As part of its activities to contribute to the community, Canon conducted a lens-making course on August 8, 2006, participating in the Summer Go-Go Project, a summer school of Ikegami Daini Elementary School in Ota Ward. Canon employees acted as instructors. The course aimed to provide school children with an opportunity to learn about optics through Canon technologies. This was the first session of the course.

The content of the program is composed of the following four steps.

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Course on making a camera lens by hand

First, a brief explanation of the mechanism of a camera lens was given. Children attending the session looked excited when they saw a super telephoto lens, which professional photographers use, placed in front of them. After that, they used familiar materials such as a magnifying glass and craft paper to make a telephoto lens for a camera. Completely absorbed in the work, the children carefully completed their own lenses. The cylinder-shaped part was made from paper they chose from a variety of colors to craft the only telephoto lens of its kind in the world.

After the finished lens was installed in a EOS Kiss Digital, a digital single-lens reflex camera, a photo session was held. Most of the participating children experienced using a digital single lens reflex camera for the first time. Nevertheless, they immediately learned how to take photos with it. They took photos of each other, flowers in a flowerbed, fruit, and the schoolyard viewed from the classroom. When each child found an interesting subject, they pressed the shutter-release button, enjoying the feeling of using a digital single lens reflex camera. After the session, each child chose his or her favorite piece from among about 30 photos for printing. They were fascinated to see how the photo prints came out.

All of the children looked excited about their finished photos, which were taken using one-of-a-kind hand-made lenses. At the end of the session, they asked lots of questions about the mechanism of the lens.

Thanks to the kind support of the principal, teachers, and PTA members  Canon was joined by the school and the community to make this project successful.