Canon is presenting two new camera concepts at the 2018 Photography Fair: a 100-400mm smartphone camera and a 360-degree smart camera.
The Canon smartphone camera has a 100-400mm zoom lens and attaches to a smartphone via a flip-up Lightning port, but it weighs only 100g. There’s also an optional clip-on viewfinder that uses magnets to hook onto the main camera, which along with zoom sets it apart from the DxO One camera. A non-functional prototype was on display.
Canon’s second conceptual model is the so-called “smart compact camera†which automatically takes photos and videos, using AI to decide when and what to shoot (much like Google Clips). It has a 3x zoom lens and can pan and tilt up to 380 degrees, there is also a small tripod and it can even be mounted on the hot shoe of your EOS camera. A fully functional prototype was on display.
Canon representatives were inviting visitors to the show to try out the dual cameras, provide feedback and complete an 8-question survey, possibly signaling their intention to eventually market the 100-400mm smartphone and smart cameras to 360 degrees. Canon stressed that none of these devices are a direct replacement for the company’s now limited line of compact cameras, aiming instead to complement them.
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