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

[Pyrenees]

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.

That is a very good point.

I really would not be surprised if the rumoured specs for the 5d III are spot on.

[MazV-L]

It's clear to me that even the fools who are trolling these rumors are out of touch with the market.  Let's face it, the market for a 5DII replacement consists primarily of wedding, studio, or landscape/travel photographers and videographers.  These people don't care about fps or Servo AI focus (which requires 50+ AF points)!  No... these folks need ISO, dynamic range, and a few focus points spread out on the rule of thirds that work in low light.  So, either the rumor trolls, Canon, or both, are completely out of touch with the market for a 5DII replacement. I personally hope it's just the rumor trolls that have it all wrong. 

       
Maybe the specs are right but the model name wrong, not 5Diii, something else....

[Picsfor]

OK, let's put some of this 7th Feb stuff to bed, or seriously discredit it.

Focus on Imaging 2012
   
Sunday 4th- Wednesday 7th March
109 We are pleased to announce that Canon will be exhibiting at Focus on Imaging 2012.

Come and visit us on stand L26, where we will be showcasing our fantastic range of Digital SLR cameras, including the recently launched EOS-1D X and the award winning and highly coveted EOS 5D Mark II.

Note the above from the Canon UK site about its appearance at Focus in March?

They make a big issue of 'showcasing the 5DII

They put it on a par with the 1DX, (which should have open CF slots to get sample images with)

Either Canon are very good with their keeping a secret, or they are not about to make an announcement any time soon. If they are - it will be the outline specs of the 5D2/ 7D replacement, nothing to actually show.

[Kernuak]

OK, let's put some of this 7th Feb stuff to bed, or seriously discredit it.

Focus on Imaging 2012
   
Sunday 4th- Wednesday 7th March
109 We are pleased to announce that Canon will be exhibiting at Focus on Imaging 2012.

Come and visit us on stand L26, where we will be showcasing our fantastic range of Digital SLR cameras, including the recently launched EOS-1D X and the award winning and highly coveted EOS 5D Mark II.

Note the above from the Canon UK site about its appearance at Focus in March?

They make a big issue of 'showcasing the 5DII

They put it on a par with the 1DX, (which should have open CF slots to get sample images with)

Either Canon are very good with their keeping a secret, or they are not about to make an announcement any time soon. If they are - it will be the outline specs of the 5D2/ 7D replacement, nothing to actually show.

Assuming the media person who wrote that knows of course, who knows where they are in the Canon pecking order or if it was even written by a Canon employee. Also, it doesn't preclude the announcement of a new line. There have been a number of examples in the last couple of years where the old model has remained as an active product for a while after a new model is released. Again, until we hear otherwise it's all speculation either way.

[photogaz]

I agree but why are they showcasing a 3 year old camera at the show.  That too doesn't make sense.

The camera that was caught on Safari (let's call it the new 5D) almost certainly will have an excellent AF system.  Why on earth would you take a 9 point camera on Safari to test, it doesn't make sense. 

[Deeohuu]

Actually his hints fit these specs pretty well. He was misinterpreted to hint at higher resolution but he did not. And he did not call it a 5D III. If anything he hinted it was a union of the 5D and 7D line.

But didn't he say one of three main specs in that one guy's list were wrong? That guy listed:
6fps
22MP
19 pt AF with Digic 4 assist

Two of those specs don't appear to match this CR2 info.

He has an interesting reputation. He drives people crazy but he is one of the most informed forum participant I've seen on most forums with regard to industry trends and if you know his batting average he is very credible - but he doesn't say as much people read into his posts. He seems to have a special interest in Canon and is up front that he has to be very careful of what he says due to an NDA agreement. He did say the speculated specs seemed close but he believed one detail was wrong. But he did not refer to one specific spec list and there are several variation even in that thread. He did confirm the grip in the pictures was not integrated  (duh!) but he was even careful to say that can be derived from the photos to abide by his NDA (and he postulated that the Canon employee may now be the hunted rather than the hunter on the game reserve)   .

[Wrathwilde]

-  I also expect we won't see any more than a doubling of the ISO speed, probably up to 12,800, but much more usable and probably software limited just to keep it from eating into the 1D X sales. Hopefully we'll see a nice jump in the DR too. But expect the 1D X to trounce the 5DMK3 when it comes to low light and DR performance, even if Canon has to kneecap the upper ISO select-ability of the 5DMK3 to do so. I don't think Canon will let the selectable ISO be anywhere near the 51,200 of the 1D X, even if the noise levels for the two look identical up to 12,800... the 5DMK3 will just not have anything higher available.

I don't think so, Canon has never once intentionally crippled sensor performance.

You misunderstand me, I'm not talking about crippling sensor performance, I'm sure it will be phenomenal, it's just they will impose a limit to the selectable ISO. Who knows it may even remain exactly where it is for select-ability, just that the resulting images will all be much more useable.

And yes Canon has crippled performance of cameras by not including a robust firmware. See the following link. The 300D has the same sensor as the 10D, but the 300D was firmware limited to 1600 ISO and the 10D to 3200 ISO. A firmware hack was all that was needed to reclaim the 3200 ISO on the 300D, and other functions that had been left out.

 http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/digital_rebel_firmware_hack.html

[traveller]

I read the 1DX specs as being 45 active and 16 assist points - which ties in nicely with what you are saying

Where did you read that on the 1D X spec list? Canon dropped the whole 'non-selectable AF assist points' from the 1D Mk4, probably because most everyone complained about it from the MkIII generation.  I can't see them reintroducing this unpopular move on the 1D X and I've seen nothing in their literature that suggests to me that they will. 

Maybe I've missed something?

[neuroanatomist]

I read the 1DX specs as being 45 active and 16 assist points - which ties in nicely with what you are saying

Sorry, you read wrong.  They are all 'active' although the number that act as cross-type varies with the lens attached, and of course, a C.Fn can limit the number of selectable points.

[Picsfor]

I read the 1DX specs as being 45 active and 16 assist points - which ties in nicely with what you are saying

I can vouch for them all being actively selectable - because i've selected them all, but it takes a while.
I wasn't alone in trying that out - but thankfully the AF menu allows you to select groups of AF points to narrow the region you're working in.

Whilst not covering 'every' permutation, i think the 1DX covers pretty much most useful choices.

[heron88]

Don't know if this has been brought up, but February 7 fits nicely as all the rebates on Powershots, lenses, and DSLR combos end February 4th. Just a thought...

[SDsc0rch]

jumping in wayyyy at the end of this thread

no, i haven't read all nine pages!lol

but... referring to the new pics out of africa (aperture academy - possible new 5d3) - seems to me there are TWO cameras in those pictures

this one (same basic layout as 5d2/7D) and this one (totally new arrangement)

has there been any speculation on what the second camera is??

[Rank_90]

jumping in wayyyy at the end of this thread

no, i haven't read all nine pages!lol

but... referring to the new pics out of africa (aperture academy - possible new 5d3) - seems to me there are TWO cameras in those pictures

this one (same basic layout as 5d2/7D) and this one (totally new arrangement)

has there been any speculation on what the second camera is??

Wow well spotted mate. I didnt even notce the straps are different.

Well done!
 
+1

[briansquibb]

I read the 1DX specs as being 45 active and 16 assist points - which ties in nicely with what you are saying

Sorry, you read wrong.  They are all 'active' although the number that act as cross-type varies with the lens attached, and of course, a C.Fn can limit the number of selectable points.

My wrong - sorry about the confusion

[photogaz]

jumping in wayyyy at the end of this thread

no, i haven't read all nine pages!lol

but... referring to the new pics out of africa (aperture academy - possible new 5d3) - seems to me there are TWO cameras in those pictures

this one (same basic layout as 5d2/7D) and this one (totally new arrangement)

has there been any speculation on what the second camera is??

I thought it was established that one is the 1D X and the other is the possible new 5D