Canon EOS Badge

It’s been twenty-two years now since the debut of Canon’s Electro-Optical System. Usually referred to, of course, as EOS, borrowing its name from the Greek goddess of the dawn.And, I have to say, it wasn’t a bad choice of names for the system. EOS was possibly the first entire system to decide to forgo mechanical operations between the lens and the mount (such as screw drive AF, which still leads to occasional problems for Nikon and Pentax users to this day). Since its inception EOS lenses (designed for the new EF mount, which boldly replaced the popular FD mount entirely) have had built-in AF focus motors. For pushing that envelope alone Canon is to be commended, as far as I’m concerned. The EOS system has gone on to be a massive giant in the camera scene, with something like 40 bodies, and gave the world the first “affordable” consumer DSLR in the form of the original Digital Rebel.

Despite changes in optics and motor technology, the distressingly forward-looking decision to switch to an all-electric mount has meant Canon has been able to increase functionallity without altering the mounts, and has lead to them having perhaps the largest and most comprehensive lens line-up on the market (although 22 years of history means the occasional confusion or overlap as better optics replace or slot in beside older ones).

So, this Friday, stop in and check out the current line of EOS products (including many impressive bodies, whose design by the way is influenced by work done in the past by renowned designer Luigi Colani).