News roundup: Sony memory card crisis, Canon AE-1 snub, DSC Labs returns

A roundup of all the crucial industry news from the past few days, covering stories from Canon, CVP, DSC Labs, Kodak, Netflix, and Sony.

Sony suspends memory card sales

Sony Japan has suspended orders on a wide range of its memory cards due to the global shortage of semiconductors, meaning no stock will be shipped to distributors or retailers until further notice. The suspension covers the full lineup of Sony CFexpress Type A and Type B cards, along with a broad range of SDXC and SDHC SD cards — bad timing for anyone shooting on Sony cameras that depend on CFexpress Type A media, with no indication yet of when supply will resume.

Major retailers still have stock, but the inventory is now finite, so the uncomfortable truth is we can expect prices to rise further.  

No digital Canon AE-1 to mark 50th anniversary

You may just have noticed that retro cameras are a bit of a thing at the moment, particular digital reversionings of storied classics. Canon, however, looks set to be swerving one of the most eagerly anticipated of them all and declining to honor the 50th anniversary of the iconic AE-1 with a new version.

"This is a happy moment for us," Manabu Kato, head of the IBO (Imaging Business Operations) division in charge of products, said about the anniversary. "As of now, we are not planning to celebrate this milestone in a particular way.

"Honoring tradition is very important, but it’s not just about that. We also have to adapt to the changes of the times and continue to evolve. This evolution is important for us, because our evolution will contribute to the evolution of the entire camera industry. But I’m very thankful that you appreciate the AE-1."

This all comes from a CP+ roundtable, and there is interesting stuff elsewhere in the interview, including Canon's belief that the next major change in photography will be the shift from 2D to 3D [Quiet at the back there! Ed.], expansion of the RF lineup, and more.

You have to hope that the company will remain more adventurous with the waist-level concept camera that was such a hit at CP+.

DSC back in business

Close to two years ago we reported that DSC Laboratories, the Canadian company synonymous with camera test charts, was closing down after almost 60 years in business.

Happily, it turns out the company was acquired last year by experienced digital imaging technician and image workflow specialist Matt Conrad, of Spectral Arts & Science. having operated in stealth mode for a few months, it is now back up and running in a brand new facility optimized for increased capability and future development in its new home in Los Angeles.

“While camera sensors and imaging systems have become more stable and reliable over the past decade, productions are working with a wider mix of formats, camera systems, and lighting tools than ever before. That makes a strong baseline reference essential for achieving a cohesive look,” says DSC Labs President Matt Conrad. “I’m excited to guide DSC Labs and continue developing and supporting modern workflows for color and imaging."

More info here:  https://dsclabs.com/

Kodak revives Ektapan name

Another photography trend having a definite moment is monochrome. Eastman Kodak has revived the Ektapan name for a new line of three black-and-white films — ISO 100, 400, and P3200 — continuing its drive to bring more film back under direct distribution.

The Ektapan name had been dormant for nearly 25 years, with Kodak previously recommending photographers switch to T-Max. The new films use a T-Grain emulsion with tabular silver halide crystals for low grain, high resolution, and sharp edges, and yes, they do bear more than a passing resemblance to the existing T-Max film. Ektapan 100 and 400 are available in both 135 and 120 formats, while P3200 is 35mm only. Pricing is $10.99, $10.99, and $13.95 per roll respectively.

CVP expands European footprint

UK reseller giant CVP has launched a new German operation and formed a dedicated DACH team, marking a major step in the company’s continued European expansion. This builds on the success of its project to open a European headquarters in Belgium, which it completed in 2021 as a direct response to the trading nightmares of doing pan-European business following Brexit.

The DACH market encompasses Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and is one of Europe’s most dynamic production markets.

The end of the Golden Age of Streaming is accelerating

We'll probably go into this in detail once the madness that is NAB 2026 is over, but even though Netflix is not trying to raise money for the multi-billion dollar acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, it's still finding room to put up prices. 

In the US its most affordable, ad-supported tier now costs $8.99 per month, up from $7.99.The standard plan without ads also now costs $19.99 per month, a $2 increase from the previous $17.99, while the premium plan is also going up by $2 and will now cost $26.99 per month.

And if that sounds like we're heading back to the cable era, meet the new boss, same as the old boss.