Angelbird on AI, Memory Shortages, the State of Camera Innovation and More

by Johnnie BehiriMarch 2^nd, 2026

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At CP+ in Yokohama, Japan, we caught up with Roman Rabitsch from Angelbird to discuss how AI is disrupting memory chip availability, the shift from SD to CFexpress, and why the camera market may be heading for a shakeup. The conversation quickly expanded into a broader look at the state of our industry.

CP+ continues to evolve as a show that bridges both photography and video. As Roman noted, the exhibition does an excellent job of combining both worlds under one roof, and there is a visible shift toward video, even among visitors who come from a photography background. For Angelbird, the show provided a window into regional market dynamics and the forces reshaping the recording media business.

AI is eating the world’s memory supply

One of the most striking topics in our conversation was the direct impact of AI on memory chip availability and pricing. As AI systems generate and process enormous volumes of data, they need storage, and lots of it. That demand is not limited to long-term NAND flash storage; it extends to DRAM as well, which is critical for the processing power behind CPUs and FPGAs.

According to Roman, the shortage and price increases are unlike anything he has experienced in his 15 years in the business. The shift began around the middle of last year, and he personally warned channel partners to prepare for reduced availability and higher costs. The Japanese market is already seeing price increases, and there is currently no indication of relief. Estimates suggest pricing will not decrease until 2028 or 2029, and possibly even later.

However, Roman offered some important context. Some vendors are still able to offer memory cards at attractive prices because they purchased stock when costs were low and still have inventory on shelves. But new production operates on 12-to-24-month lead times, which means products entering the market in the coming months already reflect the new pricing reality.

A return to healthy pricing, not a crisis

Rather than framing the situation as a catastrophe, Roman sees it as a correction. The post-COVID period, combined with industry strikes and other disruptions, led to an oversupply that pushed prices well below manufacturing costs. NAND flash manufacturers were selling at a loss, which was unsustainable. The current price trajectory is essentially a return to where the industry was five years ago, a level at which manufacturers can reinvest in new factories, technologies, and development.

His advice to buyers is straightforward: buy memory when you need it, not because it is cheap today. As he put it, he does not buy a piece of bread if he is not hungry. The same logic applies to cameras, cards, and any other gear.

CFexpress is gaining ground, but SD is not dead yet

On the format front, there is a clear shift toward CFexpress. Over the past three years, camera manufacturers have increasingly adopted CFexpress, and Angelbird’s own sales data reflects that trend. The SD card business is stable but declining, while CFexpress continues to grow. The reasons are straightforward: CFexpress is faster, more futureproof, and increasingly competitive on a price-per-gigabyte basis.

That said, SD and microSD are not going away anytime soon. Physical size remains a real constraint. In compact cameras, an SD or microSD slot is simply more practical from an engineering standpoint. Roman pointed to the Nikon ZR as a good example: it pairs a CFexpress slot with a microSD slot, a combination that makes sense given the camera’s form factor.

There is also the thermal consideration. CFexpress cards deliver dramatically higher write speeds (500 to 800 MB/s versus 20 to 30 MB/s for SD), but that performance comes with higher energy consumption and a larger physical footprint. The two formats serve different needs, and comparing them directly is not always appropriate.

Camera-to-cloud: still a slow burn

One area where Roman and I expressed some disappointment is camera-to-cloud technology. We had hoped the concept would develop much faster, reducing the industry’s dependency on physical recording media. Instead, progress has been slower than anticipated, largely due to infrastructure limitations.

At CP+, cloud workflows were not a major talking point. Roman described the current state as “back to basics,” with cloud technology occupying a legitimate but narrower space than the hype initially suggested. And as he pointed out, cloud storage does not eliminate the need for memory; it simply shifts where the data is stored.

Regional markets tell different stories

A recurring theme was the variation between regional markets. Europe has a different landscape of creators and creatives compared to Japan, the United States, or the broader Asian market. Brand preferences shift by region: Sony may dominate in one territory while Panasonic, FUJIFILM, Canon, or Nikon lead in another. There is no single global picture.

Roman also observed that smaller manufacturers who were not particularly visible over the past decade are now popping up, creating what he described as a healthy and interesting mixture alongside the established giants.

Angelbird’s growing footprint in Japan

Angelbird has been present in the Japanese market for a long time but remains what Roman described as “homeopathic” in scale, serving specific customer needs rather than competing for mass-market dominance. However, the company is gaining ground with a strong local partner network and a solid sales channel.

What stands out about the Japanese market, in Roman’s view, is the thoughtfulness of buyers. Japanese customers ask detailed questions about the technology, plan their projects carefully, and make informed purchasing decisions, in contrast to some other markets where buyers purchase first and think about the application later.

Is the camera market getting boring?

Our conversation took a broader turn when Roman asked for our perspective on the industry. The honest answer: the camera market has become somewhat repetitive. There are no bad cameras anymore; virtually every modern camera records at high quality with high frame rates. But that also means it is increasingly difficult to point to a genuine game-changer or dealbreaker.

Manufacturers tend to focus on incremental upgrades to encourage existing users to buy the next generation, rather than thinking about how to attract customers from competing ecosystems. One notable exception is the Nikon ZR (or rather the idea behind it, the “red look” that inspired a wave of interest). That camera succeeded in igniting people’s imaginations about what they could achieve with a small, modestly priced cinema-oriented tool, and it actually moved users from one brand to another.

Chinese disruption on the horizon

We also discussed the potential disruption from Chinese camera manufacturers. While their presence at CP+ and similar shows is growing, the expectation is that Chinese companies will eventually enter the camera market in force. If and when that happens, it could push the established Japanese manufacturers out of their comfort zones and force a pace of innovation that the industry might currently be lacking.

Whether that disruption will ultimately benefit the market remains to be seen, but the comfort of the current status quo may not last indefinitely.

The case for simplicity

Both Roman and I found common ground on the topic of simplicity. Modern cameras offer an overwhelming number of menu options and recording formats. My personal preference would be a camera with a clear, limited menu and nothing more. The philosophy is straightforward: having more options does not automatically mean better quality or a better experience.

As Roman indicated, there is a parallel to the music industry’s evolution, from vinyl to cassette to CD to MiniDisc to MP3 and now back to vinyl. The used camera market shows similar patterns, with specific older models becoming sought after because they delivered a particular look or workflow that newer cameras do not replicate. The original Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera, with its DNG recording capability, is one such example.

The future of trade shows

As a closing thought, Roman and I shared our views on industry events. We believe the era of massive trade shows may be coming to an end, with smaller, more intimate local shows offering better value for both manufacturers and attendees. Events like Imaging Work in Nuremberg represent this trend: focused, regional shows where manufacturers can actually engage with their end clients in a meaningful way, at a fraction of the cost.

What is your take on the state of camera innovation? Are manufacturers doing enough to excite you, or has the market become too repetitive? And are you already feeling the impact of rising memory prices on your productions? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below!