http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTOE69000B20101001?feedType=RSS&feedName=technology-media-telco-SP
What does this mean for Nikon?
I mean if Sony is outsourcing to Fujitsu does that mean Nikon sensors may start being produced by them?
Sony outsourcing sensor production to Fujitsu
(8 posts) (7 voices)-
Posted 2 years ago #
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The article states Sony will outsource some of their sensor production, not all. Amount of outsourcing will depend on a number of factors such as supply/demand, cost, and so forth. My guess is the lower-end sensors will be outsourced at this time (cell phones, point and shoot, ...).
If Sony and Nikon have a technology agreement, there's usually verbage in the contract that states the manufacturer cannot outsource production without notifying the client. in this case, Sony would have to notify Nikon in advance and Nikon would have to agree to let their sensors be outsourced or cancel the contract. this may explain why some of the newer Nikon sensors are being produced by Nikon themselves.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Yup, I think this just futhure shows why Nikon is pushing to make it's own sensors in more cameras. I know some people are saying Nikon is using Sony sensors, but you just have to look at the dimensions of the silicon compared to Sony sensors of the same resolution, and they are different physically.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Nikon designs - a fab fabricates. Chip design and fabbing are two different phases mostly done by two different companies. Bring a design, big order, and truckload of money, and IBM will make anything for you.
In Japan, camera companies see themselves as traditional Oriental trading companies, and there is lots of outsourcing. Cosina makes lenses for Carl Zeiss, the FM10 for Nikon, as well as Voigtlander and Epson cameras. Panasonic makes Leica compacts. Fuji make - or made - the Hassleblad XPan. Minolta made the Leica CL. Nikon made bodies for Fuji and Kodak. Canon also made a Kodak body. My Plaubel Makina 67 was made by either Copal or Mamiya and has a Nikon 80mm f/2.8 lens. The list could nearly go on endlessly. With trading companies, it is just business as usual.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Inbolch's got it right. No one should read too much into these announcements. I think Fujitsu makes those really small compact sensors for a bunch of companies.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Interesting article thanks for sharing that with us. It makes sense then why some of the new Nikon bodies have a Nikon designed sensor recently. It must cost much more for Nikon to do this I would imagine. Nikon is probably looking for a replacement for Sony now I bet to cut research and developement costs again.
Posted 2 years ago # -
For low end products, it doesn't make sense to make chips yourself, when you can get a commodity in the market place. It also helps you run a fab profitably if you focus on high end products (for yourself and others) and have other sources of chips for the lowest end of what yo produce so your fab can run at capacity as the overall market expands and contracts If they stop making Image sensors the annoucement will look something like "Sony spins off their semiconductor business."
Posted 2 years ago # -
For low end products, it doesn't make sense to make chips yourself, when you can get a commodity in the market place. It also helps you run a fab profitably if you focus on high end products (for yourself and others) and have other sources of chips for the lowest end of what yo produce so your fab can run at capacity as the overall market expands and contracts If they stop making Image sensors the annoucement will look something like "Sony spins off their semiconductor business."
Posted 2 years ago #
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