Printer and ink cartridge maker Canon is said to be investigating the possibilities of mirrorless cameras to make its photography equipment more compact.

According to Reuters, the company is keen to exploit the business opportunities the products provide, as they are able to pack many of the features of up-market single-lens devices into a much smaller package.

Head of the firm's camera division Masaya Maeda told the news provider the company is "considering the technical aspects" of such a gadget and added Canon will release an "interesting product" next year, through he declined to confirm whether it would be a mirrorless device.

Sony is one company that currently offers such items, which are intended to appeal to users looking to take high-quality images, but who do not wish to carry around bulky interchangeable lenses.

Earlier this week, it was also reported by the news source that another manufacturer seeking to enter this market is Fujifilm, which sees the technology as a key part of its strategy for moving up to third place in the global camera sector.