Manufacturing silicon is patently not required in order to make cameras -- anyone can put together a pinhole model -- however, the wider point is more pertinent. To be a competitive, global, manufacturer, do you need to make the sensors that actually go into camera bodies?
The consumer camera market is dead. Buried. Worm food. And if camera manufacturers don't switch their focus to enthusiasts fast, they'll lose them too. That seems to be the core thesis behind this interesting industry breakdown by photographer and educator Tony Northrup.
The folks over at Chipworks have come out with an interesting infographic that shows the top U.S. patent holders in 2012, and compares them to the same list from 2000. Beyond just gawking at the increase in the sheer number of patents held by each company, we were pleased to see camera manufacturers making a strong showing.