Digital Camera strategy: Launch more, sell more

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Mon, 03/06/2006 7:46 AM  |  Life

Zatni Arbi, Contributor, Jakarta

How do industry leaders maintain their leading position? In the consumer product segment, it seems that one effective strategy is to keep bombarding the consumers with new products. Take Nokia, for example. Trying to keep up with its new handset products is like running a marathon. It demands a lot of stamina. But the result is outstanding. The company has been by far the leading handset producer in the world, controlling more than 30 percent of market share worldwide.

Canon may be another case in point. It is hard to keep track of the new digital cameras that it introduces to the market. Just last week, Datascrip-Canon's distributor for Indonesia held yet another press conference in which no less than eight new digital cameras and a two photo printers were introduced. Apparently, this level of aggressiveness has enabled the Japanese company to stay on top.

Because they have just been launched, I have not yet had the opportunity to borrow a demo unit. However, there are a number of interesting new features that we can talk about.

Let us start with the most affordable models, the PowerShot A420 and A430. Their main attractiveness is, well, their affordability. The 4MP (megapixel) with 3.2x optical zoom A420 carries a price tag of US$155, while the 4MP A430 with 4x optical zoom A430 costs $180. The latter comes in four different colors to match our mood or the color of our clothes.

A more important new feature is My Colors. It allows us to customize the colors in the picture that we have taken. It can be used, for instance, to enhance skin tone or add brightness to an object's face. Or, if you want a bluer sea or greener grass in your picture, you can choose the Vivid Blue or Vivid Green setting in My Colors. Both of these affordable models already have this function.

In the midrange, Canon introduced the PowerShot A530 and A540. The A530 is a 5 MP camera, while PowerShot A540 is one MP higher. Both also include the My Colors feature, which is part of the Picture Effect functions.

Still images can be captured with a 16:9 aspect ratio and they can be displayed on a wide-screen or a standard 4:3 TV set. Furthermore, if we insert a 1GB memory card into one of these cameras, we will be able to record video for up to 60 minutes. Camcorder makers have to work hard to keep their products competitive against these small digital cameras.

The high end of this group is definitely the PowerShot A700 ($ 320). It has the large 2.5-inch LCD monitor, which is getting increasingly popular today. More importantly is the ability to capture images at ISO 800 equivalent sensitivity rating. Canon claims that this rating has passed the industry tests for accuracy.

Those who prefer the credit-card size Ixus cameras are also in for a treat. The Digital Ixus Wireless, for example can send picture files over a Wi-Fi connection to a Wi-Fi supporting printer. Of course we need to set up the connection before using the wireless connection to ensure that only certain cameras can have their pictures printed.

Digital Ixus 60 ($ 355) does not have the Wi-Fi support, but it has a larger, 2.5-inch LCD monitor. Both of them have a Night Display and Grid Line monitor, which makes aiming easier during the dark night.

Canon PowerShot S3 IS is another irresistible camera for professional and consumer (prosumer) segment. The IS stands for Image Stabilizer, which ensures that pictures will not be blurred even if you have rather unsteady hands. At 12x, the zoom capability is very impressive, too. This model uses a 36-432 mm lens, which is great for capturing the architectural magnificence of the old buildings in Barcelona. All the nifty features of the other cameras are available in this one. I wish I had this camera during my trip last month.

The true professional will certainly choose the 8.2 MP EOS 30D, the latest SLR camera from Canon. There are so many features in this model that only true professional photographers can understand them.

Incidentally, Canon is reportedly the current leader in professional digital camera segment. But, for now, let us hope that I can get a chance to review one of the consumer models before they get updated again.

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