An article Canon should read.

[Bruce Photography]

I've been watching the IPhone and the IPad frenzy lately and I finally got up my courage to ask a few questions about the IPad with an eye toward downloading photos for viewing (daily shoots) and for connection to a live camera to use it as a monitor for my cameras out in the field. When I say "the field", I mean forrest or sea coast or other minimally habitated area. Read few or non-existant cell towers. Yes I know everyones needs are different. However here is what I asked the Ipad user at Starbucks:

1. Where is the Compact Flash port? How about the SD port?
2. Where can you hook up an external hard drive?
3. How many apps can you run without being connected to the Internet?
4. How many apps can you load into a 64gb machine?
5. I often shoot more than 32GB of photos in a day, how do I down load them in the field without the Internet?
6. If I can do it without being connected, how long would they take to download and how would I do it?
7. Do programs and data have to share the meager 64GB of ram? What happens when I shoot more than 64GB?
8. Does CS5 and adobe camera raw work on an Ipad? Does Lightroom?
9. Where can I wire in my camera so I could use the Ipad as a Monitor? Simple to do on a laptop - any laptop.

These are just off the top of my head. I waited to hear answers to my enquires but I'm still waiting.....


Perhaps someone else knows.

 

[hhelmbold]

I've been watching the IPhone and the IPad frenzy lately and I finally got up my courage to ask a few questions about the IPad with an eye toward downloading photos for viewing (daily shoots) and for connection to a live camera to use it as a monitor for my cameras out in the field. When I say "the field", I mean forrest or sea coast or other minimally habitated area. Read few or non-existant cell towers. Yes I know everyones needs are different. However here is what I asked the Ipad user at Starbucks:

I think there is a time and place for everything. From what I gather your use will be in remote areas where there is no internet and will there be power?

The iPad is great for certain uses and really falls short on others, it's not to say that it cannot do what you want. But it is definately not made to run applications like Adobe CS5. You can buy an external camera connection kit for the iPad which is basically a SD card reader and a USB port where you can connect your camera straight to the iPad to download the photos - BUT it doesn't allow you to connect an external HDD. You need to jailbreak the iPad to get this feature. Looking at your need I would say the iPad is not for you...

I wanted to do the same thing, except I have access to power to keep the battery charged. I also travel a lot and wanted to be able to actually edit my photos while flying. I bought myself the ASUS E121 Slate (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/buy/asus-eee-slate-121.aspx) and I am REALLY happy with it. It is more like a laptop and looks like an iPad.

The only negatives I have at the moment is
1) Battery life - for photo editing about 1.5 - 2 hours (It's a full PC, so it is power hungry and I can understand the battery life)
2) Limited to 4GB of RAM
3) WiFi coverage can be poor at times, not sure if it is interferance
4) Is quite heavy because of the tough glass

But I shoot tethered with my camera, edit photos in Photoshop, display photos to clients, take notes... anything I can do on my Workstation, I can do on the tablet. I bought a 64GB SD card which I leave in the tablet as an extended HDD, and I can connect an additional HDD if I wish (has 2 USB ports)

I was very sceptical at first because everyone compares this to the iPad, but you need to know that these 2 tablets fall in 2 very different categories. I know it sounds like I am promoting the ASUS tablet, but I am just giving you what I decided on after doing a lot of homework on tablets. I do believe that we will see a boom in the tablet market from next year when Windows 8 is launched. I also won't be surprised if Apple launches something between the iPad and the MacBook, maybe a MacPAd or something

Hope this helps a bit...

 

[DJL329]

For all you Apple haters responding here; (a) you need to get your facts straight...

You want facts? Okay, here goes:

The Mac GUI was lifted from the Xerox Parc (so much for it being "original").

No other company tries to control what you can and cannot do with your software and hardware (so much for it being "open source"). This is one of the major reasons why Windows runs on the majority of business computers. The other being, of course, that Microsoft doesn't care which hardware you run it on.

Cannibalising the market for the 1DsIII with the introduction of the 5DII --- actually, NO; this doesn't cannibalize that market at all; these are for different markets (I don't think you understand build quality, waterproofing, etc.)

Yes, it does. What you fail to realize is that many professional shooters will forgo the build quality, waterproofing, etc. and choose the 5DII because the sensor is essentially the same at less than half the cost. Sport and wildlife shooters are usually the ones who need the waterproofing, and they use the 1D line (1.3x crop), not the 1Ds.

Oh, and "leading" and being "first" are 2 different things.

 

[Sunnystate]

Fascinating!
All kind of crawlers are coming out from under rocks to beat the drums against Apple.
Apple story is about the battle of true talent, genius and visionary against nepotism, establishment, cliques, and elitism in business.
If the critics only were sure that Jobs days are really counted! Unfortunately they still have to be wary that he just may stay alive and active long enough to influence Apple and eventually destroy couple more industries, yes just like photography.

It really is time to start investing in people that know how to create, innovate and deliver, especially in recent economy.
Your beloved "chosen" guy, with yellow arm pits will not cut it anymore, even with the help of industry giants like IBM and every lawyer in the family, to satisfy demands of the world.
It is time to just get over it, accept and use the lessons to make better things in the future, starting with replacing those well educated, soft spoken, but really dull characters from privileged circles as leaders.
Think for the moment and imagine where could we be if every company was as successful and innovative as Apple, what level of competition will be created in all industries, and what kind of inventions will be already here for everybody to enjoy.

 

[hhelmbold]

Oh, and "leading" and being "first" are 2 different things

Yes... the one means you're finished

 

[Bruce Photography]

For Hhelmbold: Thank you for really providing a true answer to my potential usage of a tablet. I will look into the Asus. For now, it seems that my Laptop will probably be ok. As far as a field monitor I've considered the Marshall field monitors as well as a new one from Adorama. Power would be a problem but maybe one of the solar solutions would be practical or I could just carry another battery. I was attracted to the iPad because of the long battery life. I just don't understand why they didn't put ports on the ipad - seems like they were just trying to save money not to have at least a USB port so you could attach devices. I guess you could save alot of software development costs if you never supported any devices (other than what is inside the machine). No need for device drivers - what a savings... Now where was my pencil?

 

[Peter Hill]

I'm not about to dive in and join the debaters about Canon vs Apple. I just cannot accept that a business model that apparently works for a big American company making phones and computers is deemed suitable for a big Japanese company making photographic equipment because they are both ..... companies? For starters, has anyone ever been to a Canon store? No!

 

[ZeuZ]

I'm not about to dive in and join the debaters about Canon vs Apple. I just cannot accept that a business model that apparently works for a big American company making phones and computers is deemed suitable for a big Japanese company making photographic equipment because they are both ..... companies? For starters, has anyone ever been to a Canon store? No!

Actually here in Belgium there is one : canonline.be, the only photography store which sells only Canon.

 

[hhelmbold]

I see this has become an issue of attacking people rather than discussing a plain comment... Maybe archangelrichard needs to apply for a name change.

Sure, some of the questions might seem stupid to YOU but only because you have actual knowledge of the product. Some people actually ask questions to gain that knowledge and blasting them from a dizzy height only proves one thing... your own ignorance.
Some people know how to use a camera and that is all they are concerned with. Unfortunately they have to step into the world of computers and apples to get their final product out, and I think they have more guts trying the unknown than just leaving their work at a point of comfort.


To respond to Bruce

I was attracted to the iPad because of the long battery life. I just don't understand why they didn't put ports on the ipad - seems like they were just trying to save money not to have at least a USB port so you could attach devices

One of Apple's big marketing strategies was the battery life - but also a practical strategy as the iPad is used for on the go business. Comparing it to a laptop is actually a mistake as it is completely 2 different tools. USB ports provide power to the devices plugged into them and will decrease battery life. The processor on the iPad cannot be compared to the processor in a more powerful laptop for instance. Processors are also power hungry and this is why the ASUS has a much shorter battery life. From what I can gather it sounds to me like you will be much better off with a laptop. The ASUS is basically a laptop without the keyboard - it is a full PC. There are other tablets like the Galaxy etc, but most of these compete with the iPAd and once again you will be stuck on specific apps. Stick to a platform you are used to working on... it might not look as cool as an iPad or tablet, but in the end you know what you get.

 

[macfly]

The opening posts are very interesting.

I have long observed the difference between corporations and visionaries, and corporations after their visionaries leave. Ferrari, Ford, Apple, Microsoft, Getty Oil, Standard Oil, Pan Am (on TV now!) the list goes on and on.

In Japan the culture of honoring a founders vision is very different, but none the less that vision is at the core or Honda and Toyota for instance. Canon is part of a much larger industrial conglomerate, and a relatively small part. With the iPhone, iPad and Androids advance into their traditional money making space the writing is on the wall for the p&s camera. All that will be left is the pro-sumer and pro market. This could be bad for us, because it will destroy their camera business, or it could be good for us, because we'll get bundled in with the cine division who make incredible lenses. For sure it'll push prices up, but I'll pay the price for ground breaking quality. If Canon are asleep at the wheel then Sony, Nikon or maybe even Red, an American company founded and run by a visionary, will fill that slot.

Change is happening at a vastly accelerated pace, but since the original EOS 1 Canon have always been the ones defining it. I hope we will see a 1Ds IV shortly that confirms their commitment to visionary change, but if not I'm buying from those that will.

 

[neuroanatomist]

What's next, attacking the apple because it is named after a fruit?

Well, the apple is a fruit. Apple, Inc. is a maker of consumer electronics, computers, and software.

NO you don't have your facts straight and have repeatedly demonstrated this here

Behavior of which, yourself, have also been guilty of in previous posts (or do you still maintain that a 17mm lens should have a rear element that is 17mm from the image plane?).

If canon would be like apple...
...there would be just ONE dslr and ONE compact model with a new release every year
...it would cost twice as much as every other cam

Because Apple only makes one model of computer, right? And I'm sure there are plenty of equivalents to my 17" MBP or 13" MBA (oh, wait, that's two models right there!) that provide the same functionality in the same form factor with the same ease of use. Please, point me to them!

If canon would be like apple...
...there wouldn't be any manual mode anymore because the mass market don't need that

Because Mac OS X doesn't include the Terminal app for a command-line Unix shell interface that allows me to alter most system parameters at will.

But in a relevant comparison, every current Canon dSLR outside of the 1-series bodies includes the green square mode for a reason - that same 'mass market'.

If canon would be like apple...
...canon would sue, nikon, sony, panasonic and every other manufacturer who build cams who look like... well, who look like a cam, because canon thinks that it has invented cams

Because Canon hasn't ever filed infringement lawsuits, right? FWIW, Nikon recently sued Sigma for patent violations around their VR system.

"Yes, it does. What you fail to realize is that many professional shooters will forgo the build quality, waterproofing, etc. and choose the 5DII because the sensor is essentially the same at less than half the cost. Sport and wildlife shooters are usually the ones who need the waterproofing, and they use the 1D line (1.3x crop), not the 1Ds."

Again demonstrating that failure to engage brain before opening mouth - NO they are NOT the same sensors, the 1DS has a much higher pixel count (for example), faster processing, etc. NO they are NOT essentially the same sensor

A good example of taking something out of context then offering unwarranted criticism. Let's look at the original quote:

Cannibalising the market for the 1DsIII with the introduction of the 5DII --- actually, NO; this doesn't cannibalize that market at all; these are for different markets (I don't think you understand build quality, waterproofing, etc.)

Yes, it does. What you fail to realize is that many professional shooters will forgo the build quality, waterproofing, etc. and choose the 5DII because the sensor is essentially the same at less than half the cost. Sport and wildlife shooters are usually the ones who need the waterproofing, and they use the 1D line (1.3x crop), not the 1Ds.

Clearly, DJL329 was stating that the 1DsIII and the 5DII have essentially the same sensor. Do you disagree with that? (If so, you're disagreeing with Canon's published statements, but as you know ALL THE FACTS, you should have no problem with that.)

The opening posts are very interesting. ...Change is happening at a vastly accelerated pace, but since the original EOS 1 Canon have always been the ones defining it. I hope we will see a 1Ds IV shortly that confirms their commitment to visionary change....

Agreed!!

 

[unfocused]

Well, this certainly confirms that there is nothing quite like Apple to get the juices flowing on both sides (all started by one person re-posting a rather silly p.r. story masquerading as commentary).

Archangelrichard, you do realize that your extreme reaction only reinforces the impression that many have about the cult-like loyalty that Apple inspires in some users?

Apple and Canon are both successful companies. They are in the business to make money. It is very tragic that Mr. Jobs is apparently in the end stages of pancreatic cancer (I have had two friends die of this disease in the last several years and I hate to see anyone with this disease), but he is and always was a businessman, not a saint. To suggest that Mr. Jobs did not care about profit is silly. He returned to Apple in order to return it to profitability.

What I take issue with is the suggestion that somehow Canon should be "more like Apple" when people don't really think through the consequences of that kind of statement.

On this forum people endlessly debate the relative merits of esoteric technologies and standards. Some people actually get angry that Canon has so far been unable to produce a camera that shares or exceeds the human eye's ability to reconcile range, tone, speed, focus, etc. (in fact there are even those who get angry because Canon hasn't yet produced a sensor that exceeds the human eye in low-light sensitivity).

The fact is that each new generation of today's digital cameras are improving upon the image quality of previous generations. The quality and flexibility available today was completely unimaginable just a few short years ago when film dominated the marketplace.

This has happened because Canon and Nikon have not (at least so far) abandoned the quality-conscious consumer and professional markets, even though they could certainly do so and probably increase their profits and reduce costs.

In contrast, Apple has undeniably "dumbed-down" the audio quality of recorded music. As a result of Apple's admittedly impressive ability to innovate and market its innovations, all of us are condemned to a marketplace where recorded music sounds less, not more, like real life.

I am able to enjoy my 7D and the quality of images it produces because Canon has integrated my narrow market segment into their business plan. I know they are doing that because it makes them money, but none-the-less I appreciate their investment in quality and willingness to serve a niche market.

Wherever I travel I see people happily snapping pictures with their phones and it reminds me what I dinosaur I am with my big, heavy SLR. I hope that there will always be a market for consumers like myself, but I have to admit I am fearful that "innovative" products like the iPhone and iPad will further erode the camera market. I really don't want photography to suffer the same fate that recorded music has, where "good enough" displaces great.

I may be on the path to extinction, but for the time being, I'm kind of happy that companies like Canon and Nikon continue to compete for my money.

 

[Sunnystate]

Well, this certainly confirms that there is nothing quite like Apple to get the juices flowing on both sides (all started by one person re-posting a rather silly p.r. story masquerading as commentary).

Archangelrichard, you do realize that your extreme reaction only reinforces the impression that many have about the cult-like loyalty that Apple inspires in some users?

Apple and Canon are both successful companies. They are in the business to make money. It is very tragic that Mr. Jobs is apparently in the end stages of pancreatic cancer (I have had two friends die of this disease in the last several years and I hate to see anyone with this disease), but he is and always was a businessman, not a saint. To suggest that Mr. Jobs did not care about profit is silly. He returned to Apple in order to return it to profitability.

What I take issue with is the suggestion that somehow Canon should be "more like Apple" when people don't really think through the consequences of that kind of statement.

On this forum people endlessly debate the relative merits of esoteric technologies and standards. Some people actually get angry that Canon has so far been unable to produce a camera that shares or exceeds the human eye's ability to reconcile range, tone, speed, focus, etc. (in fact there are even those who get angry because Canon hasn't yet produced a sensor that exceeds the human eye in low-light sensitivity).

The fact is that each new generation of today's digital cameras are improving upon the image quality of previous generations. The quality and flexibility available today was completely unimaginable just a few short years ago when film dominated the marketplace.

This has happened because Canon and Nikon have not (at least so far) abandoned the quality-conscious consumer and professional markets, even though they could certainly do so and probably increase their profits and reduce costs.

In contrast, Apple has undeniably "dumbed-down" the audio quality of recorded music. As a result of Apple's admittedly impressive ability to innovate and market its innovations, all of us are condemned to a marketplace where recorded music sounds less, not more, like real life.

I am able to enjoy my 7D and the quality of images it produces because Canon has integrated my narrow market segment into their business plan. I know they are doing that because it makes them money, but none-the-less I appreciate their investment in quality and willingness to serve a niche market.

Wherever I travel I see people happily snapping pictures with their phones and it reminds me what I dinosaur I am with my big, heavy SLR. I hope that there will always be a market for consumers like myself, but I have to admit I am fearful that "innovative" products like the iPhone and iPad will further erode the camera market. I really don't want photography to suffer the same fate that recorded music has, where "good enough" displaces great.

I may be on the path to extinction, but for the time being, I'm kind of happy that companies like Canon and Nikon continue to compete for my money.

Seems like you knew how to get right, sophisticated enough for your needs camera, but you just don't know how to get good quality music, and this is Apple's fault in your mind?
If you desire, there are even vinyl still produced, CD's and digital music without any compression available.

Do you really expect educated enough consumer to run $30.000 sound system from the iPod, listen to downloaded Beethoven from iTunes? At the same token expect uncompressed 1 GB file on the teenagers iPod to listen lady Gaga on the school bus? Really?

I am really tired of this kind of flowed rhetoric that it is everywhere now, especially on all political sites.

 

[jgrabner]

Let's see...if Canon were more like Apple we would have a proprietary file format for all images that would allow us to view, print and manipulate those images using only Canon hardware and software.

actually, Apple would "invent" an entirely new storage card which it has patents on and will only be sold by Apple itself. It would cost three times as much as an SD card but would have the "benefit" of nobody being able to transfer pictures from one card to another without not paying Apple $100 per year for their online sharing software.

Canon would create a lens mount that would only function with Canon lenses, so that no third-party lenses could be used on its cameras.

and every company that dares to make an adaptor would get sued

Canon would abandon all but the low and highest-end markets, creating only mass consumer products and specialized products for a very narrow segment of the professional class.

the cameras would only have one button: "take picture"

It would find a way to charge consumers for each image and lock up the marketplace so that consumers could not freely exchange their own images.

well, they would ship a viewer software with each camera for free, which has to be installed on your computer and which is then the only way to transfer the images to your pc. You would not be able to process these pictures in any software that is not made by Apple, so they will sell you special versions of Lightroom and Photoshop for big bucks, which then can use the images from the Apple cameras.

and of course you image recognition software will prevent you from taking "obscene", "racist", "violent", or any not picture not deemed "appropriate" by Apple censorship.

 

[neuroanatomist]

Let's see...if Canon were more like Apple we would have a proprietary file format for all images that would allow us to view, print and manipulate those images using only Canon hardware and software.

actually, Apple would "invent" an entirely new storage card which it has patents on and will only be sold by Apple itself.

Yeah...but the data throughput would be faster than anything in the industry, and it would have a cool iSomething name. :

 

[dstppy]

well, they would ship a viewer software with each camera for free, which has to be installed on your computer and which is then the only way to transfer the images to your pc. You would not be able to process these pictures in any software that is not made by Apple, so they will sell you special versions of Lightroom and Photoshop for big bucks, which then can use the images from the Apple cameras.

and of course you image recognition software will prevent you from taking "obscene", "racist", "violent", or any not picture not deemed "appropriate" by Apple censorship.

Boy, you saved me a bundle there -- I thought the iphone had a browser, mms and e-mail.

I'da been real upset if my MMS pictures to my friends get filtered because I like to send updates on my dirty socks.

How much time a week do people who dislike apple spend obsessing about it?

 

[Dave]

why does that sound absolutely unacceptable on a camera but most people accept it for their smartphone?

I keep asking myself that question for a long time... And well... haven't come to an answer... I really love the design of the iPhone. But I still don't have one (and probably will not).

so there is just 1 iPod?, 1 iMac?, 1 iPad? 1 iPhone?

Okay three iPods (the touch is just a crippled iPhone). But yeah. Basically ther is one iPhone, one iMac and one iPad. An iPhone 16GB and an iPhone 32GB are'nt different models. They are just the result of the restrictions from Apple concerning expansion.
Imo this is the secret oft Apples success... Look at Nokia or Samsung, how many different mobile phones they have. , resulting in a lot of costs for development, production and support.

not their market; you are blaming Apple for making a product for a market you are no part of

Sorry, but this is ridiculous. I know many (I mean MANY) iPhone useres who really love their iPhone but are CRAVING to have an SD Card or an USB. I really love iPhones. But this is the only reason I will buy a Samsung S2

and again the proof would be that Apple could easily buy adobe and has not;

But they did that on Software like Logic or Final Cut

are you now claiming that Apple has sued every maker of MP3 player

Here in Germany Apple just have sued Samsung for building... oh wait... let me quote Apple...

- a rectangular product with four rounded edges
- a flat clear surface covering the front of the product
- a metalic frame aroudn that surface
- a display that is under that clear surface
- if the product is switched on there are coloured Icons on the display

Source: http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Apple-geht-auch-gegen-Motorola-Xoom-vor-1321392.html

No this not a joke... This are Apples charges against Samsung. Since these is the description for the patent of the iPad.

And sorry, I have Apple products here. And I have no general problem with apple. But like it or not: These ARE facts.

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

"When the pressure is on and the CEO of a big public company has to choose between doing what’s best for the customer or making the quarter’s numbers… most CEOs will choose the numbers.

Apple never has."

Haha, yeah right.


I agree that Apple is a terrifically run company. But let's not pretend that their practice transcends the rules and norms of business. I really hate Apple worship.

1. I hate Apple worship when it comes to tech since their Apple II's were very soon outdated junk and yet even when there were advanced computers running at 16x the speed, with 4096 colors at once, stereo wave sampled sound built in and pre-emptive multi-tasking, salesman were still pushing the same priced APple II trash over the vastly better stuff. The MAC was basically junk within a year compared to competition and people worshiped that forever. And so on.

2. But you do have to say that they certainly knew how to market and run a company, MS too, way better than the likes of the other players (who actually had FAR more inventive and powerful hardware and OS). In fact, the fact that most people don't even know this just goes to show how good Apple and MS management actually was.

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Excellent article explaining why large companies are often "disrupted," why Apple hasn't succumbed to this, and why Canon SHOULD try to cannibalize its own products by innovating new ones. Anyone with Canon gear should read this. Very eye-opening.

http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2011/08/29/jobs-made-apple-great-by-ignoring-profit/

Yeah I've been saying this for almost half a decade now. They used to be so far ahead they could've run away with it for stills and then they even had chance with video, instead they have slowly bled stills market share and the video market share might plummet soon.

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Excellent article explaining why large companies are often "disrupted," why Apple hasn't succumbed to this, and why Canon SHOULD try to cannibalize its own products by innovating new ones. Anyone with Canon gear should read this. Very eye-opening.

http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2011/08/29/jobs-made-apple-great-by-ignoring-profit/

that said, i do hate how jobs switched over from the early hackers computer to a total 1984 closed down, locked down system, simply awful, as bad as Canon in that regard