5D X or Mark III Specs & Release Date? [CR1]

[Jimmy_D]

@neuroanatomist, i agree with you in nearly everything, but i must stress a fact that  might have passed un-noticed and that is : which studio high-end dslr is canon going to provide to it's customers? It's a good move from canon to hit the entry-level field, but let's not forget that there is professional field to!!!

[kpk1]

If they kill the 7D mk II, they will have my limitless rage! Or sorrow.
Seriously though, they had better not kill the 7D line off!

They won't because 7D mk2 it is the direct competitor for the D400.
The 7D line is thought to be the APS-C high end DSLR. Crop sensors are cheaper to produce those a FF can't replace it and Canon wouldn't be stupid to cut their sales. I'm pretty sure that big money come from smaller bodies not from the highest.

[nigelc]

I may be in a minority but this would leave me completely uninterested in moving on from my 5D2. The only thing that would really have me reaching for the credit card would be a step forward in sensor technology, especially DR, and a visible improvement in image quality. If 36MP meant that the AA filter could be dispensed with fine, even if the low light performance was only the same as the 5D2.

I wouldn't pay for "better" AF or FPS. Actually, if I sell my remaining lenses to get the Zeiss 100mm, I'll be all Zeiss, so don't need AF at all (although focus confirmation is very useful). Couple of things they could improve would be to extend the exposure compensation (and AEB) to 5 stops and re-locate the on-off switch.....oh and better weathersealing. Also why can't Canon incorporate a selectable grid overlay in the viewfinder so that I can use the Eg-S screen, instead of having to get the grid screen?

[Flake]

These rumored specs seems too good to be true for $2700 (like others have said), considering that things like AF is the same as the 1Dx (more then twice the price) and pretty high frame rate.

And speaking of frame rate, the 1Dx uses 2 Digic 5+ processors. At 12 fps at 18MP= 216MP/sec. Scaling that to a 22 MP sensor, Dual Digic 5+ would be able to move 22MP at nearly 10fts.
One Digic 5+ would maybe do 5fts at 22MP??

So unless the 5d mk3/mkx has dual Digic 5+, I don't see how it can do 6.9fps.
On a single Digic 5+ CPU I can believe anything roughly under 5fps

I am assuming that the 12fps the 1Dx does is limited by data throughput, but the limitation could be mechanical (mirror movement), in which case the upper limit of throughput is below 12fps at 18MP, otherwise Canon would have used just one in the 1Dx.

That last statement is the wrong way around! the upper limit of throughput is above 12fps or the camera couldn't manage 12fps.
The whole post however shows a lack of understanding of the way a digital camera works.  The camera does not work by the image processor reading directly from the sensor, the output is buffered first, then queued, image processed, then written back to the buffer before being written to the memory card.  This is also why buying a faster memory card has little effect on performance (unless the original is really slow!)

I wonder how Digic 4 made an appearance onto this rumour, once a new processor has been introduced Canon has never used the older one in a new model.

[neuroanatomist]

I wonder how Digic 4 made an appearance onto this rumour, once a new processor has been introduced Canon has never used the older one in a new model.

The 1D X uses a Digic4.  Granted, it's not the image processor, but it's in there...

[kenraw]

If this happens, I will be jumping all over this.    (and Canon I will forgive you for making us wait this long!)

+1000 on this 

I will be all over it too. There is going to be some serious pre orders put in for a camera like this, I hope we dont have to wait ages to get hold of one!

[traveller]

How on earth is canon going to keep competition with nikon (provided the d800 is a 36mp camera) with a camera that's most likely going to have a 22mp sensor (regardless of other features)?? Is something wrong in this picture or it's just me?

First, the D800 has to be a 36 MP camera.

But, it's my contention that competition at this level is less of a factor than you might think.  How many prople jump into the dSLR realm with the purchase of a FF camera and lens(es) which will cost over $3K?  Not many.  I think the real competition occurs at the entry level, and them most consumers stick with that brand, either out of loyalty, familarity, or most commonly already being bought into the system with EF lenses, flashes, etc.  Canon's need is to induce people with 5D/5DII to upgrade and those with CAnon APS-C bodies to go FF - a camera with the rumored spec would likely do those quite well.

I think the only place the Canon 22 MP vs. Nikon 36 MP issue would really hurt is on the Best Buy sales floor, because those typically uninformed sales people often know only that 'more MP is better' and the irony is that Canon are the ones who taught them that...

I remembered this load of foaming nonsense that someone posted on DPreview, but it does pose one question: do you think that he started with a Rebel?

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1032&message=34011456&changemode=1

Not everyone starts off at the bottom, there are also rich people who want toys with impressive spec sheets!

[kpk1]

@neuroanatomist, i agree with you in nearly everything, but i must stress a fact that  might have passed un-noticed and that is : which studio high-end dslr is canon going to provide to it's customers? It's a good move from canon to hit the entry-level field, but let's not forget that there is professional field to!!!

1D4 & 1Ds3 they never emerged.
1Ds was the highest megapixel body and the toughest. 1DX is in fact the evolutionary 1D to the full frame. They seem to lost the "s". The 1Ds is dead. The "s" will reborn in a new body.

In autumn I'll bet that we'll see a 5Ds or a 3D with specs on par with D800 but maybe with another philosophy. If the D800 is a highend FF, then 5Ds could be a simple body with a higher pixel count. Wouldn't that be what you want ?! The actual 5D2 with 39 mpx and a nicer AF ?! It's that simple.

In the end Canon will have 3 FF bodies in their lineup. Just wait a few months.
I wouldn't be surprise to see two body launches in the next few weeks.

[neuroanatomist]

Not everyone starts off at the bottom, there are also rich people who want toys with impressive spec sheets!

Sure...but I doubt they make a significant fraction of the demographic.  Still, I always wondered what he did with the reward money from the Rebel Alliance...

[kenraw]

If they kill the 7D mk II, they will have my limitless rage! Or sorrow.
Seriously though, they had better not kill the 7D line off!

They won't because 7D mk2 it is the direct competitor for the D400.
The 7D line is thought to be the APS-C high end DSLR. Crop sensors are cheaper to produce those a FF can't replace it and Canon wouldn't be stupid to cut their sales. I'm pretty sure that big money come from smaller bodies not from the highest.

Not to mention they wouldn't want to lose out on efs lens sales but getting rid of the 7D line

[neuroanatomist]

@neuroanatomist, i agree with you in nearly everything, but i must stress a fact that  might have passed un-noticed and that is : which studio high-end dslr is canon going to provide to it's customers? It's a good move from canon to hit the entry-level field, but let's not forget that there is professional field to!!!

Not forgotten.  But if you accept that the 1DsIII/5DII were the studio cameras of choice for Canon users, a 22 MP 5DIII/X isn't far off that mark. 

[Axilrod]

If they kill the 7D mk II, they will have my limitless rage! Or sorrow.

Seriously though, they had better not kill the 7D line off!

What does a 5DIII coming out have to do with the fate of the 7D?

[Axilrod]

Lens wise, I hope it arrives with:
24-105/4L IS II (or 24-120/4L IS to match Nikon) for which there were rumors about a year ago that it would arrive with the 5D3
24-70/2.8L II (or IS, or better yet both ways like the 70-200s are) for which there have been endless rumors for MANY years
100-400L II (unlikely) for which there have been space rumors, but I would really like to see get a refresh (mostly coatings and 4-stop IS, perhaps a more traditional twisty zoom)

It's been suggested for a while that the 24-70 II and 35L II will be the new lenses, not sure about the 3rd.  50L II would be nice

[kpk1]

available in april? I dont think so....
and 61 af points? that is not possible. People wont be buying the 1DX then. Id think its something more like 12

I'll say it again. Even if 5D3 would come with 12 fps like de 1D X they know how to protect their nr.1 They learned a lesson from 1Ds.
Think only at the buffer level. If 1D X is capable of taking, let's say 100 jpegs in a row because of the buffer at 12 fps and 5D3 will take only 20 shoots at 7 fps and if you're a professional sport shooter, what would you choose ... the speed or the buffer ? In both cases 1D X wins hands down.
Pro AF, dual card slot, higher AF system, those are not cost effective that much.
In the end I think Canon learned from the Nikon strategy: give photographers what they'll need and they'll buy it.

Looking in Nikon's camp I'll bet that D800 and D4 aren't the only ones that we'll see. A D800 with a D4 sensor or something close is on the way. Think only that they are the first that put a small megapixel sensor in a professional body.

[ejenner]

Those specs along with price seem too good to be true.   An updated 5D with faster FPS, AF similar to 7D or better? possibly better noise by 1/2 stop or so for $2700.

Likely better video.

That's going to be hard to resist for next Christmas which is about the time the waiting list will be down to a month.