With the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics just a few days away, we’ve been given a sneak peak inside Canons insane stock of cameras that will record all the triumphs and tears.
Many photographers from Reuters, Getty Images and The European Pressphoto Agency (EPA) are opting to use Canon gear, so Canon decided not to leave anything to chance. Issuing a smackdown to Getty’s table full of goodies, the room Canon Professional Services (CPS) has set up includes almost 1,600 lenses, more than 950 camera bodies and anything professional photographers could want. They’re also is also sending 78 technicians and support staff to Brazil for a month to assist photographers and broadcasters.
With Getty alone prepped to shoot more than 1.5 million photographs during the Olympics, Canon’s goal is to make sure photographers never miss a beat, no matter what happens.
Canon
Santiago Lyon, vice president and director of photography at the Associated Press said, “High-speed and high-performing digital imaging solutions like the EOS-1D X Mark II camera and L-series EF lenses are key to our team’s success.”
Sports photographer Simon Butty will be using the EOS-1D X Mark II in Rio. “The 14 frames per second that the EOS-1D X Mark II camera can capture, which enables over 12 seconds of continuous RAW shooting without buffering, means that I could shoot an entire 100 meter dash without taking my finger off of the shutter release,” he explains. “If I shot in JPEG mode and have a large enough memory card, I could do it for the entire 2+ hours of a marathon race!”
AP and Getty will also be using cameras with integrated advanced robotics systems to capture even more of the action. “The robotic camera systems can be mounted both in the rafters high above a field of play and underwater in pools, all fully controlled remotely over a network,” said a Canon spokesperson.
Canon
Specifically, Getty will be using a Canon EOS-1D X Mark II DSLR camera and ultra-wide zoom EF 11-24mm f/4L USM for their robotic underwater shots, allowing for a wide field of view. Ken Mainardis, vice president of Sport at Getty Images said the camera setup is unique that gives flexibility to follow and capture action from beneath the surface of the water. “We recently used the new underwater system and the images were remarkable. We’re looking forward to using our Canon gear to capture more fantastic underwater imagery,” he said.
With the new techniques that this technology allows, plus thousands of pro photographers at the top of their game, the images coming out of this year’s games will surely be the best we’ve ever seen.