The world’s leading manufacturers of news photo equipment have both declared themselves the winner after counting the cameras used by photographers at the London Olympics.
Nikon Corp. says surveys at 64 locations found its cameras outnumbered those of Canon Inc. by a third.
“In some venues the margin was seven to three,” said Junichi Ito, executive vice president of Nikon, in a news conference on Aug. 8.
But Canon disputes the claim, insisting images of the photographer pens show a clear lead for Canon. It gave no figures.
The rivalry is as customary a part of the Olympic Games as its sideshows, such as crowd-pleasing antics by grandstanding athletes.
During recent tournaments Canon was judged to have had a solid market lead, but the 2008 Beijing Olympics saw Nikon edge closer.
The subject is hotly contested by photographers themselves, from amateur photo circles to pro sports snappers.
Ahead of the games both manufacturers released new high-end models. Canon is pushing its EOS-1D X while Nikon says its D4 has won high acclaim.
Both would welcome the exposure of an Olympic victory. Japan’s leading SLR camera makers are suffering from a strong yen, which elevates the price of exports.
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