Canon Marketing Boss Resigns After Seven Years

Darren Ryan, the mastermind behind Canon’s acclaimed ‘World of EOS‘ campaigns (the campaign took out the Cannes Grand Prix for Media in 2010), has resigned his job after seven years. He will finish on April, 26th. According to Canon a replacement is already “well underway”. Click here to read an interview with Darren Ryan (8/3/2012),

Ryan will finish on 26 April as general manager of marketing – Canon Consumer Imaging. A search for a replacement is already “well underway” according to Canon.

Jason McLean, Canon director – Canon Consumer Imaging, says:

“After nearly seven years with Canon, Darren feels the time is right for a change and is comfortable to take some time out to consider the future. Darren’s characteristic focus, dedication and passion have left an indelible mark on Canon and he will leave us with a great legacy for future growth and achievement.

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Adobe Lightroom Release Candidate 4.4 Available For Download

Adobe released version 4.4 of Lightroom as a release candidate (click here to download). The ‘release candidate’ label indicates that the update is well tested but would benefit from additional community testing before it is distributed automatically.

The new release adds support for the Canon EOS 1D C (B&H and Adorama), and delivers the following tweaks and fixes:

The following bugs that were part of the Lightroom 4 releases have been corrected. The team appreciates the very detailed feedback the community has provided on Lightroom 4 and we’re excited to correct a number of issues experienced by our customers. These issues have been FIXED:

  • The crop overlay tool resized incorrectly when used in conjunction with the “Constrain to Crop” checkbox in the Lens Correction panel
  • Background graphics were not correctly rendered within the Book Module
  • The supplied lens profile for the Sony RX-1 did not contain vignette information
  • Previews of photos in portrait orientation were blurry when viewed in the filmstrip in the Develop module. (Mac only)
  • Stack badges displayed the wrong count when creating new stack that included a preexisting stack.
  • The Filter scrollbar within the Library module was not rendering properly.
  • Auto-tone was not working properly when used in conjunction with the Exposure adjustment slider. (Win only)
  • The Black&White button was not creating a History state within the Develop module. (Win only)
  • RGB color readouts were specified in the Adobe RGB colorspace rather than the ProPhoto linear colorspace. This occurred when working in Soft Proofing within the Develop module.
  • Adding a page behaved inconsistently in the Book module depending on the method used to add a page.
  • The state of the “Remove Chromatic Aberrations” checkbox within the Lens Correction was not persistent between sessions of Lightroom.

Adobe Lightroom price check: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

Remains of the Day

 

  • Canon Celebrates the Power of Image in Fashion. Core facts:

    • Canon Europe, world leader in imaging solutions and Imaging Partner of the British Fashion Council, is participating in 12 exciting initiatives underway as part of its official sponsorship of London Fashion Week and London Fashion Weekend.
    • Aimed at celebrating the Power of Image and sharing Canon’s imaging expertise with the fashion industry, the projects include collaboration with outstanding photographers, designers and bloggers.
    • Highlights of the Canon initiatives are captured in behind-the-scene insights revealed in a series of Canon video interviews by seasoned fashion blogger Andy Torres from StyleScrapbook.com.
    • Leading professional photographer Clive Booth also explains what it means to be a fashion photographer and the creation story behind British designer Henry Holland’s look book; the iconic image portfolio that defines a designer’s collection.
    • Canon Europe also worked with three other designers – David Koma, Michael van der Ham and Holly Fulton – to create their own images and look books, which have also been published on Canon printers, allowing designers to start using them immediately after the event.
    • New collection look books are also used at other European Fashion Weeks by the designers in marketing their collections.
    • As Official Imaging Partner for the British Fashion Council and Official Sponsor of London Fashion Week for eight years, Canon has offered support to photographers throughout the week via its Canon Professional Services (CPS) photographers’ centre with a team of technicians handing questions, and providing camera repair services and loan facilities.
    • Canon has also been providing a free bus for all accredited photographers to travel between London Fashion Week venues.
    • As the Digital Showcasing Partner, Canon Europe has also screened fashion show content for visitors in the Canon Cinema and the Canon Screening Room in Somerset House.
    • Further initiatives are planned for London Fashion Weekend, during which the Canon Studio will allow visitors to take part in a personalised photo shoot, while working with Elizabeth Arden to provide a truly memorable makeover experience.
    • Canon will also provide a range of photography opportunities and experiences to student photographers and the 2012 winners of the Canon Professional Services’ ‘Best Shot’ competition.
    • London Fashion Week (15-19 February) is the biggest event on the British fashion calendar, with over 5,000 visitors at this year’s event.

 

  • How Canon is fighting the smartphone, Alok Bharadwaj, executive vice-president of Canon India says:
    • “Canon is launching more wi-fi enabled compact cameras – which have larger bandwidth than 3G-enabled smartphones. Besides, cameras still have better picture quality in terms of depth and size due to a better processor and optical zoom. Thus, while smartphones will continue to be multi-functional, we will continue to pack our cameras with more innovative features – like cameras for cinematographers.” –> read it here

 

  • Get lost in a stunning 320-gigapixel image of London:

    • How well do you know the landmarks of London? Get up close and personal with a stunning 320-gigapixel image of the city captured atop the BT Tower.

      Snapped by panorama experts 360Cities, the epic photography endeavor required the use of four Canon EOS 7D (price & specs) dSLR cameras outfitted with some heavy-duty equipment.
      Each camera used an EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens, Extender EF 2x III teleconverter, and a Rodeon VR Head ST robotic panorama head. After shooting 48,640 individual pictures over the course of three days (shortly after the 2012 Olympics), 360Cities spent the next several months assembling and stitching together the final gargantuan image.

 

A Bit Of Everything (EOS M, EF 85mm, EOS-1D C, And More)

Canon U.S.A. Introduces System For Mixed Reality (MREAL)

mreal

Canon is investing in new technologies, and announces MREAL. MREAL is a system based on a software platform (MP-100) and a headset (HM-A1). It generates video of the surroundings by the means of two cameras mounted in front above the eyes of who is using the headset, and combines everything with graphics generated by a computer. The result are 3-D images. Canon is targeting manufacturers, researchers, museum exhibit curators and designers, to name a few. Canon will also let developers access the SDK for application development. There is a hands-on video made by Engadget.


Canon’s press release:

MELVILLE N.Y., February 21, 2013 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced the introduction of its Canon MREAL System for Mixed Reality (MR), a new imaging solution that simultaneously merges virtual objects with the real world, at full scale and in three dimensions. By combining the rich, visual information of the real world and the flexibility offered by computer-generated images, MR offers an imaging experience that is a step ahead of existing virtual reality technology, which currently only produces computer-generated environments. The MREAL System and its associated professional services inclusive of MR implementation, integration to customer systems, and custom development can benefit companies in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, automotive, construction, aerospace, medical, defense, and entertainment, to name a few.

“In today’s competitive markets, companies are constantly looking for solutions that can help them introduce new products to market in a timely and efficient fashion. The new Canon MREAL System for Mixed Reality allows decision-makers to evaluate a product’s design and operability like never before,” said Sam Yoshida, vice president and general manager, Marketing, Business Imaging Solutions Group, Canon U.S.A. “Canon has a very strong commitment to the augmented reality space, and by leveraging our strong heritage and leadership in optics, we intend to deliver solutions based upon Mixed Reality for use in industries including manufacturing, aerospace and entertainment.”

Key benefits of the MREAL System are:

Click here to open the rest of the article

Early Design Sketches Of The Canon PowerShot N

Canon PowerShot N

Source: Photography Blog

The new Canon PowerShot N (price & specs) was designed by four persons of Canon’s Japanese team. One of them, Miyabi Orihashi, Product Designer, Design Center, Canon Inc, says:

The PowerShot N is not only for consumers who want to record memories but also for those who are eager to capture beautiful, artistic photos for other people to enjoy. I hope people who don’t have a deep knowledge of camera functions and settings will find they are able to take a range of interesting and expressive images using this camera

Canon PowerShot NCanon PowerShot N

The design sketches give valuable insights in the philosophy that was driving the development of the PowerShot N. See all sketches and more pics in Photography Blog’s post.

The Canon PowerShot N is available for pre-order ($299, click on shopname): Amazon | B&H | Adorama.

Canon PowerShot N specifications (from B&H’s product page):

  • 12.1MP High Sensitivity CMOS Sensor
  • DIGIC 5 Image Processor
  • 8x f/3.0 Optical Zoom Lens
  • 28-224mm Focal Length Equivalency
  • 2.8″ Capacitive Tilt-Touch LCD Panel
  • 1080p Full HD Video Capture
  • Built-in Wi-Fi Connectivity
  • One-Touch Mobile Device Connect Button
  • Creative Shot Mode
Canon PowerShot N

Some PowerShot N impressions:

PetaPixel’s first impressions:

The uber-compact body looks and feels nice in the hand, and can easily be carried around in your pocket without causing too much of a bulge. It’s light, and won’t weigh you or your bag down if you carry it around everywhere you go. It’s a camera that’s just as compact as a smartphone, but offers nice advantages: a longer-reaching optical lens and a larger sensor are two of the main ones.

Slashgear’s first impressions:

That’s a healthy amount of features for this little 12-megapixel shooter, but this still has plenty of the features you’d expect. These include low-light performance, ISO up to 6400, and the ability to capture video in 1080p. Canon says the PowerShot N will begin shipping in April 2013 and will come with a price tag of $300, which doesn’t seem too bad.

Techradar: They found good: Easy to use, One-touch Wi-Fi, Small size, Good sensor, Responsive touch-control. Not so good: Slightly awkward to hold, Little manual control, Restricted LCD movement. More:

The PowerShot N is all about creating images quickly and easily, so naturally all the exposure modes are automatic. Program mode provided the most control, with aspects such as exposure compensation and white balance being adjustable. Alternatively, there are some creative shooting options with filter effect such as Fish-eye Effect, Miniature Effect, Soft Focus, Toy Camera Effect and Monochrome.

Canon PowerShot N price check: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA.

Canon’s promo video for the PowerShot N