Canon ‘wonder camera’ shoots for the future

• Posted By: Albert Lee
• Posted On: 10:59 a.m. | August 13, 2010

I’ve seen the future of photography — and it looks like a hair dryer.

Canon unveiled its vision of what the future of photography holds at World  Expo 2010  in Shanghai.  Wrapped in smooth lines and pale white plastic, Canon’s prototype camera evokes the feelings of  … um, well … holding a hair dryer.  The “i-Design” of the camera does away with all the mechanical knobs and buttons and opts for uber minimal design and touch controls.  The “wonder camera” represents what Canon could have in store for the next 20 years.   Although at the current rate of evolving technology, it seems we may see the future sooner than that.  The “wonder Camera” is a consumer-level camera prototype that draws on much of the technology that exists in today’s DSLRs (digital single-lens reflex cameras) such as the 5d MK II, Nikon D700 and the specialty RED cameras.  As photographers began using the DSLRs for video, the technology quickly pointed out that the small-form factor and “photographic” way it captured an image was something that opened up a world of possibilities.  A company that once treated the still photography and video world separately looks like it is fully embracing the transition towards convergence.

The future according to Canon brings  professional cinematic features often found in huge rigs into the hands of  the everyday photographer.  The wonder camera boasts a focal range from macro to super telephoto.  The prototype demonstrated image stabilization at extreme focal lengths where stabilization is near impossible.

Apparently, photographers of the future won’t have to wait for that decisive moment — the camera continuously shoots, allowing the photographer to pick the moment after the photo shoot … although swimming through the thousands of unwanted frames to find the moments doesn’t sound too fun.  The world according to Canon is a world where the everyday shooter will no longer have to worry about exposure, missing the moment or even catching the smile.  The camera boasts so many features such as advanced facial recognition, improved stabilization, continuous shooting and intelligent image processing,

With technology moving so fast and converging in on itself one wonders how the photographic language will evolve.  I for one am glad that those in white coats have not yet come up with a composition algorithm or a subject decider engine — yet.

World  Expo 2010  video

Photo:  Mike Hanlon/Gizmag