Interview with Canon's Chuck Westfall

[DRappazzo]

Here is a link to a interesting interview with Canon's tech advisor. Talking about the video features on slr cameras. Just thought some of you might find this interesting in case you have not seen it. Enjoy, Discuss.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13580_3-10213645-39.html?tag=newsLeadStoriesArea.1

 

[Joel Kaye]

"Westfall: One of the things that is an issue for any company besides Nikon or Canon is the huge installed base of owners that already own our lenses. Has Sony, being a relative newcomer, got enough user base to be able to chip into that share? The SLR market is not just camera bodies, it's also the lenses. For some customers it's even more so the lenses.

Yeah, as soon as you buy one lens beyond that kit lens, the barrier to switching becomes pretty high."


This is exactly why Canon is so dangerous. It's almost inevitable they will eventually have a serious share of the indie moviemaking market because every cinematographer has an SLR. Both Nikon and Canon. You see it right here on the boards with a lot of us not wanting to support multiple lens mounts. It's just too expensive.

 

[Albert Armes]

I prefer the fake Chuck myself: http://fakechuckwestfall.wordpress.com/

Albert

 

[Jeff Kilgroe]

I prefer fake Chuck as well. He's more lively and in-tune with the userbase.

The lens mount argument is only valid until other camera manufacturers (RED) deliver camera bodies that support lens mounts other than their own. Legal implications aside, licensing issues, etc.. But a camera that can easily swap and collimate lens mounts in the field will be worth a look from anyone who likes to own an assortment of lenses.

IMO, RED is going to face a very steep up-hill battle with getting their FF35 electronic and mini-prime lenses accepted if they don't give away a RED mount with every Scarlet and EPIC sold.

 

[Martin Weiss]

"Yeah, as soon as you buy one lens beyond that kit lens, the barrier to switching becomes pretty high."


This is exactly why Canon is so dangerous.

This is also exactly why I don´t understand the lack off support for the IMS system. With IMS one could use (pretty much) any stills lens, and PL mount lenses.

 

[Joel Kaye]

The lens mount argument is only valid until other camera manufacturers (RED) deliver camera bodies that support lens mounts other than their own.

I totally agree.

RED's best edge is the idea that they would support, as much as is possible, both Nikon and Canon mounts - and ideally all the rest too. Then RED can pull from both userbases... which is probably 80% of the SLR lens market. You have to assume both Nikon and Canon will design all new glass with an eye towards moving pictures.

That was always a selling point of RED. RED just needs to keep driving towards a user friendly low cost, light weight 35mm movie camera that'll take any lens you want to put on it. That's a winner. If either Canon or Nikon get there first it'll hurt. If both get there first it'll really hurt.