Canon celebrates 50 years of single-lens reflex camera sales and industry leadership in style!
At an event held in Sydney last night, Canon left no doubt in the minds of its stakeholders as to its significant stronghold on the SLR market globally.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, November 04, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Last night, Canon Australia officially marked the 50th anniversary of the sale of Canon's first single-lens reflex camera in 1959. At an event held at Sydney's Overseas Passenger Terminal, Canon celebrated the past and present successes of its SLR brand with an array of Canon stakeholders and media.

Vast displays of images taken by world-renowned photographers on Canon SLRs since the 1960s were unveiled throughout the evening and brought the history of Canon EOS over the last five decades to life.

Canon's current leadership in the digital SLR market was emphasised at the event by Allan Corder, Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Managing Director of Canon Australia.

"Canon is the undisputed leader in digital SLR in Australia, and Canon EOS is driving DSLR growth at three times the market growth rate," said Corder. "Even in these uncertain economic times, people are increasingly turning to Canon to explore the creative possibilities of photography.

"While we are celebrating Canon's success in the SLR market over the last 50 years, we are also excited about what the future holds. We will continue to invest heavily in the EOS brand and in creative initiatives such as PhotoChains and Photo5 to inspire and foster Australians' passion for photography," said Corder.

Canon Inc's Deputy Chief Executive, Image Communication Business Operations, Masanori Uchidoi, flew into Australia to attend the event and celebrate this significant milestone.

"Production of Canon SLR cameras has already surpassed the 50-million* unit mark, illustrating the brand's ability to constantly evolve and produce advanced and ground breaking technologies," said Uchidoi.

"As we review and celebrate the past 50 years, we also renew our drive to contribute, even further, to the development of SLR cameras and photographic culture over the next 50 years.

"There is no doubt that we are only able to celebrate 50 years of SLR thanks to the support of our Canon customers, photographers, media and the many others who have embraced our technology so passionately and creatively," concluded Uchidoi.

The event was held on the same day that Canon launched its latest high-performance digital SLR camera, the EOS 1D Mark IV. The new Canon EOS is the first high-end professional DSLR that can record FULL High Definition (HD) movies in addition to stills.

The heritage of Canon SLRs

The history of Canon 35 mm single-lens reflex cameras began in May 1959 with the launch of the Canon Flex, which was followed by models reflecting Canon's reliable technologies and innovativeness. In 1971 the company introduced the F-1, its first professional model; in 1976 the AE-1, the world's first SLR camera to feature a built-in CPU; and in 1986 the T90, the top-of-the-line model of the T series line-up.

In March 1987, Canon launched the EOS650, the world's first AF (autofocus) SLR camera to realise electronic control for the entire system. The EOS series, which continues to this day, has contributed significantly to the popularisation and development of AF SLR cameras, fuelling dramatic growth among both professional users, with the introduction of the top-of-the-line EOS-1 in 1989, as well as entry-level users, with the release of the EOS 500 in 1993.

The year 2000 marked Canon's full-fledged entry into the digital era with the launch of the EOS D30. Canon's EOS Digital series, based on the key concept "speed, ease-of-use and high image quality," has consistently led the digital evolution of SLR cameras with Canon-developed CMOS sensors and the high-performance DIGIC image processor, along with the company's EF lens line-up, boasting outstanding optical performance and an extensive selection.

In 2008, Canon further strengthened its digital SLR line-up with the introduction of four new models, including the EOS 450D, which garnered the top share in Australia, Japan and other global markets, and the EOS 5D Mark II, the first digital SLR camera to incorporate full high-definition video recording.

This year has seen the launch of three new digital SLRs; the EOS 500D for first time digital SLR users, the EOS 7D for enthusiast photographers, and the EOS 1D Mark IV launched yesterday for professionals.

With film-based SLR camera sales of more than 39 million units and digital SLR camera sales exceeding 14 million units, Canon is sincerely grateful to all of its users for their support and will continue pursuing the challenge of creating cameras that deliver superior imaging performance and reliability.

* 53.68 million units as of the end of December 2008

Related Links
• Learn more about Canon's EOS range

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