If the specs are tr.ue
If the specs for the D5000 are true, Canon appears to be getting their proverbial butt kicked from a perception standpoint.
I’m not a spec person, but for an entry level camera.. specs can lead to sales. Consumers love specs!
From Nikon Rumors
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Rebel T1
We will see a Rebel XS replacement announced in June. I was told the current XS will remain current while the XSi will be discontinued over the summer.
We’ll still have 3 Rebels for Christmas. The XS could reach the $400 price point. I still think that’s a little unrealistic.
The T1 will not have a movie mode. It’ll basically be a rebadged XSi.
Lenses?
Not likely before the fall.
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Finally?
I received an email claiming the 60D will get a dumbed down version of the new 1D autofocus system. There will be more AF points and have a more pro “feel”.
The new autofocus system is apparently built on the current 1D system. It’s not going to be completely new. That doesn’t really worry me at all.
50D AF
copyright Ethan Meleg
A friend of mine who is a professional nature photographer and insanely avid birder has been shooting with a 50D recently.
He’s been quite impressed with the AF system.
“I’ve been using my new 50D body and have found it to be excellent for bird photography. I’m most impressed with the incredibly quick and accurate autofocus, as well as the fast frame rate. It blows away my 1DsIII body for shooting birds.”
You can visit his blog and check out his last 2 posts for pics taken with the 50D here.
I posted this because he’s a real world photographer out there everyday.
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Bad news from one source
Firmware Coming?
I’ve been told we may not be getting a firmware update this month like reported a little while ago. It is claimed Canon is working on one, it’s just not coming in the immediate future.
It’s still guesswork as to whether or not the movie mode will get some manual love. I’m getting conflicting stories.
I’m waiting to hear from someone in particular that will give me a better idea.
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Interview with Chuck Westfall
Real Chuck Westfall
CNET sat down with Chuck Westfall to discuss the future at Canon. Nothing overly exciting, but worth a read if you haven’t’ already.
My favourite question and response.
Nikon has been making market share gains in the last year. How does that change things for Canon in terms of pricing, marketing strategy, or product development?
Westfall: I’ll say this: It’s been very good for Canon as well as the rest of the industry and customers especially to have a very vigorous competition between the two companies. It works out to better products and very competitive pricing. We’re in this business to stay. We don’t back down from challenges. Our situation is pretty good. We are very well positioned in terms of our investment in R&D to be able to continue developing new products and technology to keep us at our No. 1 level. Based on the market research we’ve seen, although it is true that Nikon made some gains on us last year, we still ended up in the No. 1 position in units and dollars for both the SLR and compact camera categories.
Read More: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13580_3-10213645-39.html
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All Done
15mm fisheye - Indroduced in 1987
I received the following email a couple of minutes ago.
I talked with Canon tech support today and they said they are no longer going to produce the Canon 15mm fisheye!!
I’m not sure what anyone in tech support would know about product availability. I haven’t seen an official discontinuation yet.
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Highly Recommended
Tokina 12-24 f/4 DX
DPReview has completed their review of the Tokina 12-24 f/4 DX lens and have given it a very favorable review.
Conclusion
So overall the choice when considering a third-party lens in this class boils down to either the optical excellence of the Tokina, or the wider angle of view but compromised sharpness of its competitors (or at least those that we’ve tested so far). Now the difference between 12mm and 10mm is indeed significant; those 2mm cost 10 degrees in the diagonal angle of view (99º as opposed to 109º), so the question is whether you’re willing to sacrifice that ultra-wide perspective. But the rewards are, on the whole, worth it; the Tokina 12-24mm F4 simply produces superior images. If sharpness is your goal, it’s an option not to be overlooked.
Read The Complete Review: http://www.dpreview.com/….
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From Imaging Resource & SLRGear
The folks at Imaging resource have come up with their own way of testing the effectiveness of image stabilization in lenses. There first test subject? The 70-200 f/4L IS.
There is all sorts of charts and graphs and fun stuff to read.
The Verdict? At best, the 70-200 f/4L IS came away with a maximum improvement of 2.8 stops with IS turned on. That’s pretty impressive. Canon claims “4 stops”, but we all know about the validity of manufacturer claims.
Yes, you’ll get 30mpg if you’re driving down a hill, newly paved, with the wind behind you on racing slicks and the engine off.
I’d like to see a good comparison of this lens and Sony’s 70-200. What’s better, in-body or in-lens? Get it done IR!
Read More: http://www.slrgear.com/…
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Canon EOS Rebel T1i
Press Release:
April 3, 2009
Canon has announced that it has produced over 10 million consumer D-SLRs (digital single-lens-reflex) worldwide since the launch of the EOS 300D in 2003. Canon’s D-SLR products have achieved consecutive no.1 rankings in GfK’s consumer hitlist since 2004. Starting with the Canon EOS 300D, the market-leading spot was passed to the 350D in 2005, the EOS 400D in 2006 and the EOS 450D in 2008 (GfK WEU14 Jan~Dec for each respective year) and it is hoped the trend will continue following the recent release of the EOS 500D.
“Canon remains at the forefront of this consumer market growth with a market share of 40 per cent in Europe (GfK WEU14 Jan~Dec 2008) which we account for our commitment to consumer demand and our passion for high-quality image,†said Rainer Fuehres, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging (CCI), Canon Europe. “We hope that the release of the EOS 500D will further strengthen our market position this year.â€Â
The increasing volume of consumer-orientated D-SLR models on the market has also driven an increase the volume of lens sales. Canon’s EF lens portfolio is now the world’s most extensive and popular range of D-SLR lenses, with over 60 models and 40 million sales worldwide.
Canon recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of Canon SLR (single lens reflex) cameras, having launched the Canon Flex in May 1959. Over 50 million Canon SLRs have been sold worldwide and Canon SLR cameras are accepted as the benchmark standard for amateur and professional photography.
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Coming in 2009
I’ve posted before that I had information that the xxD line of cameras would take a bigger step forward than the 50D did over the 40D.
The 60D will still be an APS-C camera, but we could see DIGIC V introduced with it.
I have no specs outside of wishlists, but information about the next incarnation should start coming soon.
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