Canon to supply FF Sensors to Nikon

[metoyou]

Not a rumour, more a prediction.
Is it so wild?

Martin

[blackshadow]

That would be like Ford making motors for GM cars - complete bollocks.

[farrukh]

It will happen when this url will become active: www.canon.com/products/nikon :lol:

[CoolToolGuy]

There would be a better chance of them supplying cropped CMOS sensors. That is the competitive high volume area. I just don't see Canon opening up a market to competition when they have it all to themselves.

But money has a strange way of influencing decisions. . . :confused:

Have Fun,

[ScottE]

That could mean the end to advances in technology. If Canon supplied the sensors for both mainstream manufacturers there would not be much concern about competition and no need for more research and development. A monopoly is the last thing we want to see as consumers.

[foty89]

You do have to wonder what Nikon will do now that SONY is making DSLR's and Nikon's chips too. How many think SONY is going to give Nikon their best stuff at the same time they use it in their own bodies?

[joegolf68]

NOT.

[Tom W]

You do have to wonder what Nikon will do now that SONY is making DSLR's and Nikon's chips too. How many think SONY is going to give Nikon their best stuff at the same time they use it in their own bodies?

If I were Nikon, I'd be looking real hard at a new supplier. Sony, as a direct competitor, cannot be trusted at this point.

[JohnnyG]

Too much of a "conflict of interest" to be believable!

[glowie]

That's like intel making chips for Apple Macs....oh..wait.

[convergent]

While I don't think this will happen, there is precedence for this kind of thing in the tech industries, and photography is rapidly becoming a tech industry. At one point, IBM was the OEM for most of the component parts that went into the Apple Macs... including processors, memory, etc. At one point, I believe that an IBM plant was actually making Mac laptops, or major parts of them. This was all at a time when IBM and Apple were pretty big rivals. IBM at one point paid Microsoft for software compontents to put into an operating system that they sold against Microsoft. Even the utility industries do this kind of thing... selling a resource to a competitor that will then sell it against them.

If Canon has an OEM division that sells components, and Nikon specs a sensor and Canon delivers the best product/price and wins the business... then it could happen. But, I don't expect to see it any time soon.

[GBRandy]

That's like intel making chips for Apple Macs....oh..wait.

That's funny.... :lol:

I think it could happen. But to what end? Some say you better quit buying Sony sensors and chips and view them as a competitor....perhaps Nikon is...and given that, the Canon sensor is a better device. So if you have to buy from a competitor, might as well buy the good stuff.

Now, If I were Canon...I would be selling a slightly lesser grade than what I perhaps had in my 1D series machines :wink:

Nikon is slipping too fast out of the picture by not having a sensor of their own....one of the reason I switched a few weeks back. Kinda sad, but unless they figure the electronics part out, they may have an issue in the high end market....

[blackshadow]

Big difference in the OEM "tech" market compared to the OEM camera market though. Most "tech" goods use fairly standard chips and components - whereas the sensor market for DSLRs is rather different, there isn't standardisation at this point and the sensor very much determines the finished product. I can't see Nikon going to their main competitor for the most important component of a DSLR and I can't see Canon supplying their main competitor either.

[FlashZebra]

If Nikon continues to sell millions of DSLR cameras, there will be someone very willing to supply them with a high quality sensor.

At the right price, even Canon might be willing to be the supplier.

With the huge Nikon sales of late, it is not unlikely that Sony is making more selling sensors to Nikon, than on the profit from their own DSLR offerings.

Nikon, Sony, and Canon all have the same motive, to make cash. If they can maximize cash by cutting off their competitor from sensors they will do that, but they would also be very happy making a pile of cash selling others their sensors.

Given different market dynamics, either approach might be likely.

Sony also sells Canon a pile of sensors for cameras, but currently not for DSLR cameras.

Enjoy! Lon

[Hellashot]

I've just read a rumor that Sony is talking with IBM to try to get them to make high density CMOS sensor for 1.5/1.6x dSLRs.

[BradT0517]

This is just as believable as Canon making high quality lenses for Nikon.

[shiato storm]

just don't mention this to ken rockwell!

oh and once upon a time didn't nikkor lenses come on canons? then they built the cameras to fit the lenses then the two companies split to the ones we love today?

[lostdoggy]

Convergent's assumption is base on a very broad timeline about 25 years.

The fact is that Kodak is now out of the DSLR market but are still R&D and manufacturing large image sensors that are being used by MF cameras. Recently they have signed an agreement with IBM and a Taiwanese Chip Co. to R&D and produce new CMOS sensors. If anything Nikon's parent company (One of the wealthiest in Japan) will solicite Kodak for a FF sensor.

[Blue S2]

Kodak supplied the Leica M8 sensor didnt they?

[BradT0517]

Not a rumour, more a prediction.
Is it so wild?

Martin

Do you have any references to back you up.;)

[metoyou]

Do you have any references to back you up.;)
'Do I have any references to back you up' ....do not understand the question?
Back up what? I would not see any reason to give anybody any reason to 'back me up' This is 'rumor' and rumors are rumors. They need no 'back up' they are only a bit of fun which some of use take too seriously.

Perhaps you meant to say 'Have you any references to back up the rumor'?
That would be a different question.

Well what type of references would you like? It's a rumor I heard...like most of us, we either read or hear these things and present them on the forum. That's what it's here for.

To me they are meant to be a not too serious attempt to start discussion as none of use really know what the market will evolve to. Some of use however, take these rumors very seriously.

One rumor (don't take it as fact!) is that Sony are working on a FF sensor themselves for a dslr. They supply large large sensors to other video camera manufacturers at present. They supply Nikon, as well as themselves, with sensors for the Nikon range at the moment. Why? Money, of course. Nikon is an established name in slr's, and Sony can sell (at present) more chips through the Nikon name than through their own dslr name (at present anyway)

If you take this to a logical conclusion, Kodak have supplied Canon with chip technology in the past. Canon boast they make their own sensors. This is true and no idle boast, but the original development came from Kodak, who supply lots of manufacturers with the technology.

Porsche do lots for Seat and supply them with engings. Rolls Royce supply competitors with engines, and many other s do the same. It's called franchising.

If the price is right, you would be surprised what manufactures would do.
Supplying a 'competitor' is not such a far out idea if you acn make more profit. Look at Fuji SLR bodies, they are older model Nikons.

We let our emotions rule here, large businesses rule with their heads and bank accounts. Our cameras are upgraded every 18 months with new this and that.....and we are riding a megapixel roller coaster, whether we like it or not.

I love the Rumor forum and enjoy reading the posts. I find them entertaining and relaxing.
In short, they are just a bit of light hearted fun IMHO.

Hope you also have fun reading.

[Alnitak]

"Porsche do lots for Seat..."

What's a Seat?:confused:

[metoyou]

"Porsche do lots for Seat..."

What's a Seat?:confused:

Its an automobile, made in Spain.
Quite well known in Europe. Porsche design the engines.
It is pronouced "sea-at" in Spanish.

[Alnitak]

Thanks!

[Blue S2]

Porsche does a lot for everyone! (its not easy being the best I guess!) The have a consulting and design division and often do design work. This goes from toasters and downhill racecars to insane engineering work. Seat is actually owned by VW, which technically is Porsche by blood.

In this sense, I could see Canon selling parts to others. I cannot see them selling a FF directly to Nikon. Maybe a different competitor, but not their direct one. I still do not think this would help though. Nikon would have to price high to cover their costs while Canon would see economies of scale due to needing even more chips produced and would probably drop their prices. Canon wins.

[Monito]

oh and once upon a time didn't nikkor lenses come on canons? then they built the cameras to fit the lenses then the two companies split to the ones we love today?

For a few years in the late 1930s and 1940s, Canon used Nikkor lenses on its first cameras (rangefinders). In the 1950s Canon began making its own lenses. So Nikkor lenses as part of the Canon product line is so ancient an issue as to be of interest only to rich collectors. It is a separate issue from modern users individually attaching Nikkor SLR lenses to Canons, since the Canon EOS mount is the universal acceptor among SLR mounts.

[bwolford]

That would be like Ford making motors for GM cars - complete bollocks.

Would you believe Honda OEMs engines to GM? It's true. This kind of technology sharing is not so odd...

[coreypolis]

you all forget Nikon VR is a product of Canon IS ;)

Not that I'm saying it'll happen, but the two working together isn't unheard of

[lostdoggy]

Would you believe Honda OEMs engines to GM? It's true. This kind of technology sharing is not so odd...

And Chrysler engine in Toyotas (Sequoia & Tacoma)

[lostdoggy]

Toyota Engines in GM (Prism)

[lostdoggy]

But no company is going to lent out their Flagship to its competitor.

[scotty7]

My thinking on why Canon is the only manufacture with a FF sensor is they own the patent protection for it. At one time Canon was the only one with Ultrasonic Motors until the patent ran out then Nikon and Sigma developed their motors (Silent Wave and HSM). Same thing with Image Stabilization. I think Canon had a run of about 5 years with those two developments, and I'd expect the same with FF sensors. Just my guess.

[coreypolis]

My thinking on why Canon is the only manufacture with a FF sensor is they own the patent protection for it. At one time Canon was the only one with Ultrasonic Motors until the patent ran out then Nikon and Sigma developed their motors (Silent Wave and HSM). Same thing with Image Stabilization. I think Canon had a run of about 5 years with those two developments, and I'd expect the same with FF sensors. Just my guess.
Actually Canon sold their IS to Nikon ;)