Japan’s major camera brands are changing their marketing strategies from volume sale to profit gains by expanding their interchangeable lens line-up and maintenance services to avoid price competition. Canon plans to introduce 10 new lens models during 2014. The company will release two new lenses to begin with in June—the EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM for professionals and the EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM for general use. Both are ultra-wide zoom lenses. Canon has stationed some 30% more repair staff in the Oita factory in order to shorten the repair lead-time. Claim or complaint information from its customers will be passed on to the product development team for improving products.
Sony will concentrate on the 35mm format interchangeable lenses and special interest lenses such as macro or ultra-wide. Olympus Imaging will expand free lens-cleaning services. Ricoh Imaging will mobilize its showroom in Tokyo and let out camera models and lenses to increase users and offer more photography classes, which were held over 300 times in the fiscal year 2013.
