Canon

Type: Camera and lens manufacturer
Founded: 1937
Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
Key products: EOS DSLR and mirrorless cameras, EF and RF lenses, Cinema EOS video cameras

Overview

Canon has been one of the two dominant camera manufacturers in underwater photography throughout the digital era, alongside Nikon. Canon’s EOS system became a staple of underwater imaging from the early 2000s, with the company’s full-frame sensors, pioneering video capabilities, and extensive lens ecosystem driving widespread adoption among underwater photographers and videographers. Canon cameras consistently receive housing support from every major underwater housing manufacturer, including Nauticam, Ikelite, Aquatica, Sea & Sea, Subal, Seacam, Hugyfot, and Isotta.

Canon’s role in underwater photography spans from the earliest digital SLR underwater tests in 2001-2002, through the full-frame revolution of 2005, the ViDSLR video revolution of 2008-2012, and into the mirrorless transition beginning in 2018. The Canon vs. Nikon choice has been one of the defining decisions for serious underwater photographers, with each brand commanding loyal followings in the Wetpixel community. James Wiseman documented his experience switching from Nikon to Canon in 2005, and Tim Rock wrote a colorful account of switching to Canon and then back to Nikon, calling himself a “Nikon traitor” ([1]).

Product Timeline

Early Digital Era (2001-2004)

Full-Frame Revolution (2005-2008)

The ViDSLR Era (2009-2012)

Mature DSLR Era (2013-2017)

Mirrorless Transition (2018-2023)

Key Lenses for Underwater Photography

Canon’s lens ecosystem has been a major factor in the company’s underwater photography presence:

The Lens Gap Problem

In the early-to-mid 2000s, Canon lacked dedicated fisheye and ultra-wide lenses optimized for underwater use. Nikon’s 10.5mm DX Fisheye had no Canon equivalent. Tim Rock described this as a reason he initially felt Canon “doesn’t have a proper lens range for underwater.” The Canon 10-22mm EF-S zoom served as a substitute but was not purpose-built for the task. The arrival of the Tokina 10-17mm fisheye zoom (available in Canon mount) and eventually the Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye largely resolved this gap ([67]).

Canon vs. Nikon: The Community Debate

The Canon-Nikon choice was one of the most actively debated topics in the Wetpixel community throughout the DSLR era:

Notable Canon Underwater Photographers

Canon cameras were used by many prominent underwater photographers featured on Wetpixel:

Video and Cinema Products

Beyond still cameras, Canon maintained a significant presence in underwater video through dedicated camcorders and cinema cameras:

Compact Cameras

Canon’s PowerShot G-series compact cameras also maintained a presence in underwater photography with aftermarket housings:

Significance in Underwater Photography

Canon’s influence on underwater photography can be summarized in several key areas:

Full-frame accessibility: The EOS 5D (2005) made full-frame sensors accessible to non-professional underwater photographers for the first time, enabling full 180-degree fisheye coverage at a price below the 1Ds series. This was transformative for wide-angle underwater photography.

Video revolution: The 5D Mark II (2008) was arguably the single most transformative camera in underwater video history, bringing cinematic full-frame HD video to a DSLR body. Backscatter’s Berkley White noted it was “a game changer, pushing the era of HD ViDSLR hybrid cameras.” Its impact spawned the “ViDSLR” category, changed how underwater filmmakers worked, and influenced a generation of hybrid stills/video shooters. The topside video community was equally excited, as it offered “exceptional image quality, lens selection, and the ability to shoot very low depth of field” for a film-like look ([81]).

Housing ecosystem: Canon’s popularity drove comprehensive housing support from every major manufacturer. The 5D Mark II housing shootout on Wetpixel demonstrated that virtually every major housing manufacturer prioritized Canon support, with Sea & Sea, Aquatica, Seacam, Subal, Ikelite, Hugyfot, and Zillion all producing housings for a single Canon body.

Community adoption: Canon cameras consistently appear in Wetpixel forum discussions, portfolio features, and competition results. The Canon vs. Nikon debate has been one of the most active ongoing discussions in the underwater photography community, with photographers on both sides writing extensive switching articles.

Conservation engagement: Canon USA supported coral restoration projects, connecting the brand to marine conservation efforts important to the underwater photography community ([82]).


Sources

  1. Wetpixel article, Jul 7, 2005: Confessions Of A Nikon Traitor
  2. Wetpixel article, Jan 9, 2002: Sample Canon D30 Photographs Jim Watt
  3. Wetpixel article, Apr 6, 2002: Canon D60 Digital Slr
  4. Wetpixel article, Jul 24, 2003: Sea Sea Dx 1ds Canon 1ds Housing
  5. Wetpixel article, Oct 22, 2003: Ikelites Canon Eos Digital Rebel Housing
  6. Wetpixel article, Oct 17, 2003: Uk Germany 10d Housing For Canon 10d
  7. Wetpixel article, Jan 13, 2004: Aquatica A300 Canon Digital Rebel Housing Ttl
  8. Wetpixel article, Jan 23, 2004: Inon X2 Canon 10d Housing
  9. Wetpixel article, Aug 18, 2004: Canon Announces Eos20d And 2 New Lenses
  10. Wetpixel article, Sep 6, 2004: Ikelite Does Canon Ettl
  11. Wetpixel article, Sep 22, 2004: Canon 1ds Mk Ii 167 Megapixels
  12. Wetpixel article, Jan 31, 2005: New Article Posted My Experiences Switching From The Nikon To The Canon Sys
  13. Wetpixel article, Mar 19, 2005: Subal Cd1d Housing For Canon 1d 1ds Mk Ii
  14. Wetpixel article, Jul 7, 2005: Confessions Of A Nikon Traitor
  15. Wetpixel article, Aug 22, 2005: Canon 5d Announced
  16. Wetpixel article, Sep 15, 2005: Canon Announces Xl H1 3 Ccd Hd Camcorder
  17. Wetpixel article, Dec 8, 2005: Ikelite Canon 5d Housing Review
  18. Wetpixel article, Feb 21, 2006: Canon 30d Announced1
  19. Wetpixel article, Feb 16, 2006: Aquatica Canon 5d Housing Photos
  20. Wetpixel article, Jul 31, 2006: Canon Announces Xh G1 And Xh A1 Hdv Camcorders
  21. Wetpixel article, Aug 25, 2006: Canon Announces The Digital Rebel Xti 400d
  22. Wetpixel article, Feb 21, 2007: Canon Announces Eos 1d Mark Iii
  23. Wetpixel article, Mar 26, 2007: Judas Returns Nikon To Canon And Back Again
  24. Wetpixel article, May 18, 2007: Stephen Frink Tests The Canon 16 35mm Ii
  25. Wetpixel article, Jul 24, 2007: Nexus Seacam And Subal To Support Canon Eos 1d Mark Iii
  26. Wetpixel article, Jan 16, 2008: Stephen Frink Canon 14mm Ii
  27. Wetpixel article, Aug 26, 2008: Canon Announces Eos 50d Digital Slr
  28. Wetpixel article, Sep 17, 2008: Canon Announces Eos 5d Mark Ii Slr
  29. Wetpixel article, Feb 12, 2009: Aquatica Underwater Housings For Canon 5d Mark Ii And Nikon D90
  30. Wetpixel article, May 27, 2009: Canon 5d Mark Ii Gets Manual Exposure Controls In Firmware Update1
  31. Wetpixel article, May 13, 2009: Canon 5d Mk Ii Shooting Tips For Underwater Video
  32. Wetpixel article, May 12, 2009: Zillion Canon 5d Mark Ii Underwater Housing
  33. Wetpixel article, Aug 9, 2009: Canon 5d Mark Ii Underwater Video Review
  34. Wetpixel article, Sep 1, 2009: Canon Announces Eos 7d
  35. Wetpixel article, Oct 20, 2009: Canon Announces 1d Mark Iv Digital Slr
  36. Wetpixel article, Dec 17, 2009: Wetpixel Member Fergus Kennedy In Canon 7d Advert
  37. Wetpixel article, Jun 12, 2010: Canon 5d Mark Ii Housing Shootout
  38. Wetpixel article, Oct 18, 2011: Canon Announces Eos 1d X Slr
  39. Wetpixel article, Mar 2, 2012: Canon Announces The 5d Mark Iii Slr
  40. Wetpixel article, Sep 17, 2012: Canon Announces The Eos 6d1
  41. Wetpixel article, Sep 22, 2013: Field Review Canon Eos 6d Na 6d Housing And Zen Dp 100 Port
  42. Wetpixel article, Feb 1, 2016: Canon Announces Eos 1d X Mark Ii
  43. Wetpixel article, Aug 25, 2016: Canon Announces The Eos 5d Mark Iv And Updated 16 35mm Lens
  44. Wetpixel article, Apr 20, 2017: Canon Announces C Log Upgrade For Eos 5d Mark Iv
  45. Wetpixel article, Jun 29, 2017: Canon Announces 6d Mark Ii And Rebel Sl2 Cameras
  46. Wetpixel article, Sep 5, 2018: Canon Announces Eos R System
  47. Wetpixel article, Dec 4, 2018: Nauticam Ships Na R Housing For Canon Eos R
  48. Wetpixel article, Feb 14, 2019: Canon Announces The Eos Rp Full Frame Mirrorless Camera
  49. Wetpixel article, Dec 28, 2019: Canon Usa Supports Coral Restoration Project
  50. Wetpixel article, Jan 7, 2020: Canon Announces The Id X Mark Iii
  51. Wetpixel article, Jul 9, 2020: Canon Announces Eos R5 And R6 Cameras Along With R Mount 85mm Macro Lens
  52. Wetpixel article, Jul 16, 2020: Seacam Announces Housing For Canon Eos R5
  53. Wetpixel article, Dec 9, 2020: Nauticam Ships Housing For Canon Eos R6
  54. Wetpixel article, Apr 14, 2021: Canon Announces Rf Mount 100mm Macro Lens
  55. Wetpixel article, Jun 29, 2021: Canon Announces The Rf 14 35mm F 4 Lens
  56. Wetpixel article, Sep 14, 2021: Canon Announces Eos R3
  57. Wetpixel article, Oct 28, 2021: Inon Announces Housing For Canon Eos R5
  58. Wetpixel article, Jan 19, 2022: Canon Announces Eos R5 C
  59. Wetpixel article, Nov 3, 2022: Canon Announces The Eos R6 Mark 2
  60. Wetpixel article, Feb 8, 2023: Canon Announces Eos R8 And R50
  61. Wetpixel article, May 18, 2007: Stephen Frink Tests The Canon 16 35mm Ii
  62. Wetpixel article, Jan 16, 2008: Stephen Frink Canon 14mm Ii
  63. Wetpixel article, Mar 14, 2005: Canon 10 22 Lens And Ikelite 8 Dome Port
  64. Wetpixel article, Jul 9, 2020: Canon Announces Eos R5 And R6 Cameras Along With R Mount 85mm Macro Lens
  65. Wetpixel article, Apr 14, 2021: Canon Announces Rf Mount 100mm Macro Lens
  66. Wetpixel article, Jun 29, 2021: Canon Announces The Rf 14 35mm F 4 Lens
  67. Wetpixel article, Mar 26, 2007: Judas Returns Nikon To Canon And Back Again
  68. Wetpixel article, Jul 7, 2005: Confessions Of A Nikon Traitor
  69. Wetpixel article, Jul 7, 2005: Confessions Of A Nikon Traitor
  70. Wetpixel article, Mar 26, 2007: Judas Returns Nikon To Canon And Back Again
  71. Wetpixel article, Feb 4, 2023: Review Sony A7r V By Alex Mustard
  72. Wetpixel article, Dec 17, 2009: Wetpixel Member Fergus Kennedy In Canon 7d Advert
  73. Wetpixel article, Sep 15, 2005: Canon Announces Xl H1 3 Ccd Hd Camcorder
  74. Wetpixel article, Jul 31, 2006: Canon Announces Xh G1 And Xh A1 Hdv Camcorders
  75. Wetpixel article, Aug 2, 2006: Canon Announces Hv10 Hdv Camcorder
  76. Wetpixel article, Sep 6, 2019: Canon Announces Eos C500 Mark Ii
  77. Wetpixel article, Sep 24, 2020: Canon Announces Eos C70 Cinema Camera
  78. Wetpixel article, Jan 19, 2022: Canon Announces Eos R5 C
  79. Wetpixel article, Sep 3, 2019: Ikelite To Ship New Housing For Canon G7 X Mark Iii
  80. Wetpixel article, Sep 12, 2019: Ikelite Announces Housing For Canon G5 X Mark Ii
  81. Wetpixel article, May 13, 2009: Canon 5d Mk Ii Shooting Tips For Underwater Video
  82. Wetpixel article, Dec 28, 2019: Canon Usa Supports Coral Restoration Project
  83. Canon D30 underwater tests by Jim Watt (2002) (article)
  84. Canon D60 Digital SLR (2002) (article)
  85. Sea & Sea DX-1Ds Canon 1Ds housing (2003) (article)
  86. Ikelite Canon E-TTL support (2004) (article)
  87. Switching from Nikon to Canon — James Wiseman (2005) (article)
  88. Confessions of a Nikon Traitor — Tim Rock (2005) (article)
  89. Canon 5D Announced (2005) (article)
  90. Judas Returns: Nikon to Canon and back again — Tim Rock (2007) (article)
  91. Canon announces EOS 5D Mark II (2008) (article)
  92. Canon 5D Mk II shooting tips for underwater video (2009) (article)
  93. Canon announces EOS 7D (2009) (article)
  94. Canon 5D Mark II housing shootout (2010) (article)
  95. Canon announces 5D Mark III (2012) (article)
  96. Canon announces EOS 5D Mark IV (2016) (article)
  97. Canon announces EOS R System (2018) (article)
  98. Canon announces EOS R5 and R6 (2020) (article)
  99. Canon announces EOS R8 and R50 (2023) (article)
  100. Canon USA supports coral restoration (2019) (article)
  101. Sony a7R V review — Alex Mustard (2023) (article)
  102. Fergus Kennedy in Canon 7D advert (2009) (article)