Micron interview

• Brand: Micron
• Subject: Corporate
• Category: Interviews

While preparing the Photokina tour some of us talked about Micron and its line of sensor solutions. So after informing about Micron's activities we decided to set up a brief Q & A session with Suresh Venkatraman, director of Marketing Micron Imaging and Paul Clark, Regional Communications Manager Europe. And already after some minutes it was obvious that this company was not just playing around in the digital imaging market. It has actually come up wit great innovative ideas and a lot of Micron products we already got acquainted to; like the image sensors for camphones. What about high-speed recording? Not with 30 frames a sec., but what the heck… 5000 frames a second? The Micron guys showed us an amazing demonstration, impressive!

Leica interview

• Brand: Leica
• Subject: Corporate
• Category: Interviews

One of the surprises of the Photokina 2006 was Leica. And beside an interesting introduction of the compact camera series, and a digital SLR camera Leica unveiled their digital M camera; the Leica M8. The Leica M8 offers a resolution of 10.3 megapixels and incorporates a notably low-noise CCD image sensor has been rigorously optimized for the special features of the Leica M lens system. The special design of the viewfinder camera with no mirror box allows the typically compact and flat shape of the Leica M to be retained. The small focal length extension factor of 1.33 enables creative freedom even in digital Leica M Photography. We discussed the new Leica M8 with Michael Agel, Press + Public relations of Leica.

Panasonic interview

• Brand: Panasonic
• Subject: Corporate
• Category: Interviews

During out Photokina visit we had a meeting with Mister Suguru Takamatsu, Coordinator Marke-ting Team Overseas Sales & Marketing Group and Ichiro Kitao, Product Planning Manager, from Panasonic and discussed the status of the Panasonic L1 digital SLR camera and Panasonic's plans as to future DSLR cameras. Panasonic showcased their complete new series of digital compact and SLR cameras. The booth is very big and it shows Panasonic is serious about their position in the camera market. Visitors were able to touch and try the new Panasonic L1, Lumix FZ50 and LX2 cameras, and the ultra-compact FX3, FX03 and FX50 models. Suguru and Ichiro spend some time to have quick Q & A session with us.

Sigma interview

• Brand: Sigma
• Subject: Corporate
• Category: Interviews

It has been a while since we last spoke with Kazuto Yamaki, Chief Operating Officer, from Sigma Japan. I think it was since last PMA 2006 where we talked about the new FourThirds system lenses and Sigma's future in the digital SLR market. At this Photokina Sigma unveiled some very interesting products, and this time those are not only lenses. We took some time to set up a Q&A session at the booth from Sigma, and asked Kazuto Yamaki about Sigma's new digital SLR camera; the Sigma SD14 and their interesting DP1 high-end digital compact camera. Both cameras are of high interested among our readers. Unfortunately we have to wait for some time to get our hands on a full production model of the DP1 camera.

Nokia interview

• Brand: Nokia
• Subject: Corporate
• Category: Interviews

When we attended the Photokina 2006 event to work on our show report we had a short meeting with Eero Salmelin, Director Camera Unit Nokia. During our Q&A session we talked about the new Nokia N95 camera phone. In the words of Eero Salmelin, the new Nokia N95 Nokia N95 is more like an all-in-one multimedia computer with a great 2-way slide concept, integrated GPS functionality, a 5 Megapixel camera and support for high-speed networks. Nokia had a great position between the digital camera manufacturers and showed the public that they are ready to claim their share of the digital compact camera market. The Nokia N95 has a great design, feels solid and incorporates a long list of imaging and connectivity solutions.