Canon Introduces The EOS-1D X Mark II Professional Digital Camera

Fast, Formidable, And 4K, All-In-One Camera Canon U.S.A. Introduces The Canon EOS-1D X Mark II Professional Digital Camera

MELVILLE, N.Y., February 1, 2016 – Rising to meet the rigorous and evolving demands of professional photographers and videographers, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, is proud to announce the new Canon EOS-1D X Mark II DSLR camera. With a new 20.2 megapixel 35mm Full Frame Canon CMOS sensor and Dual DIGIC 6+ Image Processors, the EOS-1D X Mark II professional digital camera delivers stunning image quality and speed. Combining the ability to capture high-resolution still images at speeds up to 14 frames per second as well as stunning high-definition video up-to-4K 60P featuring Canon’s proprietary Dual Pixel CMOS Autofocus (AF) technology, the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II camera becomes the ideal camera for any professional image creator.

The Ultimate EOS Camera: Continuing a Legacy of High Speed and Performance

Building on the success of the Canon EOS-1D X professional digital camera, the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II camera is designed to deliver high-performance, speed, and image quality, with improved comfort for professional photographers. In addition to the new 20.2 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor and Dual DIGIC 6+ Image Processors, the new EOS-1D X Mark II DSLR camera includes an improved 61-point High-Density Reticular AF II system with all AF points selectable by the user (and up to 41 cross-type points depending on the lens in use). The improved AF system includes expanded coverage that supports AF at maximum apertures up to f/8 with all 61 points for high precision autofocus even when using EF super-telephoto lenses with an EF extender. The camera also boasts excellent dynamic range and reduced color noise compared to its predecessor throughout its standard ISO speed range of 100 - 51,200. Expansion ISO speeds of 50, 102,400, 204,800 and 409,600 are also available. A first for the Canon EOS-1D series, this camera also features a 360,000-pixel RGB+IR metering sensor with enhanced precision and performance compared to its predecessor, improving facial recognition and tracking, as well as nature scenes. Additionally, the advanced AE system can detect and compensate for flickering light sources such as sodium vapor lamps that are often used in gymnasiums and swimming pools. When enabled, this anti-flicker system automatically adjusts shutter release timing to help reduce disparities in exposure and color especially during continuous burst shooting.

For filmmakers and photographers looking to do more than still photography alone with a DSLR camera and EF lenses, the EOS-1D X Mark II camera offers high resolution DCI 4K video at frame rates up-to-60p, with smooth movie recording to an in-camera CFast 2.0 memory card. An additional card slot supports standard CF memory cards up to UDMA 7. The built-in headphone jack supports real-time audio monitoring. Two additional EOS ‘firsts’ include 4K Frame Grab and 120p Full HD recording. The camera’s 4K Frame Grab function allows users to isolate a frame from recorded 4K video and create an 8.8 megapixel still JPEG image in-camera. When combined with the EOS-1D X Mark II’s high-sensitivity full-frame CMOS sensor, the new camera’s ability to record Full HD video at frame rates up to 120p will allow videographers to produce high quality slow motion video even in extremely low light. To make video shooting even more intuitive, the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II camera’s touch-screen LCD allows videographers to select the camera’s AF point before and during video recording with Dual Pixel CMOS AF, which provides responsive, accurate and quiet camcorder-like video autofocus to DSLRs.

“The innovations within Canon’s new EOS-1D X Mark II DSLR camera clearly set a new standard for professional cameras,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “In developing the EOS-1D X Mark II camera, we looked to incorporate user-requested performance enhancements to bring professional photographers the ultimate EOS camera, a camera that has matured and been developed to meet their evolving needs.”

“Having f/8 capability on all 61 AF points is a tremendous benefit to wildlife photographers," noted nature photographer and Canon Explorer of Light Charles Glatzer. “In order to capture tight shots of animals without disturbing them, I frequently have to use very long lenses—sometimes with an extender attached, which further diminishes the aperture. The improved AF allows me to frame the shot exactly the way I envision it, without having to compromise.”

“This camera is a huge step forward,” remarked acclaimed photographer and Canon Explorer of Light Damian Strohmeyer. “Shooting sports in a gym at 8,000 ISO, it looked as good as 800 ISO from a generation or two ago. The images are tack-sharp, and the autofocus just doesn't miss. I've been amazed by what I've seen so far.”

“The autofocus was awesome,” agreed Peter Read Miller, sports photographer and Canon Explorer of Light. “The higher frame rate coupled with the speed of the CFast card was a definite advantage. It just never buffered out, even shooting RAW.”

The new EOS-1D X Mark II camera also offers a built-in GPS** receiver with compass for precise geo-tagged information of latitude, longitude, elevation and direction. This is especially valuable to wildlife photographers and photojournalists who need to track their locations, as well as providing sports photographers the ability to sync a multiple-camera setup with extreme accuracy and precision. It is also possible to use the camera’s built-in GPS to automatically sync the camera’s time to the atomic clock, an invaluable feature to professionals. An improved grip also makes the camera easier for photographers to hold and maneuver while shooting. In response to feedback from professional EOS users, the AF points in the EOS-1D X Mark II camera’s Intelligent Viewfinder II can be illuminated in red for improved visibility, especially when shooting in dark locations. AF sensitivity in low light has been doubled from EV -2 to EV -3 at the center AF point when the camera is set to One-Shot AF, enabling the camera to autofocus in extremely dark shooting conditions such as a moonlit nightscape. Viewfinder AF coverage has also been increased for greater compositional flexibility.

As with all EOS-1D series cameras, the EOS-1D X Mark II’s rugged construction and magnesium alloy body is weather resistant. The camera also features improved controls and more in-camera image quality enhancements than ever before, including a Digital Lens Optimizer function offering high quality aberration correction which can now be achieved without an external computer. This feature makes it easier for professional photographers to deliver finished files to their clients, especially in situations when access to a personal computer is impractical or inconvenient.

The estimated retail price for the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II is $5999 (MSRP) for the body or $6299 for the Premium Kit which includes a 64 GB CFast memory card and card reader. The new camera is scheduled to begin shipping to authorized Canon USA dealers in April 2016***. For more information and the full list of product specifications, visit:usa.canon.com/EOS1DXMarkII

Canon Source: Canon USA

Canon New Cosmos of Photography 2018 Photo Competition Winner

Grand Prize winner Song-Nian Ang's entry, "Hanging Heavy On My Eyes"

Canon announces the Grand Prize winner for its New Cosmos of Photography 2018 (41st edition) photo competition

TOKYO, November 5, 2018—Mr. Song-Nian Ang, for his work "Hanging Heavy On My Eyes," was declared the Grand Prize winner of Canon's New Cosmos of Photography 2018 (41st edition) photo competition at a public meeting of the Grand Prize selection committee held at the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum on Friday, November 2.

The New Cosmos of Photography accepted entries for the 2018 competition from April 18 to June 13, attracting 1,992 submissions from individuals and groups both inside and outside Japan. From those entrants seven Excellence Award winners and 12 Honorable Mention Award winners were selected by the Excellence Award Selection Committee. The Excellence Award winners, as Grand Prize candidates, attended a public meeting of the Grand Prize selection committee held on November 2. Each candidate gave a presentation and faced questioning by the selection committee, after which the committee convened and chose Mr. Ang as the Grand Prize winner.

In addition to ¥1 million (approx. US$ 8,840) in prize money, Mr. Ang was awarded a Canon EOS R mirrorless camera and RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM lens (released on October 25, 2018) and the right to hold an exhibit of new work at the New Cosmos of Photography 2019 Tokyo Exhibition to be held in fall of next year. Details of the Grand Prize public selection committee meeting will be made available on the New Cosmos of Photography website.

The New Cosmos of Photography 2018 Tokyo Exhibition of Excellence Award winners, including Grand Prize winner Mr. Ang, and Honorable Mention Award winners will continue until November 25 (Sunday) at the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum.

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. The annual contest, launched in 1991, has been open to the public regardless of the age or nationality of entrants or the number or format of entered works. As such, the contest encourages the creation of original works that push the boundaries of photography's potential and systematically assists and nurtures award winners through exhibitions and published collections of their winning works as well as through publicity on the New Cosmos of Photography website. To date, the New Cosmos of Photography contest has accepted 29,398 entries from both individuals and groups, and has turned out a great number of outstanding photographers who are enjoying widespread success around the world. As a result, the contest has come to be regarded today as a gateway to success for new photographers.

About the winning entry

"Hanging Heavy On My Eyes documents the recurring haze situation in Singapore and its region of prolonged haze spells due to increased forest fires for palm oil plantations in neighbouring Sumatra, Indonesia, throughout the entire year of 2016.

Employing the photograph's indexical quality in literal sense, the artist translates the daily records of the Pollutant Standard Index's particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) from Singapore's National Environment Agency into a traditional wet dark room printing process, resulting in a range of gradated photo prints, displayed in a monthly basis arrangement. An effort to visualize the invisible is to test the limit of documentary photography against the very nature of the medium recording ability that is the indexical."

Comments from the Grand Prize winner

Asked about their thoughts on receiving the award, Mr. Ang said, "The quality of works selected for the final exhibition was really high, so I was quite moved that I was selected for the top prize given the stiff competition. Also, I was very humbled by the work by the other artists because of the very personal and intimate anecdotes or stories they were sharing about their personal lives. I would also like to mention the exhibition and how everything was being organized. Everything ran like clockwork and also the exhibition organizing committee, especially the team from canon, they have been very accommodating and very understanding because they know that artists have certain requirements when it comes to exhibitions."

Comments from the selection committee

The following is a comment from Ms. Emilia van Linden, a member of the selection committee who selected Mr. Ang's work at the Excellence Award selection stage: "I think the winner is very reflective of photography today and how artists are pushing the boundaries of the medium and stepping away from the traditional approach. It also shows how photography is becoming more a part of fine art in general and is less segregated as a medium. This is why I believe the project is a very positive reflection of how artists are exploring the frontier of the medium."

Canon News Source: Canon USA

Canon Announces a New CMOS Sensor Business Platform

Patented Sensor Technology Now Available for Industrial Vision Applications

MELVILLE, N.Y., November 1, 2018 – Image sensors are an important driving force behind many of today’s successful brands, ranging from consumer products to industrial solutions. Today, Canon U.S.A, a leader in digital imaging solutions, announces that it is now offering select CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductors) sensor products for sale to the industrial marketplace. Manufacturers, solutions providers and integrators who are searching for advanced components to create their own unique products and solutions can now utilize Canon’s patented technology to help them create these products and solutions and expand their business potential.

“For several decades, Canon has been a leader in developing and manufacturing advanced CMOS sensors with state-of-the-art technologies, which until now, were for exclusive use in Canon products,” said Kazuto Ogawa, president and chief operating officer, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “It was a natural evolution to expand into a new business platform that leverages our expertise in sensor manufacturing to target the growing market demands for high-quality industrial imaging solutions.”

Launching this new business, Canon will be showcasing its CMOS sensors at VISION, the world’s leading trade fair for machine vision, on Tuesday, November 6 through Thursday, November 8, 2018, in Stuttgart, Germany. Attendees are invited to visit Hall 1 - Stand 1G74 to explore Canon’s CMOS sensor products and the variety of applications that can potentially be enhanced, including machine vision, inspection, surveillance, drones, traffic-monitoring systems and other industrial applications.

Canon sensors on display include:

3U5MGXS CMOS Sensor - with an electronic global shutter, and an all pixel progressive reading at 120fps, the Canon 3U5MGXS CMOS 5MP sensor offers fast image capture with low power consumption. This helps to accurately capture images of subjects moving at high speeds without distortion to meet such industrial needs as medical imaging and inspecting parts during the manufacturing process. The Canon 3U5MGXS is now available.

35MMFHDXSCA CMOS Sensor - featuring an enormous 19um pixel pitch, the 35MMFHDXSCA CMOS sensor is capable of capturing color images in exceptionally low-light environments where the naked eye struggles to distinguish objects. Using new pixel and readout circuitry technologies that deliver a 2.76 megapixel resolution, these sensors can support a wide range of applications which require ultra-high sensitivity image capture, including defense, astronomy, surveillance and industrial operations. The Canon 35MMFHDXSCA is now available.

120MXS CMOS Sensor - by incorporating close to the same number of pixels as photoreceptors in the human eye, the Canon 120MXS CMOS sensor delivers ultra-high 120 MP resolution at 9.4fps in a compact APS-H format. This sensor targets the needs of the inspection, aerial mapping, life sciences, digital archiving and transportation industries. The Canon 120MXS is now available. 

2U250MRXS CMOS Sensor – with a readout speed of 1.25 billion pixels per second, the prototype 2U250MRXS CMOS sensor, delivers ultra-high 250MP resolution in a compact APS-H format. Through advancements in circuit miniaturization and enhanced signal processing, this sensor delivers high resolution with incredible sensitivity and low noise.

For more information on Canon sensors, please visit canon-cmos-sensors.com.

Canon News Media Source: Canon USA