According to the analysis of user trend in Japan for the most popular camera sales ranking from 5/14 to 5/20. The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-TZ3 took the number one spot for a continuous of 3 weeks. This camera is the latest members of the award-winning Lumix TZ family of digital cameras, which is renowned for packaging a remarkable 10x optical zoom in a compact, stylish body. To further add to their appeal, the TZ3 go one step further to feature a 28mm wide-angle Leica DC lens (equivalent to 28-280mm on a 35mm film camera) for wide-angle shooting.

The Olympus Camedia SP-550UZ camera took the number 2 spot pushing the Canon IXY Digital 900IS down to number 3. The Camedia SP-550UZ is a digital camera with 18X optical zoom (28-504mm equiv.), a 7 Megapixel CCD sensor, 5.6x digital zoom, a 2.5-inch LCD display, ISO up to 5000 and anti-shake protection.

Number 3 is the Canon IXY Digital 900IS, US name of Canon PowerShot SD800 IS Digital ELPH. This camera offers a focal length range of 28 – 105mm (35mm equivalent), and a 3.8x optical zoom lens allows photographers to capture wider panoramas, architectural photos and group shots. The lens incorporates Canon’s optical Image Stabilizer to counteract the effects of camera shake for steadier performance in low light, at full zoom or when shooting from moving vehicles.

The Fuji FinePix F31fd dropped 4 ranking down to the 9th position, and the only DSLR camera that made it to the top 10 is Pentax K10D, at number 10 ranking. Here’s the top 10 ranking between 5/14 - 5/20 in Japan:

1. Panasonic LUMIX DMC-TZ3
2. Olympus CAMEDIA SP-550UZ
3. Canon IXY DIGITAL 900IS
4. Olympus μ770SW
5. Nikon COOLPIX P5000
6. Ricoh R6 DIGITAL
7. Kodak EasyShare V705
8. Ricoh GR DIGITAL
9. Fuji FinePix F31fd
10. Pentax K10D
    

Website : Japan Most Popular Camera Ranking - May 14 to May 20

NeoCamera did a great comparison between the two camera. The Sony Alpha A100 and the Pentax K10D compete head-to-head with the most similar feature set among 10 megapixels DSLR cameras. These two digital cameras share the same image sensor, built-in stabilization and dust-reduction. Besides the lens mount, the most prominent feature difference is the Pentax K10D’s weather-sealed body. Note that weather-sealing is only truly effective when using weather-sealed lenses. The first two such lenses, the 16-50 F2.8 and the 50-135 F2.8, are expected to ship in May 2007.

The remaining differences between the Alpha A100 and the K10D can be spit into performance features and usability features. Since these camera’s share the same sensor, performance differences were not expected to be significant. Here are the relative advantages of each camera over the other:

Sony Alpha A100: 

• Greater sharpness
• Better automatic white-balance
• Superior image stabilization
• Easier to use with gloves
• More usable status screen
• Eye-start sensor efficiently controls status display
• Keyed ISO settings help with high-contrast subjects
• DRO optimizes image tonality directly in-camera
• Wider range of image parameters, although with larger increments
• Customizable EC and AEL behavior
• Eye-start auto focus
• More lenses currently in production

Pentax K10D:

• Lower image noise
• More image details
• Better color accuracy
• White-balance preview
• Greater accessibility of features
• Larger and brighter viewfinder
• Top-mounted status screen
• Unique exposure modes
• Customizable Auto-ISO and Program line
• Finer control of image parameters including white-balance
• Weather sealing with applicable lenses when they become available
• In-camera RAW development

Website :  Pentax K10D vs Sony Alpha A100

PENTAX announced that the PENTAX K10D DSLR camera, first launched in November 2006, was selected as the winner of the Camera Grand Prix 2007 award in Japan. The selection was made because of the K10D’s exceptional image quality and array of advanced features, including the PENTAX-original Shake Reduction system.

The Camera Grand Prix is held annually under the sponsorship of the Camera Journal Press Club (CJPC), a group of photography writers from Japan’s 11 leading photo and camera magazines. This is one of the most prestigious camera awards in Japan, as it recognizes what the group sees as the most distinguished of all new still cameras introduced to the Japanese market from April 1 to March 31.

The panel particularly praised its compatibility with existing lenses: “By assuring compatibility with a wide selection of existing lenses, the K10D extends tremendous versatility and unique benefits to its users, and makes digital photography more fun and exciting from the photographer’s point of view. In all, the K10D must be seen as a complete and remarkable camera system.”

Website :  Pentax K10D Won “Camera Grand Prix 2007” in Japan

Pentax Corp. has announced the mid-term management plan for FY2007-2009 and financial results for the year ended in March 2007 (from April 2006 to March 2007). Sales rose 10.6% year-on-year (YoY) to ¥157.3 billion and operating income also grew 89.3% YoY to ¥5.7 billion. Income margin rose 1.5 points YoY to 3.6%. The Imaging System Business Division that sells digital SLR cameras enjoyed favorable sales growth. The Division made operating income of ¥3.1 billion, coming back to profitability from a 1.2 billion deficit logged in the same period last year.

The company reports that sales of the K10D digital SLR camera especially grew in and outside Japan after its launch in November 2006, among other products. Pentax digital cameras, including compact cameras, sold 3 million units, 300,000 units of which were reportedly SLR models. To achieve the annual sales of 1 million SLR cameras. The IS Division that sells digital cameras will focus on digital SLR cameras. Pentax will expand the lines of products from entry to high-end models. The company expects the annual sales of 500,000, 750,000 and 1 million units in FY2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively. Regarding the compact digital cameras, the company plans to ensure profitability by focusing on the introduction of models with unique features, instead of increasing the yield. The sales target of the compact digital cameras are 2.5 million, 2.75 million and 3 million units in FY2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively.

Pentax is restricted from making any negotiations for partnership or venture agreement with other companies besides HOYA until May 31, 2007. Thus, Pentax describes the mid-term plan as “a strategy under restrictions which can be carried out by Pentax alone.” Although some news reported that Pentax is “planning to sell the headquarters,” the company denied the speculation, commenting “there is no such plan at the moment.”
Website :  ‘Head Office is Not for Sale’ — Pentax sold 300,000 SLR units

According to the Pentax’s management plan obtained by The Yomiuri Shimbun, Pentax Corp. plans to sell the land and buildings of its headquarters in Tokyo after transferring most of its functions to offices in Saitama and Tochigi prefectures, and spend the 12 billion yen it stands to gain on strengthening its finances.The camera maker intends to focus on camera, medical equipment and optical component business fields, while withdrawing from unprofitable fields such as making printers, according to the plan.

Pentax plans to increase its operating profits from the 6 billion yen estimated for the business year ending in March 2007 to about 10 billion yen over three years. The firm will officially announce the plan Friday.

Pentax is reluctant to accept a takeover bid by glass maker Hoya Corp. and will attempt to seek survival on its own with the management plan. The firm will sell the 10,000 square meters of land it owns in Itabashi Ward and its headquarters building and a research facility located there.

The research facility will be sold to a major real estate company within this fiscal year. Most of the firm’s research division personnel and functions will be transferred to its office in Mashikomachi, Tochigi Prefecture. The company will invite bids for the land within the next three years, according to the plan.

Regarding business operations, the firm will withdraw from unprofitable fields such as manufacturing printers and measurement equipment. A medical research facility in Saitama Prefecture will be dismantled, and some affiliated sales companies in the United States will be sold.

The firm does not plan any layoffs. Instead, it will put most of its staff and funds into the three main businesses, according to the plan.

Website :  Pentax sell the headquarters land & buildings in Tokyo

“There has never been a better time to buy a digital SLR as figures show the average price falling by over £100 in the past year.

In the first three months of 2007, the average selling price of a DSLR (body only) was £466, compared to £567 in the same period in 2006, according to figures released by market analysts at GfK.

That equates to a fall of around 18% in 12 months and 35% since the summer of 2005 when the average DSLR price stood at around £715 – around £250 more than now. However, the news prompted GfK to warn the UK industry: ‘We have seen volume sales grow quite significantly over the last six months but this, of course, cannot go on indefinitely and a decline in volume will likely be followed by a value decline.’

The value of the overall digital imaging market in Britain dropped by 8% in the first three months of the year, compared to the same quarter last year, despite the number of digital cameras sold rising by 3%. “

Website : Digital SLR prices tumble

Website : DSLR Camera for only $299?

SR has introduced an LED ring light that features two flexible arms. The Digi-Slave Flex-Ring 6400 has 32 LEDs mounted on the ring and 16 LEDs on a panel at the end of each arm.

The Flex-Ring 6400 features a variable power dial for adjusting the LEDs’ brightness and can be either switched on as a continuous light source or triggered from a standard PC or hotshoe sync. The ring and side-panel LEDs can also be used separately.

The light mount is threaded to fit on a 72mm-diameter lens and can be used on smaller-diameter optics with a step-down ring. It operates on four AA batteries or an optional AC adapter.

The Digi-Slave Flex-Ring 6400 is available now from SR for $400.

Website : SR Introduces Ring Light With Flexible Arms

Version 1.2 of the K10D’s firmware adds support for the new Pentax Remote Assistant 3 software, which allows photographers to control one or more cameras from a USB-connected computer. Remote Assistant 3 provides timer, bulb and interval-shooting options in addition to real-time control.Pentax has also updated its Photo Browser 3 and Photo Laboratory 3 desktop software. Photo Browser 3.11 provides integration with Remote Assistant versions 1 and 3, and supports data from the Pentax DA* 16mm-50mm f/2.8 and DA* 50mm-135mm f/2.8 lenses. Photo Laboratory 3.10 adds native support for Intel Macs and improved white balance adjustments.

In addition, the company has released a RAW codec for 32-bit versions of the Windows Vista operating system, which allow Vista’s Photo Gallery to open RAW files from the following Pentax cameras: K10D, K100D, K110D, *istDS, *istDS2, *istDL, *istDL2, *istD.

Website : Pentax Upgrades SLR Firmware and Software