Etud,
Yes, that is one of the big challenges facing Canon. They may be number 1 in photographic equipment, but in the broader semiconductor and imaging sensor world they are minnows. Data that I have looked at indeed has Sony at over 40% market share, whilst Canon have been dropping through the single digits, and if the paper shuffling of internal transfer pricing is taken out their market share is more like ~3%.
They aren't specifically exposed to the broader technology push and fabrication of mobile computing device imaging (other than as a competitive pressure), though this can be both a bad, and, a good thing. Bad in that they are not necessarily in the cutting edge technological loop with access to both developments and strategic alliance partners, but good in that they also play in a different part of the fabrication volume and value chain. Those higher profit margins and well developed ecosystem and service offering can explain their camera market position to date.
It is interesting since we have the "Ashes" Cricket series between Australia and England on at the moment. Normally for any major sporting events it is just a sea of "big white" lenses from the pro photographers. However, when watching the other day all I could see were the big black super telephotos of Nikon gear - not one white setup amongst them. Interesting since the top Canon body that they would've been using - the 1DX MkII is actually very competitive sensor wise. The 7D MkII on the other hand is comparatively woeful.
Canon have a vested interest in finding a way through this sensor challenge - imaging is their core business - they either find a way to stay competitive sensor and computing wise, or sell up, put the money in the bank for nett inflation rate interest and go and sit on the beach !
:cat:
As this technological and commercial direction for photographic equipment is of the same sort of nature of the challenge that Canon faces for its high end 'cine' business too, it is even more imperative that they succeed lest they invite overwhelming competition in that arena too .... I'm sure Sony and Panasonic have their own plans, particularly with the existing tie-up with classical optics giants Zeiss and Leica.
https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/www...-4k-camera-now-available-for-a-paltry-65-000/
https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/www...nwrap-new-digital-cinema-camera-plans-1009997
With the rising advent of computational imaging (various phase detect, hybrid AF systems, and pixel shift resolution increases, etc) cameras are moving from electro-mechanical devices, to more electronics dependent ones. The key for Canon will to be to sucessfully and competitively navigate this driver without necessarily having the volume scale to reduce R&D overheads as you say. Strategic alliances are one option on either the design and/or fabrication fronts, though the inadvertent loss of IP and involuntary technology transfer remains a significant risk - particularly where China is concerned.
Having intimate knowledge of the upper level strategic workings of major Japanese companies, I would be very surprised if they didn't have a comprehensive multi-decadal plan to address the way forward. Several patents certainly point to work in the emerging (stacked) BSI CMOS sensor technologies, though Sony are well and truly leading here too, with products already to market.
http://thenewcamera.com/canon-patent-bsi-cmos-sensor/
https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Press/201702/17-013E/
The question that occurs to me in relation to the 7D MkIII is can Canon abandon the strict ordering of trickle down technologies from flagship FF on down, and use this 7D MkIII incarnation as a pilot testbed for (stacked) BSI CMOS sensor and attendant processing technologies to provide a market leading product?
I would suggest that to do anything less is merely tinkering at the periphery that would do nothing to prevent any real (or perceived) product offering and market slide ......
With the delicious prospect of a 600mm f4 DO offering, and further lightened and upgraded (with IS III) big white telephotos, and a proud history and number 1 market position to defend, Canon and its (very) loyal customers deserve nothing less than a truly market leading 7D MkIII :king:
These summaries/ analysis may be of interest to folks ....
http://www.coventor.com/blog/cmos-image-sensors-cis-past-present-future/
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171031005672/en/Global-CMOS-Image-Sensor-Market-2017-2021--
https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/Y...or-industry-2017-report-by-yole-developpement
Chosun :gh: