*UPDATE* 5D Mark III Sighting?

[Ryusui]

Hmmm I thought it was the PROs who had MOST asked for that feature.   
I've heard them complain of it switching as it rubs against chest as they are chasing down a shot and then they whip it up for a shot and it's a mess.

yes.... you have to carry the camera like a child all the time if you never changed the mode dial by accident.

some handle the gear not so gentle....

I admit, I presume that I take better care of my gear than many, but it does hang from an RS-7 and bumps around quite a few times.

[gmrza]

Looking at the labels on the lenses, I'm pretty sure someone at Canon knows exactly who it is and what body and lenses they are using.

I hope the photographer in question doesn't suffer because of this.

Just looking at the location would suffice, I doubt there are too many people in Kenya with that kit 

I think that the tester has not revealed too much. I think that the fact it is in a public place means Canon is not too worried about leaked photos. Having been to the Mara last September, everyone looks at what the other vehicles' shooters are using. Canon is not stupid. But apart from the excitement on this forum, and soon elsewhere on the net, have they really let any IP slip?

I share your concern however, that they will not punish the tester for talking to another photographer - but again, one presumes he was briefed as to what he was allowed to do / say....

The shooter would be under strict instructions as to what he can/can't say.  Canon also will not allow use of gear in public if it should not be visible.  There's no IP lost here.  Canon will definitely want to test bodies and lenses in places like Kenya, to actually observe performance under dust/temperatures etc. in which they will actually be used - much the same way vehicle manufacturers seek out very hot, very cold, very dry, very wet and very dusty locations for testing.

If Canon wanted to be more unobtrusive, shooting wildlife, the Kruger Park would offer better opportunities to photograph wildlife without drawing too much attention to yourself.  There are also loads of private game farms/reserves in South Africa and Botswana where you could arrange to test gear without others being able to observe.  I don't think Canon's priority was on being unobtrusive.

[traveller]

Oh dear god, no.  Not that stupid mode dial unlock button.

You obviously don't spend a lot of time with a camera hanging by your side.

I do. Hours and hours walking around streets with my 5DII hanging at my side, or hours and hours hiking through the wilderness with my 7D hanging at my side. 

Number of times I've accidentally rotated a mode dial?  Perhaps 3-4. 

Number of missed shots resulting from that?  One - the first time.

Number of times I've looked up to see an action scene unfolding on front of me or a bird flying close by, and been able to quickly spin the mode dial to the hard stop at C3 to get the shot?  Probably in the hundreds.

Number of missed shots resulting from having to press a button before spinning a dial?  I don't know, but I can almost guarantee it'll be more than one.

It's really not that hard. You don't use an extra hand and the other finger that is required is generally not far away (for most people, anyway.)

Do you have a 60D or mode dial-converted 7D or 5DII that you've done this with?  Currently, the camera hangs at my right hip on a BlackRapid strap. I grab it with my right hand and as I'm bringing it up in front of my body, I rub the mode dial across the palm or fingers of my left hand as that hand reaches for the lens barrel. It's one smooth, fast motion, and I can't see how having to use a thumb or finger to press a button and then spin the dial can be as smooth or as fast. 

OTOH, I run into this mostly with the 7D and birds. So, in a 5DII replacement it probably isn't a big deal.  Personally, considering that I'm planning to get a 1D X with no dial at all, changes are in order for me, regardless.

I can't see why Canon didn't just design a seperate lock switch that you could turn on or off instead of the 'push and turn' design.  That way if you don't want to lock the mode dial, you don't have to use it. 

[drozz]

I'd be very surprised if this was a replacement for the 5D2 as it's got so much of the 7D about it. Also why would you test a 5D replacement on wildlife? That's 7D territory isn't it?

The large pentaprism housing could simply be that large for aesthetics / ergonomics and it is still APS-C or maybe H.

Interesting that no-one seems all that bothered that the 200-400 and 600 lenses are clearly on show here but all we care about is what body he's using them on!

Yep, why a 5d in the wild?...
I repeat wht I wrote before: in 2007 canon celebrated their 20th EOS anniversary in the same Kenya safari and introduced their
 sporty camera the 1dmIII...

Its obvious!!  Canon is showing off the new AF in the 5d3.  And probably the 6-8fps.  Why wouldn't Canon use probably their best focusing, new tech lens to show it off?

Everyone for the last 2+ years wanted the full frame version of the 7d... well here it is.  Similar layout and everything. 

[waving_odd]

Perhaps the photographer is sending us a coded message in the EXIF data.  The pic is 25.2 megapixels, why not 25 exactly?  Because the new camera has 25 megapixels and is .2 or version ii, therefore it is code for 7D mk ii. 

As many have said in this thread, the camera that Stephen Oachs used to photograph the tester's unknown camera is out of concern, and hence the irrelevance of the EXIF data of Stephen Oachs' photographs.   

[traveller]

Looking at the labels on the lenses, I'm pretty sure someone at Canon knows exactly who it is and what body and lenses they are using.

I hope the photographer in question doesn't suffer because of this.

Just looking at the location would suffice, I doubt there are too many people in Kenya with that kit 

I think that the tester has not revealed too much. I think that the fact it is in a public place means Canon is not too worried about leaked photos. Having been to the Mara last September, everyone looks at what the other vehicles' shooters are using. Canon is not stupid. But apart from the excitement on this forum, and soon elsewhere on the net, have they really let any IP slip?

I share your concern however, that they will not punish the tester for talking to another photographer - but again, one presumes he was briefed as to what he was allowed to do / say....

The shooter would be under strict instructions as to what he can/can't say.  Canon also will not allow use of gear in public if it should not be visible.  There's no IP lost here.  Canon will definitely want to test bodies and lenses in places like Kenya, to actually observe performance under dust/temperatures etc. in which they will actually be used - much the same way vehicle manufacturers seek out very hot, very cold, very dry, very wet and very dusty locations for testing.

If Canon wanted to be more unobtrusive, shooting wildlife, the Kruger Park would offer better opportunities to photograph wildlife without drawing too much attention to yourself.  There are also loads of private game farms/reserves in South Africa and Botswana where you could arrange to test gear without others being able to observe.  I don't think Canon's priority was on being unobtrusive.

Good point.  It make me think that either Canon didn't think that the camera would be noticed (a bit daft in the internet age when the photographer had two hotly anticipated lenses and a 1D X on him), didn't care, or wanted it to be photographed and leaked on the internet.  If it's either of the latter, it would suggest that the announcement is not far away; maybe CP+?

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Perhaps the photographer is sending us a coded message in the EXIF data.  The pic is 25.2 megapixels, why not 25 exactly?  Because the new camera has 25 megapixels and is .2 or version ii, therefore it is code for 7D mk ii. 

Unfortunately, the sqrt of 25 is 5, so it might signify a 5D MkII, hence the .2, replacement.  Oh the dilemma we face...

or 25MP stills and 2MP video 

or since when did canon use even numbers? wasn't it 8.1MP and 21.2MP etc.?

[Ryusui]

Oh dear god, no.  Not that stupid mode dial unlock button.

You obviously don't spend a lot of time with a camera hanging by your side.

For a pro that does (be it because they're using another camera or some other reason), this is comforting.

On SLRs, it used to be that the mode dial lock was also how you turned the camera on/off.

Oh, I do.  Almost daily.  If I'm not working, most times I still have my DSLR with me for mundane, every-day errands and chores.

[dilbert]

Oh dear god, no.  Not that stupid mode dial unlock button.

You obviously don't spend a lot of time with a camera hanging by your side.

I do. Hours and hours walking around streets with my 5DII hanging at my side, or hours and hours hiking through the wilderness with my 7D hanging at my side. 

Number of times I've accidentally rotated a mode dial?  Perhaps 3-4. 

Number of missed shots resulting from that?  One - the first time.

Number of times I've looked up to see an action scene unfolding on front of me or a bird flying close by, and been able to quickly spin the mode dial to the hard stop at C3 to get the shot?  Probably in the hundreds.

Number of missed shots resulting from having to press a button before spinning a dial?  I don't know, but I can almost guarantee it'll be more than one.

It's really not that hard. You don't use an extra hand and the other finger that is required is generally not far away (for most people, anyway.)

Do you have a 60D or mode dial-converted 7D or 5DII that you've done this with?  Currently, the camera hangs at my right hip on a BlackRapid strap. I grab it with my right hand and as I'm bringing it up in front of my body, I rub the mode dial across the palm or fingers of my left hand as that hand reaches for the lens barrel. It's one smooth, fast motion, and I can't see how having to use a thumb or finger to press a button and then spin the dial can be as smooth or as fast. 

OTOH, I run into this mostly with the 7D and birds. So, in a 5DII replacement it probably isn't a big deal.  Personally, considering that I'm planning to get a 1D X with no dial at all, changes are in order for me, regardless.

Dude, I grew up with SLRs that came with it by default.

I was bummed when I was forced to use DSLRs *without* it.

[gmrza]

I'd be very surprised if this was a replacement for the 5D2 as it's got so much of the 7D about it. Also why would you test a 5D replacement on wildlife? That's 7D territory isn't it?

The large pentaprism housing could simply be that large for aesthetics / ergonomics and it is still APS-C or maybe H.

Interesting that no-one seems all that bothered that the 200-400 and 600 lenses are clearly on show here but all we care about is what body he's using them on!

Yep, why a 5d in the wild?...
I repeat wht I wrote before: in 2007 canon celebrated their 20th EOS anniversary in the same Kenya safari and introduced their
 sporty camera the 1dmIII...

Not only does March bring the 25th anniversary of the EOS system, this year is also the 75th anniversary of the incorporation of Canon as a company.  It makes a March announcement of a new camera highly plausible.  In a March announcement, Canon would probably want to show that whatever new camera is announced is at least as revolutionary as the EOS system and EOS 650 were in 1987.

[neuroanatomist]

Perhaps the photographer is sending us a coded message in the EXIF data.  The pic is 25.2 megapixels, why not 25 exactly?  Because the new camera has 25 megapixels and is .2 or version ii, therefore it is code for 7D mk ii. 

I really thought this had been left behind, which would have been a good thing.  But, since not...

Do you suppose it really might just have been actually taken with a 1Ds III like Stephen Oachs uses, and the 6144x4096 image size is just a quirk of the regex tool? 

No, I guess that's not possible.  Certainly, if that were the case, other photos wouldn't show up with that resolution, either.  Photo's like this set on sumgmug, or this set, or this set.  Below is the SmugMug info from one in the yachting set.  Note the date.

Wait, maybe you're right...and Canon has been sharing this prototype 5DIII since 2008 (wasn't that when the 5DII came out?), and sharing it with pretty much anyone who asked nicely and promised with their hand on a Gutenberg comic book or a pinky swear not to leak photos taken with it. 

[Fleetie]

This is thrilling stuff!

Noticed the record-breaking board activity? I copied this just a minute ago from the board's front page:

Most Online Today: 835. Most Online Ever: 835 (2012-01-23, 21:16:53)

Without wishing to be inflammatory, I hope Neuro is right that the 25.2MP figure is a red herring; I'd like to see the 1DX sensor in the 5D3, for optimal low-light performance.

[funkboy]

I think it's cool that a Canon tester is wearing a Ricoh scarf on a safari test shoot :-)

My guess is that the camera on the 600mm lens is either a 5DIII or the forthcoming Ciné DSLR that has been discussed so much.  Certainly no pop-up flash on that thing, and a much bigger prism than the 7D...

[Mooose]

I think it's cool that a Canon tester is wearing a Ricoh scarf on a safari test shoot :-)

My guess is that the camera on the 600mm lens is either a 5DIII or the forthcoming Ciné DSLR that has been discussed so much.  Certainly no pop-up flash on that thing, and a much bigger prism than the 7D...

I think the photographer just gave away that Ricoh and Canon are soon to announce a merger.

[7enderbender]

Yep... I also see a MFN button which I want... So no flash... I hope it has an IR flash commander...

Dear God no, not I/R, should be radio 

I still don't think that is possible/marketable due to legal limitations in many parts of the world.