Skip to main content
Read page text
page 4
G E T T Y I M A G E S / L U K E C H A N © The Chinese market is becoming even more impor tant for makers DSLRs and compacts not dead yet: market data THE CAMERA and Imaging Products Association (CIPA) trade body in Japan has released its latest data for Februar y, and it makes interesting reading. First the number of mirrorless camera units shipped, and the value of these shipments, rose compared to last Februar y – up a healthy 43% and 47% respectively (642,000 cameras went to market in the month). This reflects the continued demand for higher-end mirrorless models, for which makers can charge more. More unusual is the revelation that while DSLR shipments only rose 2% year on year in Februar y, the value of these shipments jumped by 10%. It’s not totally clear why, but UK retailers repor t that DSLR prices aren’t being discounted. ‘Also, DSLRs don’t typically appear in promotions these days, such as when cashback is activated,’ said Andy Steel from Park Cameras. This is backed up by Nikon specialist, Grays of Westminster. ‘All Nikon’s attention and promotion is on its Z mirrorless system at the moment.’ In addition, Nikon now focuses on higherpriced full-frame DSLRs, while the Chinese market continues to grow. It’s a similar stor y with compacts. Shipments remained flat year on year, but the value jumped 28% to ¥12.31 billion (around £64.5 million). Again, we assume this is down to less discounting or greater demand for premium compacts, including from China. The success of the Fujifilm X100VI will presumably boost the numbers even more. Record-breaking astro camera reaches for sky THE 3,200MP Legacy Sur vey of Space and Time (LSST) camera has been completed with funding from the US Depar tment of Energy’s Office of Science. This makes it the highest-resolution astro camera to date. The camera weighs 3 tonnes and can capture an area seven times wider than a full moon. In a more down-to-ear th comparison, its optics and sensor can capture a golf ball from 15 miles away. The camera has three huge lenses, with the biggest over 5ft tall, with bespoke filters enabling scientists to analyse near-infrared, ultraviolet, and visible light. These lenses will open for 15 seconds to take each photo, and the camera will switch to the next image five seconds later. It’s hoped the LSST will help scientists get a better understanding of dark matter and dark energy, which makes up 95% of the mass-energy of the universe. ‘We haven’t been able to detect dark matter so far,’ said the Office of Science. ‘However, like footprints, dark matter leaves imprints on the universe that we can see.’ The LSST will be housed at an obser vator y in the Chilean Andes mountains. See bit.ly/andestelescope Scientists will use this massive camera L A B O R A T O R Y S L A C N A T I O N A L A C C E L E R A T O R © O F T H E Y E A R P H O T O G R A P H E R L A D Y F O O D I N K ’ C O N N E L L / P S U E O © Feed your creativit y THIS striking image by Sue O’Connell is amongst the recently announced shor tlist from the 2024 Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year competition. The winners will be revealed on 4 June 2024 at an awards evening in London, with the overall winner getting a prize of £5,000. An exhibition of all of the finalists’ images will also premiere at The Mall Galleries, London, near Trafalgar Square. See the full shor tlist at bit.ly/foodPOTYcut 4 www.amateurphotographer.com
page 5
Taylor Wessing prize open for entries THE NATIONAL Por trait Galler y has announced that the prestigious Taylor Wessing Photo Por trait Prize is now open for entries. Por trait shooters have until 10pm (BST) on 7 May 2024 to enter. The competition is open to photographers worldwide aged 18 or over, with a grand title prize of £15,000. An exhibition will be held from 14 November, featuring the winning and shor tlisted photos. See bit.ly/taylorwopens ‘Diena’ by Alexandre Silberman won first prize last year I Z E I T P R P O R T R A P H O T O I N G W E S S I L B E R M A N / T A Y L O R A L E X A N D R E S © Honey, I shrunk the Polaroid POLAROID has announced the Go Generation 2, which it describes as the ‘world’s smallest instant camera.’ Along with a smaller body than the already tiny Polaroid Go, the camera features a larger f/9 and f/42 aper ture (instead of f/12 to f/56), a higher maximum shutter speed of up to 1/300sec and a more ‘precise’ light sensor for brighter images. The Go Generation 2 also has a built-in selfie mirror, self-timer and double exposure modes, and is compatible with Polaroid Go film. Available now, it costs £79.99 (camera-only), with various bundles also available. Polaroid’s Go Generation 2 www.amateurphotographer.com 5

Page Text

View plaintext

G E T T Y I M A G E S / L U K E C H A N

©

The Chinese market is becoming even more impor tant for makers

DSLRs and compacts not dead yet: market data

THE CAMERA and Imaging Products Association (CIPA) trade body in Japan has released its latest data for Februar y, and it makes interesting reading. First the number of mirrorless camera units shipped, and the value of these shipments, rose compared to last Februar y – up a healthy 43% and 47% respectively (642,000 cameras went to market in the month). This reflects the continued demand for higher-end mirrorless models, for which makers can charge more.

More unusual is the revelation that while DSLR shipments only rose 2% year on year in Februar y, the value of these shipments jumped by 10%. It’s not totally clear why, but UK retailers repor t that DSLR prices aren’t being discounted. ‘Also, DSLRs don’t typically appear in promotions these days, such as when cashback is activated,’ said Andy Steel from Park Cameras. This is backed up by Nikon specialist, Grays of Westminster. ‘All Nikon’s attention and promotion is on its Z mirrorless system at the moment.’

In addition, Nikon now focuses on higherpriced full-frame DSLRs, while the Chinese market continues to grow.

It’s a similar stor y with compacts. Shipments remained flat year on year, but the value jumped 28% to ¥12.31 billion (around £64.5 million). Again, we assume this is down to less discounting or greater demand for premium compacts, including from China. The success of the Fujifilm X100VI will presumably boost the numbers even more.

Record-breaking astro camera reaches for sky

THE 3,200MP Legacy Sur vey of Space and Time (LSST) camera has been completed with funding from the US Depar tment of Energy’s Office of Science. This makes it the highest-resolution astro camera to date.

The camera weighs 3 tonnes and can capture an area seven times wider than a full moon. In a more down-to-ear th comparison, its optics and sensor can capture a golf ball from 15 miles away. The camera has three huge lenses, with the biggest over 5ft tall, with bespoke filters enabling scientists to analyse near-infrared, ultraviolet, and visible light. These lenses will open for 15 seconds to take each photo, and the camera will switch to the next image five seconds later.

It’s hoped the LSST will help scientists get a better understanding of dark matter and dark energy, which makes up 95% of the mass-energy of the universe. ‘We haven’t been able to detect dark matter so far,’ said the Office of Science. ‘However, like footprints, dark matter leaves imprints on the universe that we can see.’ The LSST will be housed at an obser vator y in the Chilean Andes mountains. See bit.ly/andestelescope

Scientists will use this massive camera

L A B O R A T O R Y

S L A C N A T I O N A L A C C E L E R A T O R

©

O F T H E Y E A R

P H O T O G R A P H E R

L A D Y F O O D

I N K

’ C O N N E L L / P

S U E O

©

Feed your creativit y

THIS striking image by Sue O’Connell is amongst the recently announced shor tlist from the 2024 Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year competition. The winners will be revealed on 4 June 2024 at an awards evening in London, with the overall winner getting a prize of £5,000. An exhibition of all of the finalists’ images will also premiere at The Mall Galleries, London, near Trafalgar Square. See the full shor tlist at bit.ly/foodPOTYcut

4

www.amateurphotographer.com

read next page

My Bookmarks

Buy this Book
Skip to main content