World Press Photo Contest Announced New Code Of Ethics

I have been a wildlife photographer for 25 years using Canon equipment and never once entered a photo contest. These competitions offer me little satisfaction. I am my own severest critic and judge, always striving and take a better photo. You can see my equipment bag and works on MichaelDanielHo.com


The following is a post from Canon Professional Network, Europe :

In recent years, the photographic industry has called for clearer criteria on entering and judging World Press Photo Contest submissions. The World Press Photo Foundation has answered this call for the 2016 Photo Contest by publishing a new code of ethics, revised entry rules, and a transparent description of the judging and verification processes. The 2016 Photo Contest changes are part of a new strategy which the World Press Photo Foundation devised during a five-month review involving 17 consultations with photographers, editors and publishers at events in 15 locations worldwide.

Entries to the highly anticipated annual World Press Photo Contest are regarded as visual documents and are therefore expected to be an accurate and fair representation of the scene the photographer witnessed. The first entry rule concerning manipulation was enforced in 2009 and in the 2014 Photo Contest World Press Photo began requesting photographers submit original camera files. The challenge being addressed now is making contest participants more aware of what counts as manipulation.

Managing Director of World Press Photo, Lars Boering, says: “In the past two years 33 entries, out of a total of 240 in the second last round, were excluded, and one story was disqualified after the award. If we want pictures to be documents and evidence, we cannot accept the addition or removal of content, even if it is just ‘tidying up the image’.”

As photographs are at risk for manipulation during every stage in the photographic process – capture, production, publication, and circulation – the World Press Photo Foundation has introduced a new code of ethics and committed to continued use of independent digital analysts and a fact-checking team to review original camera files, metadata and caption accuracy.
Entry requirements

“It is important to stress that processing by itself is not manipulation,” states World Press Photo. That said, the new code of ethics shows that sensible cropping, sensor dust and scratches on negatives are among the few alterations in content permitted for contest entrants. Some level of colour correction as well as conversion to greyscale is accepted but changes which diverge from the original colour or obscure objects and/or people in the background of a picture are viewed as manipulation.

Those entries that have made it to the second to last round of judging will be checked for manipulation. Entrants who are eligible for the fifth and final round of judging are required to provide original camera files which World Press Photo will then pass on to two independent digital analysts. If unacceptable modifications are found, a 36-hour timeframe begins where entrants are given a chance to explain the apparent alteration. From 2016 onwards, entrants whose work has been excluded for altering content in two contests will be prevented from entering the contest for the next five years.

Captions will also be under strict scrutiny; requirements are outlined in the revised entry rules. As well as giving attribution for action not seen, providing sourced context of an event, the photographer must also state if he/she influenced the scene in any way. In the contest’s Portrait category which has been renamed as People, photographers must disclose in the caption if they “gave directions to a subject to pose in any way for a portrait”. Eligible photographs will be subject to an independent fact-checking team who will determine the completeness and accuracy of the captions.
What else is new?

The World Press Photo Contest has introduced an entirely new category: Long-Term Projects – Group. Entrants can now submit a photo essay which has been shot over a period of at least three years by two or more photographers.

For the first time all category prize winners (1st/2nd/3rd) will be invited to the awards and have travel and accommodation expenses covered by the World Press Photo Foundation. In addition, usage rights that applied to the Photo Of The Year winner will now apply to all awarded pictures.

To determine the photo contest winners, five specialised juries as well as one general jury deliberate independently of the World Press Photo Foundation during a two week judging process. For the first time, the complete judging procedures handbook has been made publicly available. Find the handbook, entry requirements, as well as explanatory videos on the World Press Photo website here.

Aside from the Photo Contest, the World Press Photo Foundation has announced that it will launch a standalone website in 2016, with its own publication name, which will act as a forum to investigate and report on visual stories.

Lars Boering concludes: “Now our team is looking forward to pushing ahead with building the online channel so we can showcase great stories and new approaches, lead debate, and connect visual journalists with the global audience that wants and needs their work.”
How to enter

The 2016 World Press Photo Contest will be open for participants to enter their work on 2 December 2015. The deadline for submissions is 13 January 2016, 23.59 (CET). Entries may only be submitted online via the World Press Photo entry website. A username and password are required to enter and can be requested until 7 January 2016, 23.59 (CET). 

Canon Professional Services Hospitality Suite at 2015 NAB Show

Canon Professional Services will once again host the Canon Hospitality Suite at NAB 2015. The Canon Hospitality Suite will be open to all NAB show attendees and will feature complimentary Clean & Check service for Canon professional products. The Clean & Check service is limited to (2) Canon EOS DSLR bodies or EF/ EF-S lenses, or (1) Cinema EOS product or (1) XF professional camcorder. All items are taken on a first-come, first-served basis and same-day service is not guaranteed.

The Canon Hospitality Suite will also include an exclusive product showcase highlighting Canon’s full professional line-up and Canon professional product reps will be available to provide product demonstrations and answer questions.

The Canon Hospitality Suite is located in room C201, just a short trip from Canon’s booth (C4325) in a private CPS elevator.

Show Special Registration Promotion!

As a bonus, sign up, renew, or upgrade a Gold, Platinum, or Cinema CPS membership in the Canon Hospitality Suite at NAB 2015 and receive an additional Canon Maintenance Service (CMS) redeemable at any Factory Service Center. Registration kiosks will be available in the Canon Hospitality Suite throughout the show.

Please read! Important information about registering for CPS :

To expedite your registration process, please sign-up, renew or upgrade your CPS membership prior to the show. To enroll, renew or upgrade membership please visit our website at cps.usa.canon.com and click the “LOGIN/REGISTER” tab. To enroll follow the instructions for “New User” or to renew or upgrade follow the instructions for “Returning User”. Be sure to print out your confirmation page as it must be presented to a CPS representative to receive the bonus Canon Maintenance Service (CMS).

To sign up in the Canon Hospitality Suite at the show, serial numbers for all qualifying CPS products must be supplied. (See full list of applicable products at www.cps.usa.canon.com). Equipment information must be entered at our registration kiosk in the Canon Hospitality Suite where a representative will be on hand to assist you.

Dates and Hours of Operation :

Monday April 13, 2015 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Tuesday April 14, 2015 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Wednesday April 15, 2015 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Thursday April 16, 2015 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
(Gear pick up only, no new items)

(All times indicated are local time and schedule/content subject to change without prior notice)

See www.cps.usa.canon.com for full details regarding program and membership.

CPN Highlights Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop CC Workflow

Canon Professional Network has put out a detailed video on how to get the maximum effectiveness out of Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. You can see the video and read the entire article here. Below is an excerpt :

Adobe now offers a Creative Cloud Photography bundle that includes Lightroom editing software and Photoshop CC for photographers who want to organise, edit, enhance and share their images via desktop or their mobile devices – this package currently comes bundled with the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and EOS 6D DSLRs, plus the PowerShot G1 X Mark II and G7 X compact cameras. In a four-part CPN series of articles and video tutorials Richard Curtis (a Principal Solutions Consultant in Digital Imaging for Adobe UK) will examine the workflow between Lightroom software and Photoshop CC to help you to understand the benefits of working with both in tandem. In Part 1 of this series Richard Curtis explains how to use Smart Objects within the Lightroom and Photoshop CC workflow and, in a special video, he reveals how Smart Objects ensure your image edits are non-destructive for longer. Please click on the play button in the window above to watch the video...

The Creative Cloud Photography bundle – which includes Lightroom and Photoshop CC – offers photographers even more flexibility when it comes to editing their photographs and opportunities to make their images look even more amazing. Integration between the two products is a key benefit and is re-enforced with this bundle. The integration is not new – it has been in place some time now – however, with the release of the Photography bundle and the ongoing updates to the Creative Cloud, this integration has become much stronger and offers even more possibilities to edit and make images look more beautiful.
Traditional workflows

The typical workflow between the two solutions is to let Lightroom render its adjustments and then take the results into Photoshop CC. This is a great, and well-defined, workflow but it doesn’t offer an option to re-edit the Lightroom adjustments from within Photoshop CC. The integration between Lightroom and Photoshop CC in the Photography bundle has become much more flexible, by making use of Photoshop ‘Smart Objects’.

The ability to open a Smart Object from Lightroom into Photoshop CC is not unique to the Photography bundle but there have been a number of significant improvements to the workflow, including the ability to use more Photoshop Filters in a non-destructive way on Smart Objects as well as the traditional adjustment layers.

With traditional Photoshop workflows, any Lightroom/Photoshop adjustment(s) had to be ‘rasterised’ early on in the workflow and this reduced the options for any non-destructive work. There are classic ways of editing images in Photoshop, and ‘work-arounds’ to try create a non-destructive process, but these can result in workflows with a large number of layers and committing to adjustments early in the workflow with no way to re-edit any previous enhancements.
New, non-destructive workflows

The Creative Cloud Photography bundle offers new workflows for the photographer to embrace a true non-destructive workflow without having to commit to adjustments early in the process. Images can now be saved with all of their Lightroom or Camera RAW adjustments intact, with supported ways to re-edit the original RAW adjustments from Camera RAW or from Lightroom. This new workflow is a saviour for anybody who wants to tweak, enhance and then re-tweak their pictures to get the best result at any time in the process.

The objective of this walk-through (which uses the 2014 release of Photoshop CC) is to show the integration of image editing between Lightroom and Photoshop CC and another way to open pictures, keep the Lightroom adjustments active, and create a non-destructive workflow for any future enhancements.

Initial adjustments can be made in the Development module of Lightroom, so we don’t need to worry if the results are not exactly what we are looking for as we can modify them later once our work is inside Photoshop CC. I will illustrate the workflow with a step-by-step guide… 

Canon Professional Network Back To School Portrait Tips

Check out Canon Professional Network's helpful hint on back to school portraits. Below is an excerpt from their article :

It’s that time of year again, when millions of children leave the comforts of home to start a new school year. For parents with children going to school for the first time, this is an important milestone they will want to remember for years to come. Even for an older child, documenting them at the start of each year, or when they start new legs of their education (such as entering Junior High, and High School) is a rewarding project.

Luckily, great back-to-school photos are easy to take – with little more than a basic digital SLR (for greater imaging control) and some attention to details.

Here are a few tips that will elevate what may have been just a quick snapshot into a truly meaningful portrait :

TIP #1: Fill the Frame

Any time you’re shooting people, a goal should be to effectively fill the frame with your subjects. Moving or zooming in close to them and excluding unnecessary background details goes a long way toward a strong portrait (that doesn’t mean the background isn’t important – more on that in Tip #3).

Don’t just snap the picture without thinking for a moment what you want the picture to ‘say’ (and show) about your child. For example, if your little boy is dressed in a suit and tie for the first time in his life, you may want to step back, or zoom out to get more of a full-length shot that shows him proudly wearing his new clothes. On the other hand, if your teenager is heading off to school with the same jeans they wore all summer, you may be more inclined to zoom in for a tighter head-and-shoulders portrait that emphasizes the person instead of the clothes.

A fundamental part of good composition is knowing when to shoot vertical pictures. In most cases, vertical composition makes it easier to effectively fill the frame with your child, without distracting clutter visible in the background. Luckily, the high resolution of Canon’s digital SLR cameras allow you to crop and reframe your images for even more creative control.

TIP #2 : Make Room to Zoom

As the famous photojournalist Robert Capa said, “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.”

Simply zooming a standard kit lens to its longest telephoto setting (such as setting an 18-55mm lens to the 55mm focal length) gives you a good starting point for filling the frame with one or two people. You don’t need super telephoto power here, but if you happen to own longer telephoto lenses (anywhere from 50mm to perhaps 200mm at the top end), you’ll be even more effective at zooming in and minimizing any distractions in the background.

A pleasing side-effect of using telephoto lenses for portraits is that you have more control over what is in focus – you can easily get sharp (focused) faces and soft/blurred backgrounds, which help the most important part of the frame – your child! – stand out in the photo. The ‘soft background’ effect will be more noticeably blurry when you combine long lenses with wider apertures (more on that in Tip #4). Whenever you shoot, take that extra moment to look out to the corners of your viewfinder and ask yourself if by getting a little closer, you’ll get a more powerful shot.

Remember, you don’t even need a zoom: Often, the best zoom lens is your own two feet.

TIP #3 : Consider the Background

One important difference between casual snapshots and pictures taken by a more serious photographer is how the background in a scene is handled. The key question to ask is this: Will the background ‘say’ more about the subject or will it just be a cluttered distraction? Back to school portraits are a great opportunity to use backgrounds to create a sense of place that tells a story about the moment you are capturing in-camera.

For example, if you drive your child to their school and can photograph him or her with the school in the background, this can actually strongly convey to a viewer, not just that it’s a portrait of your child, but that it’s in the context of his or her school — and possibly the first day of school. In this case, it might actually be useful to have your daughter or son stand a bit to one side and allow the school to show in your background. In fact, wider-angle lens may be helpful here because they will include more background into the frame.

A good portrait technique with a wider lens is to step in fairly close to your subject, focus on them, and the wide-angle lens will often render a sharp person with a slightly blurred (but still recognizable) background. Nothing says portraits can only be taken with a telephoto lens! However, be careful of ‘fisheye’ distortion that very wide lenses may cause with subjects that are too close to the camera.

Other backgrounds you may want to include in this type of portrait: At the bus stop (perhaps as the bus rolls up in the background); inside the classroom (if allowed); or even at home where your child usually do their homework, or heading out the front door – with the right ‘props,’ such as books or a knapsack, this will help create that sense of place.

Alternately, a solid-colored sheet of fabric or photographic backdrop paper can make a simple, inexpensive and clutter-free background.

TIP #4 : Wider Apertures = Softer Backgrounds

In addition to selecting an appropriate background for your portrait, another important part of good portraits is knowing how to control that background so that it doesn't distract form the main subject.

A common, and very pleasing, approach is to have an in-focus subject against a gently blurred background. With an out-of-focus background, the viewer’s attention is riveted to whatever does appear in sharp focus in a photograph.

Digital SLRs makes it easy to blur a background when you focus upon a nearby subject, (especially if you’re zoomed to a telephoto focal length, as mentioned in Tip #2). This effect is achieved, in part, by using wider apertures – these are represented by the lower-value f/stops such as f/1.8, f/2.8, f/3.5, or f/4.

For beginning digital SLR photographers: Set the camera to the Portrait mode (on Canon EOS models with this feature, set the Mode Dial on top of the camera to the icon that looks like a woman’s face).

For more experienced digital SLR users: Set the camera to the Aperture-priority mode (Av mode on Canon EOS digital SLRs), and then set a wide lens aperture. The lower the number, the wider the lens will be open — and the more likely your background is to be intentionally thrown out of focus. With most zoom lenses, this will be a setting such as f/4 or f/5.6. Some more advanced lenses offer even wider possibilities, such as f/2.8 or f/1.8. If your lens offers them, consider using these wide apertures whenever you shoot a portrait and you don’t want or need a sharp background.

TIP #5 : Flash: It's NOT Just for Low-Light

Always remember: Shadows will look harsher and darker in a finished photo than they do to your naked eye when you look through your camera’s viewfinder.

Many new photographers may not realize that one of the best times to use a flash is in bright sunlight: If the sun is shining and you have harsh shadows falling on your child, try popping-up your built-in flash. As long as you’re fairly close to your child (say, within 8 or 10 feet), the flash will be pretty effective in minimizing some of the harshness of shadows. If you’re standing further away (for instance, with a telephoto lens), this is when a larger accessory Speedlite can be quite handy. Either way, remember that in the outdoors, flash photography with EOS cameras is totally automatic. All you have to do is turn the flash on; balancing flash output to the daylight is handled by the flash.

For users shooting with an accessory EOS Speedlite, a good portrait tip is to set the flash to its High Speed Sync mode (indicated by an icon on the flash with a little lightning bolt and the letter “H”). Once this is done, set the camera to a wide lens aperture in the Av mode. With the High Speed Sync mode engaged, you’ll be able to take flash pictures at shutter speeds even higher than the camera’s normal top x-sync speed. This will allow very wide lens openings, even in bright sunlight — with automatic flash fill as well. (Please note that High Speed Sync is not possible with the camera’s built-in flash unit).

For more information, take a look at this more detailed Canon Digital Learning Center Tip on Fill-Flash use with EOS cameras and Speedlites.

TIP #6 : To Pose, or Not to Pose?

Most parents’ instinct for this type of shot is to pose the subject, and have him or her look directly into the camera (and hopefully smile!). If this is the look and feel you want, just keep a few quick points in mind :

• Even if the subject is a small child, if they stand straight up and face directly into the camera, pictures will tend to make them look bulkier than they truly are. Most pros would suggest having the person turn slightly to one side or the other, moving their feet, hips, and shoulders so they’re turned slightly away from directly facing the camera. Furthermore, a slight turn 'slims' the body and adds a bit more depth than a head-on portrait.
• Tell them to relax their shoulders, but to keep standing straight (don't 'slouch')
• Don’t try to force big smiles, especially if the child is a bit nervous. Remember, the first days of school can be challenging for young ones, even if it seems pretty routine to adults
• Keeping that last point in mind, consider taking the portrait on a stress-free day, such as during the weekend before or after your child’s first day. Your child will probably be more relaxed, more patient, and easier to work with – and so will most parents!
• Of course, effective portraits do not have to be formal or posed. They don’t need to include a big smile. They don’t even need to have eye contact with the camera.
• In fact, you may get pictures that say a lot more about your child’s personality, and what they are really feeling in the moment, by stepping back with your telephoto zoom lens and taking unobtrusive candid shots.

Try that approach – maybe at the bus stop waiting your child for the bus, or interacting with friends or family, or when they are trying on new school clothes, or just quietly thinking about the school year ahead. You may be surprised at how a candid portrait can often tell a much more powerful story than a ‘smile for the camera.’

TIP #7 : Sharing is Caring

Think about how you want to share the pictures of your child going off to school. Remember, the potential uses and way to share and enjoy your digital photography is seemingly endless!

One exciting possibility is using multiple pictures in either a slide show or as a sequence to be displayed in a digital picture frame. Numerous other possibilities exist for letting others share your pictures, including posting them on photo-sharing web sites — another reason to consider taking a series of shots rather than just a few quick head-and-shoulder pictures. Various third-party software companies market effective software for taking multiple pictures, combining them with sound or music, and burning them onto a CD or DVD. If you plan effectively and shoot a sequence of pictures, you can quickly produce disks that are easy to mail out to grandparents and other family members and can be viewed either on computers or most DVD players (a quick computer search for slide show software will generate numerous options for Mac and Windows users).

If you shoot these types of pictures at the beginning of each school year, you’ll begin to build an extensive collection of photos of your children as they grow and mature – images that will be treasured by family members, and your children, and their children, as well.
Summary

The start of school, or the beginning of a new school year, is great opportunity for parents to take meaningful pictures of their children. With a little bit of time and forethought, it’s easy to go far beyond the typical quality of quick snapshots, and really use the camera’s features to get effective, attention-grabbing portraits.

Some things to consider :

• When to take a horizontal or a vertical shot?
• How much of the background and WHAT background do you want to see?
• Do you want to zoom in for tight framing, or use a wider lens to include more of an important background?
• Would a flash help control the light?
• Why settle for a forced or fake smile, when a candid may tell a better story?

Take more than one or two pictures, change your compositions, and move the child a bit as well to avoid a stiffly posed look. Think about ways to share the pictures you take: sending an e-mail with one or two is only scratching the surface of what you can do. Like most pictures you take of family, they’ll come to mean more as time goes on.

Canon Professional Network Interviews The Men Behind EOS-1 Camera

The original Canon EOS-1 camera, first introduced in 1989

Canon EOS-1D X, current flagship EOS-1 DSLR camera

Canon is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the EOS-1 series, the company’s flagship range of SLR cameras, which began with the launch of the EOS-1 film SLR in 1989. CPN recently got the unique opportunity to talk to two of the key men behind the development of the EOS-1 series and EOS System – Tsunemasa Ohara and Yoshiaki Sugiyama of Canon Inc. in Tokyo.

I have been a wildlife photographer using Canon equipment for 25 years. My first EOS-1 was purchased in 1989 and the latest, EOS-1D X in 2012. You can see my works on MichaelDanielHo.com

Below is an excerpt from CPN on the interviews. They reveal the secrets behind the historical development of the EOS-1 SLR cameras.

Yoshiaki Sugiyama has worked on the design of Canon SLR systems since 1978, including the T90 (1986), the EOS 650/620 (1987) and the EOS-1 (1989) cameras. CPN spoke to him about the history and development of EOS-1 series SLR designs.

CPN: Many say that the ‘grandfather’ of the current EOS-series design was the Canon T90. Would you agree and, if so, why?

Yoshiaki Sugiyama (YS): “Considering the following three points, I believe that is a reasonable opinion. First of all, the T90 was the first model to be equipped with the Main Dial. Next, the same ergonomics base as the later EOS series was visually represented. Lastly, the T90 was accepted by many professionals.”
 CPN: How have ergonomics evolved as camera technology has improved?

YS: “Along with rapid advances in electronic technology with the EOS-1 in 1989, the main construction of the camera transitioned from a number of motors to mecha-electronics controlled by electronic circuits, and the freedom in core construction of traditional mechanisms rapidly increased. Additionally, along with the more compact and dense input/output parts positioned between the camera and photographer, there was more freedom in adjusting the layout of controls; making it possible to create the optimal layout for a person operating a camera.

As an example, the Quick Control Dial which was implemented on the EOS-1 (1989) that made it possible to instantly apply exposure compensation while looking through the viewfinder, and the control system that allowed identical controls in vertical and horizontal positions on the EOS-1V (2000) continues through to this day as the basic control schemes of the EOS-1 system.

Although not visible from the outside, another example of controls from the original EOS-1 is the mechanism that enables adjustment of the [shutter] release button stroke. The amount of press until the halfway press, the amount of press from a halfway press to a full press, and how far the release button protrudes can all be customised in service.”

CPN: When you design a camera, what user criteria do you take into account?

YS: “The base user for each category differs. The standard for the EOS-1 [series] is the professional photographer. These are people who have mastered functions and can intuitively handle the camera. In line with this, the weight balance is also thoroughly considered, taking into account telephoto lenses. Additionally, because the market in recent years also includes more women and beginners, designers are at the core of development, and we use user needs surveys to collect information that can be used in product development.”

CPN: Are photographers using cameras differently these days to, say, 20 years ago? Does this affect the way that you look at the design of cameras?

YS: “What can be clearly stated is that there is a wealth of options for pre-shooting functions. To achieve a good result, photographers must select the optimal option. Also, camera operations that were simple 20 years ago (in the film era) are now vastly different with the availability of functions for checking results after shooting and communication functions. Although the many control buttons and GUI [Graphical User Interface] elements on the current EOS series are necessary for these functions, these are also the cause of making people feel that cameras are now complicated devices. The job of the designer is to optimise the layout of controls while considering possible shooting situations, [to] create simplified and easy to understand information displays and, when necessary, add new control procedures and design styles.”

CPN: What are the most important considerations/key criteria when you begin the process of designing a camera?

YS: “To satisfy users in the areas of grip and controls, and to provide a look and feel that does not look like anything but an EOS model.”
 CPN: How have materials – for example, plastic, magnesium alloy and rubber – and their use influenced the way you design a DSLR?

YS: “As designers, we focus more on functions that will satisfy users rather than materials. The EOS-1 category is heavily focused on functionality. We almost never choose components simply for cosmetic purposes. With regards to plastic and magnesium alloy, which make up the main construction of the camera exterior, recent advances in production methods allow for a virtually difference-free form for both. However, there are vastly more choices for exterior processing when plastic materials are involved.”

CPN: How much influence do end-users (photographers and filmmakers) have on the way you design an EOS camera?

YS: “Opinions of professional users are especially important for the EOS-1 category. It’s not all about specs; there is also a large influence on camera design. We endeavour to understand the inclinations of as many users as possible and reflect this in products. However, I believe that with the recent increase in movie functions [in DSLRs], the situation has become more complicated. Even for the same movie, the purpose in shooting makes demands for equipment appear completely opposite. To cope with changes from one new function to the next realistically results in a slight change to controls or additional GUI for function selection. However, just as with the advent of new categories such as the Cinema EOS [system] that comes from DSLRs, there is currently a trend toward advancing to optimal equipment.”

CPN: Do you design a camera with a particular lens in mind? Or are the designs of EF lenses and EOS cameras always kept separate?

YS: “Design is not carried out with a specific lens in mind, however, the EOS-1 category must be designed so that controls are comfortable, even when 'non-typical' lenses such as telephoto and TS-E lenses are used with the camera body. However, on the other hand, it is extremely difficult to ensure perfect strength and operation when a lens such as the EF600mm is attached to a low-end [EOS] model that is designed for maximum compactness and a lightweight form. Because lenses and cameras only function when they are combined, although a functional design is imperative, when colour and texture are considered, the body must be designed to match the lens, considering that the basic black camera body is a given.”
 CPN: What has been the most difficult design challenge in the history of the EOS series in terms of making sure all of the aspects of the camera’s specifications/technologies are fitted into a relatively compact body?

YS: “Many transformations were required during the change from film to digital. It was necessary to add components to traditional cameras that are necessary for digital cameras, such as a large LCD panel and controls, operation procedures for setting and playback, and design for screen displays (GUI). A new field of design became necessary for GUI. Even now in this area, each time new specs are added, it is very difficult to make changes without causing new problems.”

CPN: One of the design and functionality aspects of EOS cameras that has found favour with many photographers is the ability to customise buttons. Can you explain how this was achieved?

YS: “The predecessor to button customisation was likely the Custom Function included on the EOS-1 in 1989. This enabled eight different functions to be set individually, and switching of control functions was also included among these. There are various opinions on camera use, even among professional photographers. Our basic stance remains that as long as it is in the realm of technical possibility, we want to continue to adopt as many requests as possible. The Custom Function and button customisations are limited by ideas only. Because current cameras are almost entirely electronically controlled, nearly anything is possible with switches and GUI settings. Therefore, the only problem for designers is how many potential requests from photographers to incorporate.”

CPN: Is there an optimum size for a camera when it is designed bearing in mind the differing size of peoples’ hands?

YS: “There is no ‘better too big than too small’ proverb in the camera world. This is my own personal opinion, but I believe that the best results come from people with comparatively small hands designing for people with larger hands. I believe that the optimum size among Canon cameras is the AL-1.”

CPN: Many photographers comment that EOS DSLRs are comparatively lightweight and easy to use – does the need to keep the weight of a camera as low as possible affect design decisions? If so, in what way?

YS: “I don’t believe it is necessary to go to extremes so that something has to be sacrificed to keep a camera lightweight, and this does not have a large influence on design. This point is shared perfectly between engineers and designers. A more lightweight form must be achieved by a balance between both the lens and body.”

CPN: How do you measure or know how to design a control dial, button or menu that is intuitive to use? Is it via user feedback or are the designs of controls driven by the features of the cameras?

YS: “Because design of controls for new functions does not take user feedback into consideration, design is carried out in consideration of how the camera will be used. When designing a new model we always consider user feedback and incorporate it into the design after it is verified.”

CPN: Which camera made the biggest leap in terms of changing design from the previous model in the EOS series and why was this design changed so much?

YS: “I believe the largest conceptual change occurred in the EOS 50E. Up to that point all settings on all models (except for low-end models) were carried out using the function button and Main Dial. From the EOS 50E [onwards] shooting modes, AF, drive and various metering function options could be set on separate dials and levers. This change was implemented from the viewpoint of enabling easier to understand controls for users, and the shooting mode dial has been continued on every [EOS camera] category except for the EOS-1 [series].”
CPN: How much synergy is there between the designs (and designers) of the EOS DSLRs and the designs of Cinema EOS cameras such as the EOS C500 and EOS C300?

YS: “Cinema EOS was developed as a movie camera for professional users. Before Cinema EOS, cinematic cameras had large housings and were designed for use by several crew members. However, the design concept behind Cinema EOS was mobility, and the desire for a compact, lightweight, one-man controlled camera in movie production circles. The expertise and knowledge accumulated over many years in the EOS SLR series was put together to make Cinema EOS possible. The Canon logo is found on the upper part of the lens mount, which is rare on cinematic cameras, but expresses the Canon identity.”

CPN: What do you see as the future for EOS camera design encompassing? For example, can cameras get smaller and even easier to use? If so, how might this be achieved?

YS: “I previously said that I believe the optimum size among Canon cameras is the AL-1. I believe that the trend towards compact, lightweight equipment is a certainty among categories encompassed by advanced amateurs, and even professional equipment, [so] the entire [EOS] system will move toward a more lightweight form.

The technical challenges are: lighter, stronger materials; glass materials with a high refractive index and high permeability; improvement in low power consumption design and compact, high-capacity battery; electronic parts with a higher degree of integration.”

Tsunemasa Ohara has worked on the development of EOS System since 1984, including heading up the ‘EOS Digital Project’, the ‘EOS-1D X Project’ and the ‘EOS Professional Business Project’. CPN spoke to him about the history and development of EOS-1 series SLR technologies.

CPN: What was the original concept for the first EOS-1 series camera in 1989?


Tsunemasa Ohara (TO): “The EOS [system] was developed as an SLR camera system that enables fast and comfortable AF [autofocus]. The first EOS product was launched in 1987, and from the beginning of development we had the idea of developing the ‘EOS-1’ as the flagship camera for professionals in the EOS series.

The concept for the EOS-1 as the EOS flagship model is a camera that provides the ultimate in speed and comfort. The most important aspect of this was to ensure that photographers are able to shoot exactly the photo they have in mind. Because photos are recorded in a single instant, performance that makes it possible to capture that precious moment exactly as a photographer sees it is very important. In addition to pursuing the ultimate in speed and comfort, the central component of performance is high-speed response, and the factors that best represent that are AF and speed.”

CPN: Has your vision of the EOS-1 series and the EOS System remained true to its original ideas?

TO: “The original concept of ‘high-speed response’ for the EOS-1 has been carried through to today in the latest model, the EOS-1D X. The advancements made over the 25 years of the EOS-1 series have continued to proceed in the direction of creating the ultimate camera for speed and comfort. The latest model is the EOS-1D X, and its performance has advanced to the point where its 61 AF points use AF tracking in 12 frames each second for continuous shooting.”
 CPN: Of all of the EOS-1 series cameras you have overseen the development of do you have a favourite? If so, which camera is it and why is it your favourite?

TO: “I feel the same about each and every EOS-1 camera. The latest EOS-1D X is the most advanced model, and because [the] jump in advancement was so large, it is a model that leaves a strong impression.”

CPN: What, in your view, has been the biggest advance in the EOS-1 series system over the past 25 years?

TO: “The biggest advancement in the EOS-1 series over 25 years has been the change to digital. The advancement to digital has enabled high sensitivity that was unthinkable during the film era. This has made it possible to shoot in a vastly wider variety of situations. I believe the latest EOS-1D X has achieved the greatest advancements in shooting functions in the series.”

CPN: How has Canon’s relationship with professional photographers who are working with EOS-1 cameras changed over the course of 25 years?

TO: “I believe that the EOS-1 was the first AF SLR camera to be evaluated by professional photographers as a camera where AF is actually useful. The EOS-1 system continued to advance over the next 25 years, and many professional photographers around the world have used it in that time. Canon also started the CPS [Canon Professional Services] programme to support professional photographers in countries around the world. This programme does not just offer technical support for camera equipment, but also shooting support as well. This programme has been helpful in gaining the trust of pro photographers and has also been a source of feedback from many pros. Feedback and requests from pro photographers have made it possible for the EOS-1 series to continue advancing.”

CPN: What requests have professional photographers made which have most influenced design and technology decisions for the EOS-1 series?

TO: “AF performance. In actual shooting situations, it is necessary to focus on a number of different subjects. For example, in dark shooting situations, shooting fast moving sports, subjects who move all of a sudden, etc. Even in scenes like these, pro photographers always request instant, high-precision focusing performance. Whether focus is high-precision or not has a significant impact on the photo.

The initial EOS-1 was equipped with a high-precision cross-type AF sensor compatible with [an] f/2.8, AI Servo system for focus tracking of moving subjects, and an AF-dedicated micro-processor for even faster AF operation. Later we received feedback from many pro photographers, which we used to continue to develop AF system technology and advance AF performance for high-precision and high-speed to meet their needs.”
CPN: Have we now reached the absolute peak of AF performance within the EOS System or what improvements could possibly be made?

TO: “I believe we’ve achieved an extremely high level of advancement in AF performance with the EOS-1D X. However, AF performance will continue to advance in the future. The ideal AF performance for the EOS is to be able to focus anytime, on anything, exactly the way you imagine it. In other words, the ultimate AF performance would exceed the limits of human eyes. We will continue pursuing this ideal with development of technology from here on.”

CPN: Looking through the timeline of technologies for the EOS-1 series are there any technologies that didn’t work as well as you’d hoped?

TO: “In the development of the EOS-1 series, I believe we have used the best technology available at that point in time to create the best possible camera. On the other hand, if we determine that the degree of completion or reliability of that technology is insufficient for the EOS-1, we will not include it on the camera. Technology included on the EOS-1 series products used by professional photographers must be at a high level of completion.

There are a number of technologies that were not included on past EOS-1 series products because the level of completion at the time of development was insufficient. However, there have been cases where, even when a function was not included on a specific model, development was continued, and after that function was completed it was included on later models.”

CPN: For the EOS-1 series critical areas of performance have always been AF and speed related. Why is this?

TO: “Just as I explained in the beginning, AF and speed are important factors in creating a camera that can capture images exactly as the photographer envisions them. No matter how good an image sensor or lens is in terms of image quality, if the focus is 'off', even a little bit for a decisive moment, the sharpness of an image will drop. High-speed, high-precision AF that provides stable focus tracking in various shooting situations is required.”

CPN: How can sensor and signal processing technology improve in the future?

TO: “There are significant advances in image sensor and image processor technology. Amazing advances – such as high-sensitivity, low-noise images – that were unthinkable in the film era and beginning of the switch to digital are now possible, and these co-exist with high-speed sequential shooting performance at 12 frames per second. However, this is not the pinnacle, and I believe there is still [some] room for advancement in the future. As long as there is a demand, we will continue to develop technology so that even further high-resolution, low-noise images are possible.”
CPN: Many of the latest technical advances in digital photography are amazing; which single technology do you think has been most important for the Canon EOS System?

TO: “I believe the technology that makes excellent image quality and high-speed performance possible is the most important. It’s impossible to separate the two technologies of the CMOS sensor and imaging engine that processes signals to convert into images. Every part of the interior of the CMOS sensor is designed to be closely linked with the imaging processor, making excellent image quality and high-speed performance possible. Because all of these components are developed within Canon, it is possible to create a high-performance product. This technology developed for the latest EOS-1 series is applied to all [of the] EOS series, achieving comfortable, fast, high image quality cameras.”

CPN: The EOS-1D X has enjoyed a fantastic life at the top as THE pro DSLR of choice. What do you think has contributed most to this?

TO: “I believe this is due to the EOS-1D X’s AF performance and high-sensitivity image quality. I also believe that the reason such a high level of performance and reliability has been achieved is through the support of professional photographers. Additionally, although the design of the control system has remained unchanged from the original EOS-1 for items such as the electronic dials (Main Dial and Quick Control Dial) that make intuitive controls possible, and the shape of the grip and the release button, I believe this means that the design is easy to use, responds to the demands of photographers as a photographic tool and has received high praise by professional photographers.”

CPN: What do you think a potential successor to the EOS-1D X will have to deliver in terms of features and improvements? For example, maximum frame rate, ISO, metering and AF performance.

TO: “Although I can’t talk about which features will be improved for the EOS-1D X successor, we will develop a camera that responds to user needs.”

CPN: Where do you see the future development of EOS-1 series cameras going?

TO: “We hope to meet expectations by further advancing the speed, comfort, and high image quality of the EOS-1 for an ideal camera that captures photos exactly the way photographers want.”