APS-C remains our biggest market: interview with Kenji Tanaka, head of Sony’s camera and lens division

The A6500 or A7s II receiver announcement that many expected from Sony at Photokina 2018 never happened. Instead, its closest competitors showed their new cameras. But the company, which used to be number one in the market, didn’t seem to care at all. While at the show, Les Num correspondents&eacute riques was able to speak with Kenji Tanaka, vice president and director of Sony’s camera and lens division.

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Les Num&eacute riques:Canon and Nikon announced their full-frame mirrorless cameras, and then on the first day of Photokina, Panasonic did so in collaboration with Leica and Sigma. How do you feel about the entry of new players in a market where you were essentially alone?

Kenji Tanaka: This is very good news! New players coming in will affect market expansion. Competition is very important here, because it will revitalize and stimulate this sector.

Les Num&eacute So you’re confident you can maintain your leadership position?

Kenji Tanaka: Certainly Sony is leading the world, both in sales of full frame cameras and in the mirrorless camera sector in general. We owe our success to innovation and the ability to create everything that makes up our products. For five years our camera designs have been built around five pillars, which are: optics, image quality, speed, battery life, and lastly the low weight and compact size.

Les Num&eacute riques: You have a wide range of optics for the E mount, so Canon and Nikon will have to work hard to match it. But Sigma’s presence in the L-Mount alliance is a big advantage for Panasonic, isn’t it??

Kenji Tanaka: We currently have 48 lenses on E mount which are compatible with our wide range of mirrorless cameras. Twelve more lenses should be coming soon. Sigma will have to work hard!

Les Num&eacute riques: You just said about cameras. We were expecting the successor to the A6500 at this Photokina. What’s the status of the new models? What are your APS-C cameras to you? ?

Kenji Tanaka: Our range of APS-C mirrorless cameras is very important to us. We offer a lot of full-frame models, but the APS-C market is still our biggest market. We are not showing any new products at this Photokina, but they will come for sure. I can’t tell you yet when.

Les Num&eacute We talked about E mount, but what about A mount?? You haven’t announced any new cameras since the A99 II was released.

Kenji Tanaka: We will continue to support the A mount. Of course our E mount lineup is bigger today, but we also have customers who are interested in or using our A mount lineup.

Les Num&eacute riques: The smartphone has replaced the camera for many users, and that’s an area where you are also present. However, you’re not showing any smartphones at Photokina. Why?

Kenji Tanaka: That’s a good question. Smartphone users, what we call “creative types” have a lot of fun creating photos and videos with their phones. But when they want better image quality, they always turn to our cameras. However, that doesn’t stop us from wondering how to introduce smartphones at Photokina.