Digital BW, The Print

Pics4U@... wrote:

>
> My bet is that either (or both) Nikon and Canon are on the fast track 
> to developing their
> own Foveon CMOS technology.  If Foveon X3 is all they claim it to be, 
> there HAS to be a
> reason one of the biggies didn't pick up on it.  Either it isn't 
> really ready for prime time
> yet, they are taking a wait n' see attitude, (doubtful) or they wanted 
> too much money (also
> doubtful) or licensing was too restrictive or they already had their 
> own version in R&D.


Actually, neither Nikon or Canon MAKE their own CCD or CMOS arrays. 
 They are made by one of three worldwide firms.. If I remember 
correctly, Sony, Phillips, and Foveon.

That said.

Canon and Nikon have invested a lot of short term $$ (while the Japanese 
economy has been trash) to pursues CCD and CMOS integration based upon a 
different technological model.

With the Foveon chip you would need to redesign much of the 
pre-processing and some of the capture engineering. It's not plug and play..

My guess is that Canon and Nikon went with what was looking good 
off-the-shelf (partly because they both had to compete in the 
wire-service and news market), they couldn't wait for a possible future 
technology.

The problem is that Canon and Nikon now have invested in a technology 
that may have been leap-frogged..

It's very reminiscent of the US carmakers in the 70's -  they focussed 
on big cars - gas crisis hits, but there's an economic slump at the 
time. Japanese carmakers have a fuel efficient product already and don't 
have to retool their industrial base to produce compacts (they already 
did)..  US automakers don't have the $$ to begin to catch up for 
years... Eventually all this even darn near kills off Chrysler (absent a 
US Gov't bail-out)..

Similarly, if  Nikon and Canon change direction now, it's going to take 
beau coup $$.. not for licensing as much as for redesign etc.. AND 
 although Foveon's deal with Sigma may not be exclusive, it's very 
likely that both Canon and Nikon have multi-year contracts with the 
other chip suppliers... If they change direction, kiss that money bye-bye..

PLUS, word is that the FOVEON chip is based on a design that already 
held a patent (used in spy satellites and recon drones).  If so, then 
Phillips and Sony cannot develop a chip based on the same technology for 
a bunch of years, unless THEY license the technology...   I'd call that 
about as likely as Intel licensing technology from AMD.  Unfortunately, 
all that means Nikon and Canon get hurt by being locked into the 
non-FOVEON chipmakers, and buyers get hurt ny having less options on 
bodies incorporating a breakthrough technology.. oh well, that's business..

I have to say this I will personally enjoy the poetic irony if these two 
Japanese giants of  photography (Canon & Nikon/Mitsubishi)  take some 
major hits here. The more makers in the market the better the gear we 
all get..  I use Nikon bodies, but am in no way wedded to them..  It's 
just another tool.. As long as my tool works, that's all I care about.

I use a bunch of Sigma, Tamron, Tokina, and Nikon lenses... if Sigma 
forces the big guys to produce better product at lower prices, so be it...

$3000 for the Body Sigma is trumpeting (if it performs as claimed)  will 
be a fair deal..

 
Oh yeah.. the camera is "up" at the Sigma site if anyone did NOT know that..

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/Html/news/news_sd9_fs.htm


[Keith]
 
 

****************************************************************
CONFIDENTIALITY & COPYRIGHT NOTICE:
This e-mail message, including attachments and contents, is © Copyright, 
Keith Krebs, 2001, All Rights Reserved. It is expressly for the sole use 
of the intended recipient and may contain confidential and privileged 
information. Absent the express written authorization of the author, any 
unauthorized review, use, disclosure, transfer, or distribution is 
explicitly prohibited and taken at your own risk. If you are not, or are 
unsure whether you are, the intended recipient, please contact the 
sender immediately and destroy all copies of the original message. 
Violations will be prosecuted to the FULL extent allowed under 
applicable civil and criminal law. Imagery published or distributed in 
violation of these conditions shall be subject to a $1500/image 
liquidated damages charge, in addition to any applicable Copyright 
violation penalties.

[POV IMage Service Banner]
****************************************************************
{ The P.O.V. Image Service Website is still at http://www.p-o-v-image.com/ }




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]