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Author Topic: Whither Canon?  (Read 3101 times)

Jeff Donald

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Whither Canon?
« on: August 20, 2003, 04:25:08 pm »

They are intended for the new Digital Rebel.  From the looks of them, they are intended to be an economical alternative to the EF lenses.  The optics probably don't measure up to the EF's, or the construction.
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Jeff Donald

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Whither Canon?
« Reply #1 on: August 21, 2003, 08:43:02 am »

I think you'll see a model introduced between the 10D and 1Ds.  There is a huge price point gap between those two models.  There are rumors of an EOS 3 based model retailing for between $3,000 and $4,000 USD.  Camera lines have usually had 3 or 4 models in the line.  Canon had the Rebel, Elan, EOS 3 (or A2) and the 1D series.  Most manufactures had similar product placement and I see no reason the digital market won't do the same.
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dbarthel

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Whither Canon?
« Reply #2 on: August 23, 2003, 01:37:02 pm »

I'd really like to see a Canon L zoom in the 10-20 or 12-24 range for regular canon bodies. Doesn't have to cover full frame, just 1.3x. My Visa waits anxiously.
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jdemott

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Whither Canon?
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2003, 04:12:31 pm »

Michael,

A few months ago, you wrote an editorial strongly questioning Nikon's marketing wisdom in introducing the DX series of lenses, which are optimized for APS size digital sensors.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/whither-nikon.shtml.
  I'm wondering if you have given further thought to this now that Canon have introduced the EF-S line of lenses which seem to be designed for the same market?

Interestingly, the Canon EF-S line will apparently function only on cameras designated as EF-S compatible, excluding not only film cameras and full frame cameras like the 1Ds, but also earlier digital cameras such as the 10D.  The Nikon DX line will function on all F mount Nikon bodies, although it reportedly exhibits vignetting in the lower end of its zoom range when used on a full frame camera.
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John DeMott

Quentin

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Whither Canon?
« Reply #4 on: August 20, 2003, 06:12:01 pm »

The new Canon EF-S lenses point up a key difference between Nikon and Canon.

the new Canon 18-55 will apparently only work on the new EOS 300 D. Its obviously a consumer grade zoom from the looks of it (plastic mount?).  I assume this is because Canon are committed to full-frame for their higher-end digital cameras.

Nikon's DX lenses, on the other hand, are pro quality, in view of their commitement to 1.5 crop factor for all their dSLRs.

The loser here seems to be the 10D.  No compatible wide angle zoom, and I therefore wonder if that means that its replacement will be released soon and will be full frame?

Quentin
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Quentin Bargate, ARPS, Author, Arbitrato

BJL

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Whither Canon?
« Reply #5 on: August 21, 2003, 03:50:28 pm »

Quote
The loser here seems to be the 10D.  No compatible wide angle zoom, and I therefore wonder if that means that its replacement will be released soon and will be full frame?
An upgrade of the 10D does seem very likely, but I seriously doubt it will be "full frame"; all the signs are that the mainstream digital camera market is aggresively "D-sizing" (read as "down-sizing" or "digital-sizing"). Even FF champion Canon is investing heavily in increasing its capacity for producing what it now (inaccurately) calls "APS-C" format sensors.

So I expect a 10D upgrade with the same sensor (or only slightly larger) and the DRebel's new "flip up, slide back" mirror mechanism needed to avoid the mirror hitting the backward protruding rear elements of the new S lenses ("S" for short back focus?). Then maybe some higher grade "S" lenses will follow.

That is independent of the possible addition of something to fill the chasm between the 10D and 1Ds.


After the recent flood of "2003 holiday gift" product launches, it seems rather clear where the industry is aiming with respect to sensor formats. Every major player is now either
a) making all their amateur level cameras with D-sized sensors and making a longer term commitment by introducing D-sized short focal length lenses [Canon, Fuji, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, and Sony as a sensor supplier]
or
 pushing high end digicams with fast, wide ranging zoom lenses [Fuji, Kodak, Minolta, Nikon and Sony].

To me this looks like industry consensus that in the forseeable future, 35mm format DSLR is for the high end (including sufficently serious amateurs), while smaller formats will take the great majority of the "film SLR replacement" market (including some categories of professional work where the smaller formats, sometimes even 2/3" format digicams, get the job done most conveniently and economically.)

One thing to think about is the cost of optical components: smaller sensors, and more precisely smaller pixels, lead to the use of lenses of smaller focal lengths (and smaller, lighter pentaprisms as pioneered, appropriately, by Pentax). They therefore offer significantly lower costs and bulk, independent of any progress in sensor costs, and so it will always make sense for most photographers to go for the smallest pixels and sensors that get the job done well enough for their purposes, just as has always been the case with film formats.


P. S. APS-C has a clearly defined meaning: the 16.7x25.1mm format used by APS cameras for "Classic" 3/2 shape prints, which is a 1.43x crop from 35mm frame; almost perfectly "half frame area". How Canon dares to use this name in an official press release referring to their significantly smaller 15.1x22.7mm sensors is beyond me. Maybe they plan their next generation sensors to be truly "APS-C" sized and are designing their S lenses for that?
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