Advice please

[sf]

I have an idea for a totally brilliant new digital camera concept. It would not be any hardware change, except perhaps some modification to the processing hardware of the camera, but would make a whole lot of photographers incredibly happy.

It would probably be more of a firmware change than anything, and could be applied to ANY current digital camera with some flexibility of firmware. It would be ideal for the RD-1 and DSLRs.

So, let's just assume that this idea is as brilliant as I say (which is very well may NOT be - given the hour and my recent consumption of Tootsie Roll candies). Which company should I go to to sell it, assuming that the concept would make people like us (RFFers) happy, and would NOT find a market in the masses?

I could list a pile of companies like Leica, Mamiya, Nikon, Canon, Pentax, etc., but would anyone have any advice? Would you just go to a company or perhaps sort of wiggle up to it sideways?

If anyone here works for one of those companies in a capacity that would open doors, that would be pretty good too.

I don't necessarily want to just blurt out the idea since we are not alone on the internet and I sincerely do believe that the idea is not bad at all.

Thanks

 

[Toby]

First thing - write down your idea, seal in in an envelope and post it to yourself, then you have sealed and dated proof of it later on if you run into any copyright problems

 

[Poptart]

Here's what you need to do: submit a design copyright--not a patent--and your idea will be protected by the government. Then shop it around to accessory makers or software designers (depending on what it is) and hope that someone will show interest in making it. It helps if you can build a working prototype which would possibly involve hiring a fabricator.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Nokia. They seem to be the market leader in digital photography.