Clues about Canon's Plan?
As we know, a lot is being said about the demise of the 1Ds Mark III. It's disappearing from stock at stores, from Canon's own web store and anywhere else you can think of.
So what gives?
I'm told Canon may be quietly letting the 1Ds Mark III sail away into the sunset without a replacement right away. The 5D Mark II cannibalized a lot of the 1Ds3's sales since it hit the market and became one of the best selling dslrs ever. The people that wanted a 1Ds3 for it's full frame and build quality have probably already ponied up and bought the thing.
Canon will put larger differences in resolution between the 5D Mark III and 1Ds Mark IV.
I'm told the 5D Mark III will be first and be a slight upgrade in megapixels. 28 seems to be the number I keep hearing.
The big megapixel cameras from Canon or Nikon won't be until the end of 2011 and into early 2012. Expect a big jump in megapixels above whatever the 5D Mark III turns out to be. 42mp from Nikon, around the same for Canon. None of this is written in stone yet I'm told, Q2 2012 is also a possibility.
CR's Take
As I said yesterday, I'm cautious about anything 1Ds Mark IV related. This information seems completely plausible to me. Eventually Canon has to unleash a camera that shows their financial muscle in R&D and manufacturing. A 5D Mark III will bring in a boatload of revenue, more than a 1Ds camera ever would. I think we'll see it first. I have been wrong before though.
I have posted that a new 1D would come in 2011 before a new 1Ds, that could definitely be a stop gap for a full frame pro body. I'm not sure if they solved the issue of not being able to do 10fps with a full frame sensor, 9fps was possible when the 1D Mark IV launched.
However, there is a part of me thinks Canon is still behind the APS-H sensor and thinks there is a market for it.
16-35 f/2-2.8 Patent
PR via egami posted a patent to a lens that I think already exists. It's exactly the same as the 16-35 f/2.8L II.
This f/2 zoom patent looks different.
cr