After all the talk of Canon’s innovation (or lack thereof) over the past year, this afternoon they’re bringing us news of four new pieces of tech – two of which have me convinced they’ve been working hard to stay on top of the game. With one new mirrorless body, the EOS M50; two new entry-level D-SLRs, the EOS 3000D and EOS 1500D; and a brand new flash unit, the Speedlite 470EX-AI. You probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you the flash is what has me most excited … but it’s true. Just you wait.
By now it’s safe to say that mirrorless cameras are the way of the future, and the EOS M50 (pictured above) fills the needs of the keen enthusiast or vlogging aficionado gracefully. “Be ready for the unknown” is definitely the kind of slogan that hints at a travel camera capable of capturing anything you throw at it, and the stats measure up: a brand new 8th incarnation of Canon’s Dig!c processor works with the 24.1 megapixel CMOS censor, dual pixel autofocus and 2,360,000 dot OLED electronic viewfinder to make for the fastest, most responsive viewing/focussing and shooting combination Canon have presented to date, plus combined lens and sensor stabilisation that can compensate for half a stop means sharper low light shooting is possible. 4K video, 4K time lapse movies, external mic input and a 3-inch “vari-angle” flip out screen provide even more options, and Creative Assist functions help even new photographers get the look they’re going for without having to learn the ins and outs of exposure settings.
Coming in at a price point of AU$1199, the EOS M50 will be available in late March.
Are you ready for this? The Speedlite 470EX-AI (for “auto-intelligent”) is a flash that bounces FOR you. No, really. It calculates and moves the flash head automatically to get you the best bounce angle for your photo – or if you’d rather set the angle yourself, you can lock it in and have the flash automatically maintain that angle as you rotate your camera from landscape to portrait orientation. Event photographers rejoice!
Pricing information for the Speedlite 470EX-AI isn’t available yet, but Canon have added a waitlist to their store page for the flash for those who want to be amongst the first to nab one.
Two new consumer-level D-SLRs wrap up today’s new goodies announcement, the EOS 3000D and EOS 1500D, both designed for first-time D-SLR owners.
The 3000D is the ideal first DSLR for beginners, and comes in at 18 megapixels, with full HD video, 2.7” LCD screen and a built-in feature guide to help new DSLR users get the best from their photos from day one. It will retail around the AU$550 mark and weighs only 436g without a lens.
The 1500D takes a step up to a 24.1 megapixel sensor and 3-inch LCD screen in addition to the HD video, feature guide and wifi functionality, and will retail around the AU$650 mark.
What are your thoughts on these latest offerings from Canon so far? Share them with us on our Facebook page @theirisau.
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