Canon Photo5 : Interesting look at the results

[ricktas]

Just wondered if anyone else has ever noticed.

But once again the winners of the Canon Photo5 competitions are all taken with Canon cameras. If you look at the winners each year, it is the same. There is not a single winner that was taken with another brand of camera..ever!

Now call my cynical, but this doesn't quite gel with me.

If Canon wanted a Canon only competition, why not make it one, deem that entries must be taken on Canon gear, but to allow entries taken with other brands and over the years to not see a single winner from another brand, to me, something smells a bit fishy here.

[Lani]

OK Cynical, ..... I agree.....just make it a Canon only comp...end of story.

[neil70]

maybe people who use canon gear are just way superior


I'm sorry i just couldn't help myself

[ricktas]

maybe people who use canon gear are just way superior

or just think they are...sorry I just couldn't help myself too

[neil70]

are you trying to tell me there is gear other than canon for taking photos??????? noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[Rod038]

Yes and it would appear that if a Canon Camera is not used it appears as Other in the Camera and Lens details of the finalists. I didn't check them all, but I also didn't see any Camera mentioned only Canon or Other. Who makes them cause they are quite popular?

[CherylB]

I agree it should be Canon only - gives me more of a chance at winning!

[fillum]

I think it's more a 'weight of numbers' thing. Seems there is a pretty low percentage of non-Canon users who enter. Not surprising given that the prizes are Canon gear that is of little interest to us more enlightened folk non-Canon users.



Cheers.

[farmmax]

No, sorry to disillusion you, but not all the finalists photos have been shot by Canon's. There are some there shot by Others.

[ricktas]

No, sorry to disillusion you, but not all the finalists photos have been shot by Canon's. There are some there shot by Others.

Look at the starting date of this thread. I actually wrote a very long letter to Canon about this issue, where I suggested they make it a Canon only competition and I know others did as well, so perhaps this year, they listened, and rather than limit access to the competition, they chose to give other brands users a decent chance as well.

[I @ M]

farmmax, this thread relates to the 2010 comp but I suspect that it will be much the same ( I haven't bothered even viewing it this year ) where the final prize winners are all Canon produced entries.

I suspect that they have to do this to make sure a Canon camera wins at least one comp in the world this year.

[farmmax]

Whoops! Should have looked more closely at the starting date

[steve812]

Shows the Canon company has a level of maturity not displayed by all other camera companies.

[mcmahong]

I've followed similar discussions to this elsewhere (mainly because I was a lucky enough to be a finalist in the powder brief, so was really interested to hear what people said). I'm in 2 minds on this. It certainly is obvious that all "winners" were Canon users, but I'm going to play the devil's advocate here, and back up what farmmax said...

The first stage is judged by pro photographers to give a shortlist of 60 finalists across 6 briefs. Out of those 60, 10 were non-Canon users in 2011. So 1 in 6. I did a quick and random grab tally of 60 regular entrants (not finalists) and noted 11 non-Canon users. Assuming that this is indicative of the total pool, it appears that the proportion of non-Canon users making the finalists is in line with the proprtion of entries.

The second stage is a public vote, so presumably there is no opportunity for Canon-bias to come in.

To me it seems above board, given the same ratio of people entering are making the finals.

I do think Canon should probably hide the brand names from the EXIF data, and just leave lens specs and/or exposure settings only.

[Ezookiel]

Maybe they should limit the competition to ONLY people who DIDN'T use a Canon. That way, they can give them a Canon as the prize, and convert another person over from the dark side :P
Of course, I'm only saying this to stir, because I hate my Canon and seriously wish I'd bought any other brand.

[ricktas]

Maybe they should limit the competition to ONLY people who DIDN'T use a Canon. That way, they can give them a Canon as the prize, and convert another person over from the dark side :P
Of course, I'm only saying this to stir, because I hate my Canon and seriously wish I'd bought any other brand.

hahaha.

I just think if they (in the past) were only giving prizes to Canon, they should have just closed off the competition to only those who owned Canon gear.

But seems this year they have listened, and I commend Canon on doing so!