Canon celebrates 60 million lenses with a flood of new EOS cameras, lenses and Speedlites

Categories: Canon News - Tags: Camera, Flash, Lens

EOS 600D and EOS 1100D

Canon EOS 600D with vari-angle LCD open

Today Canon has launched two new EOS cameras, the EOS 600D with 18MP, vari-angle LCD and Speedlite flash controlling pop-up flash. The EOS 1100D has 12MP, 9-point AF and the iFCL metering from the EOS 7D. There’s also a revised kit lens the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II to go with the new cameras. Both cameras feature HD video with 720p for the EOS 1100D and Full 1080p video for the EOS 600D. For strange reasons best left to marketeers the cameras have different names in the USA and Japan. EOS 600D is the Rebel T3i and the Kiss X5 while the EOS 1100D is the Rebel T3 and the Kiss X50.

EOS 1100D

Canon’s site in Japan shows the Kiss X50/11ooD in both red and black body versions!

Speedlite 320EX and Speedlite 270EX II

Canon Speedlite 320EX and 270EX II

To go with the Speedlite master function of the new EOS 600D camera are two new Speedlite flashes, the Speedlite 270EX II and the Speedlite 320EX, both can be used as slaves in the Canon wireless flash system. The Speedlite 320EX also includes an LED video light, so think of it as a dual purpose flash ideal as an off-camera slave flash for your EOS 7D, EOS 60D or EOS 600D but also a video light.

EF500mm f/4L IS II USM and EF600mm f/4L IS II USM

EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM and EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM

Not stopping at two cameras and two flashes, there’s also two new serious lenses the EF500mm f/4L IS II USM and the EF600mm f/4L IS II USM II. Both lenses have been on a serious post Christmas diet, with the new 600mm lens being 27% (1.4Kg) lighter than it’s predecessor and the wildlife photographers favourite is also 17% (680g) lighter. In the case of the 600mm lens it’s like Canon engineers removed enough weight that you can now put an EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens in your bag with the new 600mm and it would weigh pretty much the same as the bag with the old 600mm lens!

Development of a new lens monster

EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM EXTENDER 1.4x

Canon’s engineers have not just been shaving weight off their existing lenses, they’ve dreamed up and new monster, the EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM EXTENDER 1.4x lens. EXTENDER 1.4x?? It will have a built-in 1.4x optical extender that lets the lens switch from 200-400mm range to 280-560mm range with an f/5.6 aperture. If you shoot sports, airships or wildlife this might be the only lens you would need. Unfortunately the lens will not be available immediately, Canon’s press information says it is scheduled for launch during 2011.

60 million EF lenses

Canon is continuing to grow the number of cameras sold which drives sales of lenses, but the pace of growth is increasing quite significantly. It took more than 800 days to get from 30 to 40 million, yet 50 to 60 million has taken less just 374 days. With a bit of maths, ok excel and a ruler, I predict that in November or early December 2011 we will see the 70 millionth lens announcement! With it being 25 years of EOS in 2012 any bets on 100 million lenses in 2012

Canon Europe PR information is to be found here: