Canon is using compact cameras to photograph Earth from a satellite – and the results will surprise you

Canon Electronics Inc
An image taken by a Canon PowerShot S110 compact digital camera mounted on the CE-SAT-IE satellite (Image credit: Canon Electronics Inc)

Canon may not be the first camera manufacturer you think of when you think of photography in space, with Hasselblad and recently Nikon being space agencies' first choices. However, since 2017 Canon has been transmitting incredible images back to Earth from its own small but powerful micro-satellites.

The company entered the space industry 15 years ago by launching its first satellite, the CE-SAT-1. Measuring just 500mm x 500mm x 850mm it houses a powerful image processing system and two classic Canon cameras: the EOS 5D Mark III attached to a 400mm diameter Catadioptric Cassegrain telescope, and a Powershot compact camera.

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Kalum Carter
Staff Writer

Kalum Carter is a photographer, photo editor and writer based in the UK, and for almost a decade he has worked with brands and publications to create, edit, and sequence imagery. Having recently graduated with a Master's Degree in Photography from the University of the West of England (UWE), Kalum joined Digital Camera World as a Staff Writer, covering news, reviews, and his biggest passion – photography books! 

Kalum's photography has been published and exhibited around the world, and he continues to photograph on a project-by-project basis. He is currently working on a personal project capturing the people and landscape of Gower, South Wales. Currently untitled, this body of work will be exhibited for the National Trust later this year.   

 

TOPICS