Interview with Canon’s Masaya Maeda (4k heat challenges, 4k mirrorless camera, more)

HD Video Pro posted an interview with Mr. Masaya Maeda, Canon’s Managing Director and Chief Executive, Image Communication Products Operations. The interview was taken at NAB 2015.

Some excerpts:

HDVP: Why has Canon been slow in transitioning to 4K for your DSLRs?
Maeda: Because we’re slow (laughing). There are power consumption challenges, as well as heat issues, that we need to solve, so we’re investigating what we can do right now. The DSLR camera will have to be compact in size because, if it becomes larger, it turns into a C300.

…

HDVP: The mirrorless M-series is no longer available in the U.S., correct?
Maeda: When you look at the Canon sales companies, whether it’s in the U.S. or Europe, they have the right to choose which products they want to carry.
HDVP: So it’s a Canon USA decision?
Maeda: From a Canon Inc. perspective, we would like them to sell everything, but there are still a few stubborn people (laughing).

HDVP: We’ve seen the success of the Sony a7S and Samsung NX1 mirrorless cameras. Do you think there’s a market for a Canon mirrorless 4K camera that doesn’t fit in the Cinema EOS line?
Maeda: I think that’s a promising product, but we don’t like to imitate others, so I think it would be a slightly different product if we release something like that.

The interview has a pleasant tone and is fun to read. Mr. Maeda makes a lot of jokes, and in general seems to take everything with humor. However, he isn’t revealing too much of Canon’s future plans.

[HDVP via EOSHD]