Now this is going bad folks: Sony said coronavirus outbreak could affect image sensor and electronics business enormously

Yesterday we heard from CIPA that 2019 was the worst year of the decade for the camera industry. Well now I am 99,9999% sure 2020 will be even worse. Today Sony told investors that the coronavirus outbreak will affect their business:

“we cannot deny that our production and sales supply chain for the image sensor and electronics business could be affected enormously.”

Now, all depends on how long this outbreak will last….but the outlook is grim for the industry.

On a personal note: I wish all the best to anyone affected by this!

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via Nikkei

 

Oh no! Sigma officially said Full Frame Foveon is not coming this year :(

Damn it! This was probably the most exciting camera of the year but Sigma just announced they have to totally scrap what they have done so far and restart completely the development. This is very sad news and I guess we will not see any Foveon camera for the next 2-3 years :(

Here is the Press text:

Development status of the full-frame Foveon sensor camera

Dear Customers,

Thank you for being a valued customer.

At Photokina in September 2018, SIGMA announced the development of an L-mount mirrorless camera equipped with a full-frame Foveon sensor. Then, at CP+2019, we shared our plan to release the camera in 2020 and have worked diligently on the development to meet our commitment.

As a result of careful and rigorous testing based on the latest development information, however, it has become clear that the launch of such a camera would be infeasible within this year. Still at this point, we cannot say for certain when the full-frame Foveon X3 sensor will be put into mass production.

In light of current development progress, we are not in a position to offer any specific release plan at present. We have therefore decided that we should start over the project with a clean slate, putting the production plan for this new camera back to the drawing board and going back to the development of sensor technologies.

Since the earlier announcements, your excitement with the launch of a “full-frame Foveon” has been a tremendous source of inspiration and encouragement for us. Everyone involved in the project has pulled out all the stops to make it a reality. I would like to express my deepest apologies for failing to meet your expectations and having to share this disappointing news.

I would like to emphasize that Foveon sensors are in a class of their own and that they are part of the identity of SIGMA cameras that embodies our ideals and philosophies. We are determined to continue dedicating ourselves to technology development to bring better image sensors to life.

I would like to once again express my sincerest gratitude to our valued customers for the strong support you have offered to us. On behalf of all SIGMA employees, I commit myself to you that we continue striving to live up to your expectation and prove that we are worthy of your trust.

I truly appreciate your patience and understanding.

Warmest regards,

Kazuto Yamaki
Chief Executive Officer
SIGMA Corporation

via Dpreview

All we know about the new Fuji X-T4

The Fujifilm X-T4 teaser page is up and running. On February 26 Fuji is set to kill the APS-C competition by launching a camera that all the features you will ever need: Top video features, IBIS, new sensor, larger battery.

Here are all details:

  • X-T4 with IBIS
  • expect a T4 about 1/3 of an inch thicker, and about 5-6oz heavier
  • On a good note expect 6k60 and 10bit internal
  • New Fujifilm NP-W235 battery
  • anamorphic ratio
  • fully articulating flippy…essentially an S1H but APSc with Fuji color and obviously much smaller
  • release end of 2020

So the real ONLY downside is that you will have to wait til end 2020 before the camera hits the market. This gives the competition at least some time to catch up…but I question if this will happen. Nikon-Canon-Sony are too focused on their FF cameras and Olympus-Panasonic keep using the same 56 year old sensors :(

Still, in a world that is focused on FF I wonder if Fujis startegy will play out well. I still think they should make a Full Frame X-T camera version!

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via Fujirumors