It Takes 40 Minutes To Make A Canon EOS 6D

40 minutes to make a Canon EOS 6D
Image courtesy: Exposure Magazine

Exposure Magazine made a visit at the Canon factory in Oita Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan. They had a chance to observe the highly automatized production process of the [shoplink 7139]Canon EOS 6D (price & specs)[/shoplink]. The process deploys along 15 production stages, and it takes 40 minutes to make a Canon EOS 6D, packaged and ready to ship.

The sensor is mounted at the first stage, stages 2-6 is where all the other components are installed. Screws are automatically inserted and tightened at stage 7. The following stages are dedicated to various quality controls. The camera is tested for the electronics, the mechanical parts, and for the overall photographic performance. Finally, at stage 15 the camera is packaged and ready for shipment.

The same production process is used also for the [shoplink 2431]Canon EOS 5D Mark III (price & specs)[/shoplink], [shoplink 337]EOS 7D (price & specs)[/shoplink], [shoplink 6091]Canon EOS M (price & specs)[/shoplink], and the Legria camcorder.

B&H still has a cool EOS 6D deal going on: the 6D body with a Lowepro – Adventura 170 Shoulder Bag and a Lexar – 16GB SDHC Memory Card Professional Class 10 UHS-I memory card for $1899 (click here). Or take the EOS 6D plus the EF 24-105mm f/4.0L and the memory card for $2499 (click here). This deals are part of the rebate programs that expire today, Saturday, 2/2/2013.

[shoplink 7139]Canon EOS 6D Field Test[/shoplink]

Canon EOS 6D price check: [shopcountry 7139]

[via Exposure Magazine]

 

Center-Point AF Not Working On f/8 On Some Canon EOS-1D X

[shoplink 4119]Center-Point AF Not Working[/shoplink]

As most of you know, Canon released a firmware update for the Canon EOS-1D X that enabled the highly sensitive auto-focus center-point to be used with apertures down to f/8. That was an important addition to the feature set of the EOS-1D X.

However, it turned out that some EOS-1D X models are not center-point focusing using f/8, despite the firmware. Apparently this happened to EOS-1D Xs that were sent in for service and returned with a firmware update.

It’s easy to find out if your EOS-1D X is affected. Check the serial number, if the sixth digit is a 4 or 5, then open the battery compartment and look out for a white dot in the position shown in the pic below. If the small white dot is there, your camera is not affected.

Center-Point AF Not Working
Image courtesy: Imaging Resource

If  your camera is affected, simply download the latest firmware update (1.2.1, click here to download) and install it on your own. Btw, the EOS-1D X is still available at the incredible price of [shoplink 10159 ebay]$5,907.82 (click here) on eBay[/shoplink].

Canon EOS-1D X price check: [shopcountry 4119] [via Imaging Resource]

 

Hot Canon Deals on Ebay: EF 24-105mm f/4L $840, EOS 7D $1100, EOS 5D Mark III $2903

[shoplink 10226 ebay]Hot Canon Deals on Ebay[/shoplink]

Hot Canon Deals on Ebay. Top rated eBay seller getitdigital (99.6% positive ratings) has three deals ready for you. One is really hot: the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens for [shoplink 10226 ebay]$839.99 (click here)[/shoplink]. UV filter and lens cap keeper come for free. Free shipping and USA warranty. That’s concretely less than the usual price of around $1060. The EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM core specs:

Focal Length 24 – 105 mm
Aperture Maximum: f/4
Minimum: f/22
Camera Mount Type Canon EF
Format Compatibility 35mm Film / Full-Frame Digital Sensor
Canon (APS-C)
Angle of View 84° – 23°
Minimum Focus Distance 1.48′ (45 cm)
Magnification 0.23x
Maximum Reproduction Ratio 1:4.34
Groups/Elements 13/18
Diaphragm Blades 8

 

They also have the Canon EOS 7D at [shoplink 10227 ebay]$1099.99 (click here)[/shoplink]. That’s roughly $100 bucks less than official price. Free shipping and USA warranty. But then: the refurbished EOS 7D is sold by B&H for $979 (click here). Canon EOS 7D core specs:

  • 18.0 Megapixels
  • 3.0″ LCD
  • HD Video Recording
  • Selectable Video Exposure + Frame Rates
  • Dust & Weather Resistant
  • 100% Viewfinder
  • Self Cleaning Sensor
  • High Sensitivity (ISO 12800)
  • 8fps Burst Mode
[shoplink 10227 ebay]Hot Canon Deals on Ebay[/shoplink]

Last but not least, the Canon EOS 5D Mark III body is sold for [shoplink 10229 ebay]$2,903.51 (click here)[/shoplink]. Although there is an official Canon rebate program going on (see here, expires tomorrow 2/2), this deal still around $100 less. Free shipping and USA warranty. Canon EOS 5D Mark III core specs:

  • 22.3MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
  • 3.2″ Clear View High Resolution LCD
  • DIGIC 5+ Image Processor
  • 61-Point High Density AF
  • Full HD 1080/30p and 720/60p Formats
  • Built-In HDR and Multiple Exposure Modes
  • Extended ISO Range (50-102400)
  • Up to 6.0 FPS Continuous Mode
  • Dual CF and SD Memory Card Slots
  • Durable Magnesium-Alloy Construction
[shoplink 10229 ebay]Hot Canon Deals on Ebay[/shoplink]

Interview With Canon’s Masaya Maeda (more APS-C sensors, more EF-M Lenses, Future is Full-Frame)

DPreview published an interview with Masaya Maeda, Managing Director and Chief Executive, Image Communication Products Operations at Canon.

  • There will be an EOS 70D, but the future of the semi-pro segment will see full-frame sensors
  • The compact camera segment need fresh ideas, the [shoplink 9369]PowerShot N[/shoplink] is such an innovation
  • Featuring larger sensors on compact cams isn’t the solution, market wouldn’t be large, below APS-C the next logical size is 1/2.3 inch
  • If you want better low-light performance, then go APS-C
  • The [shoplink 6091]Canon EOS M (price & specs)[/shoplink] didn’t sell as expected, but has good market shares in Japan and Sout-East Asia
  • There will be more lenses for the EOS-M
  • APS-C sensors may not be the future in the semi-pro segment. There will be “an increase in the number of full-frame models”
  • The EOS 70D is in works, we will see it “some day in the future. Without fail.”

Tokina Announces Two New Lenses At CP+ (12-28mm f/4 and 70-200 f/4)

Tokina Announces Two New Lenses
Image courtesy: focus numerique

Tokina announced two new lenses, the AT-X Pro DX 12-28mm f/4 for APS-C sensors, and the TX 70-200 f/4 PRO FX VCM (with image stabilization). Especially the latter is going to compete with the offerings of the various brands. It is interesting to note that Tokina decided to extend the focal range with the new wide angle zoom, compared to the current 12-24mm f/4 . The build quality is at the usual high standards. No information about price and availability, but both lenses should ship in Japan by the summer of 2013. The 12-28mm should have a price tag similar to the [shoplink 10165]Tokina 12-24mm f/4 AT-X (price & specs)[/shoplink].

Tokina Announces Two New Lenses
The new 12-28mm (image courtesy: focus numerique)
[via focus numerique, translated] [shoplink 10165]
Tokina Announces Two New Lenses
The Tokina 12-24mm f/4 AT-X

[/shoplink]

 

 

Canon Execs Talk About Strategies And Technology

Canon Execs Talk About Strategies And Technology
Canon headquarters – Image copyright: Canon Inc.

Yesterday a group high ranked Canon officials met 20 journalists from Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The meeting was held at the headquarter of Canon Inc. in Shimomaruko, Tokyo, Japan.

Tatsuo Yoshioka, Senior General Manager ICP Strategic Management Planning Center – Image Communication Products Operations Canon Inc., said that the compact and video camera market decreased in 2013 but the DSLR market increased more than 10%.

Ken-ichi Shimbori, Advisory Director – Group Executive ICP Group 2 – Image Communication Products Operations Canon Inc., head of the DSLR group, presented the market shares: 45% in the world and 43% in Asia. The merit, according to Mr. Shimbori, goes to three key concepts featured on Canon DSLRs: fast AF, easy operation and high image quality. Mr. Shimbori said the EOS 6D is the most compact and lightest full-frame camera in the world. The reason for the high image quality relies in the gap-less microlenses featured on Canon’s digital sensors.

Masato Okada, Executive Officer – Group Executive of ICP Group 1 – Deputy Chief Executive of Image Communication Products Operations Canon Inc., said that the supremacy of Canon DSLR cameras is related to the high quality of Canon’s EF lenses.

[via Exposure Magazine]