A Chuck Westfall (Canon technical director) interview

While much of this is aimed at the digicam market, there are a few

snippets of relevance to the EOS system:

 

http://www.tomshardware.com/hardnews/20050324_143333.html

 

Throwaway line about the next 1 series DSLR being 22MP, for instance,

and a move toward SD cards.

<p>Well, I'm glad he says Canon monitors online discussions for user comments. Maybe if I gripe enough about how ECF has gone MIA on DSLRs they'll finally get around to fixing this omission :-)</p>

 

<p>I'm not at all surprised by the 22 MP thing. Canon has already stated that the 1D and 1Ds will be merged into one body in the next generation. Clearly, such a body has to be able to do whatever people would expect of a 1D III plus whatever people would expect of a 1Ds III, and the latter one would have to beat 16.7 MP by a fair margin. Actually, now that the 22 MP comment is out there, I won't be surprised to see Canon exceed that figure when this body comes out (which is still a long way away; I'd expect it no earlier than Photokina 2006, late next year, and quite possibly later than that).</p>

 

<p>I'm also not surprised by Chuck's suggestion that SD looks like the CF of the future. I'm just hoping that sooner or later the flash memory vendors and companies which make products which use flash memory will get their collective head around the idea that there are far too many different flash memory products which, essentially, are all the same product in mutually incompatible packaging ...</p>

I personally would not want cameras going exclusively to SD because I think those cards are TOO small (in physical size). Those things are like postage stamps. But I'd gladly take more cameras that have dual SD/CF card slots, like the current 1-series bodies do.

 

As for a 22mp 1-series body, hopefully that means more room for a sub-1-series pro body (like a digital EOS 3). Hopefully, something like that is already in the works.

Chuck is a great asset for Canon as a market communicator. He also posts on forums like Rob Galbraith (definitely another asset Nikon is still missing).

 

Sadly enough this interview focus only on technology improvements, I wish they/Canon would comit to improving user-interface, software algorithms, viewfinder size and brightness, commit to higher quality prime lenes - why not in the APS sensor size like Sigma's upcoming 30/1.4 etc.

Improving user interface?

 

I think the EOS cameras are the most ergonomic I have ever used.

Yes they will probably do 22 MP first so they have room to come out with a 26 MP camera after that. They can boost their profits that way. Six months to a year after the 22 MP comes out, at $8000 USD, they can offer all the 1DSII guts in a slightly changed body and sell it for $4000 and still make tons of dough. That will bring the used 1DSII bodies down to $2000. Perhaps then I can enter the DSLR market with a used D60, Rebel, or 10D, which will all be under $400 USD. Can't wait! At $400 USD a DSLR will save me more than the depreciation I will see, and yet still provide the minimal amount of resolution that I am willing to accept while waiting for a used 1DSII at about $1200. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

I'd hope they wouldn't bother with SD cards, they're flimsy at best.

I hope xD, SD doesn't become the Canon norm...especially not on the DSLRs. One of the reasons I went with Canon for my P&S (S410) is that it took CF cards.

 

And if Canon really does check out this forum, I want them to know that the next DSLR that they make should have ISO in the viewfinder. With digital it is just as important as knowing shutter and aperture. ISO could/should even have its own buttons or dial. At the very least, available through the assist button and either dial selectable via CFn.

 

Thanks for posting that link.

"<i>Chuck is a great asset for Canon as a market communicator. He also posts on forums like Rob Galbraith (definitely another asset Nikon is still missing)</i>"<p>

 

Ah, yes... but it's too bad that half of what he posts is pure marketing B.S.

I can't blame Chuck for not biting the hand that feeds him. As I read this post I was thinking he's got a lot of 'nads for making himself as available as he does to the Canon online community. If he tells anyone what they'd most likely <I>want</i> to hear (i.e. When's the new model coming out?) he would probably be fired. I suspect he's walking on eggshells a bit in these interviews - if he mis-speaks it could cost Canon sales. Someone mentioned Nikon not having a "Chuck" of their own and perhaps this is why.

<i>"I think the EOS cameras are the most ergonomic I have ever used..."</i> -- hmmm errr cough cough cough. Ok, that's a subjective point of view.

"Perhaps then I can enter the DSLR market with a used D60, Rebel, or 10D, which will all be under $400 USD."<p>

 

I suggest while you're waiting for that $1,200.00(US) 1DsII to hit the used market, you give serious consideration to a used D30 w/BG-ED3. I have 11"X17" prints all about the house which came from the D30 and a 24"x36" hanging in the living room.<p>

 

All but the top left two images in this <a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=353344">folder </a>were captured with a D30.<p>

I hope Canon stays away from SD card for DSLRs. They're just too small and easy to lose. I

can't image trying to insert one with gloves on! Plus they don't seem nearly as strong as CF

cards.

<i><blockquote> Ah, yes... but it's too bad that half of what he posts is pure

marketing B.S.

</blockquote> </i><p>

 

I guess Bob doesn't actually need to read the linked-to article in order to make an anti-

Canon post.

<I>"I want them to know that the next DSLR that they make should have ISO in the viewfinder"</I><BR>

The 1Ds had ISO in the viewfinder.

 

What I wish is that they would have a mode where the photographer sets the shutter speed and or f/stop, and the camera sets the ISO.

Well, I certainly enjoy the placement of the buttons, most of which I can customize. I was

never a fan of having the shutter speed on top.

 

Completely subjective.

"The 1Ds had ISO in the viewfinder. "

 

Another reason to wish I had a spare $4k to 8k to burn. :-( I had no idea.

 

 

"What I wish is that they would have a mode where the photographer sets the

shutter speed and or f/stop, and the camera sets the ISO."

 

That would be cool if it could be like ISO safety shift too when in [M] mode.

Especially if it could be done in 1/2 or 1/3 stop equivalent increments. Maybe

one more mode called [TAv]?

<em>I hope Canon stays away from SD card for DSLRs. They're just too small and easy to lose. I can't image trying to insert one with gloves on! Plus they don't seem nearly as strong as CF cards.</em>

<p>

I have general comments on SD and size. I prefer to be it SD over CF. Actually I carry one in my pocket and I'm happy it's as small, I can't carry a CF.

<p>

Future SDs have big fast memory, lower power and potentially wireless at the same time. A single SD could replace the CF <em>and</em> the wifi ("WFT") and reduce the total camera size while adding features. The SD memory could be big enough as no need to replace (unless one is in front of a full-sized keyboard, moment at which one removes the gloves anyways).

<p>

Although SD cards seem fragile, they're relatively tough devices, that bend don't break, and better insulated (simply because less contacts).

<p>

Caveat: I've never used a DSLR.

Another exposure mode that I would like is where the camera makes one exposure, then instead of bracketing, exposes the next frame as much as it can without blowing out the highlights. Thats pretty much what what I do now. A refinement of that idea would be to be able to load a "histogram shape" into the camera and have the camera evaluate the exposure and gamma to fit.

<I>I have general comments on SD and size. I prefer to be it SD over CF. Actually I carry one in my pocket and I'm happy it's as small, I can't carry a CF.</I>

<P>

You can't carry a CF card in your pocket?! Geez, how small are your pockets?

<em>You can't carry a CF card in your pocket?! Geez, how small are your pockets?</em>

<p>

Sorry, English, it's actually "my wallet"; and the SD sits near my backup SIM card, and I would happily add another <a href="http://www.sandisk.com/retail/minisd.asp">mini-SD</a> card, but not a CF which looks so huge these days.

I'm glad Alexandru Petrescu responded to clarify that it's his *wallet* in which he can't carry a CF card, and not his pocket. That raised my eyebrows, too.

 

But I'm with the Puppy on this one; I think SD is too small (my wife's PDA uses them), and a dSLR is big enough that migrating from CF to SD really ain't necessary. We also own an S410, and it's use of CF was no small part of the decision.

 

Nor do I get Chuck Westfall's closing comment in the interview that SD "will allow for much smaller cameras." Aren't they small enough, already?

Thank-you Thomas, I have been giving the D30 serious consideration. I am keeping my eye peeled to see if I can get one cheaper than they have been going for. Their prices are too inflated considering I could get a brand new refurbished Rebel with warranty for only $160 USD more locally. I am very close to jumping at the Rebel but I just cannot justify it right now. It seems each day there are new developments which makes being patient worthwhile.

"...instead of bracketing, exposes the next frame as much as it can without blowing out the highlights."

 

I was thinking of something along the same lines. Bracketing that would only take a second shot instead of a third before resetting. An automatic shift like you're suggesting could be better.

 

What I really think will happen it that the next few DSLRs will be programmed to curb the linearity of the exposures more...be more like film. At least, I hope so.

 

Unfortunately, I think it might be too hard for Canon to get away from some of the standard film-type features instead of thinking of good new ones for digital.

John,

 

About the D30s...I recently got a used one as a backup for $400. They occasionally go for $350-400 now. It's a little more sturdy than my Drebel too, and doesn't creak and flex with a 70-200 mounted. I must admit that one of the main reasons that I wanted to get it was for the dual 51x battery charger, which is great for me since I have battery grips on all of my cameras. And it's great as a backup since I can shoot about 300 RAW shots on my last 1Gig CF card if I need to. Can't say that about my 300D or 10D.