Canon's DSLR sensor performance in the future? Will Canon change designs?

[birdman]

Before everyone gets all huffy and puffy, I need to state I am a proud 5d2 owner. According to "professional reviewers", Canon is currently trailing Nikon in DR and a few other areas. I guess it is really Canon vs. Sony in this sense.

My question is: Will Canon adopt the same sensor technology as Sony to match performance? Surely Canon's R & D will come up with a solution in the future. There is very little from Nikon that I am envious of....but every company has room for improvement. Thanking you for any responses....

[neuroanatomist]

Canon has been behind Nikon/Sony in DR for several years, and yet they have soundly outsold both Nikon and Sony during that time.  Conclusion?  DR is irrelevant to camera sales, therefore DR is irrelevant to profit, therefore DR is irrelevant.   

The 5DII way, way outsold the D700 despite the D700's better DR.  If the D800 way outsells the 5DIII, why on earth would Canon think DR had anything to do with it?  The only logical couclusion for Canon would be that the D800 had outsold the 5DIII because of 36 MP vs. 22 MP, and Canon's answer will be more MP, not wider DR (DR may, in fact, be reduced with the higher MP, but as stated above, Canon already has evidence to show that DR is irrelevant). 

[UrbanVoyeur]

They may not adopt the same Sony technology, but Canon will be forced to respond with higher MP, lower noise, higher DR sensors, or face losing upper end DSLR market share to its competitors.

Canon may not feel the sales effect immediately, but they will if they continue the price/performance lag behind the D800 and D600 (if the rumors are true).

I'm interested to see what kind of camera Sony releases next, using its own top end sensors. Will they go lower in price than D800 and D600 with same sensors? Will they try to compete against the D4 and 1D? or will they just tread water and track Nikon ins prices and features.

Whichever way it falls, Canon needs to hurry up.

[PhilDrinkwater]

Interestingly I did a poll on my facebook. 80% of photographers who responded knew what DR was and felt it was important to them.

I think it's one of those things that becomes more important over time, especially when people realise what you can do with it.

However, as I've said many many times - like with high MP - most photographers will not use it.