Develop technologies that matter
Not only do you have to make the best products possible, being the size company you are, you have to husband your resources to areas that matter. Shoot, this is just good plain sense for any company--focus on what's important. In the context of product development, I'm saying focus your efforts on producing equipment that fills the needs of your customers. A perfect example was the surprise introduction of the wireless transmitter for the D2h, the WT-1a. Here's something people have talked about for years but no company put the resources together to actually make it happen. This is a surprising and innovative technology that many many profession photographers will use. Even though some of them hadn't a vision using this kind of technology, just introducing the capability has people re-thinking their workflows. A great sign/indicator of a wonderful idea is seeing if people will create uses out of thin air for these ideas. I can think of several excellent ideas to realtime FTP my images to hard drive. The possibilities are almost endless for giving your customers the flexibility to do almost realtime displays of their work to their clients. I love it.
We need more ideas like this. Innovative tools keep people excited about product lines and probably coming back even if times are bad. Let's return to Apple Computer. Here's a company that was left up for dead 10 years ago only to regain the headlines as the darling of Wall Street yet again. Their creative thinkers mesmerized consumers in recent years simultaneously justified the faithful with their new technical advances. I can think of no other word that describes products like this except that their "exciting". I guess that's the key.
What are the good ideas? Full-framed? I don't think so. In fact, I think it'll look boring from the point of view that Canon's been doing it for years. Let them keep doing it while you continue to innovate elsewhere. Now where? How about lens technology. The 200 f/2.0 AF-S VR and 200-400 f/4 AF-S VR are a great starts. They're atypical almost specialized lenses that attract attention. Where else can you move:
- 300-600 f/4 AF-S VR. I'd even settle for a 400-600 f/4 AF-S VR.
- How about a 10mm f/2.8 ED DX lenticular to get really wide
- Perhaps a few fixed lenses like a 50 f/1.2 AF-S VR, or 90 f/2.0 AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor
- Maybe a 100-300 f/2.8 AF-S VR
- Or, a little gizmo that improves your SB-800/SB-600's ability to see wireless signals from all directions instead of just to the right
- Improve Capture so you can make changes to thumbnails quickly then apply the changes through a batch process while working on something else
- Make all Nikon professional level software first for the Mac then for the PC
- Put VR in high end camera bodies verses the lenses themselves
- Bluetooth or WiFi remote control your cameras with PDA/Pocket PC friendly software
- Lower the minimum ISO down to 50
- I can go on...
Here's the deal, I believe chasing the latest technology your competitors are introducing is not blazing a new trail. It's following and reacting to the other guy's strategy. These are just a few meaningful good ideas that aren't being followed by anyone else but will be useful by your core customers.
While doing everything I previously wrote--if you innovate--people will believe you, trust you, they will be faithful. Not only that, you will make money even during the rough times--like now--when transitional from one paradigm to another. In the end since you're never going to be a large as Canon, you have to trust your core customers, toss them a couple of bones and they'll always believe in you. It's simple.
Here's one thing I'd like to state at the end. I hope you never become an also-ran professional camera like others have passed by. It'd be a shame to only have one real competitor to support the world of professional small camera photographers. By having competition, the options are rich and varied and honestly makes the place a lot more interesting while generating income. The struggle makes us stronger and our world better. So, don't give in. Don't following just any old whim. Make things that are important and treat your most valued assets--your customers--like they're family. It's the right thing to do.
Cheers
Tom
