Newsgroup: it.arti.fotografia
Titolo: Canon Eos 1V

Sperando di fare cosa gradita a qualcuno riporto, nel prossimo post, un
messaggio preso dalla Eos mailing list riguardante la nuova Canon
professionale.
In sintesi Jonathan Kwok, che e' l'autore del messaggio, trovandosi al
lancio della 1V in Malesia, ha avuto l'opportunita' di intervistare alcuni
esponenti del team che ha progettato questa macchina fotografica.
Io trovo che sia molto interessante tuttavia se non vi interessano le Canon
e le cose tecniche suggerisco caldamente di non leggerlo, anche perche' e'
molto lungo e completamente in inglese.


Cc: <eo...@eGroups.com>
Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2000 02:46:36 +0800
Subject: EOS: Eos 1v - Interview with designer
Canon conducted an elaborate launch for the Eos 1v here in Malaysia on Feb
23, 2000.I was among those priviliged to be invited to attend the lauching.
Canon was even nice enough to fly me to and from Penang to Kuala Lumpur to
attend the event at their HQ. There were about some 150 pros and advanced
amatures attending the launch. The event was very well planned and I was
given copies of the Eos 1v's technical overview brochure, a technical
illustration kit (which was chock-full of technical drawings and diagrammes
of the camera and its various parts), a high-quality interactive CD-ROM on
the Eos 1v detailing its functions, plus a host of other attractive gifts
and Canon-related literature.
Since the 1v is still relatively new to most of us, allow me to share a bit
of my experience there. The lauch was very grand. After the speeches,
including a technical explanation of the camera by Canon senior engineer Mr.
Yoshiaki Irie from Tokyo and a multimedia presentation, lovely female
dancers and bodybuilders took to the stage for a fast dance number, before
emerging with about 8 Eos 1V cameras - attached to the latest IS superteles,
the new EF100 macro USM and the MR-14EX ringlite.There were also many Eos
3's on display.
Because of the huge crowd, I only managed to get my hands on the Eos 1v for
a brief moment. I'll share my thoughts on it in another post...suffice to
say for now, I was most impressed. The sound is very refined, and noticeably
quieter than the Eos 3. The feel is one of absolute quality and ruggedness.
No cheapo plasticky feel at all. A lot of attention has gone into small
details, such as a hinged waterproof rubber cap for the remote release
socket, a magnet to keep the side palm door closed at all times, full
textured grip and raised buttons for the  light and +/- buttons.
Mirror slap is very well dampened...perhaps the best I've ever felt in any
AF SLR. Mirror blackout time is amazingly short while the 10 fps shooting
rate is terribly addictive! My Eos 3 with PB-E2 shooting at 6fps seemed so
slow in comparison. AF in low light seemed significantly more sensitive and
improved over the Eos 3. Shipments of the 1v will arrive here in April and
I've been told I'll get one for testing. Let's keep our fingers crossed!
Well, enough for now. What I actually want to share is my exclusive
interview with Mr Irie on the Eos 1v. I managed to arrange for a short
private interview and the transcript of that interview is included below.
I'd like to say a big thank-you to Mr Irie for taking time to answer my
questions and also to "Tiger" Ishi - a top manager from Canon Singapore -
who was so kind as to be my interpreter.
Bear in mind that since time was so short, the interview was shorter than I
had hoped for, but again, I'm thankful I was even granted a private audience
at all. I hope you'll all find this helpful. The interview has been divided
into a few posts due to length restrictions in this mailing list.
__________________________________________________________
Eos 1v - Interview with Canon Engineer
YI: Mr. Yoshiaki Irie - Senior Engineer, Photo Products Design Department
11, Photo Products Development Division 1. Photo Products Development
Centre, Canon Inc., Tokyo, Japan.
JK: Mr. Jonathan Kwok (Interviewer)
JK: Thank you for taking time to answer my questions. I'll try to keep this
very short.
YI: Thank you, go ahead.
JK: First question. When did development on the Eos 1v start?
YI: It was a top-secret project and essentially, the Eos 1v was developed at
the same time with the Eos 3. Development on both cameras started about four
to five years ago. I say "about" because there are many components to the
cameras and since each component was being developed at different times at
different stages, I cannot actually say when development exactly began. But
basically, development on the Eos 1v and Eos 3's 45-point AF system started
about 4 years ago.
JK: I see. So, what were the Eos 1v development team's goals? What kind of
camera did you want to create?
YI: We had three goals: to make a professional camera - a successor to the
Eos 1n which had unmatched reliability, speed and customisability. Our goal
was to create the world's toughest, fastest and most flexible camera to suit
the different requirements of all professional photographers.
JK: Well, looking at the Eos 1v, I'd say the team succeeded in achieving its
goals.
YI: Yes. Basically, the Canon team in Tokyo decided to put a lot of advanced
functions on the Eos 3 while the Eos 1v was developed to feature higher
reliability, ruggedness and durability.
JK: Were there different teams working on the Eos 1v and the Eos 3?
YI: No, it was the same team.
JK: What were the major challenges that Canon engineers faced in developing
the 1v?
YI: Our greatest challenge was to make the camera absolutely durable and
rugged. We had to ensure that the new 1v would survive even the harshest
shooting conditions.
JK: Oh yes, that is very important for professionals. Hi-tech features
without 100% reliability are useless.
YI: Testing, testing, testing. We did so much testing of the camera to
ensure that it could withstand the most punishing elements, ranging from
moisture, humidity, heat, cold, snow or rain. We subjected the camera to
many different kinds of environments to ensure the camera would perform
flawlessly under all these conditions. The challenge was to make the Eos 1v
the most rugged and durable AF SLR ever. For this, we employed a lot of new
technology, from the thixotropic-moulded magnesium alloy body, to fully
sealed joints and buttons and even the shutter, circuitry and AF sensors
were modified to be absolutely dependable in difficult working conditions.
JK: This is the first time that metal is used for the exterior of an Eos
camera. Why did Canon choose metal instead of fibreglass-reinforced plastic?
YI: Basically, we have used plastic all along as it is very strong and we
have tested it many times and confirmed that plastic can withstand shock and
impact very well because of its inherent properties. On top of that, plastic
is quite easy to mould and we can use it to make very attractive designs.
But this time, through the use of a sophisticated process called thixotropic
injection moulding - we are able to use metal and still produce a very
attractive design with it. If you observe carefully, the Eos 1v does not
have sharp edges. It has very nicely rounded curves and the production
process prevents the formation of bubbles in the moulded parts that is a
common problem with conventional moulding techniques.
JK: So, is metal better than plastic? There has been a lot of debate on this
matter, especially between Nikon and Canon users.
YI: Better in what sense?
JK: Better in the sense of impact resistance. Which camera can resist impact
better? The Eos 1n, which has more plastic or the 1v which has the metal
exterior? For example, if I were to drop both cameras, which would have a
better chance of survival?
YI: (Smiles) Well, we have tested the 1n and the 1v to meet Canon's strict
standards and both cameras are quite impact resistant.
JK: Yes, but which camera is stronger? Let's say on the scale of one to 10
points. How would you rate both cameras in terms of strength and impact
resistance? What about the Eos 3? How would it rate?
YI: There are actually many factors to consider, but basically I'd rate the
Eos 1v at 10 points and the Eos 1n and Eos 3 at about 8 points each.
JK: You mean the Eos 1n and Eos 3 are about equal in strength?
YI: Yes, they are about equal.
JK: What about the Nikon F5? Is the Eos 1v tougher than the Nikon F5?
YI: I cannot say for sure as I have not conducted comparative tests on both
cameras. But I do know that the Eos 1v is very tough, very solid...probably
the toughest AF SLR in the world.
JK: Tell me, why was magnesium alloy selected for the Eos 1v's exterior and
not other metals such as titanium, stainless steel, zinc or aluminium alloy,
as used in other rival pro cameras?
YI: We chose magnesium alloy because it is very light and very hard, very
rigid. That's why we chose it. It offers very good protection for the camera
and its internal parts while acting as a good electromagnetic shield. We
studied other materials and their suitability, but decided on magnesium
based on the moulding technology available, while considering other factors
such as weight, strength and hardness. Magnesium alloy gives a very good
balance of all these and it can be moulded very nicely. It has very good
strength to weight ratio. Finally, we decided it was the best choice.
JK: In terms of resistance to dust and water, how would you rate the cameras
from a scale of one to 10?
YI: I'd say 10 points for Eos 1v, and 5 points each to the Eos 1n and Eos 3.
But bear in mind that I would also rate the Nikon F5 at about 5 points.
JK: That's quite a big difference in terms of weather sealing between the 1v
and the other cameras.
YI: Yes it is. Actually, Canon Tokyo went all out to make the camera highly
resistant to water and dust. Every opening, joint and button is sealed with
silicon rubber or 'O' rings. There are 72 parts that are sealed and even the
tiny exterior screws have gaskets.
JK: Are you saying then that the 1v is now the most weather resistant
professional AF SLR camera in the world? Discounting underwater cameras of
course.
YI: Yes, it is the most weather resistant AF SLR in the world as of now.
JK: So, this means I can confidently use it in heavy rain?
YI: Well, we have tested the camera in heavy rain. It can take a good
soaking, but it is not waterproof. If you leave it in heavy rain for many
hours then of course there is a risk of water damage.
JK: So, how long can I leave it in the rain?
YI: This is hard to answer. It also depends on how you hold and position the
camera in the rain.
JK: So, what is the best way to hold it? Like this? (waves my Eos 3 in
various positions) Is this the worst angle? How about upside down?
YI: (Laughs) Upright position is the best. I'm sorry I did not specialise in
this area, so I can't give you specific details. I was actually more
involved in designing the AE or autoexposure system for the 1v.
JK: I know what you mean. The Eos 1v is not a waterproof camera. It has
extra weather resistance in order that pros may use it in confidently in
punishing conditions, but I still don't think one should go out and leave
the camera in the rain just for fun.
YI: Yes, that's true.
JK: Many have speculated that the 1v would have Eye Controlled Focus. Why is
ECF not featured in the 1v?
YI: Ahh...good question. Well, firstly, we wanted to develop the best
viewfinder possible for the 1v. Emphasis was on viewfinder image quality,
clarity, high magnification, dioptre correction and 100% coverage. If the
Eos 1v had ECF, we would have to sacrifice a certain level of functions or
quality in the viewfinder as there is limited space. The emphasis was to
have the best viewfinder possible with good eye-relief, high-eyepoint and
100% coverage.
JK: I think another reason it was omitted was because ECF is still not 100%
realiable and does not work perfectly for everyone. Is this true?
YI: The Canon team in Tokyo decided that since the Eos 1v would be a 100%
pro camera, we had to ensure that any feature incorporated in this camera
must be 100% reliable. There is absolutely no excuse for any function not to
work 100% on a professional camera. At this point, ECF is almost perfect,
but even if one professional photographer finds that ECF does not work
perfectly for him or her, then, that feature is not good enough for
inclusion in our top-of-the-line pro camera. Our emphasis in the 1v is 100%
reliability and dependability. If ECF were to be put on a pro camera, it
must also be 100% reliable.
JK: I see. OK, let's talk about the AF system.
YI: OK.
JK: The Eos 3 and 1v has basically the same AF system. In what ways are the
1v's AF system improved over the Eos 3's?
YI: Yes, the AF mechanisms in both cameras are basically the same, but since
Canon had an additional one-year to develop the 1v, we took the time to make
further refinements. The Eos 1v's AF system uses a better algorithm. The AF
CPU is also faster. And the surface of 1v's AF sensor module has a better
coating.
JK: A better coating?
YI: Yes, better coating - an anti-reflection layer on the light-sensing
surface which reduces ghosting that causes sound to noise ratio
deterioration. We also improved on the efficiency of the CMOS AF sensor in
the 1v. Each CMOS pixel has a higher active area per pixel.
(Clarification from Eos 1v Technical Overview, page 18: "By making full use
of its immense semiconductor know-how, Canon achieved a capacity of 10,724
pixels on the 11.3 x 6mm sensor chip. In addition, Canon succeeded in
providing each pixel with 12% more effective light-sensing area than the
previous level, while achieving an improved S/N ratio.")
JK: That's very interesting.
YI: Furthermore, to enhance the AF sensor's reliability under varying
conditions, we created the secondary image-forming lens (in the AF sensor)
from glass instead of moulded plastic. This is a world's first as all other
AF sensors, including the Eos 3's, use moulded plastic. Glass is harder and
more resistant to temperature changes. By reducing the effects of
heat-induced expansion and contraction, AF accuracy is maintained even under
extreme conditions.
(Clarification from Eos 1v Technical Overview, page 18: "Development of the
glass lens required processing technology with sub-micron (0.0001mm) level
precision. Canon cleared this hurdle with its unique expertise and so the
Eos 1V becomes the first camera to employ a glass-moulded secondary
image-forming lens. No other current AF SLR camera uses this type of lens,
which offers both super-high precision and reliability.)
JK: Why is it that the 1v's low light AF capability is only at EV 0 while
rival cameras can focus down to EV-1?
YI: It's quite technical, but let me just say that our emphasis was on a
45-point AF system. If we sacrificed the 45-point AF system, then we can
have low light AF capability of -1EV. But we chose to go with the 45 point
AF system and besides EV 0 is still a very good low light performance.
JK: Yes. I noticed that although the Eos 1v and Eos 3 are both rated to have
similar low-light focusing capability, in actual use just now, the Eos 1v
focuses faster and more confidently in low light than the Eos 3.
YI: Yes, that is true. This is because of the refinements we put in the Eos
1v's AF system.
JK: We know that the 1v has very fast AF, but how good is its accuracy? How
does it compare with its rivals, especially the Nikon F5 when it comes to
focus tracking?
YI: Well, it's difficult to say as there are many variables in focus
tracking. It depends on subject size, speed, movement, etc. Canon's AF
system has its strengths and Nikon's AF system also has its strengths, but
overall, in total, I'd say that the Canon Eos 1v's AF system is ahead of
Nikon's in accuracy and AF tracking.
JK: And how much better than the Eos 3?
YI: Well, based on the shooting rate in continuous tracking mode, I'd say
about a 30% improvement over the Eos 3.
JK: Oh, I just remembered, can I use lithium AA's with the Battery pack
BP-E1 with the 1v? I know that lithiums can be safely used with the PB-E2
booster, but what about the smaller BP-E1? The instruction manual that comes
with it says that lithium AAs are not recommended.
YI: I need to check, but I think it should not be a problem. Although
lithiums have a higher initial voltage, it goes down very sharply...so, I
don't think it might be a crucial problem. Older Eos system accessories may
not be able to adjust to lithium AAs, but current Eos equipment and
accessories, including the BP-E1, should be able to adjust to lithium AAs.
JK: I'd like to ask you about the AE system now. Both the Eos 1v and Eos 3
have basically the same exposure system - the 21 zone evaluative meter. But
is the 1v's system any better than the Eos 3? For example, does it handle
backlighting better?
YI: Yes, basically both cameras' AE systems are similar. In both cameras,
the AE is linked to the active AF point, giving most weightage to the active
AF point in use. However, the 1v has a newer, better algorithm which is more
"intelligent." With the Eos 1v, even if you made subtle compositional
changes, or if your subject moved out slightly out from the coverage of a
particular evaluative segment, the camera is able to know which is the
actual subject, and that it has moved and will provide a more accurate meter
reading. The camera is less affected by differences in brightness between
the subject and background or by the subject's reflectance.
JK: I know that time is catching up on us. A few quick questions and I'll
stop.
YI: Yes.
JK: Some have said that this may be the last film-based pro camera from
Canon. Is that true?
YI: Canon will continue to develop 35mm film cameras into the future because
135mm format will still be popular. Of course, digital cameras will provide
the greatest speed in producing pictures, but not all users need that kind
of speed and many will still want to use film-based cameras. Such people
will want a film-based camera, so we at Canon will continue to respond to
their needs.
JK: So, do you think the Eos 1v is Canon's last professional film based
camera?
YI: No, I don't think so. I also think there is still lots of room for
improvement in 35mm SLRs - even the 1v has room for improvement.
JK: Oh really, what do you think can be improved?
YI: Well, a wider AF area, better AE system...etc.
JK: Oh yes, why wasn't the AF sensors spread out over a larger area?
YI: Well, it's a complex issue but our greatest limitation is the current
optical technology. We are working on it and this is one area that will be
improved. With current technology, this is the widest area we can cover
while maintaining AF accuracy. This is the best we can do for now, but we
are continuing our R&D in this area.
JK: Will there be a digital version of the 1v?
YI: We are now researching and developing it. (Laughs and refuses to say
anymore.)
JK: Thank you so much for your time and patience. Last question? In your
opinion, is this the world's best 35mm SLR?
YI: Of course. YES! (Rises up to shake hands as he leaves)
JK: Thank you.
END.
So, what do you think guys??
Cheers,
Jonathan Kwok.
------------------------------------------------------
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