This is how tiny Nikon is. Canon & Sony are on their way to be >80% of the digital camera market. Nikon, Fuji, Panasonic & others will be <20%.
All brands that are not Canon are using Sony image sensors but in conjunction with their own in-house software, lenses, mount, color science, etc. Before Sony, other camera brands like Hassleblad and Leica used Kodak image sensors. Before year 2000 Canon used Kodak image sensors.
Outsourcing isn't bad so long as the output is the best possible at the time. Even Apple outsourced their CPUs with Motorola/IBM (pre-2006), Samsung (2007-2008) and Intel (2006-2020) before deciding to do it all in-house. They're now working on in-house 5G modem so they cut reliance from Qualcomm & possibly Broadcom.
Below is the 2021 numbers for point & shoots, mirrorless & dSLRs...
2022 dropped below 8.05 million units. By 2028 I expect it to eventually settle at <6 million mirrroless and <1 million point & shoot and dSLR. 1999-2022's lowest shipment was in 1999 at under 5.09 million.
This just indicates that consumer market is nearing death. Pro photographers still buy out of need and enthusiasts buy when they want.
When placed in the same business position I'd probably do the same as Nikon.
Pre-approve licensed 3rd party lens SKUs so it does not directly compete with my own products.
Sigma deciding to reuse previously released dSLR lens formulas/designs for new mirrorless mount is the most economical way to service that market. This reduces additional R&D cost 3rd party as they do not spend any resources to reverse engineer the new mount.
Similarly Canon has done this with their last EF 400 & EF 600 onto their RF lens refresh. Some photogs complained about it but they did this when transitioning from FD to EF lens in 1987.
I strongly doubt Canon will license their RF mount to any 3rd party lens. It does not make business sense.
If Sony could go back in time they'd probably want to put a clause in their E mount no-fee license to reduce 3rd party lenses once Sony becomes #1 or #2. That would help increase sales of their 1st party lenses.
Sony probably does better business as parts vendor for image sensors for other devices than their Sony-branded digital cameras. The Sony E system is more of a showcase of their tech when the image sensors surface area is increased from tiny smartphone-sized ones to full frame 36mm x 24mm.
Be aware that Sony also makes medium format sensors for Phase One backs and Hasselblads
p.6 #2 · First licensed(?) 3rd party Canon RF lens(es?) to be announced at CP+ Feb. 23
dolina wrote:
I strongly doubt Canon will license their RF mount to any 3rd party lens. It does not make business sense.
If Sony could go back in time they'd probably want to put a clause in their E mount no-fee license to reduce 3rd party lenses once Sony becomes #1 or #2. That would help increase sales of their 1st party lenses.
Sony probably does better business as parts vendor for image sensors for other devices than their Sony-branded digital cameras. The Sony E system is more of a showcase of their tech when the image sensors surface area is increased from tiny smartphone-sized ones to full frame 36mm x 24mm....Show more →
Well, apparently Canon just allowed Cosina to use the RF mount for the Voigtlander 50/1.0. OK... it's a manual focus lens. Time will tell if 'authorized' third party RF AF lenses appear (meaning, from the mainstream third party brands - Sigma, Tamron, etc.). I think they eventually will, but will probably be like Nikon's apparent policy of 'complementary' vs. direct competition to specific lenses.
As for Sony, such a clause probably would have resulted in less third party interest and they really needed third parties to get their system off the ground back when it was clearly inferior compared to DSLRs (in respect to overall speed/AF performance). My impression is after helping Sony become established, third parties are being siloed by Sony via blocked access to higher performance features and generally excellent Sony lens designs. Sony's lenses often outperform third parties and are priced aggressively so that the OEM premium is not excessively daunting.
If Sony E is simply a showcase for their technology, we should thank them for making the system as good as it is because it forced Canon and Nikon to 'wake up.' As I've stated in other posts, my DSLR purchases were all Canon 1D series cameras for the fastest AF and overall performance available at the time. My evaluation of Canon's mirrorless cameras revealed that rather than having to go with the R3, I could find a suitable balance of still very fast performance in a smaller size (if used un-gripped) with the R6II, at less than half the price. That was never possible from Canon with DSLRs half the price of the 1D series; the tradeoffs were always too much, for me.
p.6 #3 · First licensed(?) 3rd party Canon RF lens(es?) to be announced at CP+ Feb. 23
rscheffler wrote:
Well, apparently Canon just allowed Cosina to use the RF mount for the Voigtlander 50/1.0. OK... it's a manual focus lens. Time will tell if 'authorized' third party RF AF lenses appear (meaning, from the mainstream third party brands - Sigma, Tamron, etc.). I think they eventually will, but will probably be like Nikon's apparent policy of 'complementary' vs. direct competition to specific lenses.
Canon does not appear to be all that concerned with the physical mount, there are more than 80 manual focus RF mount lenses listed on BHPhoto with some pretty big name brands attached.
Fujinon is the one that really jumped out at me on the Cine lens side. Sure they only have two offerings (18-55 and 50-135) but it does show that companies are not that concerned with creating lenses for the mount as long as they stay clear of the AF protocols.
The Cosina is interesting because it has some limited communication with the R bodies like showing EXIF data, it also allows for manual focus assist.
p.6 #4 · First licensed(?) 3rd party Canon RF lens(es?) to be announced at CP+ Feb. 23
rscheffler wrote:
Well, apparently Canon just allowed Cosina to use the RF mount for the Voigtlander 50/1.0. OK... it's a manual focus lens. Time will tell if 'authorized' third party RF AF lenses appear (meaning, from the mainstream third party brands - Sigma, Tamron, etc.). I think they eventually will, but will probably be like Nikon's apparent policy of 'complementary' vs. direct competition to specific lenses.
I am unsure if that Voitlander was licensed or infringed on sufficient RF patents.
As for Sony, such a clause probably would have resulted in less third party interest and they really needed third parties to get their system off the ground back when it was clearly inferior compared to DSLRs (in respect to overall speed/AF performance). My impression is after helping Sony become established, third parties are being siloed by Sony via blocked access to higher performance features and generally excellent Sony lens designs. Sony's lenses often outperform third parties and are priced aggressively so that the OEM premium is not excessively daunting.
I agree that it made some worry but given that they were a distant last place who'd have thought they outdo Nikon for #2?
Siloing higher-end functionality would be a great way to handle no-fee licensing of the E mount. It allows users on a budget economical lenses while protects Sony's market for Luxury lenses
If Sony E is simply a showcase for their technology, we should thank them for making the system as good as it is because it forced Canon and Nikon to 'wake up.' As I've stated in other posts, my DSLR purchases were all Canon 1D series cameras for the fastest AF and overall performance available at the time. My evaluation of Canon's mirrorless cameras revealed that rather than having to go with the R3, I could find a suitable balance of still very fast performance in a smaller size (if used un-gripped) with the R6II, at less than half the price. That was never possible from Canon with DSLRs half the price of the 1D series; the tradeoffs were always too much, for me....Show more →
Competition is good and I worry for it as consolidation occurs when digital camera sales drops to
- <6 million for mirrroless
- <1 million for dSLR + P&S
OK... it's a manual focus lens. Time will tell if 'authorized' third party RF AF lenses appear (meaning, from the mainstream third party brands - Sigma, Tamron, etc.). I think they eventually will, but will probably be like Nikon's apparent policy of 'complementary' vs. direct competition to specific lenses.