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"We want to make greater use of deep learning technologies": Canon talks AI, 3D imaging, and third-party lens support

Digital Photography Review news -

From left to right: Tetsuji Kiyomi, Yasuhiko Shiomi, Go Tokura, Tetsushi Hibi

Photo: Dale Baskin

"In the past, we categorized the user bases as professionals, high-end amateurs, and entry-level users," explains Go Tokura, Canon Executive Vice President, Head of its Imaging Group and Chief Executive of its Imaging Business Operations. "We still believe that professional users are going to be the leaders in the camera market. These users are prioritizing features that require less manpower, and also devices and equipment that is lighter."

However, he calls out one new market segment that camera companies must contend with.

"In addition to the three traditional user bases, there’s now a new group of users: creators. These users want more casual equipment that doesn’t just capture photos but is also able to process and share them. We also see a lot more demand from these users for better video capabilities. We believe that this group of users will become very important to the camera market as a whole," he states.

We met with Tokura and other Canon executives, including Tetsuji Kiyomi, Deputy Chief Executive of Imaging Business Operations, Tetsushi Hibi, Unit Executive of Canon's IMG Optical Business Unit, and Yasuhiko Shiomi, Unit Executive of Canon's IMG Development Unit, earlier this year at the CP+ expo in Yokohama, Japan. They provided insight into the current state of the camera market, discussed the company's plans for 3D imaging and machine learning, and touched on Canon's philosophy toward third-party lens support.

According to Tokura, the camera market has been stable, but with an increasing shift to mirrorless products like the Canon EOS R6 II, above.

Photo: Dale Baskin

"For the last few years, we have seen that the interchangeable lens camera market has been progressing at the size of six million units per year, and we are finding that every year, there’s an increased ratio of mirrorless lenses," says Tokura. "Out of these six million units, the fact that the proportion has shifted towards mirrorless products is a very healthy change."

He believes the trends are a good omen for the industry and remains enthusiastic about the future.

"I think that users are changing their behavior and are taking more pictures and videos to share, and I think this expansion of how imaging is being used is a good sign for the imaging market," he remarks.

"In addition to the three traditional user bases, there’s now a new group of users: creators."

He points out that over the past year, Canon has seen trends consistent with users' priorities, including increased demand for video and the continued shift to mirrorless hardware. But, he adds, "A third trend that we anticipate happening is the switch from 2D to 3D, and I expect that to be a very important trend going forward."

3D imaging

3D imaging can be a polarizing topic. Depending on when you were born, it may prompt memories of anything from 3D movies viewed through red and blue glasses with sharks jumping off the screen to more recent attempts at rolling out 3D TVs. However, Canon is bullish on 3D technology and believes it has growth potential.

"We’re sure that the imaging world is expanding from 2D to 3D, VR [virtual reality], MR [mixed reality], and AR [augmented reality], comments Kiyomi. "This trend is sure to happen in the camera industry as a whole, not just for consumers but in the B2B market as well. What consumers will see is the [3D] deliverable, and we are the camera manufacturer that can enable the creation of these 3D deliverables to consumers."

Canon is investing in 3D technology, such as VR, MR and AR, including the recently announced RF-S 3.9mm F3.5 STM Dual Fisheye lens.

Image: Canon

It's not just talk. For at least the past couple of years, Canon has prominently featured 3D imaging technology in its booth at the annual CP+ Expo, including hardware and software for creating 3D content. Kiyomi believes Canon is uniquely positioned to provide creators with the entire workflow of tools for 3D deliverables.

"As a camera manufacturer, we have a role in creating a camera system that enables 3D images. Currently, we only have one 3D lens*, but in order to address this trend, we are going to expand our system for 3D and XR to more affordable levels. With 2D photos, once you take the image, you don't need to do any other processing; you can see it right away. In the case of 3D, VR, MR, etc., you need to have some kind of processing in place in order to see it, and you need to have devices to view it. This is an area where we can play a role, so in that respect, we think there is a business opportunity for us out there."

*Editor's note: after our interview, Canon announced a second 3D lens, the RF-S 3.9mm F3.5 STM Dual Fisheye lens.

Machine learning and AI

It's difficult to talk about camera technology in 2024 without acknowledging the importance of AI. Like most camera manufacturers, Canon has leaned extensively on AI technology based on machine learning to improve camera performance, particularly for subject recognition and tracking. However, Shiomi suggests this technology will continue to improve.

"In the realm of autofocus, we have been using deep learning technologies for subject recognition. So far, this recognition has focused on 'identifying types' of human faces, animals, vehicles, etc," he notes. "In the future, we want to make greater use of deep learning technologies to recognize more complex movements and state changes, so we’re looking to improve AF further."

Canon has used machine learning technology – what it calls 'deep learning' – to expand the capabilities of its autofocus system, including sport-specific Action Priority AF modes on the new EOS R1 and EOS R5 II.

Photo: Dale Baskin

Our conversation occurred before Canon's recent announcement of the EOS R1 and EOS R5 II cameras, but we can't help but think that Shiomi was channeling those new models when making this statement. Both include a new Action Priority AF mode trained on specific sports that is designed to recognize the most important subject in the frame, such as differentiating between a basketball player driving to the basket with the ball and the player defending them just inches away.

"In the future, we want to make greater use of deep learning technologies to recognize more complex movements and state changes..."

However, that's not all. "We’re also using deep learning technologies for image processing. We want to reproduce the real image more precisely and realistically, and we want to use deep learning technologies to further advance that," he adds.

The third-party lens question

Canon has indicated in the past that it's open to third-party requests to make autofocus lenses for the RF system, though, until recently, we haven't seen examples of this in the real world. Kiyomi explains Canon's philosophy.

"We're having deeper communication with the third-party lens manufacturers compared to a year before. The background to having this deeper communication with the third parties is that we have already launched more than 40 RF lenses in the course of six years. So, we have quite a versatile lineup already. So that's the reason why we are progressing with collaboration with the third-party manufacturers," he tells us.

In April, Sigma announced it would be offering six of its DC DN APS-C lenses in Canon's RF-mount.

Image: Sigma

We've recently seen movement on this front. Just a few weeks after our interview, Tamron and Sigma announced plans to release APS-C lenses in Canon's RF-mount, suggesting that Canon may be easing restrictions on third-party manufacturers.

Canon understands that the availability of third-party lenses concerns some potential customers, and the point has undoubtedly been driven home during a busy week of talking to the media.

"That’s the most frequent question we have had today!" acknowledges Tokura with a slightly wearied grin.

This article is based on an interview by Dale Baskin and Richard Butler at the CP+ expo in Yokohama, Japan.

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