It is even more complicated that all of that!
Canon is the only DSLR maker that actually produces their own sensors!
Nikon DSLR sensors are made by Sony ... and Sony is getting into the DSLR arena. Where is this going to leave Nikon with their supplier also being their competition? Is Sony going to share the latest, greatest CMOS sensor with Nikon?
There are other companies besides Sony that make sensors - but what quality? what levels of research? what kind of quantities?
There is a lot more to a camera than just the sensor - but it is the heart of a digital SLR. There is room for more than a few different companies to offer their idea of the perfect camera. The niche market will always be alive with the high markups they can collect.
The same sensor in different camera bodies can produce very different images - the in-camera processor and its algorithms control much of an image's appearance. Maybe just a couple of chip makers can keep the entire industry supplied and alive.
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