Digital Camera Information

Could this be the next thing for digital cameras, a fuel cell? According to FuelCellToday, they say Samsung Electro-Mechanics has already developed a micro fuel cell and hydrogen generator that runs on water. Yes, that right water, H-2-0!

According to the Chosen Ilbo, mobile phones or even Digital Cameras which run on water could hit the market as soon as 2010 as a result of this development.

The micro fuel cell can be used to power mobile devices as it can generate up to three watts of electricity, Samsung has said, according to Chosen Ilbo.

This means that the fuel cell could power a handset for up to ten hours.

Explaining the process, Oh Yong-soo, vice president of Samsung Electro-Mechanics’ research centre, told Chosen Ilbo: “When the handset is turned on, metal and water in the phone react to produce hydrogen gas.

“The gas is then supplied to the fuel cell where it reacts with oxygen in the air to generate power.”

Cartridges would have to be changed once every five days based on usage of around four hours a day on average, the vice president added.

Samsung already has a fuel cell in their laptops (Sense Q35) that could run for up to 30 days and is due at the end of 2007.

It looks like Nikon will be expanding on its Full Frame FX series with further cameras planned for the future. This time it seems Full Frame may come down in price to a point where the average Joe can afford it.

According to Steve Heiner, Senior Technical Manager of Nikon SLR marketing, he says: “These FX-sized sensors offer higher sensitivity and a broader field of view than the smaller DX sensors Nikon has used in its SLRs until now. Nikon will develop new DX-based cameras, but the company will flesh out its FX line as well”

At a meeting with other reporters he also says: “I think you’ll see other FX products. It’s a sensor size we’re committed to,”

No further details about timing or models were mentioned. As with the progression of all Nikon models, they will most likely offer a lower-end full-frame model.

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Nikon-Chulalongkorn Scholarship Program

Nikon Corporation (President: Michio Kariya) has established the “Nikon Scholarship Program” as part of the company’s social contributions to commemorate the 90th anniversary (July 25, 2007) of Nikon’s founding. In line with this initiative, Nikon and the top university of Thailand came to an agreement on this new program that supports young Thais who wish to study in Japan.

The program will give Thai students opportunities to reach advanced levels of education in Japan. It will also nurture human resources that will strengthen relations between Thailand and Japan.

Nikon Corporation and Chulalongkorn University (President: Professor Khunying Suchada Kiranandana) came to an agreement regarding applicant recommendations.

Nikon will select one of the applicants - graduates or undergraduates of Chulalongkorn University - recommended by the university, granted that the applicant is permitted by a Japanese graduate school to enroll in a doctorate or master’s degree program. The selected candidate will be provided with tuition fees and basic living expenses by the company, which will select the first scholarship winner this year and eventually support up to four scholarships per year for this program.

The Nikon-Chulalongkorn Scholarship and the preceding Nikon-Shanti Scholarship for junior/senior high school and college/university students constitute the total Nikon Scholarship Program for students in Thailand from junior high school students to students who wish to come to Japan to pursue higher education at graduate schools. It is Nikon’s hope that this support program will contribute to the future of Thailand.

University Outline:

Located in the city of Bangkok, Chulalongkorn University is Thailand’s oldest university with about 30,000 students, eighteen academic departments plus graduate schools for a wide range of fields. The university was named after King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) who had founded in the Palace what became, years later, the first university in the Kingdom.

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It’s interesting to see how Fujifilm words the transfer of its operation to China. They say:

“Fujifilm Reinforces the Foundation of its Digital Camera Business Promoting cost competitiveness and increasing the pace of product development by optimizing its manufacturing and R&D business bases”

Really - what they are saying is that it’s cheaper to produce digital cameras in China.

Here’s the full blurb:

“FUJIFILM Corporation (President and CEO Shigetaka Komori, hereafter “FUJIFILM”) has been leading the digital camera industry by supplying worldwide the FinePix series of digital cameras featuring unique advanced technologies such as “high-sensitivity and high-image quality” and the world first “Face Detection Technology.” Toward further business expansion in the future, FUJIFILM has decided to concentrate its manufacturing and R&D bases, as more detailed below. The change is to create a solid business structure optimized for the digital camera market amidst intensifying competition

There will be further acceleration in the development of digital cameras with distinctive features, combining FUJIFILM’s proprietary Super CCD technology, superior image processing technology, and the advanced lens technology of the Group company, Fujinon Corporation. This will demonstrate our commitment to contributing to further nurturing the “Culture of Photography.”

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