Nikkei talked (Paywall) with executives from Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Fujifilm. We’ll focus on a few things that Canon Vice President Tsuyoshi Tokura talked about. There’s not a lot here, but it’ll give you some insight as to what Canon is going to be focusing on over the next year or two.
Has Canon Changed How they Approach Photography?
“The current growth in compact digital cameras is driven by young people. They’re not buying them simply because they’re high-performance or have high image quality. They enjoy the shooting experience itself, even if it’s a little inconvenient.
Our previous lineup was based on performance and price, but we need to incorporate elements of style (such as the shooting experience). Everyone has their own unique way of expressing themselves, and there are many different ways to enjoy photography spreading throughout the world.”
— Tsuyoshi Tokura, Canon Vice President
We have tried to make the point a few times that we, the camera gear nerds, do not represent the entire industry. Most of the shooters around here have made significant investments in their gear, but most of Canon’s and other manufacturers’ customer bases aren’t prepared to spend thousands on cameras and lenses.
The coming rush of compact cameras will give us a really good idea about where the industry is going and how manufacturers can get new customers into their brand. Once you have them, it’s a lot easier to keep them.
What is the Future of Video and Hybrid Product?
“We want to expand the lineup of our ‘V Series’ lenses for video based on customer demand. We need to further enhance our selection of lenses for video. It’s important that lenses can shoot both video and still images, and we want to ensure that lenses designed for video can also be used for still photography without any problems.”
— Tsuyoshi Tokura, Canon Vice President
A lot of shooters around these parts are getting a bit discouraged that it seems every camera and lens that comes along has video shooters in mind. We are starting to feel the same way.
There’s nothing wrong with hybrid cameras and lenses, as a lot of new customers are into their social media stuff and enjoy shooting both photos and video. Canon is saying that they’re focused on expanding the “V” series of lenses, though there’s no mention of V-Series cameras. Canon currently has three V-series cameras in the PowerShot V1, EOS R50 V, and the recently launched EOS R6 V.
We do think they are working on a higher-end APS-C “V” series camera. An R7 V perhaps? We’re just throwing that out there.
In Conclusion
We’re with photographers on this one. We want some nice glass with the full 21.64mm image height and no computational correction. I personally don’t care about the correction, but lots of you do. It seems brands like Sigma are going all in on niche fast lenses. Going by what I see and read around here, an RF 35mm f/1.2L is probably the most requested lens from Canon.
Personally, I want an RF 200mm f/1.8L IS USM and an RF 28mm f/1.4L (VCM or USM). Those wouldn’t be high-volume products, and it seems Canon’s focus is on fast and attainable lenses, even L glass with the VCM prime lenses.
We have talked to some retailers, and they too are hearing that photographers are getting sick of the video push on cameras.
It’s no secret that Canon hasn’t done the best job attracting younger buyers. Sony saw that opportunity and ran with it, and it paid off. Instead, Canon targeted professionals, legacy shooters, and emerging markets, leaning heavily on its brand power, something it still holds over other manufacturers.
It’s time for some cool lenses. We think Sony has surpassed Canon with the options available across lens segments through their recent announcements. Yes, Canon appears to be the camera company generating the most revenue and income, so they’re clearly doing something right. So, what do we know?
We do think Canon has done a terrific job with their full-frame lineup. The recently announced EOS R8 Mark II looks like a great camera and Canon changed things up from ergonomics to adding “premium” features such as IBIS and Pre-Shooting. We expect the APS-C lineup refresh that will start soon to follow the same path. Cameras? They’ve nailed for the most part. Lenses? We’re not so sure.
Keep on shooting, in the end every lens can help produce something good.
