CP+ 2013 Event: The Land of the Rising Sun

It's the start of the year and time to visit the Land of the Rising Sun once again for CP+, Japan's Camera and Photo Imaging Show. In its fourth year this time around, join us as we explore what CP+ has to offer!

By Hafeez Sim - 31 Jan 2013

The Cameras of CP+ 2013 (Part I)

Japan’s annual Camera & Photo Imaging Show or CP+ as it's more commonly known, has been held in February the past few years. Now in its fourth year, the event launched slightly earlier this year, with the show starting on the last day of January. With major releases announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2013, which is usually held in the first week of January, it seems CP+ is trying hard to draw attention away from CES.

While CP+ has always been smaller than shows like CES or Photokina, with it being the only camera and imaging trade show in the first half of the year, CP+ could really shine if the major Japanese camera and imaging companies decide to launch their new products there. Unfortunately, CES still draws a larger international crowd while CP+ seems more like a trade show for the domestic crowd, with talks and presentations being conducted in Japanese. Perhaps this is what alienates would-be attendees and our guess is if the exhibitors hire more floor staff that are fluent in English, this would help to boost the number of attendees.

Regardless, CP+ has always been a pleasure to visit, with that quaint Japanese charm as well as the courteous Japanese exhibitors who always manage to make us feel more than welcome. In this article, we roundup some of the most important exhibits at each of the major camera booths. Since we've already published a fairly detailed news piece on most the reported aspects below, we'll keep the product introductions short while providing relevant links for the details.

Nikon Booth

With Nikon’s full-frame digital SLRs, the D800 and D4, launched last year, we were expecting some additions to Nikon’s DX line. However, it appears Nikon has other plans up its sleeves. This year’s CP+ sees Nikon releasing a slew of Coolpix compact cameras and two FX lenses, with one lens being the monstrous AF-S Nikkor 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR lens. While the lens certainly looks intimidating, there was no lack of attendees lining up to give it a try.

The new releases from Nikon consisted of Coolpix cameras and two new FX lenses.

With so many Coolpix camera releases, most of the Nikon booth babes were toting one.

There was no lack of people who fancied a go at Nikon's new AF-S Nikkor 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR lens.

Canon Booth

There weren’t any major announcements or releases from Canon at this year’s CP+, but that didn’t stop the crowd from filling up Canon’s booth. While not a technically-impressive camera, the Canon PowerShot N still managed to pique our interest despite seeing it for the second time. Aimed at users who demand easy wireless transfer of images and videos, the PowerShot N somehow looks more at home with the Japanese crowd at CP+ compared to the first time we saw it at CES.

The PowerShot N attracted more than its fair share of young ladies.

As with every CP+ show, Canon shows off its entire collection of lenses.

While the EOS 6D isn't exactly a brand-new model, people still waited in line to have a go at it.

Fujifilm Booth

Fujifilm never fails to draw a crowd with its rangefinder-inspired cameras, and this year is no exception. This time the crowd was for Fujifilm’s two new releases, the X100S and X20, which are successor models to the X100 and X10 respectively. Tempted by these two cameras, we joined the line to have a go at them as well.

It took us 20 minutes in a line to get a feel of the X100S and X20.

The new 12MP X-Trans CMOS sensor inside the X20 promises more detailed images, which we obviously couldn't tell from the rear display alone. But we could tell that the X20's autofocus speed is definitely much faster than the X10.

Similar to the X20, the X100S is one handsome camera. The menu system has been improved from the X100's while build quality remains equally robust. However, we did note that the autofocus speed of the X100S does not seem that much faster than the X100.

Panasonic Booth

Things were pretty quiet over at the Panasonic booth in terms of new releases with the exception of a new Micro Four Thirds lens, the LUMIX G VARIO 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II ASPH for Panasonic’s LUMIX G camera series. This kit lens is smaller than the previous version and comes in silver and black. For more information on the lens, hit the link to find out more.

Panasonic's Lumix G series remains one of the most popular mirrorless system camera lines, and it's only natural for Panasonic to release another lens for the Micro Four Thirds system.

Panasonic's new LUMIX G VARIO 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II ASPH lens is smaller than its predecessor, making it a more attractive kit lens for users looking to pick up their first Micro Four Thirds camera.

Casio Booth

Casio announced two new cameras at CP+, so it’s only natural that we had a go at them. The EX-ZR700 and EX-ZR400 offer a fast start-up time and quick auto focus. Our short time with it proved that it was capable of capturing action shots and fast-moving objects, making it suitable for sports fans and shutterbugs who have children.

The ZR700 proved to be quite able at capturing action shots or freezing a moment.

To let attendees have a taste of the EX-ZR700 and EX-ZR400's capabilities, Casio hired some performers to walk on Gibbon Slacklines, a form of tightrope wallking. We managed to get some nice shots where the camera freezed the action, a sign of fast autofocus speed and low shutter lag.

Olympus Booth

Not content with releasing a high-end performance compact, the XZ-2, Olympus has announced the Stylus XZ-10 at CP+ 2013. For those who like the wide aperture of the XZ-2 but still find it a tad too bulky, the XZ-10 might fit their bill with a 40% reduction in volume over the XZ-2. We spent some time to compare the XZ-2 with the XZ-10, so have a look at the pictures below and the differences we noted between the two. For more information and details of the Stylus XZ-10, hit the link above.

Here you can see that the XZ-10 (left) is slimmer than the XZ-2.

The XZ-10 had a slightly slower autofocus speed compared to the XZ-2. We also noticed that the XZ-10's LCD display would freeze momentarily upon focusing on a subject. While the freeze is less than a second, it is still noticeable, especially if your subject is moving, which may result in a focus area that is slightly-off.

We are unsure if the autofocus issue in the XZ-10 is present in retail models, so stay tuned to our review to find out!

Pentax Booth

Despite being less well-known than the larger camera manufacturers, Pentax has its own base of loyal fans and has been releasing interesting products such as their rugged camera line. While almost every camera manufacturer has their own rugged camera line, we have to admit Pentax has one of the coolest in the form of the newly-announced WG-3, WG-3 GPS and the WG-10. Do check out the link for complete details of these devices.

The WG-10 may be more affordable than the WG-3, but it didn't feel any less tough to us!

Sony Booth

The Sony RX100 has got to be one of the best digital compacts we reviewed last year, and Sony has decided to set the bar higher with the RX1. Featuring a full-frame sensor and a fixed 35mm F2 lens, it was impossible to keep our hands to ourselves while we waited for the review unit to reach our office. We've a couple of teaser shots for you here, but stay tuned to our full review shortly.

The RX100 (left) was impressive enough, the RX1 is certain to raise the bar higher. The RX1 here features an optional electronic viewfinder.

Due to the RX1's larger sensor, it is of course larger than the RX100.

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