The Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III and EF 600mm f/4L IS III Super Telephoto lenses were announced September 5, 2018. An interview with the developers of the new generation lenses was published by Canon USA. The main improvements of the new lenses are weight reduction, improved IS performance and Image Quality improvement.
The Canon engineers tackled and overcame the following challenges :
Retooled the lens from the ground up for an overall balanced weight
Improved mobility and portability, with reduced weight
A new optical system
Optical, Mechanical, Electrical and Production difficulties
Reduce the number of components
Reduce weight and increase strength
A new high-strength alloy for the lens barrel
The latest gyro sensor is employed
Best in class IS performance
Lens can handle vibration when using a tripod
Improved lens focus drive speed when an EF extender is attached
New, state of the art coating
You can download and read the entire interview here. My readers know me as The Wildlife Ho-tographer and I have used Canon equipment for over three decades. Trying to decide which of these two lenses to add to my inventory. Leaning towards the EF 400mm Series III since it is slightly shorter and lighter.
Canon's CEO, Mr. Fujio Mitarai gave an interview to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun recently. Fujio pointed out the market for digital cameras could shrink to about half in the next two years and he plans to shift the camera business's focus to corporate customers.
"In our company cameras have declined at around 10% a year (sales volume) in the past few years (combined with single lens reflex and mirrorless) The world market for interchangeable lens cameras is around 10 million, but decreased The mirrorless product is growing, but it is a replacement with a single lens reflex, it is not adding to the market as a whole " "People usually shoot with smartphones.The digital camera market will keep falling for about 2 years, but professional and high amateur (advanced) amateurs use about 5 to 6 million units.Finally there I will hit the bottom. "
My readers know me as The Wildlife Ho-tographer and I have used Canon equipment for over three decades. Throughout the years, I have embarked on many worldwide photo shoots. You can follow my travels on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and see my equipment bag and works on MichaelDanielHo.com
I do not disagree with his assessment in general but I think the speed and size of the decline Fujio expects is too pessimistic. Canon is a huge, diversified conglomerate with a proven track record and will definitely be a survivor. It begs the question how many current camera/lens company will still be around in the next 5 to 10 years.
My view is high end DSLRs and Super Telephoto lenses will be around for a long time to come. High end full frame mirrorless cameras will get better and eventually the two camera systems' features and functionalities will converge to form a duopoly, much like the gasoline and electricity powered vehicles we see on the road today. There will be enough of a market for both systems to coexist long into the future.
As you know Wildlife Photography is very different from other forms of photography. It is tough enough to find and keep up with the wildlife. There is no time to fumble around with camera buttons while trying to keep one's eyes on the action once it is located.
For those photographers who would like to own a professional Canon full frame mirrorless camera without the compromise, there is hope some time in the next few years, Canon may announce a EOS-1D type of mirrorless model.
After announcing the EOS-R camera and RF lenses in Q4 of 2018, Canon is expected to follow up with an entry level EOS-R model and some less expensive zoom RF lenses this year.
This is to increase the user base of the full frame mirrorless cameras and gain some economies of scale. Already, Canon is the best selling mirrorless camera brand in Japan and capturing a larger customer base in North America is the next goal.
My readers know I am not a fan of the EOS-R camera in its current form. A major firmware release is expected the first quarter of 2019 in addition to a slew of new RF lenses. There is little to indicate what is included in the new software right now but suffice to say it cannot fix the major 'problems' like a single card slot, lack of a thumb wheel, around 3 fps burst rate in Servo AF with Dual Pixel RAW files, unimpressive battery life, etc.
TOKYO, January 8, 2019 - Canon Inc. ranked third for the number of U.S. patents awarded in 2018, becoming the only company in the world to have ranked in the top five for 33 years running, according to the latest ranking of preliminary patent results issued by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services. What's more, Canon once again ranked first among Japanese companies.
Canon actively promotes the globalization of its business and places great value on obtaining patents overseas, carefully adhering to a patent-filing strategy that pursues patents in essential countries and regions while taking into consideration the business strategies and technology and product trends unique to each location. Among these, the United States, with its many high-tech companies and large market scale, represents a particularly important region in terms of business expansion and technology alliances.
Canon U.S. patent rankings 2005–2018
Year All Japan# of patents
20183rd1st3,056
20173rd1st3,285
20163rd1st3,665
20153rd1st4,127
20143rd1st4,048
20133rd1st3,820
20123rd1st3,173
20113rd1st2,818
20104th1st2,551
20094th1st2,200
20083rd1st2,107
20073rd1st1,983
20063rd1st2,366
20052nd1st1,829
Note : Number of patents for 2016 to 2018 are based on figures released by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services. Figures for 2005 to 2015 are based on information issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Canon promotes the acquisition and application of intellectual property rights, not only for fundamental technologies required for next-generation products, but also such technologies as the wireless communication and image compression technologies shared by next-generation social infrastructure. Canon contributes to the realization of technology that serves society by continuing to provide even better products, greater convenience and by contributing to the development of manufacturing.
MELVILLE, NY, January 7, 2019 – Providing a dependable and durable pair of products that fit the everyday lifestyle of busy families, Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced two new ruggedly designed additions to the VIXIA family of digital camcorders – the VIXIA HF W11* and HF W10*. Both models are waterproof (up to 16.4 ft. / 5m), shockproof and dustproof and are capable of functioning in temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit /-10 degrees Celsius so users can capture a variety of fun moments, such as trips to the beach for swimming or the mountains for skiing. Featuring 1920 x 1080 video AVCHD Full HD video recording, both camcorders are equipped with a 40x optical and 60x digital zoom lens allowing users to record action both near and far.
“From soccer games to vacations, there are plenty of activities that families want to capture that require a product that fits their fun-filled lifestyles,” said Kazuto Ogawa, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “Weighing less than a pound, these new waterproof, shockproof and dustproof VIXIA models are perfect for active families so they won’t miss a minute of the action in any season, whether indoors or out, in good weather or wet weather.”
The VIXIA HF W11 camcorder offers an attached LED light and 32GB of internal storage for recording up to13.5 hours of crisp, high-definition video, while the VIXIA HF W10 camcorder offers 8GB of internal storage for recording up to three hours of video. Both models allow for five hours of continuous recording time**. Users can also record to a removable SD memory card, allowing for additional recording capacity as well as easy sharing with friends and family. In addition, both camcorders feature a 3.0-inch touch-panel LCD screen enabling users to view a recording or change settings all at the touch of a finger.
Price and Availability
The VIXIA HF W11 and VIXIA HF W10 camcorders are both scheduled to be available in April 2019 for an estimated retail price of $449.99 and $399.99 respectively1. For more information, please visit: usa.canon.com
MELVILLE, NY, January 7, 2019 – It’s easy to love going to the office when your office is wherever you want it to be. Road warrior, traveling sales person, start-up founders – whatever the title, work doesn’t have to take place within the confines of a traditional office. Using lightweight, portable and versatile office equipment – work can happen anywhere. That’s why Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced a portable mini projector, the new Canon Rayo S11, allowing business professionals and consumers to mirror their smartphones, project photos, videos and documents, and play audio files wherever the job takes them.
With the ability to run for up to two hours completely wirelessly and share presentations from a USB drive or internal storage, the art of business pitches and presentations can now be refashioned thanks to the Rayo S1 and its variety of features. Users can showcase PDFs, word-processing documents and slide presentations, as well as host conference calls where office space is limited. The Rayo S1 projects up to 84 inches, giving users the ability to take their presentations on the road.
In addition, the transition from office life to home life is seamless. The Rayo S1 can easily integrate into family activities making it the quintessential tool for projecting movies at sleepovers and playdates or sharing photographs during family gatherings. The pre-installed Canon Camera Connect app allows for connection to compatible Canon cameras.
"The average person’s workday isn’t the traditional nine-to-five within an office - it’s early mornings, late nights and being on-the-go. In order to align with the consumer’s needs, it is necessary to provide business equipment that matches the work lifestyle of today,” said Kazuto Ogawa, president and chief operating officer, Canon U.S.A., Inc. "With its sleek design and compact size, the Rayo S1 effortlessly fits into a consumer’s work life as well as their home life.”
At the core of the Rayo S1 is portability – weighting 0.5 pounds and measuring 4 inches x 4 inches in size. The projector is a small but mighty image solution featuring 4GB of internal storage as well as:
A smart touchpad for easy navigation
Compatibility with select wireless mouse, keyboard and presenters
The ability to connect and mirror a smartphone or tablet
On-screen QWERTY keyboard to type
Built-in power bank for charging mobile devices
3 Watts Bluetooth speaker
Built-in web browser
WiFi connectivity
Built-in Canon Camera Connect application
Android OS
Tripod mount
The new Canon Rayo S1 is scheduled to be available for purchase in May 2019 at an estimated retail price of $259.99.
My readers know I am not a fan of the EOS-R camera in its current form. A major firmware release is expected the first quarter of 2019 in addition to a slew of new RF lenses. There is little to indicate what is included in the new software right now but suffice to say it cannot fix the major 'problems' like a single card slot, lack of a thumb wheel, around 3 fps burst rate in Servo AF with Dual Pixel RAW files, unimpressive battery life, etc.
Also expected in 2019 is a bunch of RF lens announcement. The following are rumored :
RF 16-35mm f/2.8L
RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS
RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS
RF 105mm f/1.4L
RF 85mm f/1.8 IS STM
RF Macro lens
RF non-L kit lens
My advice to Canon is, do not place too much emphasis on the EOS-R and RF lenses, at the expense of the traditional high end EOS cameras and EF lenses, like the successors to the EOS-1D X Mark II and EOS-7D Mark II. There will be ample space for both camera and lens system to coexist for many years to come. As a global leader in photographic equipment, you can handle more than one system at a time.
The Rugby World Cup in 2019, follow by the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 are the perfect events to highlight Canon's dominance in sports and wildlife photography. How many pro photographers do you think will be taking a EOS-R camera to these events?
