You know all those
precious lenses you've been stockpiling for your SLR since the 90s? They're still safe for another couple of decades, but in round about 2030, you're gonna be trashing all that glassware and buying yourself a Wonder Camera. Why would that be? Canon is pretty confident that by then it'll have figured out how to do a single lens capable of going from macro shots all the way out to a 5000mm focal length. And yes, apparently it's small enough to fit in a young girl's hands. This non-interchangeable lens is backed by an all-touch interface (say sayonara to your knobs and dials), an extremely
high-resolution sensor, and image stabilization so advanced as to make shooting at that unspeakably high zoom range a viable option. Finally, the whole lurid dream is topped off with video-only capture. Canon argues you won't need to shoot stills when its video is capable of keeping everything in focus
all the time -- you'll just pick out your favorite scene from the movie reel. Go past the break to see the highfaultin video demo.
posted July 6th 2010 2:51AM
only one lens?
so no 3d? kinda fail
@HW90
"Wanna see my vacation photos? Put these dorky glasses on...."
@Eli Haj
also piracy, a bit
The device looks awesome, physically.
It sounds horrid, otherwise.
Interesting to notice that there's absolutely no mention of any 3D capability of any kind.
I like that, actually! Good ol' 2D pictures (and even video in this case) still have a future, up to 2030 at least, in Canon's eyes.
That looks terrible, like a piece of prosthetic with an LCD screen on the back of it.
@spaz1 Yes the 1st camera you can walk with. I hear a new song coming on. "These cameras as made for walking"
Interesting.
Only Video and Choose Pic = FAiL
Nice coffee cup man!
I feel I am being brainwashed watching this video, with all this repetition!
@Marko You should check japanese TV. They manage to say the same phrase 11 times in a 30 seconds advertisement.
@Atkins Nice!
2030..really!!! tablet pcs planned for 2010 (RIP courier) have died early deaths..i dont see a 2030 plan for 2d video camera working out...
5000mm? Really? I hate to think what the sensor size is. Alas, I'm not too worried about the noise from a tiny sensor - technology will improve, but the depth of field must be absolutely HUGE. This will be advantageous to landscape and architectural photographers, but for other uses such as portrait photography, etc. it's rather useless. Possibly they'll be able to artificially create the low DoF seen on larger sensor cameras. Granted, today's implementations are shit, but 20 years on, it might have reached a level that rivals naturally small DoF shots.
Moving on, diffraction will be an absolute bitch. As you pack more and more pixels onto a smaller and smaller space (That's how I'm assuming they're getting that crazy zoom), diffraction will soften details. This is a physical limitation, although I look forward to how they'll be attempting to remedy this problem.
Anyway, it seems like a cool idea, but for consumers only. Although I look forward to the developments from this that will inevitably affect DSLRs, such as the badass IS.
I've got a copy of Gizmag under my mattress somewhere.
I hope cameras advance more than this in 20 years!
Proof Canon is planning to become further detached from the organics and technical skill of photography handing everything over to the machine?
By 2030 you will be able to do that on your cell phone digitally
Yet another supposed tech site makes a truly awful video. No attempt at video stabilization ( even iMovie has it built in for goodness sake) loud intro music followed by disinterested whispered VO set at a level below the ambient sound from the source video. Just more proof that the tech can improve but if the user has no idea what they are doing we just get more crap. Wonderful.
Awful boring narrator (voice).
Does it come in black?
Unless they have discovered a way to bend light without the need of physical optics ( glass ), then its nothing more than hype.
Looks like the Canon PHOTURA from 1990. No a popular camera but it had some advanced features for its time. Nothing beats a interchangeable lens camera.
@giulio yes, but this camera you can fit lady Gaga "Anime" contact lenses and pretend its your newborn.
damn. kinda creepy seeing the camera recognize all those faces at once.
@ror
btw. do young people really dress like that in Japan? or are they playing a "futuristic" role?
Neat for the mainstream, but it'll never replace interchangeable lenses for professionals. There's so much character in individual lenses that you throw out the window when you go to something like this. I have different lenses for different situations that cover the same range and there's a reason for it.
That's nice Canon.
In the interim, i'd really appreciate a 14mm - 800mm L IS DO F2.0. No bigger than a foot in length and 2 KG's in weight - Oh, and no more than £3K. I'll check back next Tuesday. Thanks.
So, essentially, Canon is planning the demise of photography? Since when is photography about 'picking out your favorite scene' from a movie reel, or infinite depth of field? But of course, all of the wannabes will undoubtedly still parade around the tourist traps with their overdesigned chunk of plastic around their neck like they're on assignment with Nat Geo.
so we can all look forward to lots of generic boring uninspired images!
Thanks, but not thanks, I'll stick with my Nikkor primes.
I think this is kind of a big F-U to Canon's pro-sumer photographers. Their whole company notion that video will replace photography (as seen in their new Rebel commercials) is sort of an insult to the photographers that buy their cameras (like Annie Leibovitz). Photography as an art form is in danger, but the concept (save for the video-only part) is great as long as Canon preserves the still imaging part.
Let's enhance it!!!
So if everyone in china jumped at the same time, would the earth fall out of orbit?
No need for flash photography in the future???
As a photographer: "NONONONONONONONONO!"
As a technology enthusiast: "Cool!"
"And yes, apparently it's small enough to fit in a young girl's hands."
TWSS?
The only way i can see 'single lens for all types' exist is if they use liquid lens that change their shape to accommodate all these zoom levels.
An amazing story ruined by the narrator who sounds as he is dying
JUST VIDEO!?
Canon Pro90 IS updated for the new millennium. Cool.
god how horrid and boring is that guys voice lol
no worries....unless this thing has f2.8 lens on there I imagine no one will call this anything resembling "perfection"
Excuse me lady...
I am afraid I am going to have confiscate this device off you.
Thank You very much!
How about a space-age, super-sensitive condenser mic for the video's narrator? I'd pay upwards of $199 for that.
HDR built in! Niiiiice! I know someone who's been trying to get Canon to do HDR in their cameras for a long time now - but they just won't listen - they have their heads in their butts - not much dynamic range there
Video only? Please let me die before this comes out.
the camera reminds me a lot of the Canon "Colani" designs:
http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/design/kikaku/t90/03_5systems.html
Really? Ab fab technology in an ugly packaging who wants it? Who will want to "schlep" a hair dryer shaped camera around? Every time I see someone with the small body huge lens Sony cameras I get goes pumps. A white camera ? Why not gold ? Japaneses always think that white is NEW, like their white robots. white concept cars etc..
How to morph exciting into boring ? Use this narrator to do the story. I just wanted to fall a sleep. He should do voice overs for audio self help massage books.
Still photography will still exist in the art and professional worlds unless these kind of cameras allow for focal length and shutter speed options
Take the idea of "video-ing" portraits for the entire audience. They may be perfectly in focus and well exposed, but if everything is in focus then won't get the effect of a shallow depth of field photo. And if that is your desired result, you'll still need a tradition DSLR unless they figure out a way to add those features to this kind of camera.
The same would go with shutter speeds and exposure times. There's certain effects that you get from long exposures and extreme shutter speeds that this camera would have to address before it were to completely replace still photography.
The traditional consumer who wants to take family photos at parts and on vacation would probably like this. Anyone interested in photography would still want a DSLR