Canon new SLR cameras

Canon Inc said on Monday it will launch a new digital single lens reflex (SLR) camera for advanced amateur users to better compete with Nikon Corp in the fastest-growing segment of the digital camera market.

The global market for digital SLR cameras -- high-end models with interchangeable lenses -- was held 47 percent by Canon in 2006 followed by Nikon with 33 percent, according to research firm IDC.

But in the Japanese market, Nikon has exceeded Canon in monthly digital SLR camera sales since December 2006, data from Tokyo-based research company BCN Inc showed, helped by strong demand for its mid-range and entry-level models.

"The number of people who want to enjoy high-quality photography is growing rapidly," Canon Marketing Japan Inc. Senior Managing Director Koji Ashizawa told a news conference.

Canon Marketing Japan is Canon's sales arm covering the Japanese market.

"As those people take up mid-class SLR cameras, demand for interchangeable lenses and high-end printers also expands," Ashizawa said.

Canon, the world's largest digital camera maker, is also a major supplier of printers.

The new camera model, EOS 40D, will go on sale late August. With 10.1 megapixel resolution, it is estimated to sell for about 150,000 yen ($1,312) in Japan.

Canon said it will also launch seven new models of compact digital cameras and one professional-use digital SLR camera model by the end of the year.

Shares in Canon closed up 7.6 percent at 5,810 yen on Monday, with investors encouraged by a rally on Wall Street and a drop in the yen.

($1=114.33 Yen)

EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR Review

The new EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR -- the highest-end model in Canon's EOS series -- boasts a faster shooting rate, a more sensitive image sensor, and two processors designed to cut image-processing speed in half.

The Mark III aims to satisfy the need for speed, always a top priority for photographers who rely on snapping as many images as possible in short bursts The 10.1-megapixel Mark III can shoot 10 frames per second, a significant bump up from the 8.5 per second of Canon's previous model, the 8.2-megapixel Mark II.


Sensitive Sensor

According to IDC research manager Christopher Chute, the new Mark III represents an improvement on other high-end cameras in this category.

"It's aimed strictly at huge amounts of image quality, to take as many pictures as possible," he said, noting that the Mark III is comparable to Nikon's DX2.

Outside of the camera's speed, another standout feature is the sensitive, self-cleaning image sensor, which Canon touts as the most sensitive yet, with an ISO speed rating of 6400. The ISO speed rating is used to determine a camera's ability to capture both quickly moving objects and subjects in low-light situations.

In addition to these features, the Mark III sports "microlenses" that collect light for the sensor. The upgraded design means smaller gaps between the image sensors, which means more light is collected and less can escape.


Seeing Is Believing

Historically, users were forced with SLR cameras to view images through the lens. However, with the Mark III, the new Live View mode lets users focus and compose the image on a 3.0-inch LCD and modify parameters before capturing the shot.

Additionally, the Live View screen can be operated remotely by attaching the camera to a USB 2.0 connection or hooking it up to a Wi-Fi transmitter.

The EOS-1D Mark III Digital SLR is expected to cost around $4,000, and will be available in April.