Interview 13
Photography News Issue 22 absolutephoto.com
Biography
Profile Daniel Benjamin Daniel Benjamin, head of consumer product marketing for Canon UK & Ireland, talks megapixels, lenses and Custom Quick Control menus
Years in the photo industry? 15 years this summer – where does the time go? Current location Reigate, Surrey Last picture taken My two boys playing on the beach in Naples, Florida, taken on an EOS 70D with EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM When youwere younger, what did youwant to bewhen you grewup? Goose from Top Gun Dogs or cats? Cats – less maintenance Toast or cereal? Neither, tends to be a Diet Coke Email or phone call? Both, can’t survive without my phone!
Canon offering 22-24-megapixel level DSLRs in recent years, so what made the company suddenly decide to make such a big leap in terms of resolution? Was this driven from customer feedback? We continually listen to customer feedback and we were hearing the need for a high-resolution camera for specialist types of photography. We introduced the EOS 5DS and EOS 5DS R to market at a time when expectations around high- resolution sensor cameras are at their highest and we’re confident that we’ve created a product that will far exceed these expectations. We wanted to make sure that we were using the right sensor that would, along with our optical heritage, create the perfect balance of image quality and camera performance. Whatwerethekeydesignobstacles when it came to designing the 53-megapixel sensor? The size of each pixel and its light gathering capabilities are the main obstacles when it comes to developing high-megapixel sensors. The more pixels you add the smaller they then become and the less able they are to absorb light. As we designed and built the sensor we had complete control over every aspect, allowing us to make every pixel as efficient as possible by looking at the depth of the pixel, the size of the microlens and the size of the photodiode to counter the issue. As we understand it, the higher the resolution, ie. the greater the number of pixels packed into a sensor, the greater the issue with digital noise. What technologies has Canon brought into play on the EOS 5DS/R to ensure digital noise is not an issue? We developed the sensor from has been
Do you think we will see DSLRs of greater resolution than 50 megapixels? Or is there no need for any more? If people start asking for greater resolutions we will look into creating them for consumer products. We have developed a 120-megapixel UCMOS sensor, which we showcased at our expo in 2010 but this is designed for very specialist applications. There are other great developments recently like higher ISOs, which I feel are just as interesting as more megapixels. Was there an opportunity to endow the EOS 5DS/R with 4K video capability? The development of 4K is incredibly exciting, but the adoption of 4K among consumers is still in the early stages. We’re always studying the market and assessing consumer appetite before we make a product available. We offer 4K cameras in our professional Cinema EOS range so we already have the technological capabilities for when the customer demand arises. Are there are any new features or technologies on the EOS 5DS/R that you want to highlight like, for example, the Custom Quick Control menu setting? We understand photographers so have built the cameras for the way they work, letting them take control of how they want to use the camera with the customisable controls. The new Custom Quick Control screen is a favourite feature of mine on the new EOS 5DS and 5DS R. The type, size and position of icons are easily customisable to suit the photographer or shooting scenario. It means I can use the camera in the way that works for me.
scratch to make sure that it is as efficient as possible at absorbing light. We also use new algorithms in the sensor, which can limit the effect of noise. The increase of noise is the reason why the EOS 5DS and EOS 5DS R don’t have the same ISO capabilities as the EOS 5DMark III. What was the thinking behind the two models, the S and the S R? We created the twodifferent cameras as we feel that they are aimed at two different types of photography. The EOS 5DS would really be better suited to architectural or fashion photography, the 5DS R meanwhile, with is maximum sharpness, is actually far better suited to landscape photography. Can you explain in detail how the low-pass filter cancelling system works on the EOS 5DS R? Is it an actual physical feature or is it done in software? The EOS 5DS contains a standard low-pass filter as found in all our EOS cameras. The low-pass filter very slightly blurs the image to stop the effects of moiré patterns when shooting subjects with regimented patterns like fabrics. The downside to this is that there can be loss of detail. For this reason, we have introduced the 5DS R, which has the low-pass filter cancelling system. The system works by having two low-pass filters, one behind the other. The second filter is rotated though 90° and cancels out the first one. The upside is that you get sharper images, but there is a potential for moiré patterns. Who do you think will be buying the EOS 5DS/R? And which model is the most popular going into store right now? Interestingly we have seen an even 50/50 split between the two cameras
in terms of pre-orders. Many of our pre-orders came from professional or advanced photographers who are specialists or are passionate about a specific field of photography such as landscape or architecture, for example. Also, professional photographers who work in commercial markets who need the best resolution and a camera that gives them greater flexibility than medium-format cameras. With such high resolution, does the photographer have to be wary which lenses to use? Canon’s lens system is huge so do you suggest only certain lenses be used? We would recommend using lenses launched within the last two years as these will give you the optimum performance from the sensor. Many other lenses in our range are also suitable for these cameras but this can depend on the application in which they are being used, eg. focal length, aperture. We are in the process of testing all lenses in our EF range and will provide a full update. On a similar theme, is Canon offering any technique advice regarding getting the most from the cameras? The teams in-store are great and well versed in helping people get the most of both the EOS 5DS and EOS 5DS R. We run regular open days and workshops with selected retailers and where relevant, offer advice and hands-on opportunities with these cameras. For our CPS (Canon Professional Services) members, we are running a series of events throughout the rest of the year giving them a chance to take a look at the camera, plus we have a range of resources online and on our social media channels for people to take a look at.
We would recommend using lenses launched within the last two years as these will give you the optimum performance from the sensor
canon.co.uk
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