Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Canon USA vs. Canon Inc - Don't Eat Your Own




In a bizarre turn of events, Canon USA has been taken out to the woodshed and given a whoopin' by Canon Inc in Japan because - get this - Vincent Laforet's Nocturne video showcasing the new Canon EOS 1D Mark IV was "too good" according to Fake Chuck Westfall, and Canon USA made Canon Inc look bad. Thus, Canon USA has directed Laforet to remove the video. (why we told Vincent Laforet) and on Laforet's blog he notes - Canon Has Requested....

Really?

(Continued after the Jump)

Instead of Canon Inc saying "hey, good job Canon USA for making Canon look good", Canon Inc is mired in the antiquated notion of that by Canon USA doing so good, Canon Japan looks bad because either that don't have the talent to make the same type of content, or people in Japan are now looking bad because it looks like they're not doing their job.

Within minutes of these videos being formally pulled down from Laforet's sites, they popped up on YouTube and are still there. What does this accomplish because it makes Canon USA look bad?

Fake Chuck Westfall has nailed this - so much so that I wonder if FCW isn't actually the real CW! - that it's worth reading FCW's post. (On Canon Taking Down Nocturne).

It's remarkable that Canon - poised on the verge to trump the Nikon D3s because of the chip and video capabilities differences - have stumbled over their own potential for greatness and now look like bumbling fools. It's like the prima ballerina being honored for her grace, tripping on the way up to the stage to accept the award.

This camera finalizes the concept of game changer that began with the 5D (that Laforet kicked off with Reverie), much like, frankly, the Nikon D3s will be a game changer - Bill Frakes did an amazing video with - yes - ballerinas - in Austrailia, see here. Canon Inc needs to see all of its' subsidiaries as it's children, and give them all the same amount of love, instead, Canon USA is being treated like the bastard step-child from a weekend fling, relegated to the basement, with an I-don't-care-about-the-possibilities attitude. No doubt, on the eve of PhotoPlus Expo, the Nikon folks will be chuckling under their breath at this catastrophic faux pas.


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12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just watched the video on YouTube. There is a Steadicam operator listed in the credits to this film. How can this be when Mr. LaForet claims that the film was ENTIRELY shot with the new Canon DSLR?

Anonymous said...

You can mount a dslr to a Steadicam u moron

Tony said...

Dude,


The camera was mounted on a steadicam motion stablizing rig. It is not an image capturing device.

Ever seen one?

Go to Vincent's blog and see a photo of the rig in action with the DSLR camera mounted.

FYI any camera can be mounted on a steadicam rig.

The steadicam operator is the camera operator who has the technical and creative skills to wear and operate the steadicam. It is not a skill set one picks up overnight.


Tony

Unknown said...

I believe that "steadicam" refers to the stabilization equipment attached to the 1D4 that stabilize it during moving shots, not a "Steadicam" camera, if even such a specific camera actually exists.

David said...

Are you trying to pass off Fake Chuck Westfall's comments as fact?!?

You do know that site is a satirical site right? I think your first clue should have been the FAKE in front of Chuck Westfall's name.

Or maybe Americans are just more gullible.

Mark Pakula said...

What about the steadycam makes you think it wasnt fitted with a 1DmkIV?

And this happens more than you think, Japanese culture is a strange thing.

Piotr SmolaƄski said...

Easily. You can put a DSLR on a steadycam. In fact there exists an Afghanistan documentary, shot with 5D2 on steadicam.

The mystery/conspiracy solved.

torfroy said...

Steadycam is not A camera, but a piece of kit you put on a camera to make it steady.

Mitch said...

There are quite a few steadycam rigs available for the 5D2 - just check out my blog at planet5D.com and you'll see lots

Anonymous said...

the 5d video featured steadicams and giro stabilizers in the video credits too

too much additional equipment for a $2k5 camera.

Anonymous said...

I'd guess the problem the people at Canon have with this movies is quite simple:

In the credits/end titles it reads: "Lenses by CANON & CARL ZEISS".

Mark Johnson said...

John,

There is more to this action by Canon USA then just an internal fight with Canon Japan.

At root is an underlying issue centering around legal action being taken against various parties.

This could result in a paramount victory for the plaintiff involved should they prevail.

The so called DSLR paradigm shift which wanna be DP Vincent has made mention of in the past could be in possible turmoil in the near future.

Sorry I am not at liberty to discuss more.


Mark Johnson

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