While digital technologies are important, a digital camera’s performance ultimately rests on the quality of its lens, Canon Inc. (TSE:7751) Director Masaya Maeda said in a recent interview with The Nikkei Business Daily.

Excerpts from the interview follow.

Q: What is the current state of the digital camera market?

A: Sales of digital single-lens reflex cameras are growing solidly, as forecast at the start of the fiscal year, and we expect to meet our global sales goal of 4.4 million units for fiscal 2008.

But prices are sliding faster than expected (for compact cameras). Having pursued a production revolution, we’ve put in place a framework for adjusting output in accordance with price changes two weeks down the road.

Q: Despite the slowing economy, Canon plans to build a digital camera factory in Nagasaki.

A: We project a deficiency in supply capability for high-end compact models and SLR cameras. Our main production site for digital cameras is Japan , and we want to continue manufacturing half of our total output in Japan.

Q: What will be the deciding factor in the competition?

A: Although attention is being focused on state-of-the-art digital technologies, we think the most critical device will be optical lenses. A lens is the thing that determines the performance of a camera. While improving the functions of the camera itself is critical, enhancing the performance of the lens is also key.

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