Archive for the ‘Canon General’ Category
Invites are out
DigitalREV has stated on their Twitter & Facebook that they have been invited to a ”pro product launch”.
What could it be?
Everything from printers to DSLRs, for the moment it’s unknown. I’m asking other folks that wouldn’t be invited to a printer event, if they’ve been invited to something next Thursday.
*UPDATE 1*
Another person with an invite is telling us that the program only mentions, ink, laser, & multifunction printers.
I’d expect to see new Pixma 9000 and 9500 printers. Perhaps a larger Pixma added to the lineup as well.
thanks Rob
cr
“Canon is making an historical global announcement”
So what does Canon have planned for November 3, 2011? Something big apparently.
I would say this event is NOT for an EOS or Mirrorless camera system, the city it’s being held in should be a giveaway. I expect something new and exciting for the cinematographer.
We had this rumor a few weeks back about a November announcement.
4K camera? An EF compatible video camera? Something to compete with RED? Something to compete with Sony & Panasonic? I’m sure we’ll be learning more before November 3, 2011.
Project Imagin8ion
It has been suggested by a reader that the event could be related to the Project Imagin8ion partnership with Ron Howard.
Thanks to everyone that sent this in.
via [eg]
cr
CANON U.S.A. ANNOUNCES NEW DESKTOP ACCESSORIES FOR TODAY’S BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS
New Products Expand Canon Technology into New Markets
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., July 26, 2011 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, has strengthened the X Mark I series of products today with the launch of two new desktop business accessories, the X Mark I Mouse Lite and the X Mark I Keypad. Designed with input from Canon’s Camera design team, these sleek and stylish products are the ideal extension to a laptop’s standard keyboard, helping to improve overall work efficiency for business professionals working remotely.
“The addition of the X Mark I Keypad and X Mark I Mouse Lite marks Canon’s entry into a new product category,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies and Communications Group, Canon U.S.A. “Canon recognizes that business professionals are always on the search for tools that help improve work efficiency and we feel these new products will certainly accomplish this task.”
The three-in-one Canon X Mark I Mouse Lite combines the functionality of a laser mouse in addition to a keypad and 10-digit calculator making it ideal for the traveling business professional along with anyone interested in minimizing the number of accessories in a workspace. Available in either black or white, the X Mark I Mouse Lite is compatible with Windows PC or Mac laptops, has three mouse buttons and Bluetooth 2.01 connectivity. In addition, this new mouse has a low battery indicator to avoid running out of power unexpectedly.
Designed for the on-the-go business professional, the Canon X Mark I Keypad provides users with a two-in-one keypad in addition to a 10-digit Semi-Desktop Calculator that can be easily paired with either a Windows PC or Mac laptop through Bluetooth 2.01. Powered by solar and AAA batteries, the X Mark I Keypad is available in black or white.
The Canon X Mark I Mouse Lite will have an estimated selling price of $59.99 and is expected to become available in August while the Canon X Mark I Keypad will have an estimated selling price of $59.99 and is expected to ship in September.
cr
I hear Canon won.
A couple of gents at LensRentals.com got bored during their move to new digs and decided to play some chess!
Canon won the game with a Fischer like performance.
I know what you’re thinking. Can you rent this chess set? The answer is yes!
For $7654.75 you can rent this chess for a 4 days, this will include the damage insurance for when you knock your king over after a terrible loss.
What about buying it? Sure can! $151,202.17 you can buy the pieces necessary to do this at home. As LensRentals.com mentions, buy now before the new Canon supertelephotos hit the market. The price will skyrocket. To entice you even more, they’ll throw in a free t-shirt!
Read More: Blog Post | Rental Post
cr
Announcements?
2 different people have written in saying there will be 3 separate announcements in 2011. One will be for PowerShot, the other for a DSLR(s) with 2011 availability and an announcement for a product that won’t be available until 2012.
A 5D Mark III will definitely get it’s own marketing push.
200-400 Availability
I get lots of questions as to when this lens will be announced.
It was only announced as an “in development” product, it hasn’t been officially announced as a consumer product. I predict we won’t see these in the wild until at least Q2 2012.
Error Correction
I worded my post about PowerShots incorrectly recently. There is in fact CMOS PowerShots, I was alluding to a CMOS sensor in the flagship PowerShots. Sorry about that.
New Article
I’ve posted another article written by Roger over at LensRentals.com. “How to test a lens”, it’s a fun read if you’re a geek like most of us.
A new profile will appear shortly as well. He’s a very interesting guy.
Calm before the storm
Things are slow to come in at the moment. Based on past experience, this is the calm before my inbox gets hammered with rumors.
cr
TAIPEI, June 7 Asia Pulse – Japan’s Canon Inc. (CAJ) , the world’s biggest camera maker, began construction Sunday of a new plant in central Taiwan to meet higher demand for the company’s products.
Market analysts believe that the combined investment in the new plant, along with another slated to begin construction in August, will exceed NT$30 billion (US$1.05 billion), according to local media reports.
Canon will invest NT$11 billion in its new factory in the Taichung Export Processing Zone, with construction slated to be completed by the end of next May.
The Taichung plant will begin production in the second half of next year, employing 3,000 workers.
Rising demand for digital single-lens-reflex cameras in recent years prompted the company to decide last year to expand its production in Taiwan, the reports said.
Since the establishment of its first Taiwanese branch in the zone 40 years ago, Canon has brought both capital and technology to the country, making central Taiwan a hub for the optics industry, said Canon Taiwan Chairman Kenji Yoshida at a ground-breaking ceremony for the new plant.
The other plant, scheduled to begin construction in August, will be located in the Chiayi Dapumei Intelligent Industrial Park in southern Taiwan.
Construction of that plant will be completed in July 2012 and once operational, it will require 3,000-4,000 employees, the reports said.
thanks Jim
cr
Canon’s Supply Chain Will Recover Faster Than Expected
(Reuters) – Japanese camera and copier maker Canon Inc (7751.T) expects its quake-hit supply chain to recover more quickly than originally estimated, giving a roughly 50 billion yen ($600 million) boost to its annual sales, the company’s chief executive said.
Fujio Mitarai also told Reuters in an interview that the company may expand a factory under construction in Kyushu, southern Japan, as part of a strategy to diversify its production of key parts.
Last month Canon lowered its annual earnings forecasts and said a recovery in its supply chain, which was disrupted by Japan’s March 11 earthquake and tsunami, was not expected until June or July.
“As those involved in parts production have been giving it their best, we expect supplies to arrive sooner than we had predicted,” Mitarai said in an interview late on Tuesday in Shanghai.
“We now forecast (production) to return to normal by the end of June.”
Mitarai said the faster-than-expected recovery of its supply chain would likely boost its sales. The company is currently forecasting revenue of 3.73 trillion yen for the year to December.
“I am hoping it would lift our sales by around 50 billion yen,” he said.
One of the biggest risks facing the company, he said, was a potential power shortage in Japan following a crisis at a nuclear power plant in the quake-hit northeast.
DIVERSIFYING PARTS PRODUCTION
As part of its strategy to diversify is production base for key parts, Canon may eventually beef up operations at its Hita factory in Kyushu, which is currently under construction, Mitarai said.
The disruption of parts supply in Japan has affected a wide range of electronics makers, including many overseas such as Apple Inc (AAPL.O) and Texas Instruments (TXN.N).
Xerox Corp (XRX.N) said last month it saw some product constraints in the middle of the second quarter due to the March disaster and did not expect a full-product recovery until later this year.
Mitarai said his company was also considering increasing production lines at its two factories in southern China’s Guangdong province.
Like many foreign companies operating in China, Mitarai warned that rising labor costs could eat into margins in the near term.
“We must gradually adopt a more efficient system in China that saves manpower, and change our product line up to one with more added-value,” he said.
“But if you look at it over the longer term or from a more macro perspective, rising wages will also lift peoples’ purchasing power and so it’s not a bad thing at all.”
Demand for single-lens reflex cameras — high-end models with interchangeable lenses — is expected to remain strong, supported by the continued expansion of the middle class in emerging economies, Mitarai said.
Canon is also very open to overseas acquisitions in the medical and high-tech sectors although nothing specific is planned at the moment, he said.
Shares of Canon, which takes its name from the Buddhist goddess of mercy, were flat in early trade in Tokyo at 3,725 yen while the benchmark Nikkei average .N225 was up 0.5 percent.
($1 = 81.425 Japanese Yen)
thanks Paolo
cr
I am receiving lots of information about delays with current products, as well as future products.
Below is what I am told is the delay in regards to manufacturing times of new current cameras
- 1D Mark IV – 2-4 Months
- 5D Mark II – 1-2 Months
- 7D – 1-2 Month
New Camera Announcements
We have always been told the 1Ds replacement would be in 2012, now we are hearing the next 5D will also be 2012. [NL] alluded to that as well.
Current time frames for new cameras.
- 1Ds Mark IV – Early 2012
- 1D Mark V – Early 2012
- 5D Mark III – Late 2011 – Mid 2012
- 7D Mark II – Late 2012
- 70D – Early 2013
- T4i – Early 2012
This stuff will move around, but I reiterate there is a ton of uncertainty.
Lenses?
I’ve received nothing in regards to arrival of the announced lens, I’ll keep asking.
cr
Oh Joy
The IDC reported yesterday on the marketshare of the camera makers for 2010.
Canon remains the #1 camera maker in the world if you included PowerShots. Sony is in 2nd place.
However, in DSLR marketshare for 2010. Canon kicked the butt of pretty much everyone out there.
DSLR Global Marketshare 2010
- Canon 44.5%
- Nikon 29.8%
- Sony 11.9 %
I always attach a grain of salt to marketshare research, everyone seems to come up with a different number. However, IDC is pretty well respected.
Source [1001noisycameras] via [Bloomberg]
cr
This is an official statement from Canon USA CPS
We at Canon extend our heartfelt condolences to all those affected by the March 11 Japan earthquake, along with their families and loved ones. We pray for the safety of everyone in affected areas and hope that the region will soon complete the rebuilding and healing process.
Immediately following the earthquake, Canon Inc. launched recovery activities spanning development, production, and sales operations through a collective effort across the Canon group.
Currently, Canon USA has appropriate inventories of most service parts, and CPS repair operations are functioning normally. However, in the near future, certain camera and video service parts may become temporarily unavailable pending recovery efforts. If this occurs, it may be difficult to repair products within the standard CPS timeframes (for each member level). Additionally, loaner equipment may become unavailable as a result of increased demand.
Please accept our sincere apologies for this inconvenience and be assured that we will continue to use our best efforts to give your repairs our highest priority according to your membership level. In the event a repair cannot be completed in a timely manner due to lack of parts, we will work as necessary with affected members on an individual basis.
We will continue to evaluate our inventory and production situation and ask for your patience and understanding during this trying time. We at Canon truly value our relationship with you and we are working hard to minimize the impact of this disaster on our customers.
thanks Jeff and Rich
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