Petapixel cracking me up with their candor in saying the R1 is so so for a top of the line camera marketed as the top cutting edge camera. The big three of Canon, Nikon, and Sony will incur the cost of flying publications and social media influencers to test out a new camera before the public is introduced. The paid flights, meals, accommodations typically fatten up the testers so they give generally favorable reviews. That's how the game is played typically but Petapixel isn't holding back and it is refreshing to see.




Previous Petapixel stories [forums.macresource.com]


[petapixel.com]


As such, the R1 serves as the perfect exemplification of an issue: Canon isn’t able to win when it comes to price or technology. Worse, its decisions in the mirrorless era have resulted in it losing the crowd on the stage of public opinion.

So while I think Canon’s R5 Mark II is a much more compelling camera than the R1, looking at Canon’s marketing materials and the shooting opportunity that was provided to us, you would see that the R1 was the clear priority. Before we were handed sample units to test out, we were given multiple slides worth of information, told the R1 was carrying on the legacy of the 1-series, and that it was the pinnacle of Canon’s capture technology.

When the rest of the camera industry is trending in the opposite direction and some competitors are swimming in record profits, I think that’s the question Canon needs to keep asking itself. The R5 Mark II is very good and I expect it to sell well, but is that enough when Sony and Nikon are producing multiple popular cameras — both of them doing so while charging less? It should be noted that the cameras the R5 II competes well against are at least a couple of years old now, too. What happens when Sony releases an a7R VI or Nikon pulls out a Z8 Mark II? How will the R5 Mark II look then?

Whatever happens, I hope Canon sees that its strategy is not set up for long-term success. Some changes need to be made, and I hope that happens before it has to cut more good people.

Canon says it is “ahead of the game” and if it’s referring to the same game everyone else is playing, I’m not sure it knows how to read the scoreboard.

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Ways to improve web conference image and sound quality. [forums.macresource.com]

"The Emperor's New Clothes".

The folks on the CanonRumors forums believe Canon's 40% market share--however that is measured--means Canon doesn't have any problems. How could Canon be wrong if it is still the most dominant brand in the market?

Canon has another problem. I personally prefer Canon cameras--enough to pre-order the R5 MII--but I primarily shoot Nikon for its lens offerings for wildlife shooting. the 400mm f/4.5, 600mm pf, and 800mm pf are incredibly flexible tools for travel and handheld shooting--and there are the exotic primes with built-in TCs, which are unequaled. Canon offers nothing to compete against these lenses instead targeting offering budget f/11 lenses and the incredibly dark 200-800mm f/6.3-f/9 zoom. Don't try shooting any of these lenses in low light!

Needless to say, I've cancelled my R5MII preorder. I'd love to use it for wildlife, but Canon doesn't offer a lens on par with any of Nikon's offerings. I may need to reconsider the Z8, which I considered too large to serve as my travel camera.

Canon will maintain some good sales with the R6 II and R5 II sales but they lost another round in the prestige battle of top tier cameras.

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Ways to improve web conference image and sound quality. [forums.macresource.com]