At first blush, the news that Canon just released an industrial camera that features a Nikon F mount might confuse you a bit. But once you dig a bit deeper than the surface-level of the announcement, it starts to make more sense.
Today’s announcement of the M15P-CL is Canon’s first step into the industrial camera market. Many who have covered this news fail to mention what Canon means by “industrial camera,” so to specify: this camera is meant to be used with the Camera Link system, most often used for security systems and quality control purposes.
Why did Canon use a Nikon F mount, though? Quite simply because the Nikon F Mount is the most prominent of all mounting systems among glass still in use.
With Canon wanting to get their foot in the door of the industrial camera market, the companies looking to buy Canon’s new piece of imaging gear will be more inclined to switch when they see that they can use the glass from their old systems — an enticing option for those wanting to try a new piece of tech with minimal investment.
Although the camera will likely never see the light of day in the consumer market, it has some specs that certainly seem enticing in a consumer DSLR. The monochrome-only sensor offers high ISO capabilities, incredibly high dynamic range and broad tonality in the images, all meant to help pinpoint minute imperfections in the production of products and detail in security footage.
So, while this news may be a bit confusing at first, it’s not as crazy as it initially sounds. It’s merely Canon making the most logical choice for getting themselves into a new market. If you’d like to see the full press release, you can check out a translated version over on Canon Rumors.
(via Canon Rumors)