A lot of information is already flying around, and it’s an event I probably don’t need to mention at this point, but I’ll write an article just to say “I went, at least.”
It’s CP+ 2026, held at Pacifico Yokohama. I attached a 15mm lens to my LUMIX GF10 and quickly popped in to check things out.
I went around noon on Saturday, February 28th. As expected, it was extremely crowded. Here’s the view from beside the LUMIX booth, which I checked out first.
This year, the LUMIX booth didn’t have any major new product topics at this timing, but it was still quite bustling. We managed to weave through the crowded touch-and-try area and snagged three stickers and an original towel.
Last year, SIGMA stole the show at the venue with the BF, but this year’s product display was relatively subdued and elegant. We got a close look at that BF and snapped some photos for the record.
As an L-mount user, I did check out the intriguing 35mm F1.4 DG II, but price-wise, it might be a bit out of reach for me.
And then there’s the massive Plarail dynamic display, becoming a staple at recent CP+ events. It captivates not just kids but grown-up friends too, keeping them glued to the spot.
Railway photographer Yuta Murakami, who took the stage for the Manfrotto tripod PR event. His splendid presentation of works and witty talk made me stop in my tracks and listen intently.
Even though it’s the same thing every year, the sheer size of the booths for the reigning champion Canon and the dominant player Sony still blows me away. Not only are they huge, but the number of people getting sucked into them is incredible.
Standing out in the huge crowd was the ANTIGRAVITY small drone exhibit. This display featured an actual filming drone flying and being operated within a small partitioned space, capturing the attention of passersby, including myself.
You can see it flying, right?
I couldn’t help but gasp at its precise position and posture control, hovering perfectly still in mid-air while skillfully changing altitude and shooting angle.
Also, we mustn’t forget Digital Camera Watch. I missed out on getting a signed copy from Mr. Tomoki Iida this year, but I made sure to pre-order the latest issue and got the sticker and the medicine notebook for lens沼 patients (lol).
That was my CP+2026 experience. By the way, here are my modest loot items from this time. The LUMIX logo item in the top left seems to be a “towel” that expands when soaked in water, but I feel too bad to open the package yet.
Finally, the Cosina booth, which I thought was wonderful with its vibrant, life-filled design.
That’s all from the scene.
