Canon USA Expands CarePak Plus and CarePak Pro Programs

MELVILLE, N.Y., May 30, 2018 – Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced the expansion of its CarePAK PRO and CarePAK PLUS service and support offerings for imaging professionals. The current CarePAK PRO program, which now includes accidental damage protection, has been restructured to meet the needs of the professional cinema, house of worship, and in-house corporate video production industries, among other professional video markets, and now covers Cinema EOS Cameras, Cinema Lenses, and Professional Camcorders. Additionally, the popular CarePAK PLUS plan, which currently includes professional SLR camera systems among other consumer products, has been expanded to cover Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000, PIXMA PRO-100, and PIXMA PRO-10 professional inkjet printers.

“Providing yet another solution to our customers, the CarePAK program expansion allows us to extend our services to more of Canon’s professional customers, implementing a worry-free ownership experience to help visual story-tellers focus and bring forth their creative visions,” said Kazuto Ogawa, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc.

With CarePAK, customers can feel confident that their investment is covered by Canon’s world-class service and support. In addition to accidental damage protection from drops, spills, power surges, and other unforeseen events, CarePAK PLUS and CarePAK PRO provide normal wear and tear coverage for hardware and include Image Recovery*, designed to retrieve lost or corrupted images or videos from cameras, camcorders and printers with a memory card slot (only for use with a removable memory card).

Additional CarePAK benefits include: 

• Priority service for fast, reliable repairs and minimal downtime
• Service and support direct from Canon using only genuine Canon parts
• $0 deductible for any repair or replacement
• Free shipping to and from Canon for all service and repairs
• Dedicated phone and email support at 1-833-CAREPAK (1-833-227-3725) and carepakpro@cits.canon.com or carepakplus@cits.canon.com
• Ability to transfer the plans during the coverage period to a new owner

Under a CarePAK plan, a damaged product will be repaired to good working condition or replaced with the same or an equivalent product, a feature that is unique to Canon and currently not available from other providers. CarePAK PRO and CarePAK PLUS will be available for Canon Cinema Cameras, Cinema Lenses, Professional Camcorders, and Professional Inkjet Printers beginning June 1 and can be purchased at the time of product purchase, or for up to 90 days thereafter.

For more information, please visit usa.canon.com/carepak. For those in attendance at this year’s Cine Gear Expo, stop by the Canon booth (number 12) to learn more about Canon’s service and support offerings, including CarePAK PRO.

CarePAK PLUS Eligible Items : 

• EOS-1D X Mark II
• EOS 5D Mark III
• EOS 5D Mark IV
• EOS 5Ds
• EOS 5DS R
• EOS 6D Mark II
• EOS 6D
• EOS 7D Mark II
• EOS 80D
• EOS 77D
• EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM
• EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM
• EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
• EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
• EF 50mm f/1.2L USM
• EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
• EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM
• EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM
• EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
• EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III & EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II Coming 1st Week Of June, 2018

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III lens

As reported earlier, Canon will be announcing the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III and EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II lenses, possibly the 1st week of June, 2018. Expected delivery should commence by late August to the beginning of September. List prices will be very similar to the current models ($2,099 and $1,199 for the f/2.8 and f/4 models respectively)

It is not unusual for Canon to shift the announcement date around a few days at the last minute. I will be on a wildlife photography shoot in Africa. You can follow my travels on Facebook and Twitter, see my equipment bag and works on MichaelDanielHo.com

Canon Issued Service Advisory On EOS-70D Cameras

From Canon USA:

Thank you for using Canon products.

We would like to offer our sincere apologies to users who have been inconvenienced by the phenomenon described below. We value the trust our customers have placed in us, and we are dedicated to continuously improving product quality as well as delivering industry-leading service and support.

Phenomenon 

In rare cases, error 70 or error 80 may repeatedly display on some EOS 70D digital SLR cameras due to an internal communication failure resulting from the structure of the electrical printed circuit board. If use of the camera is subsequently continued, a state may occur in which the camera’s power does not turn on. In most cases, this phenomenon occurs in conjunction with continuous use of the camera while the camera’s internal temperature is high, such as when shooting movies continuously.

“Err 70” or “Err 80” will appear on the LCD monitor at the back of the camera or on the LCD panel at the top of the camera. There may be rare occurrences of error 70 or error 80, after which the camera functions can be recovered by turning the power off and on again, or by re-installing and reinserting the battery. The phenomenon described here refers to the frequent reccurrence of error 70 or error 80.

Possibly Affected Cameras

Only some EOS 70D digital SLR cameras are affected by this phenomenon.

The phenomenon may occur only in cameras whose first two digits in its serial number are within the range of “00” to “22”.

Support 

EOS 70D digital SLR cameras on which error 70 or error 80 occurs repeatedly and that have a serial number within the range specified above will be inspected/repaired free of charge. Please note that inspection/repairs for any other issue will be handled as normal repairs.

If you wish to make a request for the free inspection/repairs, please bring the camera body only with the body cap attached to a Canon Service Center.

If you have not already done so, please register your EOS 70D so that we will be able to notify you via email about any future service upgrades.

This information is for residents of the United States and its five territories only. If you do not reside in the USA or its five territories, please contact the Canon Customer Support Center in your region.

Thank you,
Customer Support Operations
Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Canon To Test New Super Telephoto Lenses At World Cup 2018

Canon will be field testing their next generation Super Telephoto lens in the upcoming World Cup in Russia, starting  on June 14, 2018.

I have been reporting Canon plans to revamp their Super Telephoto lens lineup for over two years now. Eventually, the Series III will replace all the current Series II glass but that will take a few years.
No information on which new 'Big White' lens Canon will be field testing at the World Cup. For those who may be attending the many soccer games played around the world, keep an eye out for large, white telephoto lenses that are perhaps covered up with some camouflage. 

Canon debuted the EF 600mm f/4 DO BR lens at the Canon Expo in New York back in 2015. This is the lens I am most interested in buying. The current EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II is a great lens but the focal length is a bit short and the EF 200-400mm f/4 L IS USM 1.4x Extender lens can be too slow and heavy for some wildlife photography shoots I go on. The EF 600mm f/4 DO BR may be a perfect combo for my needs.

You can follow my travels on Facebook and Twitter, see my equipment bag and works on MichaelDanielHo.com

Canon 120MP APS-H Image Sensor Is For Sale

My readers know the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, with its innovative APS-H sensor is one of my favorite bodies and I still use it on occasion when I go on photo shoots even though the camera is about 8 years old. You can follow my travels on Facebook and Twitter, see my equipment bag and works on MichaelDanielHo.com

I reported Canon debuted its 120MP CMOS sensor back in 2015. Now the company is ready to sell this state-of-the-art sensor to any company that wants to install it in their products.


Ultra-High Resolution 120MP CMOS Sensor

The 120MXS is an ultra-high resolution CMOS sensor with 13280 x 9184 effective pixels (approx. 60x the resolution of Full HD). It has a size equivalent to APS-H (29.22mm x 20.20mm), and a square pixel arrangement of 2.2µm x 2.2µm with 122 million effective pixels. Ultra-high-resolution is made possible by parallel signal processing, which reads signals at high speed from multiple pixels. All pixel progressive reading of 9.4 fps is made possible by 28 digital signal output channels. It is available in RGB or with twice the sensitivity, in monochrome.


Technical Specification :

• Sensor size: APS-H (29.22mm x 20.20mm)
• Filter types:
• 120MXSC: RGB
• 120MXSM: Monochrome
• Number of effective pixels: 13280h x 9184v, approx. 122MP
• Pixel size: 2.2µm x 2.2µm
• Progressive Scan
• Rolling Shutter
• 188pin ceramic PGA
• Sensitivity:
• 120MXSC (Green): 10,000e/lux/sec
• 120MXSM: 20,000e/lux/sec
• Saturation: 10,000e @ gain0.5x
• Output Channels: Data 28 lanes, Clock 14 lanes
• Dark Random Noise: 2.3e rms @ gain x8, Room Temp.
• Dark Current: 8.1e/sec @ gain x8, 60°C
• Number of output channels: Data 28 lanes, Clock 14 lanes
• Main clock frequency: 45MHz (Recommended)
• Output format: 720Mbps in LVDS output 9.4fps @ 10 bit
• Built in column amplifier (Pre-amplifier gain mode: x0.5, x1, x2, x4, x8)
• Serial communication
• All pixel progressive scan reading function, Region of Interest reading function (Vertically)
• Vertically intermittent reading function (1/1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/5, 1/7, 1/15)
• Power consumption: 2.5W (under recommended operating conditions)
• Power supply voltage: 1.7 V, 3.5 V
• Package size: 55.0mm x 47.8mm x 4.49mm

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III and EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II coming Q2, 2018?

As reported earlier, Canon should be announcing the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III and EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II lenses, possibly before end of Q2, 2018 very soon.

It is not unusual for Canon to shift around the announcement date a few days or weeks at the last minute. I am on a wildlife and travel shoot in Europe right now. You can follow my travels on Facebook and Twitter, see my equipment bag and works on MichaelDanielHo.com

Ten Facts From Canon's L Series Lens Factory

Want to know how Canon's L series lenses are manufactured and why they are'white' in color?  Click on the above Canon page link and see why these lenses cost more.

I will be in Europe on a Travel and Wildlife Photography tour. You can follow my travels on Facebook and Twitter, see my equipment bag and works on MichaelDanielHo.com 

Nikon Confirmed New Full Frame Mirrorless Camera Coming Q1, 2019

Nothing surprising here. I have been reporting Canon and Nikon have been working on their own full frame mirrorless camera for over two years now. In a recent NHK interview, a Nikon executive has confirmed the company's intention to bring such a camera to market by the first quarter of 2019.
Canon is also expected to announce a high end full frame mirrorless camera around the same time frame. Nikon's new camera is expected to require an adapter in order to use their F mount lenses. That is not very desirable. Canon already has such an arrangement with their series of EOS-M mirrorless cameras.

I have discussed how Canon can make their new high end mirrorless camera an instant success upon announcement. We will have to see how they intend to proceed with this important project. Keep checking back for the latest information and development.