Canon seeks to keep compact capture devices alive. While competing against a smartphone is increasingly difficult, there are things that only the power of a conventional device can achieve. This is the case with Canon’s recent launch: Canon PowerShot Zoom Monocular Camera.
Canon PowerShot Zoom Monocular Camera is a solid and small monocular-style camera, equipped with a telephoto lens. It is Canon’s new bet to try to attract customers who have switched from conventional cameras to the convenience of cell phones. The Canon PowerShot Zoom Monocular Camera was launched on Thursday (10) in Japan, on a crowdfunding platform and reached the goal in just 13 hours.
Design and Feature
The design of this camera is intended as a scanning monocular that can be controlled very easily. There are six buttons on the handle, three up and three down. The ones below allow you to record, capture a snapshot, and control the options. The ones above allow you to control the zoom, enter the menu, and turn the device on and off.
It is a very curious device that can be ideal for those who do hiking, bird watching, and other types of outdoor activities. Canon presents that in a match it could be used, but I think it would feel a bit strange from the way of using the device. What if, a dedicated system would allow those approaches with much higher quality than what a mobile achieves.
The highlight of the new Canon monocular camera, in addition to the design, is the telephoto lens, which offers an optical zoom from 100 mm to 400 mm, which can reach up to 800 mm with the digital zoom. According to the Japanese manufacturer, this feature, referring to the focal length, makes the model a good alternative for taking photos and recording videos at sporting events and safaris.
This system has an image stabilizer, face tracking, and Wi-Fi connectivity to view the captures. It has a microSD memory slot.
With a ⅓-inch sensor, the camera can record video in FHD 1080P up to 29.97 frames per second, and it can capture 12 MP resolution images. The lens aperture ranges from F5.6 to F6.3. Its minimum focus distance is one meter in its widest mode and 4.5 meters in its telephoto mode.
It also stands out for its ability to transmit live videos, through the Camera Connect app, which allows you to view the images recorded by PowerShot Zoom on the smartphone screen, in real-time, connecting via Wi-Fi or USB port. Another available connectivity is Bluetooth 4.2.
Price and availability
The device is currently advertised as a Japan-exclusive through crowdsourcing platform Makuake. The campaign has already raised over $ 280,000, far beyond its original goal. All 1,000 units are already sold out and the first 500 buyers were eligible to a fast charger as a bonus. Japanese micro-investors will be able to get the first samples for about $ 300.
It is not yet known whether Canon can consider the West as a market to promote it. However, it can be said that it is an accessory that has wonderful characteristics for certain niches of nature photography and that it could even be an interesting companion for some sports fans.