• Competing against mirrorless cameras
• A supported decision

Photo: Stock.Xchng

Canon feels that it’s losing steam in the SLR camera market and is currently working on smaller SLRs which would be able to compete with the latest mirrorless cameras which have been launched by Sony, Panasonic and Olympus.

Competing against mirrorless cameras

The announcement that Canon Imaging would be producing the smaller cameras in the future was made by Canon Japan’s Image Communication Products head Masaya Maeda. On the actual design of the camera, Maeda said that, ‘It’s not a question of whether or not you have a mirror. There is a consumer need for good-quality cameras to be made smaller… We will meet this need.’ This was also in response to the increase in the use of mirrorless systems in the latest high-end cameras being produced by other manufacturers.

A supported decision

Photo: Canon

Industry analysts also believe that Canon Imaging producing smaller SLR cameras will be the optimal solution for the imaging company. Kazumasa Kubota of Okasan Securities believes that Canon should stick to their tried and tested formula using the single-reflex system, as ‘Looking directly at something through a viewfinder is different from seeing it indirectly via semiconductors.’

Sony, Panasonic, Olympus and Nikon have shown total confidence in their mirrorless camera systems and the advantages are obvious as users of their cameras are able to directly view an object through the devices’ optical viewfinders.

The camera manufacturers have also created a new market which seems to gaining popularity at a great pace. This, however, poses the question of whether Canon should follow suit and cash in on what seems to be the next big thing in photography. Opinion is always divided, and it seems that Canon won’t be changing their tried and tested formula.

When the smaller Canon SLR camera will be made available is yet to be announced, with Maeda adding that Canon were expecting positive growth and sales in the future.