The 4th 'Digital Camera 30th Anniversary Event' takes place on March 14, 2026, in Tokyo's Chuo City, and promises a rare glimpse into the origins of digital photography. Organized by pioneers from Kodak and Casio, the event highlights how these two companies shape the cameras we carry today – even if Casio wasn't meant to be a camera manufacturer. Kodak experimented with digital imaging as early as the late 1970s and 1980s, eventually launching its first professional digital camera, a DSLR, the Kodak DCS-100, in 1991. Casio followed in 1995 with the QV-10, a compact point-and-shoot that revolutionized consumer digital photography. The event is a rare chance to hear directly from the engineers and developers who made digital photography a reality, tracing the journey from dream to product. While the full talks are exclusive to attendees, selected material is expected to appear on YouTube later, giving the international audience a glimpse of this historic celebration.
4th "Digital Camera 30th Anniversary Event"
The event celebrates the start of digital cameras entering the consumer and professional mainstream.
When digital cameras were just a dream
by Kenji Toyoda, Fellow of the Society of Photography and Imaging of Japan
Toyoda is expected to explore the pre-commercial era of digital imaging, when engineers were imagining digital cameras in the late 1970s and 1980s. The talk will likely cover the technical challenges of the time – tiny sensors, limited memory, and early image processing – and show how these experiments eventually led to Kodak's DCS series and Casio's early consumer models.
Kodak's professional digital cameras
Harufumi Omori, former head of development at Kodak
A rear opportunity to hear from someone who was at the center of digital photography's commercial breakthrough. Omori will likely provide a behind-the-scenes look at Kodak's transition from film to digital, focusing on professional-grade cameras. Attendees can expect insights into the innovations, challenges, and milestones that shaped Kodak's early digital SLRs, including the DCS-100 (1991).
Casio wasn't a camera manufacturer after all (provisional)
Takashi Niida / former Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
A reflection on Casio's surprising entry into digital cameras. Niida's talk will likely explore why a company known for electronics ventured into cameras, the challenges they faced, and the innovations that helped push the boundaries of compact consumer digital imaging, such as the QV-10 (1995)
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