to generate that feedback?

Yes, absolutely. That process never stops. And just as importantly, we’re always looking at what our competition is doing. What’s coming down the line? What can we do in an existing model to really up the game? We have conversations with our team in Japan almost every day where we ask ‘what is the market saying?’ And our team really places a lot of importance on what our users are getting out of the products, and what they’re creating, and if we can find ways of improving the product or make it more efficient by adding new features we’ll do it.

New hardware is great, but improving an existing product is one of those areas where we can give back to the community

There’s been a major shift internally, in the years that I’ve worked at Panasonic where the concept of breathing new life into any existing product is one of our big pushes. New hardware is great, but improving an existing product is one of those areas where we can give back to the community. They helped us develop those products from day one, and if we’re able to give them more without making them buy a new camera, we’ll do it.

Click through to learn how two visual artists are using Panasonic’s latest cameras in their work

This is sponsored content, supported by Panasonic. What does this mean?

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Ricoh interview: “The development of the K-series is our first priority”

06 Apr
Pictured is Mr. Takashi Arai, one of several Ricoh executives we sat down with. Mr. Arai represents the Product Planning Department, within the Product Development Center of Ricoh’s Smart Vision Business Group.

Recently we visited the 2018 CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan and booked an in-depth interview with several executives from Ricoh. Among the topics covered were the company’s new K-1 Mark II, as well as the future of both the GR series and 360 imaging with the Theta line.

The following interview has been edited slightly for clarity and flow.

What is your ILC strategy for your next generation of products?

We have lots of requests for lenses, especially from K-1 users. They want more lenses that match the higher resolution of the K-1, so that’s one objective which we would like to implement.

The K-1 Mark II, pictured here with the not-yet-released D FA* 50mm F1.4.

As you may know, we will be releasing the 50mm F1.4 SDM AW this Spring, although we cannot specify the exact date. We also have the new 11-18mm F2.8 lens for APS-C, so we’re not only focusing on full-frame. We want to enlarge [the lens selection for] both formats.

What kind of customers are buying the K1/II and KP?

Especially for the K-1, customers who are looking for higher resolution in the field of landscape photography and [appreciate] our tough body construction and weather and dust resistance. Lots of customers who really use this camera in the field are very fond of the new K-1 series.

Will we ever see another Ricoh / Pentax mirrorless camera, such as the K-01?

The Pentax K-01 was a mirrorless camera that used the full-depth Pentax K-mount, allowing full compatibility with existing Pentax lenses. While image quality was great, the camera was bulky, and there were some performance and autofocus shortcomings.

Our resources for research and development are limited and we are more focused on the development of K-series bodies and lenses. That is our first priority, and why we are currently not too involved in the development of other smaller cameras.

Speaking of smaller cameras, our readers really want a GR III – is this something you’re working on?

Good question. Although we don’t know whether it will be called ‘GR III’ or not, the study for the development of the next GR is already ongoing. We cannot say when, and how exactly it will be, but the next GR will come someday.

What is your strategy for medium-format? How has the market changed since Hasselblad and Fujifilm entered at the consumer end?

Our strategy has not really changed. The 645Z is a DSLR, a reflex camera, and the advantage of a reflex camera is that what you see is what you get [through the optical viewfinder]. On top of that, the 645Z can use Live View, so it has the advantage of having both options. We think that it’s a strong point that our competitors don’t have, and we’ll continue to develop the possibilities of what we can do with reflex cameras.

We welcome competitors like Fujifilm and Hasselblad. Together with competitors, we can expand the total medium-format market

We actually welcome competitors like Fujifilm and Hasselblad. Together with competitors, we can expand the total medium-format market. People can be made more aware of medium-format’s advantages, and we believe in the superiority of medium-format compared to full-frame.

How do you think 360-degree imaging will evolve in the coming years?

In terms of resolution, we think that it’s not yet enough and should be better. The market is expanding, but still, the current user of the Theta 360 camera is more of a ‘gadget lover.’ We want to expand the customer profile from that specific type of user to more generic users.

Do you see any development in, say, the Theta’s form factor as a way to reach other users?

Ricoh’s Theta V uses the same sensors and lenses as the older Theta S, but offers improved image quality thanks to an updated processor.

This form factor is iconic for the Theta. We think it’s important. On the other hand, if there is demand, we would like flexibly to think about any other possibilities, even for other form factors.

What else are Theta users asking for?

They’re asking for better quality of stitching, and since the camera has internal memory, there have been requests to have expandable memory. In order to respond to that kind of request, we have just released a firmware that allows the Theta V to connect to external memory using the USB port.

Photographers are interested in creating pictures [using techniques] such as composition, and [with the total 360-degree image], there is no creativity from this perspective.

From a marketing point of view, I don’t think many photo enthusiasts who are reading your articles have much interest in 360 cameras like the Theta, unfortunately. That’s because with this camera, we can take an image of all 360 degrees. But photographers are interested in creating pictures [using techniques] such as composition, and [with the total 360-degree image], there is no creativity from this perspective.

But if we capture whole [360-degree] images, we can edit those images with photo applications such as Theta+. And with that application software, photo enthusiasts can [selectively] create their own images and reflect their own sensibility. So we have to do more promotion to photo enthusiasts that use various types of editing applications.

Will we see an updated APS-C flagship camera in the future?

For the flagship APS-C model, we have just started to develop that. It’ll be the successor of the K-3 II and will be an evolution of the K-3 series.

The Pentax K-3 II was released in 2015, and now that Pentax has brought the full-frame K-1 II to market, they are beginning development on the next APS-C flagship.

How did feedback from K-1 owners feed into the planning for the K-1 II?

Feedback, especially from K-1 owners, is more focused on the upgrade services.

Existing K-1 users will be able to update their cameras for a fee – will there be any functional differences remaining between the two models after this service?

Once a user upgrades the K-1 to K-1 II, there will be no difference. Perhaps some K-1 users think it’s more prestigious to have the ‘II’ on the front.

Editor’s Note:

Pentax has a reputation for building affordable, capable and rugged DSLRs, and judging from our conversation with Mr. Arai and his colleagues, it appears as though parent company Ricoh is planning on staying the course in this regard. And while the renewed focus on updating their K-Mount lens lineup is encouraging, it must be said that the continued evolution of competitors’ mirrorless camera offerings has Pentax’s DSLR-only lineup looking a little staid.

But perhaps that’s just to be expected. After all, Ricoh is a smaller camera company, and must be highly strategic in where it invests its R&D money. This prioritization is clear in the discussion of the 645Z compared to newer mirrorless options. Since the 645Z has an optical viewfinder while still offering competitive image quality, it remains appreciably distinct from Fujifilm’s and Hasselblad’s offerings. Therefore the company is choosing to narrow its development focus to a new flagship APS-C DSLR, which is likely what more users are asking for anyway.

The confirmation that a new Ricoh GR is coming is downright exciting

Thankfully though, lenses and DSLRs aren’t all that’s in the works at Ricoh-Pentax. The confirmation that a new Ricoh GR is coming – even if all we know is that it’s coming someday – is exciting. In the age of ever-more-capable smartphones whose lenses are of a similar focal length, Ricoh’s continued development of the photographer-focused GR series shows an admirable commitment to their users and fans.

Last but not least is the Theta series. Ricoh’s newest Theta V is an impressive evolution of the previous ‘S’ model, improving image quality and features through better processing and software. The company still feels it has room to grow, not only in terms of image quality, but also mass-market appeal. It’s interesting hearing the executives’ take on the creativity (or lack thereof) of using 360 cameras, and it’ll be even more interesting to see how they continue to evolve the platform and editing software to get more Thetas into the hands of more photographers, and not just ‘gadget lovers.’

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Panasonic interview: “Our business philosophy is based on ‘changing photography'”

31 Mar
From L-R, Hidenari Nishikawa, Asistant Chief, Merchandising Group, Kohei Fukugawa, Supervisor, Software Design Group, Tetsuji Kamio, Staff Engineer, Image ENgineering Group, Emi Fujiwara, PR / Communication Group, Naoki Tanizawa, Manager, Communication Group, Michiharu Uematsu, Advisor, Merchandising Group.

Recently we visited the 2018 CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan and booked an in-depth interview with Panasonic. Among the topics covered were the company’s new twin flagships, the Lumix GH5S and G9, as well as how Panasonic hopes to grow their appeal to professional and advanced amateur stills photographers.

The following interview has been edited slightly for clarity and flow.

Why did you feel that the GH5S was necessary, when the updated GH5 is in many ways so competitive?

The Panasonic Lumix GH5S comes with an oversized 10MP sensor that forgoes a stabilizer, but allows for shooting in multiple aspect ratios without cropping the field of view.

For the GH5, we aimed for hybrid users shooting both photos and video. We thought that we needed 20MP for stills, and that was kind of a compromise for video users. With the GH5S, we had a lot of video users who wanted more video capability, but with the conventional [20MP] sensor, it was quite difficult to shoot in low light situations because of [hardware and software] limitations.

Professional shooters will prefer a multi-aspect sensor versus IBIS

So we developed a video-centric camera to open up more freedom for video users by having a 10MP sensor, which is good for low light. Also, we incorporated multi-aspect ratios, which many people prefer to have. For example, professional shooters will prefer a multi-aspect sensor versus IBIS.

Is there a technical reason why the G9 and GH5-series continue to rely on contrast-detect autofocus with depth-from defocus technology in preference to a hybrid/PDAF system?

The speed-and-stills oriented Lumix G9 can shoot at up to 20fps bursts in Raw, and is the first Micro Four Thirds camera to come with a top-plate LCD.

When we were developing the GH4, we were discussing whether to go with phase detection AF, or hybrid AF system of contrast AF with our own DFD (depth-from- defocus) technology. We thought that by having contrast AF with DFD, we could maximize picture quality.

With phase detection AF, picture quality can be damaged

This is because with phase detection AF, picture quality can be damaged [by the phase detect pixels]. With contrast-detection AF and DFD technology, we don’t need any dedicated pixels [for autofocus] and we believe it is more precise.

With the release of the G9, since it’s so sports and speed-focused, is this an ongoing conversation, or are you committed to going forward with DFD?

After we put DFD and contrast AF into GH4, we’ve been continuing to develop this format. At this point, we’re not thinking about shifting, but rather trying to make it better and better. We do see room for improvement; we’re studying to improve the algorithms in DFD to minimize the range of hunting, or AF ‘flutter,’ required for accuracy.

Do you think there’s an opportunity for Panasonic to develop more fixed-lens large-sensor compacts?

Panasonic’s LX100 incorporated a large Four Thirds type sensor and fast zoom lens. It remains a very capable camera, but in some ways – particularly its 12MP of resolution – it’s looking a little dated.

Yes, we have lots of requests from editors and users waiting for the next LX100, so we are studying that. At this point, we can’t say when, but it is something that people are expecting.

As we head into 2018 and 2019, how will Panasonic send the message that it wants to be taken seriously by stills, as well as video professionals?

When we developed the GH5, a lot of video users were attracted to it, but we were aiming for stills users as well. In developing the G9, we wanted to communicate to customers that we are also capable of creating a more stills-focused camera; in terms of marketing, we are trying to communicate that we have cameras that are focused on stills, video, or a hybrid of both.

It’s been ten years since Panasonic introduced the Lumix G1, the first Micro Four Thirds interchangeable lens camera.

Our business philosophy is based on ‘changing photography.’ And any change we make must be a benefit for the customer, and for the last two or three years, we’ve really focused on our video capabilities. But we still want to satisfy stills-focused users with our philosophy. It’s been ten years since we introduced the first mirrorless camera, and many things have changed in the mirrorless industry in terms of innovation, but we are trying to continue to change the market to satisfy our customers.

We don’t want to just pick one feature and improve it; we want to improve more generally

We are going to continue to develop video features, but we also want to improve stills performance in terms of speed and autofocus. We don’t want to just pick one feature and improve it; we want to improve more generally, and we are trying to re-brand somewhat in the stills category. And we want to do this not only for professional cameras, but entry-level and midrange cameras as well.

Editors’ note:

Always an influential and respected brand in professional video circles, Panasonic deserves a lot credit in recent years for introducing high-quality video capture into small cameras with a conventional form-factor. In fact it’s arguable that without cameras like the Lumix GH-series laying the foundation, the prosumer hybrid ILC class would look very different today – if it existed at all.

It’s clear from speaking to Panasonic’s executives that the GH5S was designed as a no-compromises video platform. That’s the reason for its low pixel count, and why the company opted to include a multi-aspect sensor in preference to in-body stabilization. I happened to be speaking to a professional filmmaker recently who told me that the GH5S is at least on a par, if not superior in some respects to his usual Arri Alexa cameras, and that’s a pretty big deal for such a small camera. One of the reasons he said he likes the GH5S so much is that he can use the camera in tight spots – and in lightweight rigs – that he wouldn’t normally be able to.

The LX100 is still one of our favorite large-sensor compacts, and we’d love to see some proper competition in a segment increasingly dominated by Sony

The market for stills cameras is pretty tough right now, and Panasonic could be forgiven for continuing to focus on video, but it seems that the company still sees some opportunity in the stills-dedicated market segment. The hint at ‘re-branding’ in the stills market is intriguing, and could suggest that the high-performance G9 is just the beginning of Panasonic’s renewed attempt to capture the hearts – and cash – of working stills photographers. The explanation for Panasonic’s continued use of DFD contrast-detection autofocus technology in preference to phase-detection was interesting. It’s true that PDAF-equipped ILCs can have issues with so-called ‘striping’ artifacts in images taken in certain conditions, but whether this is a solvable problem remains to be seen. For now, Panasonic clearly believes that DFD works well enough, and appears committed to continued improvement of the system.

We were excited too to hear that a successor to the LX100 is probably on the way. It’s still one of our favorite large-sensor compacts, and we’d love to see some proper competition in a segment increasingly dominated by Sony.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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CP+ Olympus interview: “It’s time to enhance the imaging business”

30 Mar
Shigemi Sugimoto, Head of Olympus’s imaging business unit. Pictured at the CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan.

At last month’s CP+ show in Yokohama, we met up with Shigemi Sugimoto, Head of Olympus’s imaging business unit. During our interview, Mr. Sugimoto explained where he sees the most opportunity for Olympus, and how his company will continue to differentiate itself from the competition.

This interview (which was conducted through an interpreter) has been edited for clarity and flow.

You’re relatively new in your role as head of the imaging business unit. How will your leadership change the company?

We’ve gone through a painful period, in the past. We had to shrink the size of the business, and that was reflected in our product lineup – especially the compact cameras. But now it’s time to enhance [and grow] the imaging business and catch up in terms of market share. Part of this will be enhancing our lineup.

How long have you been with Olympus?

I joined Olympus 32 years ago, initially in the accounting department. I’ve been with the imaging division for ten years. In 1997-2002 I worked in Hong Kong, where I established our factory in China.

What was your first Olympus camera?

A compact, at first but I replaced it with a PEN E-P1.

Our first priority is what we call system mobility – not just the size of our camera bodies, but the entire system

What are your ambitions for Olympus’ range of photography products going forward?

We’re focused on the mirrorless ILC category, because we’re concentrating on portability and reliability. This is our value in the market. Our first priority is what we call system mobility – not just the size of our camera bodies, but the entire system, such as our telephoto lenses. Because of the benefit of the 2X crop factor we can provide a dramatically different solution [compared to other manufacturers].

We see the OM-D system truly as a system, including accessories and other equipment. We need to expand the capability of the entire system – not only bodies and lenses.

The 300mm F4 PRO behaves like a 600mm on full-frame, giving Olympus shooters a powerful and sharp telephoto option at a fraction of the size and weight of a ‘true’ 600mm lens.

Are you still aiming primarily at a still photography-oriented audience, when you develop new products?

Our position hasn’t changed. We’re focused on stills photography – this is our basic stance. But if we see that our customers want to take more video with our equipment, we’ll [include] video features. But our main focus is stills. Video technology is not our first priority. On the other hand, we can also provide the benefits of the OM-D system’s mobility to video users, for example our high-performance 5-axis image stabilization.

Considering the film-making audience, we’re not going to be going in the direction of large [dedicated] video cameras. Rather, [hybrid cameras], for handheld use, which can shoot high-quality video just with a single operator. That’s a benefit that [I think will be] appreciated by videographers.

We don’t have a strong line of communication with the video audience

Do you have a sense of how many of your OM-D E-M1 Mark II customers use the camera to shoot video as well as stills?

We don’t have a strong line of communication with the video audience, so we don’t have many people using that feature in our cameras. We know our cameras and lenses are capable of capturing high-quality video, and we’d like to get this message across. Olympus makes nice, multi-operation handheld cameras that can shoot good video.

Would you like to increase the number of people who use your cameras for video creation?

Yes, of course.

Advanced amateurs and professionals tend to want more robustness, and improved operability

A number of enthusiasts and some professionals have adopted the OM-D E-M1 Mark II. What are they asking for?

The demands are different depending on their level. Advanced amateurs and professionals tend to want more robustness, and improved operability. For entry-level users, they want new technology, which they can’t find in DSLRs. Olympus is a pioneer in digital photography in the camera field, and our users expect that.

The OM-D E-M1 Mark II is an uncommonly tough camera, which can take a lot of punishment. From the jungles of Thailand to the snowy mountains of British Columbia, we’ve soaked it, frozen it, and dropped it in the mud but it keeps on shooting.

Is there an engineering limit to the effectiveness of image stabilization systems?

When we introduced the OM-D E-M1 Mark II, the IBIS system in that camera represented the limit at the time. But of course the technology is still developing. After the OM-D E-M1 Mark II was announced, our engineers have tried to [push the barriers] of performance and recently they’ve come up with some solutions. So there is still room for improvement in terms of stabilization.

The next generation may be even more effective?

Yes, you can expect so.

Going forward, is there any value left for Olympus in the compact camera segment?

We are focused on the TG tough range of compact cameras, and mirrorless cameras. From a profitability point of view we’re focused on these high value products, even though the volume [of sales] is lower.

The Tough TG-5 is a class-leading waterproof camera, in a market segment that remains profitable for Olympus.

Can you tell us anything about how the Tough camera range might evolve over time?

At this point, we’re not looking to [develop] this range too aggressively. That’s based on the current situation. Of course, the market is always changing, and flexibility is really important to meet customer demands.

Editors’ note:

Mr. Sugimoto has been with Olympus for a long time, but he was only recently promoted to his current position as head of the imaging business. It’s a tough job, especially in such a competitive landscape, but during our conversation he seemed confident that Olympus can bring a unique value to the marketplace. By his own account, Olympus has gone though some difficult years, but now the time has come to invest and grow its market share.

That’s not to say that we’re expecting Olympus to suddenly start churning out cameras like they used to – it’s very clear that Mr. Sugimoto sees most value in the mirrorless ILC segment, and the high-profit Tough line of compacts. He is hoping that what he calls ‘system mobility’ will continue to attract enthusiast photographers to the OM-D and PEN lines, and all but confirmed his engineers are working on even more effective 5+ EV IBIS. DSLR and full-frame mirrorless photographers can only dream of this kind of stabilization, which is equally useful for video, as well as stills.

It’s extremely unlikely that we’ll see Olympus creating a Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5S competitor any time soon

Speaking of video, Mr. Sugimoto confirmed that it still isn’t the main priority for Olympus, but he did frame the issue partly in terms of communication. Unlike competitors like Panasonic, Olympus has never really dealt with video creators in the past. Clearly, Mr. Sugimoto believes that his company makes products that will have value to this constituency, but is concerned that up to now, Olympus hasn’t found a way of effectively communicating with them.

Products like the OM-D E-M1 Mark II with its spookily effective IBIS, and high-quality 4K video are impressively capable when it comes to video, but it’s extremely unlikely that we’ll see Olympus creating a Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5S competitor any time soon. Instead, after talking to Mr. Sugimoto we’re predicting a consolidation of Olympus’s mid-range and high-end ILC lineup and more high-end lenses. In a landscape increasingly dominated by chunky APS-C and full-frame cameras and lenses, Olympus will need to start selling the ‘system mobility’ message aggressively. New products will help, but communication is definitely part of the challenge.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Tamron interview: “Our strength is high quality lenses in a compact size”

28 Mar
L-R: Koji Satoh, Manager of the Product Planning Department of Tamron’s Imaging Products Business Unit, Minoru Ando, General Manager of Tamron’s Optical Design and Engineering Research and Development Unit, Kumiko Saito, General Manager of Tamron’s Marketing Communications Department, and Takashi Sawao, General Manager of Tamron’s Imaging Products Business Unit.

At last month’s CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan we sat down with senior executives from several major camera and lens manufacturers, including Tamron. Our conversation covered various topics, including the move to new native mirrorless designs, and the decline in DSLR lens sales.

The following interview was conducted through an interpreter, and has been edited for clarity and flow. Answers from the four interviewees have been combined.

Is the new 28-75mm a completely new design?

It is, yes.

How long has it been in development?

Typically a lens like this takes around one year to develop.

Tamron’s upcoming 28-75mm F2.8 is the first third-party zoom lens designed natively for full-frame mirrorless cameras.

What was your goal when designing this lens?

When we are planning new products, we’re always thinking about the voice of our customers, and customer benefit. The market is moving towards mirrorless, so we wanted to launch new FE lenses. Sony has the biggest market share of the mirrorless market.

With the Sony Alpha 7 series, the bodies are compact, but the lenses are relatively big

We’re also aiming for high quality, and good performance. And specifically for FE lenses, we wanted a small and lightweight option. With the Sony Alpha 7 series, the bodies are compact, but the lenses are relatively big. So when we were planning a fast lens for FE lens it was important to us that it would be compact, but still high quality.

This is the first third-party [zoom] lens for the Sony full-frame E-mount, and we’re expecting it to do well in the market.

Are you planning to create Sony E-mount versions of your existing SP primes and zooms, or will you make entirely new designs?

We’re not planning on making Sony E-mount versions of our existing lenses, no. Our concept is a little different to Sigma’s. We’re trying to customize lenses specifically for FE, otherwise they’d be too big. When it comes to autofocus, mirrorless has different requirements too. Mirrorless cameras are good for movies as well as stills, and existing AF motors aren’t very good for video. This lens [the new 28-75mm F2.8] has a stepping motor for autofocus, which is better for video.

The new 70-200mm F4 promises high quality, without the size and weight that we generally associate with faster F2.8 telezooms.

How important is the Sony customer base to you now?

Very important. Everybody is going to mirrorless. Canon and Nikon will launch full-frame mirrorless cameras, probably in the near future. When this happens, we can easily make Canon and Nikon versions of our [native] E-mount lenses. The same design could work for [multiple mirrorless mounts].

So with this new lens, you’re thinking ahead.

Yes, to the near future.

Optical performance of the new 28-75mm F2.8 will be equivalent to our SP lenses

This new lens is not in the ‘SP’ range. What does this signify?

Within Tamron, we have an internal definition of SP, where we usually utilize metal for the body material, and certain other features. Optical performance of the new 28-75mm F2.8 will be equivalent to our SP lenses, but for this model we prioritized smaller size and lower weight, so we used polycarbonate instead of metal.

Is this new lens weather-sealed?

Yes, it is. We describe it as ‘moisture-resistant construction’.

Despite not belonging to the ‘SP’ range of lenses, the new 28-75mm is moisture-resistant, featuring a rubber gasket around the lens mount to protect against dust and water incursion.

Is making this change to mirrorless lens designs an urgent priority for Tamron?

I can’t give you any detailed information about our future roadmap, but we’re watching the market closely. And Sony has the biggest share of the mirrorless market, so of course E-mount lenses are a priority.

How do you want the Tamron brand to be viewed by your customers?

We’re always thinking about our customers, and we’re not going to sacrifice performance and quality. We want to be recognized as a high-quality brand, and we stand by our customers, always. Each brand has a strategy, and our approach is a little different to [some competitors]. We try to very open with our customers.

Our strength is making compact, light and high quality lenses.

We’ve seen some manufacturers create entry-level cine lenses for videographers. Is that something that Tamron is interested in?

Maybe in the future, but at this point I can’t say whether we’ll enter that market.

Balancing performance and size is a Tamron strength

If you had a choice between making a lens that was very large, but very high quality, or one that was smaller and optically less impressive, which would you choose?

We try to pursue both small size, and high performance. Balancing performance and size is a Tamron strength. For this new zoom, if we had started at 24mm for example, the lens would be much bigger and heavier. By starting the zoom range at 28mm, it became much smaller and lighter, and easier to handle. We think that’s what our customers want.

Tamron’s ‘Tap-in Console’ allows the performance of some of its SP lenses to be tweaked and customized on an individual basis.

Increasingly when we visit factories, we’re seeing more and more automation. How much automation does Tamron use in your factories?

Automation is being gradually increased, but we don’t emphasize it. In some cases, manual processes are better for product quality. If automation would be good for the quality of the final product, we might utilize it. It all depends.

Are your lenses mostly assembled by hand, at present?

Some processes are automated, but others are manual so it’s difficult to say.

We’re always thinking about what we can provide in the market that’s innovative

Where do you think the biggest opportunities lie for Tamron in the future?

We’re always thinking about what we can provide in the market that’s innovative. Our strength is high quality lenses in a compact size. So going forward we want to be able to provide good products in each market segment.

The requirement for video must change how you develop lenses, beyond just the kind of AF motor you use?

Yes, it does. We have also developed other technologies to support video. At this point we’re not finished, but we’re always developing ways of manufacturing new lenses.

Optical designs need to change, and also autofocus technology

When we look at conventional DSLR lenses and mirrorless lenses, the technologies necessary to make them are a little bit different. The optical designs need to change, and also the autofocus technology. We’re always thinking about what kind of technologies would be good for mirrorless compared to DSLR, and what works for what focal length, and things like that.

You mentioned that the audience for mirrorless lenses will increase – will the audience for DSLR lenses decrease?

Yes, it already is. We’re watching the market and the data already shows us that the market is declining.

Editor’s note:

Perhaps the most interesting insight from our interview with Tamron this year was confirmation that the market for DSLR lenses is declining. It makes complete sense that Tamron (and Sigma) would be focusing on developing lenses for full-frame Sony E-mount cameras now, since by common agreement, Canon and Nikon will launch their own large-sensor mirrorless cameras pretty soon.

Tamron’s executives see their company’s mission as slightly different to Sigma’s

In the same way as one basic optical design can be adapted for multiple SLR mounts, Tamron’s new FE 28-75mm F2.8, which is optimized for the short flange-back distance of modern mirrorless systems, could be adapted for future mirrorless platforms as and when they emerge.

It is clear that Tamron’s executives see their company’s mission as slightly different to Sigma’s. Whereas Sigma is committed to a ‘no compromise’ approach in its Art-series which sometimes results in large, heavy products, Tamron sees its value in small, lightweight but still high-performing lenses. Maybe the primes will open up to F1.8 rather than F1.4, and the zooms might start at 28mm rather than 24mm, but clearly the company believes that some users will be happy with those compromises for the sake of smaller, lighter (and potentially cheaper) lenses.

Tamron sees its value in small, lightweight but still high-performing lenses

I think they’re right about that, and the new 28-75mm F2.8 looks like a good start. Obviously we don’t yet know how it will perform optically, but if it compares well to Sony’s own 24-70mm F2.8 GM at equivalent focal lengths, it might well become a benchmark standard zoom for mirrorless. That, in turn, would put Tamron in a very good position to get in on the ground floor of development for the wide range of full-frame mirrorless cameras we’re expecting from various manufacturers in the future.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Fujifilm interview: “We will work hard to keep our uniqueness”

26 Mar
Fujifilm executives (L-R) Shin Udono, Senior Manager, Sales & Marketing Group, Optical Device & Electronic Imaging Products Div., Toshihisa Iida, General Manager, Optical Device & Electronic Imaging Products Div. and Makoto Oishi, Manager, Sales & Marketing Group, Optical Device & Electronic Imaging Products Div. | Photo by Barney Britton

Recently we visited the 2018 CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan and booked interviews with senior executives from several major manufacturers, including Fujifilm. Among the topics covered were the runaway success of the GFX system, how the company is moving into video and, of course, Instax.

The following interview has been edited slightly for clarity and flow.

How well has the GFX 50S performed since it was released?

We’ve shipped more than we expected and planned for. Even more impressive is the lens attachment rate, as we’ve sold so many lenses as well. Overall, GFX sales have exceeded our predictions.

As far as customer feedback, we heard mostly good things concerning the image quality – especially for users that shoot landscapes that need more dynamic range compared to APS-C cameras. Something that we didn’t expect was the number of high-end amateurs buying the GFX system. According to our survey, 80% of users are non-professional, and 20% are professional. That was a surprise.

The Fujifilm GFX 50S comes with a large 43.8×32.9mm imaging sensor and uses the all-new GF lens mount.

Other feedback is that our customers need more lenses in the lineup, especially in the telephoto range. We’ve already put on the roadmap that we are developing a 250mm F4 [198mm equivalent focal length] lens to meet their demand. Many customers also want more speed from the cameras, so we’re continuously doing a lot of work to make our GFX system more responsive.

And another thing is that for many customers buying the camera, it’s not a direct replacement for everything in their system; more customers are buying the GFX in addition to their existing system. Many of these customers may want to use their existing lenses on a GFX body, so we support many third-party adapter manufacturers to provide lens adapters.

Each photographer, each customer, requires a different style of camera

Also, we introduced a new firmware upgrade this month which includes a new 35mm crop mode, allowing 30.5MP cropped images. So overall, I think the image quality is the key thing. We’re surprised too that we can find over 100 lens adapters in the market, with 28 types of mounts.

Are you mainly focused on prime lens development?

At the moment, yes, but we are aware of requests from customers for other zoom lenses.

Can you talk about how the X-H1 and its larger size fits into the overall Fujifilm lineup?

The recently announced Fujifilm X-H1 takes a lot of styling and ergonomic cues from the GFX 50S, but is based around a smaller APS-C sensor and Fujifilm’s X mount.

One purpose of us doing the X-H1 is that some customers actually requested a bigger grip and better handling, especially together with bigger lenses like the 100-400mm. And this year we’re committed to introduce the XF 200mm F2, so these kinds of lenses definitely need a bigger grip.

And of course, the X-H1 is just an additional line and we’re keeping smaller cameras. Last September, we went the opposite direction with the X-E3. We said, ‘this is a minimalism camera.’ Less is more. One reason for these lineups is that each photographer, each customer, requires a different style of camera. Landscape, sports, motorsports, travel, reportage, street, they all require a different style.

Are there other opportunities you see for Fujifilm?

We think our current product line mostly covers the purposes and styles of any kind of photography. So at the moment, we don’t feel that there’s anything we need to add, but we do want to focus on APS-C cameras. We think that’s a good format for the best balance between size, speed, quality, and now we have the GFX [for even greater quality].

The compact camera market is difficult right now. Though ‘tough’ cameras continue to sell well, do you still see room for a high-end compact like the X70, or an X70 successor?

Yes, we are considering it.

Do you know how many of your customers buy X Series cameras for video?

The Fujifilm X-H1 offers a touchscreen interface to more easily (and quietly) take control of your movie shooting parameters.

The amount is definitely growing. Yesterday, we met a photographer we’ve known for many years, and he started in still photography with the X-series, and now he’s taking more and more videos.

Would you like to move more into high-end video?

Yes.

Could you expand on where you see your strongest ability to attract new videographers, or emerging videographers, to the Fujifilm brand?

I think our strength is seen, in stills photography, as image quality straight-out-of-camera. Currently, many videographers spend a lot of time for post processing. We introduced a new film simulation called Eterna that is intended for video purposes, and many videographers that have already tested X-H1 said to us that it dramatically reduced their workflow because of the image quality from the camera.

I think we will see more users transition from stills to video rather than the other way around

The X-H1 also comes with autofocus enhancements, are these something that could come to the X-T2?

Yes, that’s technically possible. We continue to be committed to firmware upgrades, but we need to decide which cameras really require new functionality.

How do you see the X-H1 customer? Some video shooters, some stills shooters or people doing a bit of both?

Fujifilm’x MKX series of professional yet relatively affordable cinema lenses now comes in X-mount for use on the company’s own cameras, and not just in E-mount (shown here).

I think that our main customers are stills photographers, but we will see more users transition from stills to video rather than the other way around. One thing that might be interesting to users is the MKX lens lineup. These are dedicated cinema lenses, so there may be some customers who want to use them and that’s why they would buy the X-H1.

We’re interested in where Fujifilm is headed in the next 18 months. Is there anything where you see a broader opportunity for the company?

All we can say is that there is much room to improve stills photography functionality for the X Series. Of course, our firmware is one way we can improve, but there are always some limitations and we keep making innovations for the hardware as well. So, together, we can make much faster and more accurate autofocus and [improve] video functionality.

We will see more competition with Canon and Nikon as well as Sony, but we will work hard to keep our uniqueness

You had mentioned that you were surprised by the sales of the GFX, so at the high end, things are going well. How do you think about the average Fujifilm customer, and where do you see likelihoods for expansion in the coming year?

It depends on which country and which region we’re talking about. For the US market, we definitely have focused on the high-end side, and that has been successful. But if you look at the Asian market, the X-A series are really popular mirrorless cameras. In Thailand, our market share for mirrorless is over 40%. The number of young people that are buying these cameras is amazing.

We don’t have an old legacy. That is our strength, and also our weakness

So, in terms of creating a new market and appealing to new customers – these customers are used to smartphones, and they’re switching to mirrorless. For the Asian market, we want to continue this market creation. For the Western market, high-end and professional use is our main focus.

With continuing emphasis on mirrorless cameras, and the possibility of Canon and Nikon getting into full-frame mirrorless soon, it’s getting harder to stand out in the marketplace. What will continue to differentiate Fujifilm from its competitors in the coming years?

One of the good things about our products is that we don’t have an old legacy. We just started our mirrorless system six years ago, so we are not sticking to the 35mm format or legacy lenses. That is our strength, and also our weakness. But over the past six years, we’ve worked hard and now our lens lineup has over 30 lenses.

Fujifilm’s comprehensive lens lineup looks even more impressive when you consider that the mount has only existed for six years.
Image credit: Fujifilm

I’ve also been asked many times, ‘how do you feel about Canon and Nikon getting into mirrorless?’ My answer was always, ‘welcome.’ Because having those strong brands in the mirrorless marketplace increases general awareness of mirrorless, and that’s a good thing for the whole industry. And if the whole industry is growing, then we have a greater chance to grow as well.

So yes, we will see more competition with Canon and Nikon as well as Sony, but we will work hard to keep our uniqueness in design and usability; [one big way] we differentiate is by our analog controls. And of course, we need to keep innovating inside our cameras as well, improving the sensor, processor, and also by introducing new lenses.

Speaking of analog, a big point of success for Fujifilm is Instax cameras and printers. How does that affect your vision for digital cameras when you see such a successful product line in your business which is somewhat unrelated to all of the latest technology that you’re developing?

What do all of these cameras have in common? They all use Fujifilm Instax film.

Our philosophy is that the camera is a tool for photography. At the end of the day, the customer wants great images whether they’re on a digital display, or in print; it’s the customer’s choice. The good thing about Instax is that customers, especially younger generations, realize the value of print photography and we want to encourage that. For example, our cameras can easily print directly on Instax, so we really want to promote the value of the print.

Do you see people making Instax prints from high-end cameras?

In Asia, we actually sell a camera and printer bundle. Even for high-end photographers who use the X Series, there are good opportunities especially for street photography; take a picture, make a print, and give it to your subject.

Editor’s note:

As expected from previous meetings with Mr. Iida and his colleagues, our conversation at CP+ 2018 was both honest and candid. The unexpected success of the GFX 50S is a great thing for both Fujifilm and photographers alike. Not only does this validate the development and manufacture of the camera in the first place, but it highlights how Fujifilm’s bypass of the 35mm full-frame format was a good call. It will be interesting to see to what extent – and how quickly – the system grows in the coming years.

Certainly, Mr. Iida made the point that the X Series has only been around for six years, and now boasts a lens and camera lineup that is impressively comprehensive. While I don’t necessarily expect that level of rapidity with more niche medium-format products, there’s no denying the company’s excellent track record of system-building.

The possibility of an X70 follow-up is intriguing, but the rest of the APS-C lineup does look awfully full. In covering everything from the entry-level X-A series to the new pro-oriented X-H series, I get the sense that Fujifilm will be focusing on the refining of existing products for the near future, as opposed to introducing something entirely new (though I’d love to be proven wrong here). And with possible full-frame mirrorless cameras from the likes of Canon and Nikon appearing on the horizon, Fujifilm’s continued emphasis on improving their autofocus and video capabilities is going to be key as the competition heats up.

Fujifilm’s take on video is certainly unique. The X-H1’s excellent out-of-camera video quality has the benefit of appealing to both beginners and experienced users that grow tired of a lengthy workflow. And while that camera’s video feature set is comparatively limited at this time, I fully expect that to be addressed in future models – particularly in light of the new MKX cine lenses.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Sigma interview: ‘This is just the beginning’

19 Mar
Kazuto Yamaki, CEO of Sigma, pictured at the 2018 CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan.

Recently we visited the 2018 CP+ show in Yokohama, Japan and as usual, we booked interviews with senior executives from several major manufacturers, including Sigma. Among the topics covered were Sigma’s determination to make more native Sony E-Mount lenses for mirrorless cameras, and the story behind why wide-angles are such a Sigma specialty.

The following interview has been edited slightly for clarity and flow.

The new Sony E-mount full-frame lenses – did you basically just build-in the MC-11 adapter, or is it more complicated than that?

The MC-11 adapter can be thought of as kind of a translator. Let’s say the camera speaks English, and the lens speaks Japanese. The MC-11 recognizes which lens is attached, and allows the camera and lens to talk to one another. That’s a complicated task. And even with the best translator, conversation isn’t as smooth as it would be between native speakers. It takes time to fine-tune the communication.

What we did was to optimize the communication, for Sony. It’s faster, smoother, and we were able to utilize Sony [communication] protocols in the lenses.

Will you release a USB dock for the new Sony-mount lenses?

We don’t have a USB dock available for these lenses right now, but we’re considering this as an option for the future.

Sigma’s MC-11 adapter can be used to convert Canon, Nikon and Sigma-mount lenses to work on Sony’s full-frame mirrorless cameras.

The new 14-24mm F2.8 joins the 14mm F1.8 at the wide end of Sigma’s lineup – how do these two lenses compare, optically?

In terms of performance, the two lenses are equivalent. When it comes to zoom lenses, a standard zoom lens [like a 24-70mm] is quite challenging to design. We have to make compromises. However, the performance of wide and telephoto zoom lenses is very good, and [can be] equivalent to prime lenses. But of course we can’t implement such fast maximum apertures [in zooms]. Implementing a maximum aperture of F1.8 in the 14mm was very difficult.

We want to create lenses that don’t exist in the industry today

We’ve spoken in the past about your ambition to create more wide-angle zoom lenses – it seems like they’re a Sigma speciality.

In the past, one of our employees who had been with the company since the very beginning was a mountain climber. He was very passionate about wide-angle lenses. That’s one of the reasons Sigma has always specialized in wide-angle lenses. And it’s also quite interesting to challenge ourselves. We still maintain this mentality – we want to create lenses that don’t exist in the industry today.

If you have a choice between designing a lens that will be large, heavy, but optically amazing, or designing one that might be optically less impressive but smaller and lighter, how do you make that decision?

I personally want to develop excellent lenses, at the cost of size and weight. My personal ambition is for Sigma to be a company that is supported by professionals. But that doesn’t mean that we’d always choose to make lenses like this.

Sigma’s new 70mm F2.8 macro prime lens is small, compact and lightweight, thanks to its front-focus mechanism and lack of an image stabilization system.

For example we just released a 70mm F2.8 macro lens. We had the option of including image stabilization, but it would have become much bulkier – probably equivalent in size to our 105mm macro. Because with a macro lens, the focusing group has to move a big distance. If we had added stabilization we would have had to use an inner focusing system, which would have made the lens long, and bulky.

Is that the same reason there’s no stabilization system in the new 105mm, too?

Partly, yes. Also we didn’t want to compromise performance in terms of vignetting, longitudinal aberrations or coma. That’s why the lens is already quite big. If we had been willing to compromise in any one of these areas, the lens could have been more compact. You don’t see lenses of this kind very often, so we wanted to give it as long a life [in the market] as possible.

Sigma’s 105mm F1.4 is a beast of a lens, thanks to Sigma’s ‘no compromise’ approach to optical performance. Mr. Yamaki is hoping that this fast telephoto prime will become a benchmark lens for astrophotography, among other applications.

There’s another reason for our approach to that lens, too. One of the chief designers is very keen on astrophotography, and he wanted to make a lens that was perfect for this kind of photography. Among this community, the Zeiss 135mm F2 is regarded as a benchmark, but it’s relatively slow. Our target was to make a lens with equivalent performance but at F1.4. That’s very difficult.

If you had designed the recently-announced E-mount primes from the ground up for Sony’s full-frame cameras, would they be smaller?

The wide-angle lenses would be, yes. We just announced E-mount versions of the 14mm, 20mm, 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm and 135mm. Probably, the 14mm, 20mm and 24mm lenses could have been smaller [if they were designed for Sony full-frame from the beginning]. But any lens longer than 35mm, they’d be about the same size. Our 35mm F1.4, for example, is about the same size as the Sony 35mm F1.4. But for wider lenses, because of the short flange-back distance of the E-mount, we could make them smaller.

This is one of the reasons we decided on our approach with these lenses. Because the size difference would have been minimal with most of the focal lengths, we focused on making the performance better and smoother, using our existing optical designs.

Some time ago we were skeptical about lens corrections, but the algorithms have been improved so much

So wide-angle lenses benefit most from being designed for short flange-back distances?

Yes. For example the Sony 12-24mm zoom. Sony achieved very good performance with a small size. They rely on distortion correction in the camera body, but it’s an amazing performance. I don’t think we could achieve that kind of performance in a lens of that size for DSLRs.

We already have two Sony-native lenses for Sony – our 16mm and 30mm F1.4 lenses for APS-C. And we already take advantage of distortion correction in those lenses. It’s beneficial for customers. Some time ago we were skeptical about lens corrections, but today the algorithms have been improved so much.

Sony recently released a range of native Sony E-mount prime lenses, which we’re told will give better performance than lenses attached using the MC-11 adapter.

Do you think Sigma has an opportunity to create more lenses for Sony’s APS-C cameras?

We’re going to release another APS-C lens for Sony E-mount this year, probably around Photokina. We need to see what the response from customers is like. If it’s good, we’ll continue development.

We are working on lenses designed from scratch for Sony E-Mount. This is just the beginning

Are you committing to fully supporting Sony full-frame cameras in the future, alongside Canon and Nikon?

Yes. We are also working on [full-frame] lenses designed just for Sony E-Mount, from scratch. These lenses will take advantage of [aspects of] the Sony system. This is just the beginning.

But the [Sony E-mount versions of the Art-series primes] we’ve just released also offer some advantages for customers. For example if you own a Canon EF mount version of any of them, we can convert your lens to a Sony E-mount version, for a charge. And if that user decides to go back to Canon EF in the future, we can even re-convert the lens back again.

Customer support is just as important as the products themselves

In order to do that practically, you’ll need good, fast service facilities. Is improving this kind of service a priority for you?

Recently, in our internal sales meetings, the first thing we’ve been discussing is not actually sales, it’s customer support. Our lenses are intended for high-end users and professionals, and customer support is [therefore] just as important as the products themselves.

Will you create some kind of version of a pro support system outside of Japan?

We’ve been discussing this with our global subsidiaries, and we’re preparing to roll something out. We’ve made great improvements already in terms of customer support, and it’s very important [that we continue to do so].

Which lenses have most impressed you recently from other manufacturers?

The Sony 12-24mm, and the 16-35mm F2.8 GM. They’re very good lenses for mirrorless cameras. The Canon 35mm F1.4 II is also a great lens. Our 35mm F1.4mm is very good but the Canon 35mm is also great. I think these days Canon does a great job. They put so much effort into developing good optics. Every time they amaze us.

I’m also very interested in the new Tamron 28-75mm F2.8. It’s very compact and lightweight. Of course we haven’t yet seen how it performs, but if the performance is good it should be a great lens, and will be a benchmark for us.

Tamron’s new 28-75mm F2.8 zoom for Sony E-mount is a lens that Mr Yamaki hopes could become a benchmark for his own company, as Sigma works on filling out its lens options for full-frame Sony cameras.

Is there a lens that does not exist right now, which you think should exist?

We successfully developed F1.8 zoom lenses for APS-C. This kind of lens did not exist before. Similarly our F2 zoom for full-frame. That kind of lens did not exist before, either. I can’t give you specific details but we would like to explore that path [further].

Some of our products are planned from a business perspective. But every year we have one or two special projects, where we don’t care too much about sales, but we aim to create unique products. That’s a big motivation for our engineers, and also for me personally. Old manufacturers, like Carl Zeiss, invented many great lenses in the past – and they continue to do so. We would like to do that for the 21st Century.

Our mission is unchanged – we want to provide unique lenses that other manufacturers don’t have. We’ll continue on that path.

A lot of our readers are looking forward to a Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 Art…

I know! And it will come – not too far in the future.

Editor’s note:

We always look forward to speaking to Mr. Yamaki, who stands out as one of the best-liked figures in the entire photography industry in Japan. While many manufacturers seem to prefer to speak about their products as if they existed in a vacuum, Mr. Yamaki is unfailingly candid and open, even when talking about his competitors.

Partly I suspect this reflects the nature of his company – Sigma is primarily a third-party lens manufacturer and as such, of course, it relies on the success of companies like Canon, Nikon and Sony in order to stay in business. Keeping a close eye on the lenses that these manufacturers make is only sensible if Sigma wants to create alternatives that can compete in price and quality.

For the head of a major manufacturer to openly praise specific products made by his main competitors is almost unheard of

But partly, too, it’s the nature of the man. For the head of a major manufacturer to openly praise specific products made by his main competitors is almost unheard of, but over the years we’ve come to expect (and appreciate) such candor from Mr. Yamaki. It’s one of the reasons I always look forward to interviewing him, and why our interviews with him often contain some of the most useful and interesting insights of all the conversations that we have with executives at shows like CP+.

Among the nuggets of information contained in this interview were Sigma’s commitment to develop native Sony E-mount lenses for full-frame cameras in the future, and some interesting information about what kinds of lenses benefit most from being designed for short flange-back mirrorless systems. It’s clear too that Sigma is very focused on improving its post-purchase support, and is actively working to extend its professional service network beyond Japan in the near future. Hopefully this should give more professionals the confidence they need to buy and use Sigma lenses without fear of losing their gear for long periods of time if it ever needs servicing.

Sigma is very focused on improving its post-purchase support, and is actively working to extend its professional service network

I was interested to learn about the background behind Sigma’s new 105mm F1.4 telephoto prime, too. Opportunities for astrophotography are pretty few and far between in a Seattle spring, but after hearing the story behind its inception, I’m keen to see how it performs. And I’m sure I’m not alone in waiting anxiously for a 70-200mm F2.8 in the Art series. Mr. Yamaki specifically mentioned that Sigma is now able to make very high-quality wide and tele zooms, which gives me hope that this lens – whenever it makes it appearance on the market – will be worth the wait.

Previous interviews with Kazuto Yamaki of Sigma:

CP+ 2017: ‘some customers require exceptional lens performance’

CP+ 2015: ‘small office, big factory’

Making ‘Art’: We go inside Sigma’s lens factory (2015)

CP+ 2014: ‘we have survived because we make unique products’

CES 2012: ‘More high-end cameras will be mirrorless in the future’

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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