image.canon to launch on April 14, 2020

Canon Rumors Guy

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image.canon appears to be launching on April 14, 2020. This is Canon’s new online image storage service.
There are still a lot of questions about this service, especially which cameras are going to be supported? Will this only work over Wifi, or will you have the option of using it via LTE? Why is there a separate app for image.canon?
On the surface, the service looks like it could be a winner, as long as it’s reliable and easy to use.

Seamless upload from camera to the cloud
image.canon is a cloud service designed to ease your imaging workflow, whether you are a professional, enthusiast, or casual user. Connecting your Wi-Fi compatible Canon camera to the image.canon service will allow you to seamlessly upload all your images and movies in their original format and quality and access them from the dedicated app or a web browser – and automatically forward them to your computer, mobile devices, and third party services.
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LDS

Sep 14, 2012
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"Will this be part of the Canon connect application? will this only work over Wifi?"

It looks there will be a separate app:

From the FAQs:

Q: Can I directly upload images that have been paired with Canon Camera Connect to image.canon?

A: Please import the images into your smartphone with Canon Camera Connect, then upload them using the image.canon app.

Why they didn't integrate it in a single app?
 
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LDS

Sep 14, 2012
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The word “delete” was mentioned a few too many times for me. Unless I not getting the point.

It's mostly an "hub", or transfer, service, is not meant to be used to store images and share/show them from it, but for a small set with limited functionalities.

It's meant to transfer them to another "final" storage. Your camera uploads images to it, and then it sends images to the final destination - Google, Flickr, Adobe services. There's also a downloader service you can install on a computer of yours, and it will get the images too as you upload them to "the cloud". For many users could be easier than setting up their own FTP or web server to achieve the same result - and anyway image.canon acts as a buffer if you computer can't download them immediately.

The advantage for Canon is it shifts the connectors for the different services from the camera's firmware to the image.canon service, where it is much easier to keep them updated as the destination services change their programmable interfaces (the so called APIs). Now that almost everybody has a smartphone always with them, the image.canon service can be controlled from an app there, or its website. Also, it might use it to train any AI it needs to.

Evidently they are not going to offer much non-temporary storage so they are going to delete images after a while, including those by users who are not really using the service, to keep running costs down. Evidently their experiment with Irista showed them there's no money to be made that way.
 
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LDS

Sep 14, 2012
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If it's only for temporary storage then what is it good for?

I tried to explain - a temporary buffer before files are moved to other services or your computer, without any need for the camera firmware to know about them. if you have enough bandwidth, a kind of backup, or a simple way to publish quickly on the web. So hard to understand?

People hoping for some free large storage and sharing, need to look elsewhere. Is this a service useful for everybody? Of course not. My camera doesn't support it, but I would find it nor very useful - especially since I already have my workflow to publish whatever I need. Others may find it useful.
 
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jabird56

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My understanding is that only newly released cameras starting this year and on have the automated seamless upload capability. All other older models will be manual pick & choose, and then select UPLOAD.

I can see where a news or sports photographer; with an EOS-1DX Mark III, would use the service to get their shots back home for review and distribution...in real time.

I could even see first responders using this service to get real time photo INTEL back to command for decision making issues.

I have been using the recent Image Gateway; which Image.Canon is replacing. to upload photos for friends and family to download once they get home from visiting us in Florida.
 
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It's mostly an "hub", or transfer, service, is not meant to be used to store images and share/show them from it, but for a small set with limited functionalities.

It's meant to transfer them to another "final" storage. Your camera uploads images to it, and then it sends images to the final destination - Google, Flickr, Adobe services. There's also a downloader service you can install on a computer of yours, and it will get the images too as you upload them to "the cloud". For many users could be easier than setting up their own FTP or web server to achieve the same result - and anyway image.canon acts as a buffer if you computer can't download them immediately.

The advantage for Canon is it shifts the connectors for the different services from the camera's firmware to the image.canon service, where it is much easier to keep them updated as the destination services change their programmable interfaces (the so called APIs). Now that almost everybody has a smartphone always with them, the image.canon service can be controlled from an app there, or its website. Also, it might use it to train any AI it needs to.

Evidently they are not going to offer much non-temporary storage so they are going to delete images after a while, including those by users who are not really using the service, to keep running costs down. Evidently their experiment with Irista showed them there's no money to be made that way.
I suppose I was expecting more of a OneDrive kind of thing (which I use for storage)

The pair could potentially work well together though!
 
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LDS

Sep 14, 2012
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I suppose I was expecting more of a OneDrive kind of thing (which I use for storage)
The pair could potentially work well together though!

Not potentially, it's exactly the plan, but it will be integrated with Google Drive first. It looks there are no plan now for Dropbox or OneDrive. Probably some kind of partnership with Google, since they are targeting Google Photo next. Maybe Canon will add other online storage next, but may depend on what agreements it made.

Read the privacy policy, though.

Hi Folks.
Does anyone know if this W ill this only work for photos sent via a Canon Wi-fi link (Wi-fi enabled camera) or can I send it my Canon photos that are transferred by an EyeFi card?

It must be managed by the camera firmware on supported cameras towards the Canon service, I'd rule out EyeFi cards.
 
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Valvebounce

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Hi LDS.
Thanks, I figured that was the case.

Cheers, Graham.

Not potentially, it's exactly the plan, but it will be integrated with Google Drive first. It looks there are no plan now for Dropbox or OneDrive. Probably some kind of partnership with Google, since they are targeting Google Photo next. Maybe Canon will add other online storage next, but may depend on what agreements it made.

Read the privacy policy, though.



It must be managed by the camera firmware on supported cameras towards the Canon service, I'd rule out EyeFi cards.
 
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jabird56

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Not potentially, it's exactly the plan, but it will be integrated with Google Drive first. It looks there are no plan now for Dropbox or OneDrive. Probably some kind of partnership with Google, since they are targeting Google Photo next. Maybe Canon will add other online storage next, but may depend on what agreements it made.

Read the privacy policy, though.



It must be managed by the camera firmware on supported cameras towards the Canon service, I'd rule out EyeFi cards.


 
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goldenhusky

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Sounded like an interesting feature when Canon announced this. I guess this is the first iteration and this will expand in terms of features and convenience as time progress. At this point if we have to send pictures to the SMART phone and then upload images 1) it is going to be cumbersome 2) the data cap provided by wireless carries (at least in the US) will be one of the limiting factor. Imagine the RAW files from the upcoming R5, there is no way one can get a lot of pictures uploaded even if they sent JPEG files from the R5.
 
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A bit off topic but has anybody got Canon Connect to work reliably? I've tried but it's just too flakey and I find myself swearing loudly at an iPad and frightening passersby instead of taking photos. I'll admit I'm not the most tech savvy--I'm a photographer, not an IT department. I really wish I could just plug into an iPad with a cable.

Yes. A cranky old man--no denying it.
 
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LDS

Sep 14, 2012
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Some observation about the service:
  • image.canon will have to funnel all people images using the service. It can become a bottleneck if not properly sized. It will depend on how many users will actually use the service. While it may not need much storage, bandwidth and response times will matter.
  • Privacy issues. Well, if your uploading to Google and even Adobe probably this doesn't matter you. But if you're uploading to download on a computer of yours, read the privacy policies. There's a lot about profiling users through images data and metadata - some of which IMHO may not be even GDPR compliant.
 
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magarity

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Feb 14, 2017
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A bit off topic but has anybody got Canon Connect to work reliably? I've tried but it's just too flakey and I find myself swearing loudly at an iPad and frightening passersby instead of taking photos.
With Android, yes. One thing I've noticed is that the Android device wants to switch networks to connect to the internet instead of the camera, which obviously does not provide internet service. So if there is another wifi around that the Android has in its list of known networks, it will often jump off the camera and Canon Connect stops working.
Maybe your iPad is doing similar?
 
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