Canon is celebrating a camera-manufacturing milestone. The combined
production of their compact digital and interchangeable-lens
digital cameras surpassed 250 million units on January 31, 2014.
Canon has been manufacturing cameras since it was founded in 1937. The company started producing and marketing digital cameras in the mid-1990s. In 1995, when film cameras were still the norm, Canon launched its first digital camera, the professional-model EOS DCS 3 digital SLR camera (jointly developed with Eastman Kodak and also sold under the Kodak brand).
At the time, compact cameras were leading the digital shift within the camera industry. In 1996, Canon announced its market entry with the introduction of the digital PowerShot 600.
As for interchangeable-lens digital cameras, while the market in the mid-1990s had consisted primarily of professional models, with the start of the 2000s the segment rapidly took off. In 2000, Canon launched the EOS D30 to satisfy the needs of a wider user base, from advanced photo enthusiasts to professional users. In 2003, Canon again led the market with the introduction of the entry-level-model EOS 300D (Digital Rebel in North America, KISS Digital in Japan), which set the stage for dramatic expansion of the market.
Since that time, Canon has successively launched innovative products that capitalize on the their strengths in CMOS sensors, image processors and EF lenses, such as the professional-model EOS-1 series and EOS 5D series targeting advanced-amateur users, as well as the compact camera system (CSC) EOS M series. As a result, in 2005, production of Canon interchangeable-lens digital cameras reached 25 million units and, in February 2014, surpassed 70 million units.
Canon has been manufacturing cameras since it was founded in 1937. The company started producing and marketing digital cameras in the mid-1990s. In 1995, when film cameras were still the norm, Canon launched its first digital camera, the professional-model EOS DCS 3 digital SLR camera (jointly developed with Eastman Kodak and also sold under the Kodak brand).
At the time, compact cameras were leading the digital shift within the camera industry. In 1996, Canon announced its market entry with the introduction of the digital PowerShot 600.
As for interchangeable-lens digital cameras, while the market in the mid-1990s had consisted primarily of professional models, with the start of the 2000s the segment rapidly took off. In 2000, Canon launched the EOS D30 to satisfy the needs of a wider user base, from advanced photo enthusiasts to professional users. In 2003, Canon again led the market with the introduction of the entry-level-model EOS 300D (Digital Rebel in North America, KISS Digital in Japan), which set the stage for dramatic expansion of the market.
Since that time, Canon has successively launched innovative products that capitalize on the their strengths in CMOS sensors, image processors and EF lenses, such as the professional-model EOS-1 series and EOS 5D series targeting advanced-amateur users, as well as the compact camera system (CSC) EOS M series. As a result, in 2005, production of Canon interchangeable-lens digital cameras reached 25 million units and, in February 2014, surpassed 70 million units.