Will canon bother ramping up production on the 5d2

[mreco99]

It looks like 5d2 stocks are all but gone, and the 5d3 (or similar) is getting closer (our best guess). It will be interesting to see if canon bother to start production of the 5d2 again to build stocks, or they concentrate on the replacement model.

I wonder how close they were to starting to reduce stock on 5d2 before the recent disasters.

Assuming that plants are/were damaged, would canon bother to reconstruct manufacturing processes for a camera body that is (in our best estimated) due for replacement this year.

With all the rumors around, surely the potential customers for the 5d2 are heavily reduced.

Id love to be a fly on the wall in the board room.

[CR Backup Admin]

Production rates are set by component availability.  Thats assuming there is electrical power in the factory.  Unless a replacement is in production, I expect that they will be wanting to build them as fast as they can get components.  There is a lot of pressure due to the huge losses in sales Canon has experienced, and it is a very good seller.

This time of the year is the time that sales are usually high due to people buying cameras before vacations, I think they want to cash in as best as they can.

[gene_can_sing]

I'm still sticking by the "I'm not buying any camera body from Canon until they release the Digic 5 / 5D3."

I want a full frame video camera, but Canon needs to do some major video fixes and they don't deserve my money until they release a very long, very overdue video upgrade.

If nobody buys anything, Canon will be forced to release the 5d3 sooner. If people keep buying the current 5d2, the next model will never come out. Simple economics.

[mreco99]

im giving it until spring 2012 by then ill be done waiting

[Jamesy]

I don't know if I am a typically consumer but I know that I am waiting for the 5D3, whenever that might be. It will be a colossal upgrade from my current 40D. I am sure I am not alone in waiting which obviously must put pressure on a corporation to EOL a product and introduce a new one.

[te4o]

I'm waiting too, BUT if you don't wanna buy the current models today because you're expecting the next model how can you plan buying next year (if still staying with Canon) nothing but the same old models? Then the new edition will be presumed even closer !
So, NoBuy policy means either waiting till the new one comes without being impatient or jumping off Canon now.

[Jamesy]

I'm waiting too, BUT if you don't wanna buy the current models today because you're expecting the next model how can you plan buying next year (if still staying with Canon) nothing but the same old models? Then the new edition will be presumed even closer !
So, NoBuy policy means either waiting till the new one comes without being impatient or jumping off Canon now.

I plan to stay with Canon, I have too much invested to switch at this point and frankly I like the results. I have a 40D and for the weekend warrior type shooting I do, it is fine. I would love a 5D2 but seeing as the 5D3 is (presumably) around the corner, I am content in waiting....... For now!!!

[Bob Howland]

In fact, I think they were starting to ramp up manufacturing of their new FF, professional camera, whatever that is, when the tsunami hit. I was expecting everything to be postponed by six months to a year. It may be only three to four months instead. I'm impressed.

I have a 5D and 40D that still take very nice pictures, although not at ISO 51,200. I can wait a long, long time.

[unfocused]

If nobody buys anything, Canon will be forced to release the 5d3 sooner. If people keep buying the current 5d2, the next model will never come out. Simple economics.

No. It's not.

It not as though Canon or any other manufacturer has a bunch of new models sitting around on the shelves just waiting to be released. New models are released when the technology, tooling, testing, manufacturing lines, etc. are ready. A drop off in sales may prompt a company to review whether or not they need to refresh the product (or drop it altogether) but it's not going to have much impact on a specific release date.

Even if that theory were valid, the total number of people who even visit this site represent a tiny fraction of the market. We can, in no way, affect that overall market beyond a fraction of a fraction of a fraction.

Canon is a business. Their purpose is to make money. They do that by selling products that people want to buy. They would purposely hold back a product that there is demand for because...? They don't want to increase their profits and sell more products? They don't want to satisfy customer demand and foster brand loyalty? They just want to be mean to you?

Doesn't it ever occur to some people that they don't want to release a product prematurely because they have a reputation to protect and a premature release of a product before it's fully developed and tested would damage that reputation.

You can hold your breath until you pass out, but it's not going to affect Canon's release date in the slightest.

[gene_can_sing]

Do you honestly think that Canon does not hold Camera technology hostage? Of course they do. It happens all the time. Would they hold back a product that there's a demand for like the 5d3? Of course they would, since there's still demand for a 5D2, why would they release the newer camera?

There have been MANY instances where a camera was crippled or held back because they didn't want it to compete with a higher product, or they just wanted to milk the current tech for a bit longer. It's simple economics and a good way to make money.

So yeah, keep buying those 5D2s and I guarantee that the 5D3 will be held back. For Canon, it's all about sales figures. When the figures dip, that's when they have to make a move and release something new. EVERY TECH COMPANY is like that, but Canon probably more so than most since they move so slow and they are the dominate company so they don't need to be hungry.

Canon does not have your best interest in mind. They are simply out to make money off you.

[CR Backup Admin]

Canon does not have your best interest in mind. They are simply out to make money off you.

Lets know when you find a company that doesn't want to make as much profit as possible.  Nikon?, Sony?, Panasonic?, maybe Apple or Google?

The huge investment required to produce a major new model is made because it will return a profit.  So you are right, companies do not just produce new models or upgrades on a whim, there is a plan to make money by doing it.

[richy]

Canon does not have your best interest in mind. They are simply out to make money off you.

Lets know when you find a company that doesn't want to make as much profit as possible.  Nikon?, Sony?, Panasonic?, maybe Apple or Google?

The huge investment required to produce a major new model is made because it will return a profit.  So you are right, companies do not just produce new models or upgrades on a whim, there is a plan to make money by doing it.

Exactly so. It's a vaguely symbiotic relationship but as Microsoft show quite often we are not valued customers so much as cash piñatas to be firmly beaten every few months.

[UncleFester]

I've a feeling we'll see a couple more large batches of Mark IIs come through before a III is released.

[te4o]

Someone has to start a new betting topic: what do you think will come out first 5D3 or 1Dx? And price bets?

[justicend]

Canon and Nikon wait for each other.