*UPDATE* 5D Mark III - February 7, 2012 [CR2]

[traveller]

With those specs, I wonder at the price.  Still, with those specs, it would be hard to justify spending the additional thousands of $ for the 1D X...

Will you stop saying that! Someone from Canon might hear you. 

[neuroanatomist]

These specs are not that different from the 7D apart from the 22mp ff - did Canon worry about the 7d affecting the 1d4 sales?

Did the 7D have the same size sensor and same AF system?  That's what's being proposed for the 5DIII...

[Mt Spokane Photography]

These specs are not that different from the 7D apart from the 22mp ff - did Canon worry about the 7d affecting the 1d4 sales?

+1

Producing a camera that sells well and makes a ton of money is what its about.  Selling a 100K 1DX cameras does not make the profit like selling 1 million 5D MK III's.  Reducing the 1DX sales by 10% is not a concern.

If I need a 1DX, I would buy it regardless of a 5D MK III.

In the days of film, any camera body could take the exact same image as a pro body, assuming the same lens and fillm.  That did not stop Canon and Nikon from churning out cheap bodies with fewer features, and making much more money on them than they did on the few expensive ones sold.  They would not  be in business today if they had not made the cheap bodies.

[jrista]

These specs are not that different from the 7D apart from the 22mp ff - did Canon worry about the 7d affecting the 1d4 sales?

1D IV has a larger sensor and a more advanced AF system, not to mention a hoard of other benefits that the 7D does not. On the other hand, the 5D III specs here are for a sensor of the same size (but HIGHER resolution) and an identical AF system as the 1D X...outside of those who simply want bragging rights or the built-in vertical grip...with specs like that...why would anyone buy the more expensive 1D X?

[dealaddict]

I also don't believe it will have 61 AF pt and 7.5 fps.  But this is not totally impossible.  The D700 also have 51 AF pts and 5 fps (8 with the battery grip).  So, with this spec, Canon finally catch up with Nikon, and a lot of Canon user will be very happy.  But from the marketing perspective, jumping from 9 AF pts to 61 is a giant leap, and Canon may just increase by small steps so to keep people keep upgrading. 

I just switch to Sony ... but if the spec is true, I think I may switch back to Canon 

[neuroanatomist]

...why would anyone buy the more expensive 1D X?

Weather sealing?  More robust build and shutter life? 12 fps?  Pathological fear of the number 5?

[lbloom]

I think giving the 5D III the 1D X AF would be great, and the 1D X still has other specs that set it apart, like dual processors or FPS. We won't know until we know!!!

[dilbert]

So given that it is highly unlikely for there to be a release on February 7 (no press invites, Nikon event, etc), surely the rest of the associated rumor should be reason for this to drop from CR2 to CR1...

[yunusoglu]

I just switch to Sony ... but if the spec is true, I think I may switch back to Canon 

I really don't get this... Not only that I don't see a reason to switch to Sony but also; what will happen if Olympus announces a super-duper camera 3 months later? And then Pentax announces a better one? And then Nikon with a killer deal?

I'll never understand this...

P.S.: No offence mate, nothing personal, just that your post reminded me what I wanted to say since a while...

[DavidRiesenberg]

I don't know. I mean I can find logical reasons to this batch of rumors to be both true and false. But my gut feeling tells me that Canon would not do a 180 degree turn on their market diversification scheme at this point so while the 22MP might be true, pro grade AF and high FPS will not.

[Stone]

I find these specs entirely plausible, the 1DX just isn't an affordable proposition for most people unless you're a demanding pro with tons of business or an avid enthusiast with lots of disposable cash.  It simply isn't on the radar for 98% of FF DSLR users.

The 5DIII NEEDS a spec sheet like this because, the advantages it once had i.e. 20+MP and great video are going to be standard for all the new bodies that occupy it's price range.  The current 5DII falls pretty short against the D700 once you remove these 2 advantage.  If Canon continues to cripple the 5 series, they will most certainly lose alot of new customers to Nikon.  Why would someone who already needs to buy new glass in order to move up to FF pick the 5DIII over the D800 if the Nikon has superior af, fps and build quality for roughly the same price?

I think Canon realizes that the advantages it once had are now gone and it needs to step up it's game or risk losing the slew of crop body users who eventually plan to go FF.....

I for one hope the specs are true so instead of a 1DX, I could get a 5DIII + 24-70L + 35L for roughly the same price as a 1DX which would complete my FF kit.....

[gputah]

61pt AF like the 1DX??
I don't think that Canon will put the same AF in the 5D as the 1DX...

Nikon does this all the time...

[LetTheRightLensIn]

With those specs, I wonder at the price.  Still, with those specs, it would be hard to justify spending the additional thousands of $ for the 1D X...

Yeah those would be very, very un-recent Canon-like specs. 7.5fps is just enough that even many serious action pros might not justify the 1DX and 22MP gives them a touch more reach at that too and if it has 61pt AF w digic IV help and if it comes in a smaller size.  But maybe they noticed the 36MP D800 and figured the 5D3 is utterly dead in the water unless the spec it out like mad. And better lose a few 1DX sales (it is so much more than even a 1D price now maybe they figure only the few who must have the best of the best in all ways would have gotten it anyway) than everything to D800?

Something like 30MP, 6fps, slightly reduced 1DX AF or maybe 1D3 or 1D4 AF would seem to hit the 1DX less hard since 6fps isn't quite enough for the truly serious action pro/PJ.

Anyway, either option would be fine by me .

[LetTheRightLensIn]

With those specs, I wonder at the price.  Still, with those specs, it would be hard to justify spending the additional thousands of $ for the 1D X...

How many of the specs were "spot on" back in October before the 1Dx announcement?
And, what would this mean pricewise, if 61 AF points and the 7.5 fps really materialize? Mk 1DIV level?
As a kind of a trickledown from 1DX AF wise?
I am not too much into tech, though. You are the experts. Thanks for any comment, although there's nothing but wild specualtions...

Maybe this is the fabled 3D and it will cost like $3300-4000? And then the 5D3 comes later at 30MP, 5-6fps, 7D+ AF and $2600-$3200?

[BDD]

I think giving the 5D III the 1D X AF would be great, and the 1D X still has other specs that set it apart, like dual processors or FPS. We won't know until we know!!!

That's what I'm thinking. Just borrow some key features (e.g. 61-pt AF and 100-51,200 native ISO) from the 1D-X (along with the specs listed today). But pricing the 5D3 around $3000 (preferably closer to $2500...though, it doesn't look like that's going to happen...since Nikon will already be pricing their 2 versions of the D800...rumour..between $3000-3900...Canon is likely do something similar with the 5D3).

Hope Canon does make a formal announcement on the 7th of Feb.

As for switching to Sony...not something I'd consider (I'm a Nikon shooter). Not enough lens selection yet (no comparison to Canon...which I think has the best selection...with Nikon a close 2nd...which is one of the major reasons why I'm considering switching to Canon if the 5D3 has the specs I'm hoping for...the D800 won't...if those rumours are true).