General Electrics to enter the digital camera market

Right out of the blue into the fray

16 February 2007 14:03 GMT / By Amber Maitland

With an out of left field announcement, General Electrics is to enter the digital camera market with the General Imaging Co.

The eight new GE digital cameras will debut at PMA in Las Vegas during 8-11 March. The headline product will be a 12Mp model, part of the G series of cameras.

The series will also include 7MP models with 2.5-inch screens; the 12MP compact will boast a 3-inch screen.

General Imaging is a brand new company, and has been formed of "photo industry veterans", including an ex-presient of Olympus.

The cameras will incorporate image stabilisation, high ISO, and panoramic stitching; more specific information hasn't yet been released.

In addition to cameras, the company will also produce photo printers, with one to be launched alongside the first batch of compacts.

With a former Sony designer, Takeyoshi Kawano, who created the Sony Walkman and the Olympus Stylus camera series, it looks like the cameras will be no slouch in the design stakes.

However, whether the already over-saturated digital camera market can support another player in the market remains to be seen.