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The Canon EOS M50 is a surprisingly capable mid-range mirrorless camera, at least on paper, offering a specification list that in many ways out-does the company's flagship M5 model. Does it live up to it's full potential though? Find out by reading our Canon EOS M50 expert review...
Canon have announced that their interchangeable-lens digital cameras (digital SLRs and CSCs) have maintained the No. 1 share of the global market for 14 consecutive years from 2003 to 2016. In 2003, Canon introduced their breakthrough EOS 300D DSLR camera, which was competitively priced and quickly captured the top share of the global market. Canon has continued to launch a range of interchangeable-lens cameras including the professional-model EOS-1D series and the EOS 5D series which paved the way for digital SLR video recording. During 2016, Canon released the EOS 80D for advanced amateur users, the EOS-1D X Mark II for professionals, and the 4K-enabled EOS 5D Mark IV (pictured) for video enthusiasts. Additionally, the company’s interchangeable-lens camera lineup was further expanded with the introduction of the high-end EOS M5 compact-system camera in November. This year, the company launched the Canon EOS M6, EOS 77D and EOS 800D models.
Adobe has released Lightroom CC 2015.5 / Lightroom 6.5 plus Adobe Camera Raw 9.5. The updates add support for the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II, EOS 80D and EOS 1300D, the Nikon D500 and D5, the Olympus PEN-F and SH-3, the Panasonic DMC-CM10, GF8 and TZ100, the Samsung NX3300, the Sony Alpha A6300 and the Yuneec CGO4, and fix a number of bugs.
Iridient Digital has released Iridient Developer 3.0.2. This update adds support for the Nikon 1 J5, the Olympus TG-4 and Stylus 1S, the Leica M Monochrom (Typ 246), the Canon EOS 760D (Rebel T6s, 8000D), EOS 750D (Rebel T6i, Kiss X8i) and the EOS M3. Additionally, it includes further improvements to the v3 noise reduction introduced in version 3. Both Luminance and Colour noise reduction adjustments in particular are now much more effective with some forms of noise, especially when strongly increasing shadow brightness and with high ISO images. The maximum strength of noise reduction has also been increased to give smoother, lower noise output when set to high levels while still retaining good detail and colour fidelity.
Sigma have issued a product advisory stating that some of their Canon-mount lenses cannot be used with live view on the Canon EOS 750D and 760D digtial SLR cameras. Specifically, when the Live View Mode button on the camera body is pressed, the operation stops without displaying images on the rear LCD monitor, the company says. This issue affects 7 current and 6 discontinued Sigma zoom lenses. The company will provide users with a firmware update free of charge. Click through / read on for a detailed list of affected lenses.
The white-grey edition of the Canon EOS SL1 camera (originally launched in Japan as the EOS Kiss X7 White) will be available in the USA from the end of June. The white EOS Rebel SL1 camera is complemented by a matching white EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens. "[N]ew to the U.S. market, the white EOS Rebel SL1 Digital SLR camera with its companion white lens, provides users with high-quality images in a small, compact body that is easy to bring along on all their summer adventures," says Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A. The Canon EOS Rebel SL1 and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens kit in white will retail for an estimated retail price of $749.99.
Iridient Digital has released Iridient Developer 2.4, a major update to its critically acclaimed raw converter and image editor for Mac OS X. This update includes a number of new features to provide better integration with other photo management tools, in particular Lightroom and Aperture. New features include 'Find and Open raw' for doing a local search for the raw source of a standard image, the ability to overwrite standard images in place and support for automatically opening the raw source image when sent a standard image for external editing. Version 2.4 also adds support for the Leica T, Samsung NX mini, Canon Powershot G1 X II, Sony A77 II, Nikon 1 V3, Nikon 1 J4 and Panasonic DMC-GH4 cameras, and fixes bugs. Do note that this release is a paid upgrade for users who originally purchased a license prior to 1 November 2012.
Combined production of Canon's compact digital and interchangeable-lens digital cameras surpassed 250 million units on 31 January 2014, the company said in a statement. Canon began producing and marketing digital cameras in the mid 1990s. The first digital SLR cameras bearing the Canon logo - such as the Canon EOS DCS 3 (pictured) - were jointly developed by Canon and Kodak; with the first "true" Canon EOS dSLR - the Canon EOS D30 - being released in 2000. The first Canon digital compact camera, the Canon Powershot 600, had been introduced four years earlier.
Boinx Software is inviting all animation experts and hobbyists alike to beta test the brand new DSLR live view feature in iStopMotion for Mac. The beta version of iStopMotion supports live view with the Canon EOS 40D, 60D, 60Da, 450D, 550D and 700D. Boinx encourages all beta testers to use the built-in feedback assistant to report Canon DSLR models that do not work with the live-view function, as well as provide any additional feedback on areas for improvement. To become a beta tester, head to the website below.
Fotodiox has released the Aputure V-Control for Canon DSLR cameras, a handheld USB host device offering comprehensive image and follow-focus control. “Perfect for dramatic rack focus shots, and for correcting focus when the camera is out of reach on a dolly or a crane, V-Control is the only device of its kind that enables photographers to easily switch between still and video modes, offering full hands-on remote control of the camera’s aperture, shutter speed, ISO and exposure compensation,” the company claims. Currently supported camera models include the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV, 5D Mark III, 5D Mark II, 7D, 60D, 600D/T3i/Kiss X5, 550D/T2i/Kiss X4, 500D/T1i/Kiss X3 and the 1100D/T3/Kiss X50. The V-Controller is priced at $179.95 and is available for order now at fotodioxpro.com and other online retailers including Amazon.
Iridient Digital has released Iridient Developer 2.0 for Mac OS X. This update brings a name change, dropping the “RAW” from RAW Developer, along with support for non-raw images, including most standard image formats (JPEG, TIFF, PNG, etc) as well as OpenEXR and Radiance HDR image formats. Other major new features include a redesigned image preview window with an all-new image thumbnail browser optimised for Retina screens; an all-new lens correction module with support for lens profiles, chromatic aberration and distortion correction; support for 39 new camera models, star ratings metadata and EXIF 2.3 information. This release is a paid upgrade for users who originally purchased a licence prior to 16 September 2011. Upgrades are available to previously licenced users for the discounted price of $45 by requesting a 40% discount code from [email protected], while new licences can be purchased for $75.
ACD Systems have released version 15.1 of ACDSee and version 6.1 of ACDSee Pro, adding raw file support for a number of cameras. Newly supported models include the Panasonic G5, Panasonic LX7, Panasonic GF5, Panasonic FZ200, Sony A37, Sony NEX-F3, Sony RX100, Samsung NX1000, Nikon 1 J2. Nikon D3200, Nikon P7700, Canon EOS-1D X, Canon EOS 650D/Rebel T4i/Kiss X6i. Pentax K-30, Leica X2 and Leica M Monochrom. Additionally, the updates incorporate a number of improvements and bug fixes.
Adobe has posted updates to Adobe Camera Raw (ACR), DNG Converter and Lightroom, including preliminary support for the Nikon D600 digital SLR camera (pictured), allowing you to play with the raw files provided in our Nikon D600 review. The updates also add support for 21 other cameras ranging from the Canon EOS 650D / Rebel T4i to the Sony DSC-RX100 and profiles for over 40 Canon, Carl Zeiss, Hasselblad, Leica, Nikon, Pentax, Sigma and Tamron lenses. The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4.2 and Adobe Camera Raw 7.2 updates additionally incorporate a number of bug fixes.
Canon U.S.A. has issued a statement saying the front rubber grips on a certain batch of its EOS Rebel T4i / EOS 650D digital SLR cameras may turn white after a short period of time. The phenomenon is caused by a substance called zinc bis (N,N’-dimethyldithiocarbamate), which is a by-product of a chemical reaction between the rubber accelerator and other substances. (The company says the quantity of rubber accelerator used in the affected production lots was slightly higher than usual.) In addition to the colour change, the substance may, in rare cases, cause allergic skin reactions to develop when it comes into contact with your skin. Click through / scroll down to read the product advisory, which also contains instructions on determining whether your camera is affected or not.
Apple has issued a Camera RAW compatibility update to add support for six new digital cameras. These include the following models:
Canon EOS Rebel T3 / 1100D / Kiss X50
Canon EOS Rebel T3i / 600D / Kiss X5
Olympus E-5 (pictured)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100
Pentax K-r
Pentax K-5
Canon announced today that combined production of the company’s EOS-series film and digital SLR cameras passed the 40-million mark. The Canon EOS system was born in 1987 when the company announced the discontinuance of its FD line of manual-focus SLR cameras and lenses, and introduced the EOS 650 autofocus SLR camera along with the first EF lenses. In 1997, the 10th anniversary of the series, production reached 10 million camera units, and in 2003 passed the 20-million mark. After the rapid spread of digital SLR cameras, Canon went on to reach the 30-million mark during the series’ 20-year anniversary in December 2007, followed by the current 40-million-unit production milestone.
Adobe today released final versions of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.7, Adobe Camera Raw 5.7 and Adobe DNG Converter 5.7. The updates add raw file support for nine new cameras and digital backs, including the Canon EOS 550D, Kodak Z981, Leaf Aptus-II 8, Leaf Aptus-II 10R, Mamiya DM40, Olympus E-PL1, Panasonic G2, Panasonic G10 and Sony A450. Lightroom 2.7 is available as a free download for Lightroom 2 customers, and Photoshop Camera Raw 5.7 is available as a free download for Photoshop CS4, Photoshop Elements 8 and Premiere Elements 8 customers. The DNG Converter 5.7 is also available as a free download for all.
Website: Adobe Updates
Adobe has announced release candidates for Photoshop Lightroom, Camera Raw and DNG Converter. The updates add raw file support for the Canon EOS 550D, Sony Alpha A450, the Olympus E-PL1, the Panasonic Lumix G2 and G10, the Kodak Z981, and several medium-format digital cameras and backs, including the Leaf Aptus-II 8, the Leaf Aptus-II 10R and the Mamiya DM40. The Lightroom 2.7 Release Candidate is available as a free download for Lightroom 2 users, and the Camera Raw 5.7 Release Candidate is available as a free download for Photoshop CS4 customers. The DNG Converter 5.7 Release Candidate is also available as a free download for all.
Adobe today released the final Photoshop Lightroom 2.4 and Camera Raw 5.4 updates. Both updates bring additional raw file support to 31camera and camera back models including the Canon EOS 500D, Nikon D5000. In addition, Adobe released an update to its Digital Negative specification. DNG 1.3 now includes opcodes, a defined list of operations and their parameters for performing complex activities in the raw file conversion process. By utilising opcodes, photographers can maintain the advantages of raw mosaic data, giving them increased opportunity to improve their photographs with the maximum amount of image data preserved. The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.4 update is available as a free download for existing Lightroom 2 customers and Camera Raw 5.4 is available as a free download for existing customers of Photoshop CS4, Photoshop Elements 7, Premiere Elements 7 and Photoshop Elements 6 for Mac. Click through / read on for the full list of newly supported cameras and backs.
Website: Lightroom 2.4 & ACR 5.4 Updates
Website: DNG Specification
DxO Labs have released their new DxO Optics Pro version 5.3.4, which adds support to the Canon EOS 500D, Fujifilm S100FS, Nikon D5000, Pentax K200 and K-m, Sony A200 and A300 cameras. With these seven new models DxO Optics Pro 5.3.4 adds 155 new DxO Optics Correction Modules and now supports more than 1,400 camera body/lens combinations. The release of DxO Optics Pro 5.3.4 is accompanied by the publication of RAW sensor data and DxOMark Sensor rankings for the Canon EOS 500D and the Nikon D5000 on the dxomark.com website, along with reviews for both.
Website: DxOMark
Andrey Tverdokhleb has announced version 3.9.5 of his Mac-only raw developer, Raw Photo Processor. The new release includes entirely new camera profiles for the Canon 5D MkII, 1Ds MkIII, 50D, the Sony A900, the Olympus E620, E3, E30, the Panasonic G1 and LX3 and more accurate profiles for the Sony A700, A350, A300, A200, A100, the Olympus E410, E420, E510, E520 and the Kodak SLR/c, SLR/n, 14NX, 14N and ProBack. Furthermore, it adds support for the Canon EOS 500D (T1i, KISS X, pictured), the Canon SX1 IS and the Kodak Z1015 IS.
Website: Raw Photo Processor
DxO Optics Pro 5.3.2 adds support for the Canon 5D Mark II and the Canon G10, along with 32 new DxO Optics correction modules. In addition, this new version includes various improvements, including installation of the plug-in version for Adobe Photoshop CS4. DxO Optics Pro v5.3.2 and upgrades are available immediately for Mac and Windows platforms.
Adobe have released the final versions of Camera Raw 4.6 and DNG Converter 4.6 for both Windows and Mac platforms. Newly supported camera models in Version 4.6 include:
Canon 1000D (Digital Rebel XS/EOS Kiss F), Canon 50D, Fuji FinePix IS Pro, Kodak EasyShare Kodak Z1015 IS, Leaf AFi II 6, Leaf AFi II 7, Leaf Aptus II 6, Leaf Aptus II 7, Nikon D700, Nikon D90, Nikon Coolpix P6000, Olympus SP-565 UZ, Pentax K2000 (K-m), Sigma DP1, Sony A900
Website: Adobe Camera Raw 4.6 (Windows)
Website: Adobe Camera Raw 4.6 (Mac)
Apple have just released the Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 2.2 for Mac OS X 10.4.11 and OS X 10.5.2. This update extends RAW file compatibility for Aperture 2 and iPhoto ’08 for the following cameras:
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS/Kiss Digital F/1000D; Kodak DCS Pro SLR/n; Nikon D700; Olympus EVOLT E-420; Olympus EVOLT E-520; Olympus SP-570; Samsung GX-10; Samsung GX-20; Sony DSLR-A300; Sony DSC-R1
DxO Optics Pro 5.2 features a new RAW converter that dramatically improves noise reduction in ultra-high ISO images, plus support for three new camera bodies. The Pentax K20D, Sony-A350 and Sony-A700 DSLRs are now supported, and it also inlcudes the DxO Optics Pro Import plug-in for Adobe Photoshop. New lens correction modules have also been added for the Samsung GX20 and the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi. To celebrate the release of DxO Optics Pro v5.2, DxO Labs is extending the special DxO FilmPack free license offer until July 31, 2008.
Apple have just released the Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 2.1 for Mac OS X 10.4.11 and OS X 10.5.2. This update extends RAW file compatibility for Aperture 2 and iPhoto ’08 for the following cameras:
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi/Kiss Digital x2/450D, Epson R-D1, Leaf AFi 7, Leaf AFi 6, Leaf AFi 5, Pentax K200D and the Pentax K20D
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 1.4 and Camera Raw 4.4 are now available immediately as free upgrades for existing users. This update adds raw file support for nine additional digital cameras, including the Canon EOS 450D, Nikon D60 Pentax K20D and Sony A350, and updated printer driver compatibility for Apple Leopard Mac OS X 10.5.
DxO Optics Pro v5 now supports the new Nikon D3 camera body and an initial selection of lenses. Lens correction modules for three popular Nikkor lenses are available for the Nikon D3: the AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED, the AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D and the AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED. “This SLR is built for demanding professional photographers who will make no compromise in image quality. And that’s what DxO Optics Pro is all about: getting the best image quality possible,” says Luc Marin, VP of the Photography business at DxO Labs. DxO Labs has also reset the demo limitation at “0” for everyone who has demo’d version 5.
Production of Canon EOS SLR cameras has just passed the 30 million mark, with 10 million of those digital bodies. The achievement coincides with Canon’s 70th anniversary and the 20th anniversary of the launch of its EOS line of SLR cameras. In March of 1987, Canon’s 50th anniversary, the company introduced the EOS 650 AF SLR camera (pictured), the first model of the EOS series. One for the fact-fans out there - EOS is the name of the Greek goddess of the dawn.
Adobe have released Camera Raw 3.7 for both Windows and Mac platforms. Support for the Nikon D40 and Pentax K10D DSLR cameras has been added in this update.
Website: Adobe Camera Raw 3.7 (Windows)
Website: Adobe Camera Raw 3.7 (MAC)
Breeze Systems Press Release
Breeze Systems announce the immediate availability of BreezeBrowser Pro 1.6, latest version of their acclaimed image browsing and raw conversion software. BreezeBrowser Pro 1.6 allows Canon EOS 400D/REBEL XTi users to take advantage of BreezeBrowser Pro’s unique combined raw conversion, outstandingly fast image browsing and image comparison. A fully functional 15 day trial version can be downloaded from www.breezesys.com
Canon Press Release
TOKYO, January 19, 2006 — Canon Inc. today announced the achievement of a new lens-production milestone as production of the company’s EF lenses passed the 30-million mark.
Production of interchangeable EF lenses for Canon EOS-series AF (autofocus) SLR cameras began in 1987 at the company’s Utsunomiya Plant. Canon produced its 10-millionth EF lens in August 1995, its 20-millionth in February 2001 and, a mere five years later, has now reached the 30-million plateau. This achievement reflects users’ high level of satisfaction with the performance and quality realized by EF lenses, as well as the service offered through Canon’s marketing operations.
Pixmantec Press Release
Pixmantec Partners With ETCETERA Consulting To Provide Sophisticated Color Profiles For Canon And Nikon Digital SLRs
Copenhagen, November 15, 2005: Danish digital imaging specialists Pixmantec ApS are pleased to announce the immediate release of RawShooter | Color Engine. A plug?in for both existing and forthcoming RawShooter RAW workflow applications, RawShooter |Color Engine provides discerning photographers with an excellent alternative to the standard RawShooter profiles. Designed in cooperation with color expert Magne Nilsen of ETCETERA Consulting, RawShooter | Color Engine seamlessly integrates into all RawShooter applications. Built using an advanced architecture, RawShooter | Color Engine delivers a level of sophistication that has yet to be seen in DSLR profile management and thus has the potential or exciting enhancements to come.
Canon USA have released a new version, 2.0.3, of Digital Photo Professional, Canon’s software application for editing and converting RAW images shot by EOS Digital cameras.
1. Changes from Digital Photo Professional 2.0.1
1-1. In Picture Style, some of the setting item names were incorrect. Those names have been fixed as the following chart shows.
Incorrect / Correct
- / Landscape
- / Portrait
- / Neutral
- / Faithful
B/W / Monochrome
1-2. In images taken with EOS 5D or EOS-1D, some of the color tones would be missing. This problem has been fixed
LEXAR CUSTOMER ADVISORY
JUNE 1, 2005
To: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II, EOS-1D Mark II, EOS 20D, and EOS Digital Rebel XT / EOS 350D Digital / EOS Kiss Digital N camera customers using Lexar memory cards.
Update: On June 3, Lexar will release a firmware update for its Professional 80x CompactFlash customers who experience a problem with the Canon cameras listed. Issues experienced with other cards are expected to be addressed by Canon through its firmware release.
Canon USA have issued an advisory note on their website about two separate issues with images disappearing on a number their digital SLR cameras. Canon are planning to issue new firmware to address the first problem, whilst Lexar also plan to offer a free firmware update by the end of May. Read on for all the details…
Canon USA Service Notice
Digital SLR Image Disappearance
May 20, 2005 - Canon U.S.A.
We have received inquiries about the problem of images disappearing when using specific digital SLR cameras. As a result of our investigation, we found that the following two problems may occur. Please be advised of the details and countermeasures.
Adobe has released new versions of Adobe Camera RAW and Adobe DNG Convertor.
Camera Raw 3.1 update
Support for the following cameras has been added.
* Canon EOS Rebel XT (EOS 350D/EOS Kiss Digital N)
* Nikon D2X
* Olympus EVOLT E-300
* Olympus C-7070 Wide Zoom
Adobe DNG Convertor is a free utility that converts files from more than 75 cameras to the Digital Negative (DNG) format. Version 3.1 adds support for the cameras listed above.
Website: Adobe Downloads
Epson have released a new firmware update for thier P-2000 Multimedia Storage Viewer, which I enthusiastically reviewed earlier this week.
The firmware provides the following enhancements:
1) Supports JPEG images from digital SLR cameras with an image-capture sensor of up to 17.8 megapixels.
2) Added Histogram information that shows the photo’s distribution of highlights, shadows, and mid-tones.
3) Additional RAW file support. The P-2000 now supports images in RAW format with the following digital SLR cameras..
EPSON R-D1, Nikon D100, D1H, D2H, D70, D1X, D2X, Canon EOS D30, EOS D60, EOS 10D, Kiss Digital, EOS 1D Mark II, EOS-1Ds Mark II, EOS Digital Rebel, EOS 20D, Konica Minolta Maxxum-7D, Pentax *istD and*istDS
Website: Epson America
Canon USA have released a new version of Digital Photo Professional, Canon’s software application for editing and converting RAW images shot by EOS Digital cameras.
Changes from the previous version include:
(1-1) The Copy Stamp Tool (to adjust images by copying and pasting some part of the image) was added.
(1-2) The Rename Tool (to change multiple file names at once) was added.
(1-3) Lines appeared in the bottom of images converted from RAW images taken with certain models when using Digital Photo Professional 1.5.0/1.6.0 on a computer with dual processors or Hyper-Threading Technology. This problem has now been fixed.
(1-4) Support was added for the EOS D60 and EOS Kiss Digital N / EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT / EOS 350D DIGITAL.
(1-5) The amount of time it takes for image thumbnails to appear has been reduced.
DxO Optics Pro 2.2 has been made available by DxO Labs. Optics Pro 2.2 now supports the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II digital SLR camera, the new Adobe Digital Negative file format and has a simplified pricing structure.
DxO Labs Press Release
DXO LABS SHIPS DXO OPTICS PRO 2.2 ADDING SUPPORT FOR CANON EOS-1DS MARK II, ADOBE DIGITAL NEGATIVE SUPPORT (DNG) AND A SIMPLIFIED PRICING STRUCTURE
Paris, France, February 10, 2005 - DxO Labs, a software developer focused on research in image processing, announced today the immediate availability of DxO Optics Pro 2.2 software. This latest version of DxO Labs’ flagship product for demanding photographers adds:
- Support for the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II.
- Support for the Adobe Digital Negative (DNG) file format as an output option.
- A simplified pricing structure and even better value. DxO Optics Pro is now offered either in a “Standard” version for expert amateur cameras or “Elite” version for all cameras including professional D-SLRS. DxO Raw Engine is now included in both versions.
Extensis Inc. Press Release 27/09/04
Free filter powered by Bibble Labs enables professional photographers to read Raw data from image files of leading digital SLR cameras.
Photokina, Cologne, Germany - September 27, 2004 - Extensis Inc. today announced an update to its Pro Photo Raw Image Filter for Portfolio 7. The updated filter will be a free upgrade for registered owners of Extensis’ digital asset management (DAM) solution for organizing digital photos, illustrations, page layouts and presentations.
With the Pro Photo Raw Image Filter, Portfolio generates high-quality thumbnails and previews from the unprocessed raw image files created by professional digital cameras from Nikon, Olympus, Kodak, Canon, Fuji, Konica-Minolta, Pentax and Imacon. With the Pro Photo Raw Image Filter, Portfolio 7 can extract EXIF metadata and IPTC from the Raw files, create thumbnails for displaying the images in catalogs, and generate high-resolution JPEG previews on the fly for detailed viewing, printing, slideshows and QuickTime movies.
“There have been rapid developments in the digital camera industry since we released our first Raw camera support for Portfolio last year,” said Dan Harlacher, Extensis Portfolio product manager. “With this update, professional photographers now have the Raw camera support they demand for keeping pace with the new camera developments without losing the ability to preview, keyword, organize and sort thousands of images within Portfolio without getting bogged down in a lengthy conversion process.”
DO Labs Press Release 11/05/04
DO LABS RELEASES DXO OPTICS PRO SOFTWARE THROUGH E-STORE OPENING MAY 24TH
Breakthrough software application for serious photographers boosts image quality of digital cameras and lenses
Paris, France (May 11, 2004) - DO Labs, a software company focused on applied mathematics for image enhancement, announces the availability of DxO Optics Pro - its revolutionary software solution for dramatically improving digital image quality.
Designed for use by professional and discerning amateur photographers, DxO Optics Pro software delivers genuine and perceptible quality improvements by automatically correcting images for the following major optical faults:
- Distortion
- Vignetting*
- Blur (lack of sharpness)
- Lateral chromatic aberration
The modular design of DxO Optics Pro allows photographers to maximize performance of their existing and future equipment. In particular, DxO Optics Pro optimizes image quality when shooting conditions are difficult: wide aperture, extreme focal lengths on zooms, lowlight, image edges, wide format sensors, etc? Traditional compromises no longer apply with DxO Optics Pro, photographers can now take full advantage of the possibilities their expensive digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras and lenses offer.
Canon’s “EOS Digital Rebel/EOS Kiss/EOS 300D” digital SLR has sold so well that Canon have recently raised production by 25%, according to a report on Yahoo! News via Reuters:
“Ando said Canon had completed plans to boost monthly production capacity of the “EOS Kiss” by about 25 percent to 100,000 cameras in the first quarter of this year. Half of that capacity is housed in a Taiwan plant and the other half in Japan.
Canon sold 600,000 digital SLRs in 2003, capturing 70 percent of the rapidly growing market and leaving Nikon Corp (7731.T), which did not have a camera anywhere near the “EOS Kiss” model’s price range, in second place with 30 percent.”
Even more interestingly, Canon spokesman Tadaaki Ando, deputy group executive in charge of digital SLRs, strongly hinted that an even cheaper DSLR will be released in about a year’s time:
“Canon’s Ando said a lower-priced digital SLR could be about one year away.
“If it’s not this autumn, then that would probably mean next spring,” Ando said, noting the release would then be one-and-a-half years after the original “EOS Kiss.” “Development times are so much faster than they were in the film age.”
Website: Yahoo! News - “Canon Raises Output of Fast-Selling Kiss Digicam”
Canon 2003 Group Pretax Profit Y448.2 Billion Vs Y330.0 Billion -5
[Dow Jones and Company, Inc.]
Dow Jones News Service via NewsEdge Corporation : The Japanese precision equipment maker said it expects another record net profit this year.
For 2004, Canon projects a group net profit of Y286 billion, up 3.7%. It expects group operating profit to rise 2.3% to Y465 billion this year, on a 4.1% increase in group revenue to Y3.330 trillion.
For this year, Canon estimates its digital camera sales will come to 15 million units, up sharply from 8.6 million units in 2003.
Canon said it expects the dollar to average Y105 and the euro Y130 for 2004.
Canon’s senior managing director, Toshizo Tanaka, said the company needs the dollar to trade between Y100 and Y105 to achieve profit growth this year.
“It would be difficult for us to lift profits if the yen becomes stronger than that,” Tanaka said.
Last year, Canon benefitted from its focus on a limited number of high-margin products, such as digital multifunction copiers and high-performance digital cameras, as well as from cost cuts at its manufacturing operations.
Among these products, the “EOS Kiss Digital,” a single-lens reflex digital camera designed for general users, sold well in Japan though the model is relatively expensive compared with compact-type digital cameras.
In the October-December quarter, Canon’s group net profit rose 25% to Y74.96 billion from Y60.07 billion a year ago, with group revenue growing 3.9% to Y894.89 billion from Y861.66 billion.
Nikon Press Release 29/01/04
[Dow Jones and Company, Inc.] Dow Jones News Service via NewsEdge Corporation : “The digital SLR market is where we have a competitive advantage over our rivals,” said Yoshida. “The market will help us expand our digital camera sales, and it will become a big pillar of our overall imaging business.”
With the worldwide release of the D70 March 19, Nikon hopes to match the success of its archrival Canon Inc. (7751.TO), whose “EOS Kiss digital” SLR proved extremely popular.
For the fiscal year through March, Nikon’s global market share in digital SLR cameras is expected to have fallen to around 30%, behind Canon.
Nikon expects the global SLR market to grow to 5 million units a year in the next three years from about 1 million now.
For the year through March, Nikon’s in-house imaging company is expecting to book Y315.0 billion in sales, up from Y271.9 billion last fiscal year.
In the digital camera market, including SLR models and compact models, Nikon reckons its global shipments will reach 5.5 million units for the year through March, up about 64%. That would mean it maintained a 12% global market share during the year in shipment terms, while its share in value terms remained flat at 15%.
For the business year starting in April, Makoto Kimura, Nikon’s imaging company president, said the company would target worldwide digital camera shipments of 8.6 million units, giving it a 14% global share in unit terms. In value terms, that would translate to about a 19% global market share, Kimura added.