Interview With Canon's Masaya Maeda

[Canon Rumors]

Imaging Resource sat down with Masaya Maeda, Canon’s Senior Managing Director and Chief Executive of Canon Inc’s Image Communication Products Operations. A lot of topics of interest were covered, including EOS M, EF-S and EF-M lenses, printers and more.</p>
<p>Maeda says Canon will be releasing new printers soon, first up will be the <a href="http://www.canonrumors.com/new-pixma-pro-printer-coming-cr2/" target="_blank">ImagePROGRAF Pro-1000</a> which will be coming next month for PhotoPlus last we heard. This is the 12 ink, 17″ printer they showed last week at the Canon EXPO in New York City.</p>
<p>When asked about EOS M:</p>
<blockquote><p>Going forward, and this would be a repeat of what I said before, but we will put more effort into mirrorless, and also, naturally, we will continue to expand the EF-M lens group. In the very near future, I think that Canon will come out with a mirrorless camera that you would really like.</p></blockquote>
<p>We can also expect new EF-S and EF-M lenses in the near future, unfortunately there was no mention of the EOS-1D X Mark II or EOS 5D Mark IV, probably the two most anticipated products by Canon users.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2015/09/16/canon-maeda-promises-eos-m-enthusiasts-more-aps-c-lenses-new-printers" target="_blank">Head over the Imaging Resource</a> for the rest of the interview.</p>

 

[PureClassA]

The answer regarding concentrating on "On-Chip A/D design going forward" is pretty significant...

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

It was a excellent interview, and Canon was indeed more open than in the past.

My take on this comment (In the very near future, I think that Canon will come out with a mirrorless camera that you would really like.

MM: I promise."

My take on this is that the new camera will be a FF mirrorless camera, not a "M" series. I'm hoping for one that will use my existing EF lenses, but I expect a new lens series with a adapter for EF being required.

I'm becoming more and more skeptical about mirrorless technology. there are so many compromises involved in creating the current models that I'm leery.

 

[zim]

That's one of the best, probably the best, and interesting interview I've read with Mr Maeda. Well done IR for not needing a rope to get pulled back down from the guy's a***

 

[rrcphoto]

The answer regarding concentrating on "On-Chip A/D design going forward" is pretty significant...

he's clearly lying .. I heard from a forum industry expert that canon has nothing under 500nm for design rule capability.

it was interesting though - canon's had accepted two or three significant column parallel patents this year, and you could see they were very far in the design cycle.

 

[rrcphoto]

My take on this is that the new camera will be a FF mirrorless camera, not a "M" series. I

I doubt it.

for starts Maeda all along and even in this issue hasn't diverted from saying the EOS-M is meant to be small.
secondly, they can hardly afford to come out with yet another lens lineup when they can't even flesh out the one they are working on now. not to mention he clearly states EF-M in the proceeding sentence.

 

[ahsanford]

My take on this is that the new camera will be a FF mirrorless camera, not a "M" series. I'm hoping for one that will use my existing EF lenses, but I expect a new lens series with a adapter for EF being required.

Quite the opposite read from me. Maeda-san riffs on pushing DPAF down in the camera pipeline to consumer models like Rebels, and he's talking about new EF-M lenses which would presumably not serve an FF mount.

I think the long long long long long awaited EOS-M with DPAF + [gasp] an integral EVF is finally coming for enthusiasts. (Spoiler alert: it will be comically underweight feature-wise against the Samsung NX1 and Sony A6100, yet Canon will still want a mint for it and it will still probably sell just fine.)

- A

 

[ahsanford]

My take on this is that the new camera will be a FF mirrorless camera, not a "M" series. I

I doubt it.

for starts Maeda all along and even in this issue hasn't diverted from saying the EOS-M is meant to be small.
secondly, they can hardly afford to come out with yet another lens lineup when they can't even flesh out the one they are working on now. not to mention he clearly states EF-M in the proceeding sentence.

This. Canon is carrying the weight of, what, four lens mounts today? EF, EF-S, EF-M and cinema, right? How great of a job would you say they are doing on each of those mounts? A fifth is not coming soon.

Presuming mirrorless will eventually take over for SLRs in the longer term (on all but the most demanding sports/wildlife stuff), Canon's inevitable move to FF mirrorless is not a play for a few enthusiasts -- it represents the future of the business. So an FF mirrorless rig happening isn't nearly as big as the mount they are committing to, which is the billion dollar decision. I personally don't think Canon's ready to make that decision yet as they aren't losing their bread and butter pros to mirrorless. Yet.

I contend that day is inevitable, even if it won't be for many years.

- A

 

[PureClassA]

Been plenty talk of late about a FF Mirrorless system from canon. one or two new lenses to suit plus an EF adapter with an in camera battery capable of supporting the more power hungry lenses in the line up.... Hey loads of possibilities here. This is why you make on-sensor ADCs too. Less space in MILC bodies typically. Kinda all fits together.

 

[PureClassA]

If they make an MILC that tracks and AFs like a 1DX and fits in my hand like one too (or a 5D body is just fine too) I'd be happy to have one. Right now, MILCs feel like toys Id buy for my kids. I'm not saying they're crap. I'm just saying they have a way to go. ANd while I dont feel like having to fiddle with lens adapters, I would gladly use a DSLR sized body with NO mirror and took my EF lenses natively. It would also have to have a totally mind blowing EVF with zero lag.

...
My take on this is that the new camera will be a FF mirrorless camera, not a "M" series. I'm hoping for one that will use my existing EF lenses, but I expect a new lens series with a adapter for EF being required.

That's my take on it too. Canon have already said that they're looking at another (new) lens mount and one would be required for mirrorless FF. An adapter would go without saying.

I'm becoming more and more skeptical about mirrorless technology. there are so many compromises involved in creating the current models that I'm leery.

It is the future. It is about as avoidable as next year's tax return.

 

[rrcphoto]

Been plenty talk of late about a FF Mirrorless system from canon.

there hasn't been any talk from canon about a full frame mirrorless at all.

rumors that they are may or may not have a prototype floating around is pretty much nil.

canon probably prototypes the beejeusus out of camera bodies and combinations.

not to mention there hasn't been even one lens patent identifying a full frame short back focus lens.

 

[rrcphoto]

My take on this is that the new camera will be a FF mirrorless camera, not a "M" series. I'm hoping for one that will use my existing EF lenses, but I expect a new lens series with a adapter for EF being required.

Quite the opposite read from me. Maeda-san riffs on pushing DPAF down in the camera pipeline to consumer models like Rebels, and he's talking about new EF-M lenses which would presumably not serve an FF mount.

I think the long long long long long awaited EOS-M with DPAF + [gasp] an integral EVF is finally coming for enthusiasts. (Spoiler alert: it will be comically underweight feature-wise against the Samsung NX1 and Sony A6100, yet Canon will still want a mint for it and it will still probably sell just fine.)

- A

to be quite honest - I'm not seeing dual pixel AF as a savior here.

I think there has to be other technologies such as overcranking the fps where the focus boxes are to improve both phase detect and precise contrast AF.

they also have to pick up their multi-threading event driven programming game alot - the current sluggishness and FPS is horrid.

finally they have to fix all the stupid things they broke with the M3.

heck just fix what they screwed up on the M3 would make me relatively happy.


the patent on a "secondary" AF adapter .. which would do the long throw AF and the lens + camera do the short precise focus may be an interesting idea as well.

I'd love to see canon implement their own metabones adapter tuned for EF lenses.

the tilt shift adapter would be kind of fun too.

It would be interesting as well to see canon reach back into the past and create an EF-M with a special EF-M to FD adapter that would look like one of their older cameras from the past - a small T90 or a canon 7 rangefinder would be a nice interesting divergence from canon's usually design methodologies.

 

[PureClassA]

Never said "from Canon" but I've run across more than one or two rumor mills thinking Canon has something in the works (which only makes total sense) and that many folks would be interested to have a canon body in a smaller form factor but full frame like the Alpha series.

Been plenty talk of late about a FF Mirrorless system from canon.

there hasn't been any talk from canon about a full frame mirrorless at all.

 

[rrcphoto]

Never said "from Canon" but I've run across more than one or two rumor mills thinking Canon has something in the works (which only makes total sense) and that many folks would be interested to have a canon body in a smaller form factor but full frame like the Alpha series.

then create a small SL1 sized full frame camera. still uses EF lenses, modest amount of R&D - no product confusion.

canon I'm sure prototypes alot - we haven't seen any credible rumors from canon on this, just a "prototype" one.. the other patents that were listed as being part of a "full frame mirrorless" camera from canon were not.

also there's no lens patents that are full frame and short backfocus out there from canon - so even more highly unlikely.

 

[9VIII]

I agree with others here, that was a fantastic interview.
The points that stick out to me...

1. Canon is moving to on-chip ADC: The next round of bodies is going to be very interesting.

2. EOS M is getting a new body "soon".

3. Dual Pixel AF is actually significantly more expensive to manufacture, I hadn't expected that. Which gives me a new respect for the 7D2, and makes me think that we're probably not going to see it in a Rebel any time soon.
And any EOS-M with DPAF is going to be higher in price, which I would like to see. A higher spec EOS-M is what I've wanted from the beginning. It's also encouraging that Masaya was intent on making more compact bodies.
Which also reminds me of the SL1, I actually think that body is one of the most interesting SLR bodies to come out recently. Mirrorless is one thing, but compacting the full SLR mechanism to that size is quite an accomplishment.

4. I think it's worth re-iterating that Canon do listen to their customers quite intently. What people find time to complain about is the generational gap between consumer reaction and corporate response. I'm fine with the "slow but steady" pace that Canon moves at vs. the "rapid release" strategy that Sony seems to have.

5. Lenses will not stop getting better, can't wait for the next 24/50/85/Macro etc...

 

[PureClassA]

I guess what i was getting at was that people buy MILCs partly because they are small and thin and light. The SL1 is 2 of 3, because it still has the necessary thickness of a DSLR for proper distance from the rear element to the sensor plane. I'm not opposed to seeing an SL1 or a 5D body in a MILC format, I just dont know what advantage it brings at this point.

Never said "from Canon" but I've run across more than one or two rumor mills thinking Canon has something in the works (which only makes total sense) and that many folks would be interested to have a canon body in a smaller form factor but full frame like the Alpha series.

then create a small SL1 sized full frame camera. still uses EF lenses, modest amount of R&D - no product confusion.

canon I'm sure prototypes alot - we haven't seen any credible rumors from canon on this, just a "prototype" one.. the other patents that were listed as being part of a "full frame mirrorless" camera from canon were not.

also there's no lens patents that are full frame and short backfocus out there from canon - so even more highly unlikely.

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Likely great stuff finally regarding the sensors and DR! But potentially poor sounding on the video side of things, although maybe not. It's hard to read the implications precisely enough regarding the video.

Sounds like he finally agreed to pony up and spend a little to bring on chip ADC and to make their sensor competitive again. Whether it makes it to the 5D4 in time now or not remains to be seen, but it sounds like, for stills, at low ISO, they should be an Exmor match either for the 2016 stuff or the next round at the absolute worst.

Anyway he finally agreed to spend to switch over to on chip ADC so DR talk is now moot. We know what the current systems all do at this point and there is no need to push for the future any more, since they have now announced they are willing to spend to change over. ;D

If you don't do video (and maybe even if?), it sounds like the Canon DSLRs should soon be pretty much there in every (stills) way soon to relatively soon.

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

However, on the video front, the news was as poor as the news was great for the stills only front, at least for the next three years or so if by consumer stuff he meant everything below 1DC/Cxx, if he only meant Rebels and perhaps xxD then it's another matter.

The fact that he still makes consumer-level 4k sound like some fanciful pipe dream for the year 3000 or something wasn't encouraging. But hopefully he just means at the Rebel level? If he means at the 5D level too, then I guess it is still adding Sony stuff for me, for now for a while instead of Canon. If not, then 2016 may see a pretty interesting release or two from Canon to say the least.

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

The answer regarding concentrating on "On-Chip A/D design going forward" is pretty significant...

Yes, indeed.

And it basically makes the DR talk needless at this point (most likely). We already know from current and past discussions what the story is for everything out already and we know now there is no need to keep getting on about it to pressure them to do it since they have finally announced that they are now going forward with it.

Maybe they finally agreed to bump mini sensors from their Copper fab and to pay to get it set to handle large sensor production.

As I said they had the designs to improve DR they just wanted to maximize profit margin on each body to the nth degree and refused to do what they needed to be able to build those designs. Now they finally have been persuaded to do what they need to so that they can start making some of their advanced designs and not be stuck with milking the old 500nm for everything large or avoiding anything that requires a few extra masks or lowers yield a little or bumps mini-sensors off their other stuff.

 

[rrcphoto]

The answer regarding concentrating on "On-Chip A/D design going forward" is pretty significant...

Yes, indeed.

And it basically makes the DR talk needless at this point. We already know from current and past discussions what the story is for everything out already and we know now there is no need to keep getting on about it to pressure them to do it since they have finally announced that they are now going forward with it.

on sensor ADC won't solve canon's DR issue at low ISO's, canon's doing it because it's more cost effective and faster readout.

this is where a little knowledge is dangerous and quite possibly wrong.

however on sensor ADC even on exmor wasn't the reason they had a competitive advantage in DR the past 3 years. Other technologies such as the double correlated NR at the pixel level elevated it much more.

canon's theoretical SNR curves without taking into account placement of the ADC on 180nm high density sensors is the same as it is today in practice.