Side Issues That Canon Should Be Working On

[CoolToolGuy]

2003 has been marked as the year digital overtook film. So, it should be downhill from here for film gear (although I don't think it should or will go away entirely).
In any case, my thought is that Canon and other manufacturers need to shift from 35mm-as-digital to thinking digital as the primary. Olympus seems to have made the statement.
So, I have started a list of things that I think Canon should be considering besides megapixels. Comments and/or additions?

-The write speed to the card needs to be increased. I can manually wind my F1 faster than my Drebel can write to the card.

-Lens hoods for digital. The hoods that Canon specifies are correct for a 24x36 film plane or sensor. The only DSLR that they are appropriate for is the 1Ds. Its time to develop alternative hoods for the DSLR crowd.

-EF-SL (or whatever) lenses. If Canon is going to stick with the APS-sized sensor, they need to develop some high quality lenses for it. As it is, you are paying for more lens than you can use when you buy any lens for a Canon DSLR. Perhaps the 1D owners get the sweet spot, but beyond that, you're paying too much.

-Reduction of the crop factor for the masses. This may fly in the face of the 'SL' lens suggestion mentioned above, but the same argument applies - If I have these lenses that are made to cover a 24x36 frame, when can I use all of the lens for digital?

Have Fun
Rick 8)

[DaveG]

I'm sure they are working on most of these problems. But imagine how angry you'd be in a few years if your half frame dRebel lenses wouldn't work on the full framed dRebel Mark III? Even lens shades that vignette would casue a great howl of anger.

Geez I remember reading a twisted note of anger about how Canon shouldn't have improved their focusing with USM lenses since it reduced the value of the older non USM variety! I'm sure that this is the same kind of guy who bitched about the invention of the wheel, since it put all of those sledge workers on unemployment; but these are issues that I think Canon would prefer to avoid.

[CyberDyneSystems]

All excellent suggestions.

The Full frame Vs. Digital lenses/Hoods issue should be solved one way or another. Currently Canon has left this in Limbo... while stating that the 1.6X will continue,. if so then support it with like minded equipment (lenses and hoods of rexisting lenses) Or,. go full frame. The old,. "you can't have it both ways" seems to apply. To my mind,. a switch to all fulll frame is not the solution,. or at least a temporary one. When pixel density limitations are solved with newer technology,. then the full frame will become less attractive. A real commitment to one of the smaller frame sizes in order.

Here are a few additions to the list;

- Faster Camera start up: Figure this out Canon,. you are lagging :)

- Faster image review: This has not bothered me for a long time personally, mainly because I have image review turned "off" by default on the 10D. But when I need it,. and I am shooting RAW images.. Oh my GOD what a pain,. it is an eternity waiting for it. It's really unnacceptable when the D100 can do it seconds flat.

- Improved Software: Canon,. you have a supercomputer division!? Is there no way you can develop a more usable software package? Canon should be able to nail this if any Camera company can,. they've been in the computer industry for decades. At the very least,. contract with Phase1 or Breezesys.

[CoolToolGuy]

All excellent suggestions.

- Faster image review: This has not bothered me for a long time personally, mainly because I have image review turned "off" by default on the 10D. But when I need it,. and I am shooting RAW images.. Oh my GOD what a pain,. it is an eternity waiting for it. It's really unnacceptable when the D100 can do it seconds flat.



I agree with all of yours, and will add that the faster image review is related to the 'write to the card faster' suggestion. Same thing - read it faster to get it on the LCD.

Have Fun
Rick 8)

[w10d]

I'd love to see Canon's pro camera's getting a square sensor, with the option to shoot crops in vertical or horizontal (thus getting more images on a card and saving time later). Easy to include a choice of formats for cropping.

Regardless of resolution, I'd like to see sensors getting larger (on pro models) - allowing for smaller apertures and bigger viewfinders...

[jhigdon]

I'd love to see a digital version of the EOS 3 without the weight of the 1-D but with many of the features. Vertical grip similiar to to the 10-D would also be a plus when needed.Does anyone see this as something coming before the end of this year. The 10-D is almost 1 year old and must be near the end of it's market life.

[PaulB]

jhigdon,
No

[Tom W]

While I'd welcome something between the 10D and the 1D Mk II, I cannot say that the 10D has reached the end of its useful life, or even the end of its market life (which is what I think you meant).

I know that I was one of the biggest speculators on those PMA threads, until my film door latch broke on the Elan II and I was "forced" to buy the 10D. Once I got one, I realized just how good it was. There's no need to replace it yet. Its a great camera.

That's not to say it will never happen - the technology in the 1D Mk II will trickle down through the lineup and Canon will continue to improve things as it becomes possible and prudent (both financially and logistically).

[CyberDyneSystems]

All excellent suggestions.

- Faster image review: This has not bothered me for a long time personally, mainly because I have image review turned "off" by default on the 10D. But when I need it,. and I am shooting RAW images.. Oh my GOD what a pain,. it is an eternity waiting for it. It's really unnacceptable when the D100 can do it seconds flat.



I agree with all of yours, and will add that the faster image review is related to the 'write to the card faster' suggestion. Same thing - read it faster to get it on the LCD.

Have Fun
Rick 8)

Yes,. yes and YES! :)

You are correct!

BUT! Did you know the D100 will show you the image reveiw based on the buffered image,. you don't have to wait for the card write?

Wow..

[Jesper]

I'd love to see a digital version of the EOS 3 without the weight of the 1-D but with many of the features. Vertical grip similiar to to the 10-D would also be a plus when needed.Does anyone see this as something coming before the end of this year. The 10-D is almost 1 year old and must be near the end of it's useful life.

The 10D near the end of its useful life?! As far as I know the 10D is still so hot that Canon's factories have to work hard to build all the 10D's that people are asking for. It's not yet so old that it doesn't bring Canon any profit anymore. Canon is certainly busy developing a successor for the 10D, but I think it will take another year before it will be announced.

About what Canon should be working on: I hope they're NOT working on any more EF-S lenses. I don't want lenses that cover only an APS-sized sensor. Lenses have a much longer lifespan than digital cameras. I still want to be able to use the lenses that I buy now 10 years from now, and I think in 10 years we'll have full frame DSLRs for $1000 (excluding inflation correction.... :? )

Things they should be working on if I could decide....: 8)

- better dynamic range
- lower noise, especially at higher ISO settings
- smaller, lighter, black L lenses

[KennyG]

I think alternate lens hoods rather than lenses. Volume keeps the price down so a common lens across all sensor sizes is in our interest.

FF won't happen for years in all but the top range. Square sensors are a niche market product and unlikely to appear in anything other than digital backs. Learn to live with 1.6 at the consumer end, 1.3 for the sports/PJ range and FF for the high-end studio cameras.

I hardly ever 'chimp', so mega fast reviews are a waste of time for me. I just don't have time between shots to peer at the LCD. Just think, it wasn't that long ago you would have had to wait a few days to see how you efforts turned out, and now we moan about a few milliseconds.

My guesstimate for a new 10D would be an updated 1.6 sensor with a Digic II processor giving better AF and faster buffer writes. Other than that I can't see much of a change. Probably won't happen until after the summer anyway.

The 300D needs a re-work, if nothing else to address the features (on paper at least) of the D70 that may snare the odd potential customer. First thing I'd do is drop the Rebel name as it is so 80's.

[Tom W]

Actually, the Rebel name is kind-of "1860's" over on this side of the pond. :D

[CoolToolGuy]

About what Canon should be working on: I hope they're NOT working on any more EF-S lenses. I don't want lenses that cover only an APS-sized sensor. Lenses have a much longer lifespan than digital cameras. I still want to be able to use the lenses that I buy now 10 years from now, and I think in 10 years we'll have full frame DSLRs for $1000 (excluding inflation correction.... :? )


I am not suggesting that Canon abandon the current lenses or their successors, just that if they are going to stick with the APS-sized sensor for any length of time they should provide high-quality glass for that size sensor along with the ones made for 24x36. When the market was mostly folks with film cameras, they could get away with preaching compatibility. But the tide is turning. I, for one, only got a film EOS body so I could continue to shoot film if desired. My film gear is all FD-based, and is destined for sale because I can't justify two complete sets of camera gear. But back to the topic - There are lots of folks who are, or will be, digital only - and will not even get to a 1.3 crop factor unless some iteration of the Digital Rebel takes them there. Although it could be argued that the price of the current EF-S lens is artificially low to get new customers in the door, Canon could do more with this format and provide an 'L' really wide zoom, or telephoto zoom (or maybe even primes) for a lower price.

Geez, maybe even sell a few more used EOS IX (is that the APS SLR?) bodies to keep the APS market alive for a few more years. :roll: :) :D :lol:

Have Fun
Rick 8)

[Tom W]

I am not suggesting that Canon abandon the current lenses or their successors, just that if they are going to stick with the APS-sized sensor for any length of time they should provide high-quality glass for that size sensor. When the market was mostly folks with film cameras, they could get away with preaching compatibility. But the tide is turning. I, for one, only got a film EOS body so I could continue to shoot film if desired. My film gear is all FD-based, and is destined for sale because I can't justify two complete sets of camera gear. But back to the topic - There are lots of folks who are, or will be, digital only - and will not even get to a 1.3 crop factor unless some iteration of the Digital Rebel takes them there. Although it could be argued that the price of the current EF-S lens is artificially low to get new customers in the door, Canon could do more with this format and provide an 'L' really wide zoom, or telephoto zoom (or maybe even primes) for a lower price.

Geez, maybe even sell a few more used EOS IX (is that the APS SLR?) bodies to keep the APS market alive for a few more years. :roll: :) :D :lol:

Have Fun
Rick 8)

On the other hand, there are many film users that are reluctant to make the switch to digital until a full-sized sensor becomes affordable. Until fate, circumstance, or divine intervention caused me to buy the 10D, I was happily plodding along with my Elan II, waiting for the day that a 1.3 or full 35 mm sensor became mainstream. I believe that there are a ton of film users in the same boat.

That said, and now that I've gotten the 10D, I'm not really looking back at the Elan except for backup and occasional use. I had originally underestimated the "APS" sized sensor, and had some real concerns about picture quality and DOF control. I have been pleasantly surprised.

[KennyG]

Actually, the Rebel name is kind-of "1860's" over on this side of the pond. :D

Does it sell better in the South? :wink:

[Tom W]

Actually, the Rebel name is kind-of "1860's" over on this side of the pond. :D

Does it sell better in the South? :wink:

I don't know, but I do know that with the southern model, instead of a beep when it acheives focus, it yells out "Yeeeeee Haww!!!!!"

[tpinchback]

Actually, the Rebel name is kind-of "1860's" over on this side of the pond. :D

Does it sell better in the South? :wink:

Cant keep them in stock at the best buy i work at in texas..


They sell like hotcakes!!