Thread: Canon sales and profits down

Canon's Q3 Profits Tumbled Down By 42% (Revenues By 13%) - Some Thoughts | CanonWatch CanonWatch

I know the economy is bad, and that's a big part of it, but I'm sure it has NOTHING to do with Canon not offering a decent mirrorless camera, right? (or a decent sensor compared to Nikon, right?)

The EOS M will do just fine once they release it. However, it feels like a half-hearted effort because it is. Canon knows that their lead is based on P&S, which will be lost to cell phones, and DSLRs, which will be lost to mirrorless. There will be more players and they just can't dominate the new market the way they did in the past.

Hmmm... early signs of Nokia Syndrome?

After reading this post, I remembered a LL article talking about industry insights, from past to present:

Drug Prophesis

Canon

Canon is the market leader. As is often the case when companies achieve that status, regardless of field, they tend to become overly conservative. Think Toyota. Think Microsoft. Not a bad thing to be the biggest, but it usually robs a company of hunger and leads to their playing things safe.

The EOS-M, Canon's initial answer to the mirrorless segment, is so me-too and unexciting that it might as well be a Toyota Camry.

This of course begs the question – what's wrong with unexciting? Unexciting can sell a lot of product, especially when it's well engineered and well built, as most Canon (and Toyota) products are. But for the photography enthusiast (which you likely are if you're reading this) there isn't much to get excited about. And it's excitement that generates upgrade and cross-over sales, isn't it?

Canons mirrorless has been out here in Asia for a while. It looks and feels like a P&S.

When you're #1, you focus on not losing marketshare as opposed to gaining marketshare ... defense instead of offense, defense will keep you in the game but you gotta score to win.

Gary

Originally Posted by tdp

Canons mirrorless has been out here in Asia for a while. It looks and feels like a P&S.

Is this in a good or bad way, e.g., is the build quality bad or is it easy to use?

The build quality is fine. The size, shape and plasticky feel makes me think the canon P&S folks got to design this one.

Based on my last purchase of a boring Canon product those company results don't surprise me.

The G1X and EOS M are two cameras with potential but hobbled by design.
Actually , I haven't paid much attention to their DSLR range but handling a 5D this morning I was shocked at how cheap it felt in the hand.
All rather sad really ; they've lost me a potential FF customer

Originally Posted by nippa

...I was shocked at how cheap it felt in the hand.

the 5D was released around the same time as the 450D IIRC... and, at the time, I chose to get a K200D instead of the 450D not only because of the massive price difference, but because the 450D felt like a toy. I would have gone with a Nikon D40 before I would have had a 450D. Plasticky, toylike, but with a reputation and resellers that push product (I believe they get bonuses based on sales). Thats why you'll see more Canon shooters than any other brand in my town.