Last Updated on 03/30/2026 by Chris Gampat
One of the latest camera trends has been simply evident: a retro digital camera for young photographers. While Fujifilm has been banking on this for a while, Canon is one of the companies that have yet to introduce a model to compete with them. Nikon is already in the game with the Zf, and its success only further proved the point. However, despite reports of the possible launch of a Canon retro model, it comes as a shock that the company has other plans. And those plans may really annoy so many photographers.
Additional reporting was provided by Chris Gampat.
Say Bye to Canon’s Retro Camera
In a recent interview with Photo Trends, the French publication sat down with some of the top management leaders to speak about the future of Canon. While they discussed the length and breadth of the subject, one response truly was saddening: the future of a digital AE-1. The AE-1 was one of the most iconic film cameras, and reports online suggested that Canon may review the model for its 50th anniversary next year. While this did please many photographers who wanted an equivalent of the Zf, it appears that dream will indeed remain a wish.
Manabu Kato, head of the IBO (Imaging Business Operations) division, who is in charge of Canon products, said that the company is not planning to celebrate the “milestone in a particular way. ” Expanding on this, he added:
Honoring tradition is very important, but it’s not just about that. We also have to adapt to the changes of the times and continue to evolve. This evolution is important for us, because our evolution will contribute to the evolution of the entire camera industry. But I’m very thankful that you appreciate the AE-1.
This is quite sad news for many, especially since Canon reintroduced a limited edition of the G7 X Mark III for its 30th anniversary. If the G7X Mark III can make a comeback, then why not an RE-1? In a time when Fujifilm is single-handedly securing the favor of young photographers due to its blend of digital and retro cameras, Canon is making a mistake. Sure, they want to focus on full frame models, but launches such as the R1 and R5 II have proven that they are not winning over the audience. So, why not try something new?
While the future of retro cameras appears bleak, the good news is that Canon will continue to grow its RF lens lineup. The company has about 60 lenses, which were launched over the past 7 years since the introduction of the RF mount. And now, Go Tokura, executive vice president and head of the Imaging division, told Photo Trends that the company has “reached a pace of producing 6 to 8 new lenses per year,” and this is something that they will not change. He added:
We would like to maintain this pace and continue growing the lineup. As Hibi-san mentioned, the RF system provides more freedom and flexibility in lens design than the EF system. So theoretically, we should be able to offer a wider variety of lenses compared to EF. We may not release exactly 8 lenses to celebrate the eighth anniversary, though. (smiles)
This means one could see at least half a dozen lenses for full-frame cameras. While this is great, the question remains: Will they be as affordable as third-party lenses? Well, this topic was also broached, especially considering the collaboration between Canon, Sigma, and Tamron. While the latter works for APS-C sensor cameras, the collaboration has proved important for Canon. Go Tokura explained this collaboration as important and that such collaborations will only increase going forward. However, there may be “some restrictions” due to Canon’s own business strategy.
More Third Party Lenses?
While the comment doesn’t reveal which other collaborators will join the company, it did raise the question: Why has Canon not opened the full-frame cameras to third parties? Responding to this, Go Tokura added:
We don’t really differentiate between full-frame and APS-C in that regard, and we don’t publicly discuss this matter. I think this observation comes from an external perspective, based on the fact that third-party manufacturers are currently only involved in APS-C.
The comment doesn’t truly answer the question but rather deflects to their own strategy. With more third-party manufacturers being open to creating full-frame lenses (look at Sony and L-mount variants), Canon is one of the few that is known to go after companies that are making these lenses, of course, without their permission. But if Canon, a brand that has a large market share, allows these companies to create such lenses, do you actually think the third-party makers will shy away?
What About AI?
While cameras and lenses are still the focus, there is also another aspect: artificial intelligence. The company sees AI as the future of camera brands and that it will continue to be important for photographers. Kazumasa Yoshikawa, Director of the IBO Division in charge of development at Canon Inc., explained this as, “Our policy is to utilize AI for reproducing reality as it is, not for generating image content.” The areas that Canon is keen to help photographers with include noise reduction, color correction, aberration and distortion correction, and upscaling. However, the use of AI is also done threefold. Kazumasa Yoshikawa added this as follows:
First, to reproduce what is seen with greater detail. Second, to improve subject recognition so it better reflects the photographer’s intent. Third, to help capture exactly what the photographer wants to capture.
In fact, Canon sees a future where one can cull images within the camera, thereby saving time for many photographers. “There will be use cases where auto-culling is built into the camera and selected photos are sent directly,” said Kazumasa Yoshikawa. This may also be the case for press agency headquarters and social media use.
Auto-culling is fascinating as it’s already very easy for photographers to star-rate images. And considering that memory cards with bigger capacities are becoming harder to get your hands on, photographers are going to have to make fewer frames. So what we don’t understand is why Canon can’t just use AI to prevent the need for culling in the first place.
With AI and deep learning, the leap seems to be clear: 2D images will make way for a future of 3D photos. This means that VR may become a focus point in the near future for many brands. Either way, Canon’s future plans are still unclear in the camera department, and we hope things change soon.