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What is the CIPA Standard?

A term that you've probably heard and read a lot if you've been researching a new camera, or reading up on the latest tech news is "according to the CIPA standard".

We use the term 'CIPA Standard' a lot here at Park Cameras in our descriptions of new products, although it tends to be when a manufacturer is boasting about a particularly impressive statistic, feature, or function of their latest product. But have you ever wondered what the CIPA Standard actually is?

We're here to explain all.

What is the CIPA Standard?

CIPA is the Camera & Imaging Products Association, an international group of camera, imaging and photographic companies who have established a worldwide set of standards. These standards give customers the assurance that all products are measured the same, so when figures are quoted, they are all using the same scale.

Based in Japan, but representing an international group of companies, CIPA was founded in 1954 as the Japan Camera Industry Association (JCIA) and became the Camera & Imaging Products Association in July 2002.

How do the CIPA standards affect consumers?

The range of CIPA standards and guidelines encompass virtually every aspect of digital camera design and governs the terminology, statistics and performance figures quoted by camera manufactures in their descriptions of products.

This means that, for example, when a manufacturer quotes a 'battery life of 320 photos' and another quotes a 'battery life of 900 shots', consumers should feel confident that these are both measured to the same standard and that the figures are true and accurate.

What do the CIPA standards cover?

These standards and guidelines cover a lot more than you might imagine.

Here is a list of a small selection of common terms and camera functions that you'll probably have heard of that governed by CIPA standards:

• EXIF Data - established by JCIA in 1998
• PictBridge - established in 2003 as a standard for printing direct from digital camera to printers
• Battery Life
• Image Sensors
• Resolution
• Weight & Dimensions
• Image Stabilisation 
• ISO Sensitivity

CIPA standards and guidelines cover almost every aspect of digital and film cameras, camcorders, and other photographic equipment and mean that when manufacturers and retailers describe products and quote data, the terminology and statistics that are quoted are all measured to the same set of standards.

If you're in Japan, CIPA are holding the annual CP+ Camera & Photo Imaging Show from 23rd - 26th February 2017. 

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By Park Cameras on 13/02/2017