Canon: We are in talks with other [lens-]manufacturers

here_and_there wrote:

Neil Schofield wrote:

However should Canon feel commercially threatened by either people not buying into the RF mount or preferencing other brands in significant numbers because of this, they might then consider licensing, this might take a considerable period of time in my view

Not necessarily. For better or for worse, in the age of influencers and social media, the effects of bad reputation on sales are turbocharged, so to speak, and Canon may see that all the bad karma and complaining online resulting from closing their mount leads to faster and higher loss of sales to other systems with better rep. This may push them sooner rather than later to allow some 3rd parties into their system.

I think Canon are being smart allowing Cosina into RF system, and now can claim they aren't closed, combating some of the bad karma they've been gaining. The Voigtlanders and MF Zeisses are not direct competitors to Canon's own lenses, but rather complement the system. There is quite a niche loyal following of modern high quality manual focus lenses, see Phillip Reeve website for example. Sales for the new Voigtlander 50mm F/1 are not taking away from Canon's 50mm F1.2. Time will tell if Canon feels that opening to more manufacturers (Sigma for example) is a necessary move to keep customers onboard and not moving to other Camera brands.

All this talk about Canon and 3rd party has gotten them plenty of press. Funny thing is that it could actually backfire on everyone else, but Canon.

I highly doubt most folks are buying beyond the Kit Lens, regardless of brand. So some Niche group of 3rd party buyers are hardly going to make or brake a Shrinking overall Camera Gear Market. Which by the way, I fully expect to continue shrinking.