Canon participates in Earth Hour 2016 in 231 locations across 26 countries and regions

canon rumors

Canon press release:

TOKYO, April 22, 2016—Canon Inc. announced today that 231 of the Company’s offices and operating sites across 26 countries and regions participated in Earth Hour 2016, which was held in each locale from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. (local time) on March 19.

Earth Hour is a global environmental initiative organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) that began in 2007. The event encourages individuals, communities, households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour as a statement to stop global warming and protect the global environment.

Across various locations, Canon Group companies turned off lights at offices and operating sites as well as neon signs. This year’s event started in Oceania, which is closest to the International Date Line, and moved around the world through Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas. In addition to Earth Hour, various regions carried out their own energy-saving activities. A dedicated page* within the Canon Global website provides an overview of the Company’s global Earth Hour 2016 activities.

Through technological innovation and improved management efficiency, Canon aims to realize its “Action for Green” environmental vision: a society that promotes both enriched lifestyles and the global environment. Canon strives to reduce the environmental burden throughout the entire product lifecycle—Produce, Use, Recycle—thereby creating environmental frontrunner products.

http://www.canon.com/environment/communication/earthhour/index.html

Is the Canon ME200S-SH a GoPro on steroids? Interview with Canon

Canon ME200S-SH

Canon ME200S-SH: B&H Photo | Adorama

Canon ME200S-SH at a glance (taken from Adorama’s product page, pre-order available):

  • CANON SUPER 35MM CMOS SENSOR: Geared to meet a wide range of video production needs, the ME200S-SH camera’s Super 35mm Canon CMOS Image Sensor allows for cinematic image capture
  • DUAL PIXEL CMOS AF (AUTO-FOCUS): The ME200S-SH camera’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF (Auto-Focus) technology helps provide smooth and consistent autofocus,
  • VERSATILE BOX-STYLE DESIGN: The ME200S-SH Multi-Purpose Camera was designed for a wide variety of applications.
  • COMPATIBLE WITH EF-MOUNT LENSES: The ME200S-SH Multi-Purpose Camera is compatible with select Canon EF mount lenses.
  • RC-V100 REMOTE CONTROL: The ME200S-SH Multi-Purpose Camera can be controlled via either of the two remote terminals offering a mini-pin or RS-422 connection that utilize Canon’s OK protocol, and are compatible with the optional Canon RC-V100 Remote

The folks at NewsShooter interviewed Tim Smith of Canon about the hows and whys of the Canon ME200S-SH, a multipurpose camera featuring a high sensitivity Super 35mm CMOS sensor capable of up to 4,000,000 ISO, helping users to capture crisp, clean high definition full-color video in extreme low light conditions.

Canon to Begin Accepting Entries for 2016 New Cosmos of Photography Photo Contest

New Cosmos of Photography

Canon press release:

MELVILLE, N.Y., April 19, 2016 – Canon U.S.A., a leader in digital imaging, announced today that its parent company, Canon Inc., will begin accepting entries for its New Cosmos of Photography photo competition on April 20. The New Cosmos of Photography is Canon’s cultural support project to discover, nurture, and support new photographers who pursue new possibilities in creative photographic expression. Aiming to incorporate diverse perspectives, the number of judges for this year’s competition will be increased to seven to allow for an even more open photo competition.

Entries for New Cosmos of Photography 2016 will be accepted between April 20 and June 15, while the Excellence Award selection committee will meet in July to choose seven Excellence Award winners and fourteen Honorable Mention Award winners. In November, the Grand Prize selection committee is scheduled to meet to select one Grand Prize winner from among the seven Excellence Award-winning entries.

The Grand Prize winner of this year’s competition will receive not only prize money (converted from ¥ 1,000,000 JPY) and a Canon product, but as an added bonus will be granted the right to hold a solo exhibit at the showcase of winning entries for next year’s New Cosmos of Photography. Additionally, to encourage the continued pursuit of their creative activities, 2016 Excellence Award and Honorable Mention Award winners will each receive prize money and the right to display their works at this year’s exhibition of winning entries.

For additional information about this year’s New Cosmos of Photography competition, visit the New Cosmos of Photography homepage at http://www.canon.com/scsa/newcosmos/.

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Canon aids relief efforts following earthquakes in Kyushu, Japan

canon rumors

TOKYO, April 18, 2016—Beginning on April 14, 2016, a series of earthquakes have struck Kumamoto and Oita prefectures on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu, causing extensive destruction and loss of life. We at Canon would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to all those affected by this disaster and our thoughts go out to those suffering in its aftermath.

While we realize that the road to recovery will be challenging and time-consuming, we hope that the region will soon be able to begin the rebuilding and healing process.

To aid in the relief efforts for the earthquake victims, the Canon Group is making a donation of 10 million yen (approximately US$92,600) to the Japanese Red Cross Society.

Note:
Currency translation based on exchange rate of US$1=JPY108.

Canon celebrates 22nd straight year of Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) awards

tipa

Canon press release:

TOKYO, April 18, 2016—Four Canon cameras and one Canon printer were recognized with “Best Photo and Imaging Product” awards by the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA), representing 30 photo and imaging magazines from 15 countries across five continents. The five award winners are: the EOS 5DS R digital SLR (DSLR) camera, the EOS-1D X Mark II DSLR camera, the PowerShot G5 X digital compact camera, the IXUS 285 HS (PowerShot ELPH 360 HS in the Americas) compact digital camera, and the imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 professional inkjet printer.

Best DLSR Professional / High Res: EOS 5Ds R

Named “Best DSLR Professional / High Res,” the Canon EOS-5DS R features an “impressive” approximately 50.6 megapixel full-frame sensor that the TIPA jury noted rivals those of larger medium-format digital cameras. The judges also highlighted the camera’s 5 frame-per-second (fps) continuous shooting of full-resolution still images and Full HD video capture at 30 fps. The EOS-5DS R is equipped with Dual DIGIC 6 image processors, a newly developed mirror vibration control system and time-release lag settings to further suppress camera shake and allow the camera to realize the full potential of its sensor.  It has a 100% coverage 3.2-inch 1.04 million dot Intelligent ClearView II LCD viewfinder that can display a variety of shooting information. The jury also pointed out that the camera sports a 150,000 pixel RGB-IR metering sensor that utilizes EOS iTR (Intelligent Tracking and Recognition) AF and that AF performance is enhanced by the 61-point high-density reticular sensor.

Best Photo / Video Professional Camera: Canon EOS-1D X Mark II

Selected for this year’s “Best Photo / Video Professional Camera” award, Canon’s EOS-1D X Mark II flagship-model DSLR offers impressive specifications. The camera is equipped with an approximately 20.2 megapixel 35 mm full-frame Canon CMOS sensor and achieves high-speed continuous shooting of approximately 14 fps, and up to 16 fps in Live View mode. The TIPA judges noted that the Dual DIGIC 6+ image processors enable high-speed writing of up to 170 RAW images and 81 RAW+JPEG images per burst. Thanks to Dual Pixel CMOS AF, in which all of the CMOS sensor’s pixels include both imaging and the phase-difference detection AF functions, the EOS-1D X Mark II is capable of high-speed AF tracking. The camera features an improved 61-point viewfinder AF and an improved AI Servo III+ predictive AF algorithm, and also achieves 4K 60p video shooting, and Full HD 120 fps high frame rate image capture suitable for slow motion video capture. With the optional Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E8B, compatible with the new IEEE802.11ac wireless LAN standard, data can be sent wirelessly at high speeds across the 5 GHz band.

Best Easy Compact Camera: IXUS 285 HS

Crowning the IXUS 285 HS “Best Easy Compact Camera,” the TIPA judges declared, “Canon continues to offer pocketable yet full-featured compacts that offer many more options and higher photo quality than camera phones.” The camera sports a 12x optical zoom lens with built-in image stabilizer, a dedicated Wi-Fi button and NFC for enhanced connectivity, and a 3-inch LCD screen. It boasts an approximately 20.2 megapixel CMOS sensor and DIGIC 4+ image processor that achieves high image quality even in low-light environments. What’s more, it can capture 1080p Full HD video and, using Canon’s proprietary algorithm, can produce a “highlight reel” in camera from selected albums.

Best Expert Compact Camera: Canon PowerShot G5 X

Crowned “Best Expert Compact Camera,” Canon’s PowerShot G5 X features a 1-inch approximately 20.2 megapixel High Sensitivity CMOS sensor and DIGIC 6 processor that achieves an approximately 6 fps continuous shooting speed and Full HD video. The camera features a 24–100 mm (35 mm film equivalent) 4.2x optical zoom lens with a nine-blade iris and an aperture of f/1.8 at the wide-angle end and f/2.8 at the telephoto end that achieves rich tonal gradations and exceptional blur characteristics across the entire zoom range. The G5 X features an EVF (electronic viewfinder) with approximately 2.36 million dots and approximately 100% coverage that employs an organic EL (electroluminescent) panel and has a refresh rate of up to 120 fps. A built-in eye sensor, which has a range of approximately 22 mm, can even detect users wearing glasses and switches display from the EVF to the 3-inch vari-angle LCD touchscreen. Additionally, the camera’s hot shoe is compatible with all Speedlite flashes in the EOS system.

Best Photo Printer: imagePROGRAF PRO-1000

“Combining the ease of desktop use and a 17-inch wide cut sheet printer with many features from Canon’s higher-end pro printer models,” the imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 earned the title of TIPA’s “Best Photo Printer.” It incorporates a new twelve-color LUCIA PRO ink system, with eleven pigment inks, including the newly formulated Photo Black, and Chroma Optimizer. What’s more, Photo and Matte Black have their own nozzles, so no switching is needed between print jobs.

Equipped with the air feeding system found in Canon’s large-format imagePROGRAF inkjet printers, the PRO-1000 virtually eliminates paper skewing, regardless of paper weight and type, while also achieving more accurate ink placement. A new print head expels more ink droplets per second for more stable print performance, and print head-mounted sensors can detect clogs and automatically delegate printing responsibilities to other nozzles to prevent discoloration.

About the TIPA Awards

Held every year since 1991, the TIPA Awards recognize the best photo and imaging products announced during the previous 12 months based on such criteria as innovativeness, use of leading-edge technologies, design and ease-of-use. In 1992, Canon took home its first TIPA accolade for the EOS 100 SLR camera and, over 24 separate occasions since then, has been honored with TIPA awards for a total of 78 products and technologies.*

*
Includes the EOS D2000, jointly developed with Eastman Kodak, winner of the 1998-1999 TIPA Best Pro Digital Camera award.