CP+ 2024
CP+ 2024 is underway, and we are here to review the event! Pacifico Yokohama is a thriving venue and the number of guests has ballooned since 2023, but one thing that really surprised me was the lack of foreign guests.
Rumor sites for all the major players discussed this event, though. It’s strange, because Nikon fan sites said they were exited to hear more updates about the Zf, Fujifilm talked about their X100VI, and other forums were flush with excitement for this event…
But the biggest thing is again, the dearth of foreign guests. The fansites talked about CP+ 2024, but that did not seem to translate to more foreign guests attending…
One thing that could explain this is perhaps the lack of official promotion overseas, or perhaps there could be other reasons. But this really should not take away from the importance of CP+ moving forward. This event is extremely important to our industry, as camera and accessory makers really focus on their year ahead. Every booth I visited had a specific goal in mind for 2024. I intend on showcasing that message in this article.
We here at PRONEWS highly encourage our overseas viewers and readers to attend CP+ 2025. You won’t believe how engaging andexciting this event is each year by just reading my article. Before you buy your ticket to Japan for the 2025 event, here is a review of CP+ 2024 event and what I thought were the biggest takeaways.
CP+ 2024 Day 1 Review – Biggest Takeaways
The big-time Japanese camera makers pulled out all of the stops today. One could walk into any of the booths set up and get lost in a world of a variety of functionalities.
For me, the one big thing I noticed that will become a trend this year is dual-functionality of full-frame cameras. Nikon and Fujifilm in particular were very adamant about their cameras’ videography abilities. Nikon Z8 using compressed raw, and the Fujfilm GFX100 II larger format film capabilities, both were the biggest highlights of the Nikon and Fujifilm booths respectively.
Other big highlights were the focus on lightweight gear. Sigma and Tamron both emphasized the lightweight lenses they are carrying, The Nikon Z8 again being a smaller model than the Z9 but super-powerful nonetheless, and OM System promoting the Micro Four Thirds as a space-saving yet powerful photography tool.
What Should You Expect in 2024 from our industry?
CP+ 2024 really showed us the multifunctionalities of cameras, but also many makers expressed surprise that the industry is continuing to grow. Quite a few mentioned their products, while initially designed for the high-end consumer, were being used by first-timers. That surprised me, as well. It’s evident 2024 camera releases cater to this market.
Fo me, that was something I felt went away when cameras largely switched to mirrorless format. Indeed, the iPhone 15 Pro and Galaxy smartphone cameras continue to shape this production space. It’s the resurgence in camera usages, especially retro cameras, that seems to have taken this industry by surprise. We saw how the Nikon Zf had (and still has) a backorder. The Fujiflm X-S20 accepting orders again, too. Camera makers in 2024, in my opinion, will continue the trend of catering toward this market – high-end cameras that serve both the beginner, prosumer, and professional, utilizing every single possible functionality of these new cameras. Stay tuned to PRONEWS Global for more coverage. Expect a few more articles from us in the next week, covering cameras, lenses, and accessories!
Come to the next CP+ Event!
As I said before, the number of foreign guests this year surprised me. The vast majority of the non-Japanese people I met were actually people covering the event for other global news platforms. I think that this event should be placed in much more importance for global camera fans. As you plan your 2025 vacations (I know it is still FEBRUARY of 2024!) please consider coming through Japan around this time and visiting Pacifico Yokohama for next year’s CP+ 2024. We will be here to guide you as well!
Written by Zach Kuhn – Profile
Zach is the web editor and gear tester for PRONEWS Global. His work in social media content creation stretches back to the early days of social networking sites. His instagram can be found here.
