Panasonic responds to being caught using Nikon and Canon photos to advertise their cameras

If you’ve been following Panasonic news lately, you might have heard they were recently caught red-handed, using photos from non-Panasonic cameras to advertise the new Lumix S9. The scandal got big after a former Nikon Ambassador recognized one of his own photos stolen for the ad, enough so that Panasonic had to issue an official response:

“More than 20 years ago, in a video camera advertisement, there was a technique of inserting images that were not the actual product, and we created the site with that mindset in mind,” said an official Panasonic representative. Panasonic is now currently working on replacing the photos, including any other instance on their site that used a photo not shot by a Panasonic camera.

To some, this response might be found lacking. Panasonic has already been under fire recently for its approach to camera reviews, as Gerald Undone discussed in his video. The negativity from this scandal even scared other camera brands, which caused them to check their own sites and issue official responses regarding this behavior.

Nikon explained that they never used stock or paid images to showcase a camera’s capabilities or functions. Similarly, Canon said that any photos they use to promote a camera’s performance are taken with the actual product. Sony did admit to using paid images, but they make sure to clearly indicate the equipment used in their examples. “It’s important to tell customers what kind of photos they can take. We set standards and create appropriate sites,” said a Sony representative.

[via Sankei]