Mitarai Canon, clinging to vested interests, about to fall?

2019.11.01 06:01

On October 24, 2019, Canon announced that it is developing its next flagship digital SLR camera, the EOS-1D X Mark III; on October 29, the Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun reported that the camera will be available "early 2020.

By making this development announcement just before the November 1 launch of the α9 II, the second generation of Sony's full-frame mirrorless camera flagship, Canon's intention to reduce the number of photographers who give up on Canon and switch to Sony as much as possible is clear, but Canon Mitarai's failure to hold onto its vested interest in SLR cameras and intentionally delay the shift to mirrorless SLR cameras will not be reversed. However, Canon will not be able to recover from its mistake of clinging to its vested interest in SLR cameras and intentionally delaying the transition to mirrorless cameras.

Since this is a development announcement, some details are still undecided, but let us check the specifications of the EOS-1D X Mark III.

The CMOS sensor and imaging engine are newly developed, but I can't comment on them because the specifications are yet to be determined. 10-bit still image recording to HEIF files is a feature that the α9 II, which only supports JPEG and RAW, does not have, but even the α9 II should have no problem if you shoot RAW and "develop" the images on a PC or other device. However, even with the α9 II, there should be no problem if you shoot in RAW and then "develop" the image on a PC, etc. In movie recording, the ability to select 60p for 4K recording is superior to the α9 II, which supports up to 30p. The ability to record video in RAW is also a feature not found in the α9 II.

During optical viewfinder shooting, the α9 II achieves high-speed continuous shooting at 16 fps with AF and AE tracking, surpassing the 14 fps of the current flagship EOS-1D X Mark II. The press release proudly states that the camera achieves 20 fps during "Live View" shooting, which is on par with the α9 II, and that "AF is possible in a distance measurement area of approximately 100% (vertical) x 90% (horizontal) of the image sensor surface," but for sports photographers who sometimes shoot irregularly moving subjects For sports photographers who sometimes shoot irregularly moving subjects, however, this is a gushing statement.

The term "live view" is synonymous with "mirror up" in digital SLR cameras, which I wrote about in a previous article. When shooting through the optical viewfinder, the mirror moves up and down inside the SLR camera, but the mirror is fixed in a raised position, blocking light into the optical viewfinder. This method allows the light taken in through the lens to shine on the image sensor, and the photographer can see the LCD display on the back of the camera.

When holding a camera, "three-point support" is important to minimize blurring. Supporting the camera with your right hand, left hand, and face makes it easier for the lens to follow unexpected movements of the subject and ensures stability.

When shooting in Live View mode, the optical viewfinder on the top rear of the camera is completely dark and unusable, so you must check the composition of the picture while looking at the LCD display on the back of the camera. Since it is impractical to take pictures with your face pressed against the LCD display on the back of the camera, you will inevitably have to move your face away from the display to some extent. This makes it impossible to support the camera at three points: the right hand, the left hand, and the face.

When taking "live-view" pictures, it is common to fix the camera on a tripod. When shooting landscapes or railroad photography, where the subject is unlikely to make irregular movements, there is no problem in fixing the camera on a tripod. However, I think it is safe to say that "live view" photography is most unsuitable for sports photography, where it is difficult to read the subject's movements.

If I were a sports photographer, I would choose the "α9 II" camera for next year's Tokyo Olympics. It is common for sports photographers, who cannot afford to make any mistakes in their shooting, to have about five identical cameras; if they buy five "α9 II" cameras, which cost more than 500,000 yen, they will spend more than 2.5 million yen.

Sony is encouraging not only sports photographers but also train photographers to switch to its products. I doubt that Yoichi Yoshinaga, who has been using Nikon SLRs for many years, will ever go back to Nikon. I myself am not at all attracted to the EOS-1D X Mark III, but I found the α9 II, which I have tested before its release, very attractive.

Canon should have given up on the model change of its SLR flagship and allocated its management resources to accelerating the launch of its full-size mirrorless SLR flagship, which is expected in 2021. After reigning as the king of the camera market for so many years, Canon's downfall seems imminent. The end is near.

On October 28, Canon announced its third downward revision to its earnings this year. Institutional investors, who are major shareholders of Canon, should dismiss CEO Fujio Mitarai, who has brought about today's disaster. If they are too scared to dismiss the former chairman of Nippon Keidanren, they are not fulfilling their responsibilities as institutional investors, and this will have a significant negative impact on the Japanese economy.

In addition, from November 1, I will be working as a TV personality under an exclusive contract with an entertainment production company, Kalos Entertainment Co. I cannot help but notice the dismal state of long-established Japanese companies that have clung to outdated ways of doing business. Companies that do not change their old ways and postpone problems will not have long to live, even if they are large companies.

In the era of 2022, I would like to improve society by holding discussions without any discernment, so if you would like to hire me as a debater, please contact my office. I also welcome requests to give lectures.

first appearance : AGORA