New camera next week: Canon is teasing "new possibilities for vlogs" – and we think it could be a very, very different beast
(Image credit: Canon)
Canon Japan is teasing the launch of a new product next week, promising "new possibilities for vlogs" – suggesting that a new vlogging-oriented camera is about to be revealed on Thursday, May 11.
It's worth noting that vlogging cameras – as nebulous a category as it is – is the only segment of the market that has shown serious growth in the past couple of years. And with rivals releasing cameras to capitalize on this interest, such as the recent Sony ZV-E1, it seems that Canon is also about to jump into the fray.
So, what do we know about Canon's new vlogging camera? Precious little. However, while most "vlogging cameras" are little more than traditional cameras that have specs geared towards video, it looks like Canon might be doing something more meaningful and daring: making a vlogging camera that doesn't look like a traditional camera at all.
Given that a huge number of vloggers and content creators use a camera phone rather than a camera, this makes a world of sense. These people are not used to using a camera; they don't want to fiddle with two sets of exposure dials, to set a shutter speed twice that of the frame-rate, to wrestle with ISO and choosing the right lens… and all the other things we have to do with a traditional camera, to make it do what a phone can do with a single tap of the screen.
(Image credit: Canon News / JPO)
Looking at designs that Canon has patented in recent years, it feels as if the company understands this and is doing something "less like a camera" for its new vlogging camera.
We've seen from previous camera rumors that Canon is experimenting with handheld designs similar to the DJI Osmo Pocket / DJI Pocket 2 – a product that has taken off with consumers who don't historically buy traditional cameras.
It will be interesting to see whether or not this is the final product that is released next week, or at least something similar to it – or whether Canon sticks to the current industry formula of repurposing an existing camera with more "vlogging-oriented specs".
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The Canon teaser page gives precious little away, but at least we won't have to wait long to find out.
The editor of Digital Camera World, James has 21 years experience as a journalist and started working in the photographic industry in 2014 (as an assistant to Damian McGillicuddy, who succeeded David Bailey as Principal Photographer for Olympus). In this time he shot for clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal, in addition to shooting campaigns and product testing for Olympus, and providing training for professionals. This has led him to being a go-to expert for camera and lens reviews, photo and lighting tutorials, as well as industry news, rumors and analysis for publications like Digital Camera Magazine, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine, Digital Photographer and Professional Imagemaker, as well as hosting workshops and talks at The Photography Show. He also serves as a judge for the Red Bull Illume Photo Contest. An Olympus and Canon shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and a fondness for vintage lenses and instant cameras.
