Canon Comes to Visit
We were treated to a bevvy of Canon gear to touch and play with as Mark and the team from Canon Australia came for a visit. They shared the Canon story with us and to let us know about the new innovations to be found in their latest gear.
It was probably the first time I'd heard sales numbers. Mark revealed, based on (I think) 2012 data, that Canon has sold over 50 million EOS camera bodies and 70 million EF lenses. This may seem normal, that more lenses would be sold than bodies, and that's true, but I did question the small number of lenses sold in comparison to bodies as a way to highlight the general rule of equipment purchase: Invest in good glass.
If people were replacing their lenses as often as their bodies the 70 million lenses sold would probably be over the 100 million mark. But we aren't. Regardless of the camera company you're with, your glass will, if treated nicely, outlive several bodies and may in fact last your entire photographic journey. So for emphasis: Invest in good glass.
Some of the tech that was talked about last night included the Canon 70D, the new DSLR released just a couple of weeks ago. Of note was the 70D's ability to focus quickly in live view mode using phase detection technology. Essentially each pixel has two receptors that allow depth perception. This is great for live view shooters or those doing video shoots. It also includes the Digic 5+ processor (sames as the 5D MkIII), a new larger APSC sensor, and wifi built in.
EOS Remote is an app for Android and iPhone that allows you to control the 70D and presumably the future Canon wifi-enabled cameras. The application also allows direct file (JPG format) transfer to your device.
There was also talk about Image Spectrum, Canon's latest foray into community / social sharing. Image Spectrum allows sharing, learning, challenges, management and many other tools for photographers to use.
We also took a look at Canon's latest campaign: "Change your lens, change your story" featuring Guy Sebastian and Canon Master Graham Monro. It's a campaign that highlights that not only do two people see a scene differently, but the limitations of your lens will also prompt you to see and capture a scene in a different way.
Erin, one of the Canon Collective Ambassadors, gave us a rundown on the collective. A series of events anyone can request to be a part of. Keep your eye on the Canon Australia Facebook page for events and get in fast as they tend to fill up quickly.
We finished the night having another play with the gear Canon brought along, chatting with the team and checking out the PIXMA Pro-1; an A3, 12-ink printer using pigment printing. The print samples were gorgeous. If you're considering home printing we were impressed by the quality of this printer, even if there were a couple of stop-starts in the printing process, clearly more of a demonstration hiccup than a slight on the printer.
Canon also made us a generous offer that we will take advantage of in the new year and which I'm certain members will love... but more on that later.
Massive thanks to Mark, Erin, Melissa and Steve from Canon. It was a great night for Canon and non-Canon users alike. Also thanks to Chris Moysey who originally organised the event as our former secretary and Neil Anderson, our current secretary, who followed it up and made it happen.
More from Canon:
It's worth note that even before we approached Canon we sought out a similar evening from Nikon and other camera manufacturers without success. We will continue to seek participation from them for future meetings.