Bummer
Don’t be shocked to see Canon raise lens prices come Jan/Feb 2009 to offset currency issues. There will also be normal price increases because sell through rebates end on December 31, 2008. Camera bodies should be safe, as Canon will be winding down a bunch of models outside of the 50D and 5D2.
Powershots may see a 5% increase in dealer cost.
cr
New highend kit zoom coming?
I’m told we could see a replacement of the EF-S 17-85 IS lens as soon as February. The new lens would be slightly longer at the telephoto end and build quality reduced to lower the price. It will run concurrent with the 17-85 until stock is gone, possibly Christmas 2009.
The source says EF-S 17-90 f/4-5.6 IS.
cr
UPDATE
Pulled the Amazon link, it’s pointing back to the $5399 nonsense.
Still overpriced.. but…….
They have corrected the price down to $3999 from $5399. One left they say.
cr
Just received an email
After talking with a 3rd party firmware tester, the source informed me Canon has a firmware upgrade coming for the 5D2 and its processing issues tentatively on Monday.
cr
From Bill Wadman
Like I’ve said in the past, I love write ups by real people. This is a good quick read.
http://www.ontakingpictures.com/2008/12/5d-mark-ii-initial-thoughts.html
Thanks Bill
Just curious…. how many people cover the “Canon” badge on their cameras?
T-Shirts
I’m going to give away one more T-Shirt. This one is simple, send me a great photo… just one. Best photo gets the T-Shirt.
Submit to: buzz@canonrumors.com
Try to keep the images under 1024px H & W. I’ll post the winning shot here with your contact info and a link to your photos if you’d like.
cr
A few things
A few places around the web are talking about an April timeframe at the earliest for the 1D replacement. A few people I spoke to said June is a possibility for an announcement with a fall launch. I still think an announcement in and around September. There will then be a good supply by the time the Vancouver 2010 games start in February.
A few things I’ve received in random emails about possible features of the 1Dx.
- Sport mode. Which will basically be an sRaw file at a very fast framerate.
- The camera will be full frame and anywhere between 15-21mp. No consensus on this.
- Internal memory. I don’t think this will ever happen.
- AF Mode in movies. 24P mode as well. I can see various modes coming for the video feature, I’m not sure what AF in movie mode would require to be useful.
- Full color top display, perhaps OLED. Why not?
I get constant emails about lenses. This is the info I currently have. It’s not much.
- 35 f/1.4L II is coming, but not until the fall 2009. A few people are talking PMA for this lens.
- 24-70 f/2.8L II IS is in the upgrade cycle, no word on when it’s coming to market.
- A new 200 f/2.8L IS Macro. Adding IS to a consumer macro would be dumb if it’ll raise the price $250, I don’t get why Nikon did it. The L however, there would be a market for that.
- The Tilt Shift lenses will get an update in two parts over the next 24 months.
With the economics of the planet right now, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Canon target niche lenses for introduction this year, and holding off on the consumer/prosumer products until 2010.
Discuss and keep the info coming.
T-Shirts
T-shirts should be shipped out to the winners on Monday. Hopefully they’ll get to you before Christmas day.
cr
What could be coming?
There is a lot going on in Canon’s war room about what to do with PMA 2009. As we all know, the DSLR market in 2009 is expected to fall off a fair bit. The predicted rebound will be coming in 2010.
On a scale of 1-5, which cameras are likely to get a replacement at PMA.
Rebel XSi (Released Jan. 2008)
Canon had committed to a 1 year product cycle. However, that could be held off until the fall of 2009.
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Likelihood of a replacement at PMA: 3.5
Rebel XS (Released Jun. 2008)
There was a possibility of this being reduxed earlier than one year, consider that a dead rumour now. The XS will be replaced in the fall.
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Likelihood of replacement at PMA: 1
A New Rebel
There is a chance Canon could add a third Rebel to their lineup. This Rebel would add HD video, VGA LCD, 15.1mp, DIGIC IV. Sony has done well with their strategy.
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Likelihood of a new Rebel at PMA: 3
40D (Released August, 2007)
Canon had committed to this lineup being on a 1 year product cycle. The 50D proved that. Will Canon keep the 40D going beyond the new year? It’s unlikely. I will keep a close eye on 40D stocks. Could a 60D come at PMA to add HD Video to the class? No one I spoke to thinks so.
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Likelihood of a 60D at PMA: 1
Likelihood the 40D remains current beyond PMA: 2.5
A new Full Frame
The fabled EOS 3D. We talk about it every 6 months. Is it coming at PMA? Don’t bet on it. Let’s see if Canon has been able to meet the demands for the 5D Mark II.
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Likelihood of a 3D at PMA: 1.5
1D Mark IV (February, 2007)
Everyone wants a new one to showup ASAP. I’m receiving no information that Canon is about to launch a new 1D camera. I don’t think the worries of the economy would affect a model like this, anyone that can afford one will buy one. They will obviously be redoing the autofocus system and developing a new sensor. It’s tough to think that they could do that in 2 years, especially after the added development time to fix the 1D3.
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Likelihood of a 1D Mark III replacement at PMA: 3 (It’s a rating that doesn’t say much, but no one is saying much.)
Flagship P&S [CR2.5]
I am hearing rumors of a new CMOS based flagship P&S camera. Something that will be a departure from the G series. That’s really all the info I have at the moment. Think along the lines of the LX3, with industry leading noise & lens performance. It won’t be cheap.
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Likelihood of a flagship P&S at PMA: 3.5
Lenses:
There will be 2 launched at PMA [CR3]. That all but assures us a new camera body is coming.
1001 Noisy Cameras did their predictions a few days ago. Read them [here]
cr
Canon unit shedding more than 1,100 contract jobs: officials
TOKYO (AFP) – More than 1,100 contract workers are losing their jobs at two subsidiaries of Japan’s Canon Inc. due to production cutbacks, officials said Friday.
Canon, often hailed as a success story in Japan’s recovery from a recession a decade ago, is joining other major Japanese manufacturers that are cutting output and jobs to cope with the global economic downturn.
[Read More]
Calgary & Montreal Service Centres to be closed?
I received an email from a reader that both locations would be closed in cost cutting for Canon Canada. That would leave Mississauga to fix everything. I cannot find any official word on the topic.
I’ll poke around.
cr
UPDATE
It appears the “fix” isn’t solving all the problems folks are having.
Oh well……..
Perhaps
It appears if you turn off highlight tone priority, lighting optimizer and noise reduction, the black dots and artifacts disappear.
from [DPR]
Anyone that has had trouble with black dots, let me know if this fixes your issues.
cr
Woo
Taking a page from Virgin I see.
from [DPR]
thanks Nikon Rumors Guy
cr
