p.1 #11 · Canon Shows off New Concept Camera at CP+ 2026
“Concept cameras” (and similar specimens from other industries) and not intended as real products. Every company that is expected to innovate shows them from time to time.
They have a range of purposes. They can be to test public reaction to a particular idea. They can be a kind of marketing intended to make the complaint look innovative and experimental. they can be intended to stifle competition. (For one famous example, see Toyota’s display of “concept” EVs when EVs started to take off and Toyota was left flat-footed.) Sometimes they do presage real products, though often they eventually appear in rather different forms.
(I once was in a group of users invited to test mock-ups of potential future products from a big company named after fruit. I handled a bunch of things that did not see the light of day, or only arrived in quite different versions later on as products.)
Bottom line: Best to not invest too much emotion in this thing.
I cannot resist one crazy throught. Given the old-school MF-like design of the thing, could it be intended to spark rumors that Canon is working on a MF camera? ;-)
p.1 #13 · Canon Shows off New Concept Camera at CP+ 2026
gdanmitchell wrote:
I cannot resist one crazy though. Given the design of the thing, could it be intended to spark rumors that Canon is working on a MF camera? ;-)
p.1 #14 · Canon Shows off New Concept Camera at CP+ 2026
I don't think this would be a 'serious' camera, rather it's intended to be a nostalgic throwback and conversation starter. Based on the apparent optical path shown in the one illustration, there is a ground glass screen (or something like one) between the lens and the sensor, which clearly would not be conducive to retaining high lens performance. The one screenshot of an apparent photo would suggest a very 'dreamy' look to the image, with apparently strong spherical aberration.
My interpretation is this might be Canon's take on a more complex digital Holga style camera. While the mockups are all black, I could see this in all sorts of bright color plastic housings.
p.1 #15 · Canon Shows off New Concept Camera at CP+ 2026
Curious piece indeed, I guess they had to do something to remind us of the Pellix (1960s) and some exotic versions of the F-1 (late 70s?), with the split mirror. An anachronism that runs the risk of light infiltration towards the sensor, and halves the available light for the viewfinder and the sensor, which is kind of silly. Why not just use a digital screen on top, feeding off the sensor? Either way, as others have commented, what need does this fulfill at all?
p.1 #19 · Canon Shows off New Concept Camera at CP+ 2026
Interesting that Canon is showing a concept of a camera they never produced before. I’m all for brands trying to bring different camera styles to market. There was so much more choice during the film days.
p.1 #20 · Canon Shows off New Concept Camera at CP+ 2026
Read more about it at Canon rumors today. It really is an oddball thing, reinforcing the idea that it is maybe about making a statement that “Canon can do oddball little retro-ish cameras, too” or something.
