Panasonic admits to using stock photos on its mirrorless camera 'LUMIX S9' product website and apologizes



Panasonic's full-frame mirrorless camera 'LUMIX S9' product website has been criticized for using stock photos in its feature explanations. In response to the uproar, Panasonic has issued an apology.

Regarding images on the LUMIX S9 product website
(PDF file)https://panasonic.jp/content/dam/panasonic/jp/ja/dc/pdf/about_S9_site.pdf



After the product page for the LUMIX S9 was released, it was pointed out that the photos used to explain the camera's performance were stock photos.



In fact, if you search for the dog photo on the product page, the same photo comes up, which shows that it is a stock photo. This photo of the dog was used to explain the autofocus (AF) function of the LUMIX S9, but if you don't know anything about it, you might mistake it for an example of a photo taken with the LUMIX S9.



In addition, a page explaining color grading for video was found to use stock photos. The page explains how to change the color and contrast of a video by applying a lookup table (LUT), but the explanation uses stock photos instead of actual video captures.



Additionally, the lava photo used on the explanatory page for the 4K footage was also a stock photo.



In addition, it was discovered that stock photos were used not only on the product page for the LUMIX S9, but also on the product page for the full-frame single-lens camera DC-S1R.



It has also been pointed out that many stock photos are used on the lens introduction pages.



Although each page does state that 'the images and illustrations are for illustrative purposes only,' this is written in very small letters and in an inconspicuous place, so it is inevitable that people who see the pages will mistake the stock photos for actual examples.



At the time of writing, the series of images had been removed from the product website, and the photographs were labeled 'for illustrative purposes only' or the model name. Panasonic also issued a statement of apology in response to the series of criticisms.



The contents are as follows.

We have received many inquiries regarding the images on the product website for the new LUMIX S9 full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera.

Some of the images used on the product website to introduce functions and scenes were licensed from a stock photo service.
In addition to there having been insufficient consideration given to whether the photo was appropriate for a product page of a camera that generates creative content, the note explaining that the photo was not taken with a new product was written in a way and in a place that was difficult for customers to understand.

We are taking your comments seriously, reassessing our understanding, making the content easier to understand, and striving to communicate with our users in a way that is considerate of our users. We will continue to discuss reviewing the content of the LUMIX website so that we can meet your expectations as a camera manufacturer.

We would like to sincerely apologize to all of you who regularly use our products, as well as to all of you LUMIX and camera fans, for the concern and anxiety that this situation has caused.

All of us involved promise to engage with you more sincerely and bring about change, and we are reaffirming our resolve.



However, Panasonic has not explained how it began using stock photos, or why stock photos are being used on product sites other than the LUMIX S9.

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in Note,   Hardware, Posted by log1i_yk