Canon Announces New IS Technology

[inTempus]

NEW CANON HYBRID IS WORLD'S FIRST IMAGE STABILIZER TO COMPENSATE FOR TWO TYPES OF CAMERA SHAKE

Lake Success, N.Y., July 22, 2009 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, announced today the development of Hybrid Image Stabilizer (IS), the world's first* optical image stabilization technology that compensates for both angle camera shake and shift camera shake. The technology will be featured in interchangeable single lens reflex (SLR) camera lens planned for commercial release before the end of 2009.

Several different preventative methods and corrective procedures have been introduced to compensate for errors caused by camera shake, which occurs when a camera moves while its shutter is open and its image sensor is exposed to light.

Canon began researching methods to compensate for camera shake in the 1980s, and in 1995 launched the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM, the world's first interchangeable SLR camera lens to feature a mechanism that compensates for optical camera shake. Since then, the company has continued to produce a variety of interchangeable lenses with image stabilization capabilities, and boasts a total of 21 such lenses in its current product lineup.

Canon's newly developed Hybrid IS technology optimally compensates for angle and shift camera shake. Sudden changes in camera angle can significantly affect images taken during standard shooting, whereas shift-based shaking, which occurs when a camera moves parallel to the imaging scene, is more pronounced in macro photography and other close-range shooting.

The new Hybrid IS technology incorporates an angular velocity sensor that detects the extent of angle-based shaking and is found in all previous Canon optical image stabilizer mechanisms, as well as a new acceleration sensor that determines the amount of shift-based camera shake. Hybrid IS also employs a newly developed algorithm that synthesizes information from the two sensors to make optimal adjustments, thereby dramatically enhancing the effects of image stabilization during shooting, including macro shooting, which had proven difficult for conventional image stabilization technologies.

Canon is actively engaged in ongoing research and development of interchangeable SLR camera lenses incorporating Hybrid IS technology, and is aiming for the early commercialization and inclusion of the lenses in a wide range of products.

About Canon: Press Room > Press Release

 

[Derrel]

I'm surprised at how little attention this garnered at dPreview or on other forums...I'm also surprised that Canon STILL has the doggish 75-300 4~5.6 IS USM in its lineup, and not updated in nearly fifteen years. Still the same slow micro motor USM, still the same tendency toward bad purple chromatic aberration, still the same corner softness. I mean, the variable maximum aperture 70-300 or 75-300 is the number one tele zoom for many beginner and mid-level enthusiasts, and yet Canon has allowed a very average (now below average,compared to Nikon's newest AF-S VR-G 70-300 model) zoom lens to fill such an important niche in their lens lineup for a decade and a half.

It'll be interesting to see how long it takes Canon to get this new-style IS into production lenses. It would be great if they'd do a complete optical overhaul of the old 75-300 IS and get rid of its bad corners and its terrible fringing problem, and then put in this new type of IS system. Nikon's new 70-300 VR lens is now being reccommended by none other than Thom Hogan as an excellent choice on D3,D700,and even D3x bodies, since their new 70-300 has excellent optics good enough even for a 24 MP d-slr.

 

[inTempus]

It'll be interesting to see how long it takes Canon to get this new-style IS into production lenses. It would be great if they'd do a complete optical overhaul of the old 75-300 IS and get rid of its bad corners and its terrible fringing problem, and then put in this new type of IS system. Nikon's new 70-300 VR lens is now being reccommended by none other than Thom Hogan as an excellent choice on D3,D700,and even D3x bodies, since their new 70-300 has excellent optics good enough even for a 24 MP d-slr.

I guess they have to pick their fights. It probably has something to do with sales numbers I would imagine.

Rumor has it that the 70-200 f/2.8L IS is being revamped and a new 24-70 f/2.8L IS is in the works. These are two of Canon's top sellers... so it would seem, if these rumors are true, that their focus is elsewhere.

I've never considered the 75-300 as it's not an L lens so I don't care for the construction and it's somewhat notorious for poor performance. My next purchase will be a 100-400 f/4.5-5.6L IS.

Both Canon and Nikon have their pooches.

Regardless, it will be interesting to see what Nikon does about Canon's new IS technology. They must have something in the works.

 

[JustAnEngineer]

I'm also surprised that Canon STILL has the doggish 75-300 4~5.6 IS USM in its lineup, and not updated in nearly fifteen years. Still the same slow micro motor USM, still the same tendency toward bad purple chromatic aberration, still the same corner softness. I mean, the variable maximum aperture 70-300 or 75-300 is the number one tele zoom for many beginner and mid-level enthusiasts, and yet Canon has allowed a very average (now below average,compared to Nikon's newest AF-S VR-G 70-300 model) zoom lens to fill such an important niche in their lens lineup for a decade and a half.

It'll be interesting to see how long it takes Canon to get this new-style IS into production lenses. It would be great if they'd do a complete optical overhaul of the old 75-300 IS and get rid of its bad corners and its terrible fringing problem, and then put in this new type of IS system. Nikon's new 70-300 VR lens is now being reccommended by none other than Thom Hogan as an excellent choice on D3,D700,and even D3x bodies, since their new 70-300 has excellent optics good enough even for a 24 MP d-slr.

Here are the current Canon telephoto zoom lenses:
EOS (SLR) Camera Systems - Telephoto Zoom - Canon USA Consumer Products
There is no lens in the current lineup matching the specification in your rant. I am surprised that you are so vehement in your criticism when you are ignorant of the facts.

Canon's current lens lineup includes the $140 EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III, the $190 EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM, the $530 EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM and the $1200 EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM. I expect that the $250 EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS is the choice of many folks looking for their first telephoto zoom lens. For a crop body, I would choose it over either of the current 75-300mm lenses.

The old EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM was discontinued after the EF 70-300mm f/4.-5.6 IS USM lens was introduced in 2005.

 

[Derrel]

Actually, there IS the lens I talk about. It wasn't a rant, and I'm not ignorant of the facts. The sub-par Canon lens I speak about is listed right there, the Canon EF 70-300 f/4.5-5.6 IS USM. I have shot with it...it has sloppy,soft corners, loads of purple fringing, and a noisy,slow AF motor. It is a very poor performer. Judging by the way you defend it,I assume you own it.

As tharmsen notes, every company has its pooches, and that lens is a dog.

 

[JustAnEngineer]

I'm also surprised that Canon STILL has the doggish 75-300 4~5.6 IS USM in its lineup, and not updated in nearly fifteen years. Still... and yet Canon has allowed a very average zoom lens to fill such an important niche in their lens lineup for a decade and a half.

It'll be interesting to see how long it takes Canon to get this new-style IS into production lenses. It would be great if they'd do a complete optical overhaul of the old 75-300 IS...

The old EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM was discontinued after the EF 70-300mm f/4.-5.6 IS USM lens was introduced in 2005.

:scratch:

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 USM IS - Test Report / Review

The performance of the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 USM IS came as a total surprise. Unlike its predecessor the lens is capable to produce a very high performance throughout the zoom range without the significant drop in quality at 300mm typical for most consumer grade lenses in this range. It seems as if the new UD element helps to lift the optical quality significantly. Distortions, CAs as well as vignetting are also very respectable. So in terms of optical quality the EF 70-300mm IS can be almost described as a hidden Canon L lens. As much as it may promise here its build quality remains in line to what you can expect from a consumer grade lens and the small max. aperture is limiting its scope specifically regarding portraits where you seek for a pronounced fore-/background blurr only possible via large apertures (f/2.8 and larger). However, if you're looking for a very good, light-weight tele zoom e.g. for travel photography this lens should be high on your shopping list.
Optical Quality:

Mechanical Quality:

Price/Performance:

From the center to 13.3mm, the lens does pretty well. That makes it better for crop bodies than for full-frame sensors, since the latter reveal the lens defects towards the corners of the frame.

 

[Dao]

I own this lens.



And there is another review from slrgear

"When we ran this lens through its paces in our lab, we were flat-out astonished by the optical quality it delivered. Were it not for the largely plastic body construction, we'd say that Canon has mislabeled this lens: It really delivers L-glass performance.

On a sub-frame body (we tested it on an EOS-20D), it delivers excellent sharpness from corner to corner, across most of its focal length range. It softens slightly at 300mm and f/5.6, but stopping down to f/8 returns it to excellent sharpness. Softness due to diffraction limiting begins at about f/11 though, so its sweet spot is a little narrow at 300mm. Across the rest of its range though, it's simply outstanding.

Its other characteristics are very good also. Chromatic aberration is quite low shooting wide open, increasing moderately as you stop down. Geometric distortion is quite low, ranging from 0.23% barrel at 70mm to a maximum of 0.27% pincushion at 300mm. The inflection point (where geometric distortion passes through zero occurs) just under 100mm. Light falloff in the corners of the frame ("vignetting") is very low through out the full range of focal lengths and apertures. It hits a maximum of 0.13 EV at 300mm and f/5, but is never more than 1/10 EV anywhere else, and is unmeasurably low at most settings."




It perform pretty well for me. Maybe I am not that picky. Or maybe when it mounts on a full frame body, the optical performance drop like a rock since the test was done on a cropped body

 

[usayit]

Not everyone has the taste, want, nor the cash to justify an expensive L lens.

For a very popular focal range, I applaud Canon for bringing to market a variety of options for all sorts of photographers both pro and amateur alike.

75-300mm 4-5.6 III
75-300mm 4-5.6 USM
70-300mm 4-5.6 USM IS
70-200 f/2.8L
70-200 f/2.8L IS
70-200 f/4L
70-200 f/4L IS
70-300 DO (eh..)

There's something there for everyone. Just like the Rebel outselling the higher end models in sheer numbers, I bet the lower end zooms also outsell the "L"'s. The only lens in that class that I think isn't a competitor is the 70-300 DO lens... It is outclassed by the lower models in terms of price and outclassed by it's similarly priced brethren in terms of performance.


I too find it amazing that there hasn't been more hoopla over the Hybrid IS system from Canon. You'd think that it would be big news coming from the pioneer of the IS system that has held its ground for a decade. If I were a high ranking officer at Canon, I'd have a serious talk with my chief of marketing.

 

[cfusionpm]

Rumor has it that the 70-200 f/2.8L IS is being revamped and a new 24-70 f/2.8L IS is in the works. These are two of Canon's top sellers... so it would seem, if these rumors are true, that their focus is elsewhere.

This is interesting to hear... I am looking at both of those lenses at the moment as my next purchase (leaning more toward the 70-200). Is there any more information on this? I wouldnt want to drop that much money on a lens only to have a huge price drop or a new model come out. The lack of IS in the current 24-70 is really holding me back from picking that up first.