Canon new Sumire Prime Lenses make Hollywood premiere at Cine Gear Expo

MELVILLE, NY, May 30, 2019 – At the 2019 Cine Gear Expo in Los Angeles, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, will showcase its latest cinema offerings in Booth #12. Visitors to the Canon booth will have the opportunity to experience the recently announced Sumire Prime Lenses, Canon’s first PL-Mount cinema prime lenses. Additional cinema solutions in the booth will include the EOS C700 FF and EOS C200 cinema cameras, CINE-SERVO lenses and 4K Reference Displays. Also on display in the booth will be Canon’s groundbreaking EOS R series of full-frame mirrorless cameras and complementary RF series of lenses.

“Each year, Cine Gear Expo provides Canon with a unique opportunity to interact with one of our most vital customer bases – working cinema professionals, right in their backyard of Hollywood,” said Kazuto Ogawa, president and chief operating officer, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “Similar to past Cine Gear shows, we are not only excited to showcase our latest products, but also to listen and engage with this audience in order to best serve them not just today, but in the future.”

In addition to showcasing professional products and service offerings, Canon will host a series of educational seminars and panel discussions. On Friday, May 31st from 2:30 to 3:15 p.m. in Screening Room 5, Canon Senior Trainer Charles Zablan will provide attendees with a technical overview and in-depth, hands-on opportunities with the Sumire Prime Cinema Lensesi. Canon will also host two panels during the expo as follows:

Friday, May 31st - Opening Up About Canon’s New Sumire Prime Lenses

Paramount Theater 

5:30-6:30 p.m.

Announced earlier this year, Canon’s new Sumire Prime lenses are full frame, PL-mount cinema lenses that offer a unique, artistically pleasing look with gentle and beautiful skin tones and smooth bokeh. In this panel discussion, cinematographers discuss their first impressions after their recent experiences shooting with the lenses.
Saturday, June 1st
Canon Conversations

Paramount Theater 

Canon’s cinema cameras and lenses have had a substantial impact throughout TV and film since the company first entered the market in 2011. In this panel, leading cinematographers will discuss the Canon gear that they’ve used on their recent projects, and how it has helped them capture their vision.

Cine Gear attendees will also be able to learn more about Canon’s CarePAK PRO Accidental Damage Protection Plan, which covers professional cinema and video products. Canon CarePAK PRO offers coverage from accidental damage such as drops, spills and power surges, protecting customer investments from unforeseen repair costs and excessive downtime.

Follow Canon’s Cine Gear activities on Twitter at @CanonUSApro or on Instagram at @CanonUSAprovideo. 

Canon EOS-7D Mark III or EOS-90D. What's in a name?

I wrote a post back in February asking whether the EOS-7D Mk III and EOS-90D may be morphed into a single camera. The rumor mill has been buzzing in the last few days about how Canon is 'discontinuing' the EOS-7D line of cameras. "The EOS-7D Mark II will be the last of its kind !" Don't pay much attention to these headline grabbing proclamations.

There is little doubt Canon is at the crossroad of a major decision. How to simplify their mirrorless and DSLR camera lineup without losing valuable DSLR customers rapidly. The EOS-7D and EOS-5D lines may 'disappear' in the not too distant future but will be replaced by other bodies with similar capabilities.

My advice is not to get hung up on the model number or name but buy the features and functions you need and want. Canon will announce a replacement to the EOS-1D X Mark II some time in early 2020, along with a pro version of the EOS R mirrorless camera. A new APS-C camera will probably come out some time in the second half of 2019. It may be called the EOS-7D Mk III, EOS-90D or something else. I hope it will have the following features :

• Low to Mid 20MP sensor
• Dual DIGIC 8 processors
• 10 fps (12 fps possible but unlikely)
• 4K+ video @ 30fps and 1080p @ 60fps
• Pop up flash and WiFi. GPS and WiFi  more likely
• 2 memory slots, one SD and one CFast (Unlikely. Dual SD more likely)
• AF points to below 100 with more cross-type points
• Increase in high ISO and Dynamic Range performance
• Addition of illuminated buttons on the back panel

Canon plans to announce new RF Prime and Super Telephoto lenses for the EOS R camera in 2020

My readers know me as The Wildlife Ho-tographer. I have been using Canon gear for over 30 years. You can follow my travels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, see my equipment bag and works on MichaelDanielHo.com

As a lifelong user of Canon equipment, I am not a fan of the Canon EOS R and RF cameras even though I was invited to a VIP preview just before their official launch in September 2018.

My biggest concern is the wasted opportunity in utilizing the current EF lens lineup without an adapter and the lack of must-have features on the current EOS-R model. The introduction of the new RF line of lenses raised a formidable barrier for me.

Canon seems to think a plethora of new RF lens introduction, including fast primes and Super Telephotos next year will help change minds. They will not change my mind until a new high end EOS-R camera appears with pro DSLR functions and features. 

The demise of the DSLR camera has been predicted by numerous pundits. Same prediction that the electric car will replace the internal combustion engine automobile. Perhaps that will happen one of these decades but I think the years of DSLRs and Mirrorless cameras coexisting are still ahead of us.

2020 is a big year for Canon. The Summer Olympics will take place in Japan and the world's photographers will converge in Tokyo and all the other cities around Japan. Canon is expected to announce the replacement to the EOS-1D X Mark II and EOS-7D Mark II cameras some time in early 2020, along with a pro version of the EOS R mirrorless camera. Check back often to get the latest information.

Andy Rouse hyping a 30 fps camera he is using in Ranthambhore, India for Tiger Photography

Canon EOS-1D X Mark III camera

Last week, Andy Rouse posted on social media he is in Ranthambhore National Park, India, photographing tigers and using a 'new' camera system that is capable of 30 fps.

The rumor mill ran wild with speculation, ranging from the beta version of the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III to some high end version of the EOS R mirrorless camera, or a completely new camera from another manufacturer.

I have been to India numerous times for wildlife photography and Andy's personal guide in Ranthambhore is a friend of mine. He informed me this time Andy is using a Sony mirrorless camera for his test shots.

Frankly, the obsession with frame rates per second is rather silly. The current EOS-1D X Mark II and Sony A9 cameras are capable of 16 and 20 fps already. I never use the 16 fps and prefer to set the rate at 12 fps for freezing Hummingbirds in flight.

There is little doubt camera manufacturers are working on increasing the frame rates of their cameras, precisely to satisfy the fatuous pursuit of one-upmanship. I expect Canon to announce the pro version of the EOS R and the EOS-1D X Mark III camera some time in early 2020. Keep checking back for the latest information.