The Best of Japan's Camera and Photo Imaging (CP+) Event
CP+ is Japan's new photo event, held in Yokohama and scheduled for four days, from the 11th of March to the 14th. Over 80 companies were represented, including the big boys like Sony, Canon, Nikon, Panasonic and Olympus. Join us as we review the best of CP+ 2010.
CP+ 2010
CP+ is Japan's new photo event, held in Yokohama and scheduled for four days, from the 11th of March to the 14th. Over 80 companies were represented, including the big boys like Sony, Canon, Nikon, Panasonic and Olympus. Organized by CIPA (Camera Imaging Products Association), CP+, which stands for Camera and Photo Imaging, replaces the PIE (Photo Imaging Expo) event which has been held in Japan for the last five years.
Although there were hardly any new products announced at CP+ from from most major camera manufacturers, there was still plenty on hand to excite any camera enthusiast. Join us as we review the best of CP+ 2010!
Sony's Booth
Ultra Compact Prototype with Interchangeable Lenses
The big draw of the event must have been Sony's new compact-sized APS-C sensor concept cameras. Like Panasonic's and Olympus' Micro Four Thirds system, it promises DSLR-like quality in a compact body with interchangeable lenses. But while the Micro Four Thirds system fits sensors smaller than conventional DSLRs in their bodies (but larger than compact cameras), the Sony concept camera has an actual DSLR-sized sensor in its small body. According to Sony, it's a newly-developed Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor which supports full 1080p HD video recording in the AVCHD format.
Two of the new concept cameras on display, one red and one silver.
The other shown was a blue model, together with a zoom lens prototype.
The idea is similar to Samsung's new NX-10 camera, but while that has come to market, the new Sony cameras are still concepts. There weren't any actual prototypes on hand to test at the Sony booth, but three models were on hand to be admired from a distance. A promo video that was playing revealed parts of the new user interface, and from what we saw, it looked pretty intuitive - more like Sony's consumer camera user interface than their Alpha DSLRs.
Commenting on the user interface, Toru Katsumoto, Senior General Manager from the Sony Personal Imaging & Sound Business Group mentions that although "many users would like to take DSLR-like photos, they might not understand if we mention terms like aperture or shutter speed to them. That's why we developed a GUI (Graphical User Interface) which can help people understand."
Asked who this new concept camera would appeal to, Katsumoto said that "many people enjoying digital cameras would like to shoot more beautiful images and video with interchangeable lenses, but today's DSLRs are still too big or too heavy for them to carry. Even today's DSLR users would also like to have a smaller camera to use as a second camera. Our new concept camera will be very suitable for both of these people."
Even though the concepts weren't available for trying, we could see how compact they were in the hands of the booth models.
When asked how Sony plans to compete in the growing prosumer category even though they're later to market, Katsumoto shared that he believes "this camera market is still in the early stages. Sony's total share in the worldwide camera market today is around 10%, but if we don't grow this market, our competitors and us will be fighting over the same pie. We want to grow the market so that more people will start using cameras, and we want to help these customers get the best shots they can, which is why we insist on the larger APS-C sensor."
When asked if the new concept cameras will support the existing Sony Alpha lenses, Katsumoto said that "the technical details haven't been released yet, as these cameras are still concepts under development. But you'll notice that the concepts have the Alpha logo on them," which strongly hints to the answer 'yes'.
Sony says to expect the new concept cameras to launch later in 2010.
Prototype Alpha Camera Bodies
Also on display were two prototype Alpha DSLR cameras with HD video recording functionality using the AVCHD format. These two cameras also use the new developed Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor found in the compact concept camera. The two new Alphas are expected to expand the Alpha lineup in 2010.
Two prototype lenses were also shown, a Distagon T 24mm F2 ZA SSM (launch in 2010), and a super telephoto 500mm lens.
The prototype Alpha DSLR with HD video recording which they dubbed the 'mainstream model.'
The other prototype Alpha they called the 'advanced model.' A little too literal with prototype names, maybe?
And that's the incredibly big, prototype telephoto lens you see in the midground.
Sony had a all-day soccer game going on, with cameras lined all around to test shoot it with!
Canon's Booth
Canon's large telephoto lenses were out in full force for anyone to try, but what should we shoot with them?
Not to worry, the Canon booth's got you covered with a merry-go-round of models for you to photograph.
Epson's Booth
Spotted at the Epson booth was the R-D1x digital rangefinder, a nearly one-year old camera with slight updates to the R-D1. For those with a feel for the classics.
The Epson PictureMate PM310 - with attached keyboard!
Hardly new, but the Epson P7000 multimedia viewer with 160GB of space is great for backing up on the go.
Fujifilm's Booth
3D photography was large for Fujifilm, with 3D cameras, 3D TVs and 3D monitors on display (also, one Japanese booth model who would occasionally wave her hand around, as if saying "my hand is waving in 3D right now, people!").
The Fujifilm FinePix REAL 3D W1 camera, released in late 2009, uses two lenses to achieve a stereoscopic 3D effect. Shown here with underwater casing.
This was the highlight of Fujifilm's booth for us; the new Z700EXR.
Although Fujifilm was touting the Z700's pet facial recognition feature (which explained all the stuffed animals lying around), we were hyped about the touch-screen interface, which was very fast, very colorful.
What's Japan without at least one Hello Kitty camera? This one is a Fujifilm Instax Mini.
Fujifilm still makes 35mm film cameras, which has an appreciative niche audience.
Another camera spotted for film lovers, the Fujifilm GF670 (also known as the Voigtlaender Bessa III) is a modern-day folding camera, which shoots medium format 6x6cm or 6x7cm exposures on 120 or 220 film.
How do you showcase the high-speed shooting capabilities of your cameras, some of which, like the HS10 can shoot up to 1000fps? Invite dancers on stage and line up your cameras all around for people to try them with!
Nikon's Booth
Nikon celebrated 50 years of the F-mount, with a drool-worthy display of their lenses.
Peep through the lens to see what ISO102,400 looks like with a Nikon D3s!
Nikon and NASA have a history of collaboration; these are the models that have gone where no Nikon has gone before to snap pictures from outer space.
Nikon had a rather avant-garde fashion show going on in collaboration with designer Junko Koshino.
We can't say we understood it, but boy was it popular!
Olympus' Booth
Olympus showcased beautiful photos taken by photographers with the Olympus PEN E-PL1 (which they call the PEN Lite) at their booth, which was a rather clever way of showing what the camera could do.
Spotted at the booth was the PT-EP01 underwater casing, the first ever made (and the only one today) for a Micro Four Thirds camera.
The original Olympus PEN from 1963.
Spot the family resemblance with the PEN E-P1s & 2s?
Not so much with the PEN (Lite) E-PL1.
Panasonic's Booth
The clear star of Panasonic's booth was the brand-new G2 Micro Four Thirds camera.
The Panasonic G2 is the first Micro Four Thirds camera to have a touch-enabled LCD panel and touch controls.
Pentax's Booth
A host of super-coloful Pentax K-x DSLRs.
We love the uniquely-designed DSLR-ish Pentax Optio I-10 digital compact camera.
Also spotted, the retrospective Pentax Optio H90. Retro is coming back!
The Pentax Optio W90 looks tougher than James Bond and Predator combined. Its rugged body is designed to be dustproof, waterproof up to 6 meters, coldproof down to -10 degrees Celsius and shock-resistant for drops of up to 1.2 meters.
The Evolution of the Japanese Camera
These interesting sights were sported at a history booth called 'The Evolution of the Japanese Camera', which showcased a lot of vintage beauties.
The sign (what we could read of it) called this contraption a Thornton Pickard Photographic Rifle Mark III, all the way from 1915.
They sure don't make them like they used to!
Don't you miss the days when your camera doubled as a handy club?
Talk about having a Golden Eye (cough cough).
Somebody call Olympus and tell them we have the real Pen here from 1959!
A ramera that looks like a rajio!
Interesting Sights
Various sights spotted around CP+ that didn't seem to quite fit anywhere, but were too good to leave out.
Nothing says endurance like cameras on the rocks.
Call us naive, but we hadn't seen a GE (General Electric) camera before CP+. Shown here is one of their cute little mini compacts.
This Lensbaby lens tells people about you.
A nice, big lens for your Olympus PEN? Hmm, maybe not.
A super-twisty, ultra-flexible ballhead from Photo Clam. We want one!
Polariod isn't dead! This one combines a digital camera and printer in one, snap and your little polariod comes out in seconds.
Just so you don't think CP+ was only for the consumers, there were plenty of professional, bank-breaking cameras on show, like this digital medium-format Hasselblad.
Sigma impresses.
Finally, what better way to showcase your softboxes - and to seg into the booth babes section - than to have a model show them for you?
CP+ Booth Babes
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