Canon Camera
Cologne, Germany, 2002 - In 1987, Canon launched the ground-breaking EOS650 to rave reviews at Tokyo’s Japan Camera Show. Within two months it had seized top market share. In Europe it was named canon camera of the year. Fifteen years on 18 million EOS cameras have been shipped worldwide.
Throughout its 15-year history the EOS system has repeatedly taken photography a step further. We are now at another turning point, says Hiroshi Komatsuzaki, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging Europe. The new EOS-1Ds, the worlds highest resolution professional digital camera, with 11.1 million effective pixels*, introduces another chapter in this amazing story. The Canon EOS-1D remains the fastest* professional SLR digital camera ever. We have an incredible professional product line-up.
Electro-Optical System
EOS is an abbreviation for Electro-Optical System and is also the name of the Greek goddess of dawn.
UK publication Camera Weekly noted at the time of the European launch of the EOS650 launch in 1987: What it does, it does very well, and at a remarkably competitive price. They may be latecomers in the AF market a fact Canon are putting down to a determination to get the system right but the EOS cameras autofocus set-up is far enough ahead of the opposition to give the camera the opportunity to make up for lost time.
Canon in fact introduced the first autofocus prototype as early as 1964. At the time it didnt look like the future of cameras lay in AF. In the mid-Eighties Canon was selling the T-series, which was a quick-focus, not a real autofocus camera.
In March 1985 Canon decided that a highly refined AF SLR camera deserving Canons name should be developed with the target market release date of March 1, 1987, the year of Canons 50th anniversary. EOS development followed three major guidelines: the autofocus mechanism should entail no price increase, lightweight design should enable handheld indoor sports coverage, and autofocus sensitivity should be equivalent to exposure sensitivity.
The EOS650 used the revolutionary EF lens with electronic mount, which has the autofocus motor built into it. When the mother of all EOS camera was superseded after two years, the EOS650 had sold about a million units worldwide.
Rebel, rebel
Canon in Europe engaged tennis champion John McEnroe as its EOS spokesperson. In the US, André Agassi perfectly fitted the bill to publicise EOS Rebel models, which were marketed in Europe under different names.
One of the Rebels was launched in Europe as EOS1000. Its many features, light-weight and affordable price made the 1000 an immediate hit, particularly with amateurs. The model proved a huge commercial success. In terms of sales, it was only surpassed by the EOS500N (another Rebel model in the Americas), which has sold three million units since 1996.
A team drawn from Canon HQ, sales, marketing and R&D travelled around the world talking to press and pros to assess the requirements of photographers everywhere and incorporate them in the design of the new camera. True to its name, the EOS-1 became the number one camera for professional photographers.
With every new EOS model came the technological innovation eagerly awaited by pro and amateur alike. The ultrasonic motor was improved in different ways, and image stabilization, multipoint focusing and eye-control focus became familiar concepts. Since 1987 more than 30 models have been launched in Europe, ten of which are still in production.
Revolutionary lens
The development of the EF series lens, starting in conjunction with the EOS project, produced a new and different lens from the FD lenses, including the mount. In designing a new mount system, Canon assigned top priority to user satisfaction. Canon also considered the ideal way to share the 35mm AF SLR with the user in the future, and integrated their ideas into the new mount system.
What emerged from their efforts was the completely electronically controlled automatic EF mount that permits highly accurate real-time data transfer between the camera body and the lens. The range of EF lenses has grown from just three in 1987 to more than 60 today.
Record breaker
The digital era spells a new dawn for EOS. The name was aptly chosen 15 years ago. In EOS anniversary year Canons EOS D60 was voted European Professional Digital Camera of the Year 2002-2003 by the European Imaging and Sound Association and the Canon EOS-1D was voted Best SLR Digital Camera of the Year 2002-2003 by the Technical Image Press Association. TIPA also voted Canons EF 400mm f/4 DO IS USM Lens Best Lens.
The EOS-1D remains the fastest professional SLR digital camera ever, while the new EOS-1Ds almost doubles the resolution considered state-of the-art for a digital SLR camera. The EOS 300v, with its improved technology and new design, is set to become the worlds number 1 selling SLR camera.
Fifteen years on EOS is still at the top and a world record holder, adds Mr. Komatsuzaki.
Throughout its 15-year history the EOS system has repeatedly taken photography a step further. We are now at another turning point, says Hiroshi Komatsuzaki, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging Europe. The new EOS-1Ds, the worlds highest resolution professional digital camera, with 11.1 million effective pixels*, introduces another chapter in this amazing story. The Canon EOS-1D remains the fastest* professional SLR digital camera ever. We have an incredible professional product line-up.
Electro-Optical System
EOS is an abbreviation for Electro-Optical System and is also the name of the Greek goddess of dawn.
UK publication Camera Weekly noted at the time of the European launch of the EOS650 launch in 1987: What it does, it does very well, and at a remarkably competitive price. They may be latecomers in the AF market a fact Canon are putting down to a determination to get the system right but the EOS cameras autofocus set-up is far enough ahead of the opposition to give the camera the opportunity to make up for lost time.
Canon in fact introduced the first autofocus prototype as early as 1964. At the time it didnt look like the future of cameras lay in AF. In the mid-Eighties Canon was selling the T-series, which was a quick-focus, not a real autofocus camera.
In March 1985 Canon decided that a highly refined AF SLR camera deserving Canons name should be developed with the target market release date of March 1, 1987, the year of Canons 50th anniversary. EOS development followed three major guidelines: the autofocus mechanism should entail no price increase, lightweight design should enable handheld indoor sports coverage, and autofocus sensitivity should be equivalent to exposure sensitivity.
The EOS650 used the revolutionary EF lens with electronic mount, which has the autofocus motor built into it. When the mother of all EOS camera was superseded after two years, the EOS650 had sold about a million units worldwide.
Rebel, rebel
Canon in Europe engaged tennis champion John McEnroe as its EOS spokesperson. In the US, André Agassi perfectly fitted the bill to publicise EOS Rebel models, which were marketed in Europe under different names.
One of the Rebels was launched in Europe as EOS1000. Its many features, light-weight and affordable price made the 1000 an immediate hit, particularly with amateurs. The model proved a huge commercial success. In terms of sales, it was only surpassed by the EOS500N (another Rebel model in the Americas), which has sold three million units since 1996.
A team drawn from Canon HQ, sales, marketing and R&D travelled around the world talking to press and pros to assess the requirements of photographers everywhere and incorporate them in the design of the new camera. True to its name, the EOS-1 became the number one camera for professional photographers.
With every new EOS model came the technological innovation eagerly awaited by pro and amateur alike. The ultrasonic motor was improved in different ways, and image stabilization, multipoint focusing and eye-control focus became familiar concepts. Since 1987 more than 30 models have been launched in Europe, ten of which are still in production.
Revolutionary lens
The development of the EF series lens, starting in conjunction with the EOS project, produced a new and different lens from the FD lenses, including the mount. In designing a new mount system, Canon assigned top priority to user satisfaction. Canon also considered the ideal way to share the 35mm AF SLR with the user in the future, and integrated their ideas into the new mount system.
What emerged from their efforts was the completely electronically controlled automatic EF mount that permits highly accurate real-time data transfer between the camera body and the lens. The range of EF lenses has grown from just three in 1987 to more than 60 today.
Record breaker
The digital era spells a new dawn for EOS. The name was aptly chosen 15 years ago. In EOS anniversary year Canons EOS D60 was voted European Professional Digital Camera of the Year 2002-2003 by the European Imaging and Sound Association and the Canon EOS-1D was voted Best SLR Digital Camera of the Year 2002-2003 by the Technical Image Press Association. TIPA also voted Canons EF 400mm f/4 DO IS USM Lens Best Lens.
The EOS-1D remains the fastest professional SLR digital camera ever, while the new EOS-1Ds almost doubles the resolution considered state-of the-art for a digital SLR camera. The EOS 300v, with its improved technology and new design, is set to become the worlds number 1 selling SLR camera.
Fifteen years on EOS is still at the top and a world record holder, adds Mr. Komatsuzaki.
posted by Top SEI at
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