Yes the Blue Tilt photo is really good.

Chig said:

The 300mm f/2 is one of my dream lenses which I've posted about here more than once but my version also has 2 builtin T.C.s:
1.4x for 420mm f/2.8 and
2x for 600mm f/4

My other dream lens is 200mm f/1.4 with again 2 builtin T.Cs:

1.4x for 280mm f/2 and
2x for 400mm f/2.8

These 2 could replace the 600mm f/4 & 400mm f/2.8 and be much more versatile too.

Also would like to see an RF version of my EF200mm f/1.8 too

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I don't think we're going to see lenses with dual TCs any time soon, unless the concept of a zooming TC ever comes to fruition. It's too much bulk on the lens to have two TCs built into it.

Also, a 200/1.4 would have the same front element size as a 400/2.8. Talk about an unwieldy lens to use. I doubt we will see such a thing.

Eloniel said:

That's what Sony does, if the range start at 70 make it up to 180mm. If it's start wider you can stop at 135 or 150mm.
I guess Sony offering starting at 50mm and Tamron 35mm forced Canon to change their plan.

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Sony does overlap their 28-70/2 and 50-150/2, but the upcoming 16-28/2 doesn't overlap. Wish it did, a 16-35/2 would be incredible. Regardless, a full trinity of f2 lenses seems very surreal, the stuff of dreams not so long ago.

Also an upcoming 100-400/4GM, not related to this discussion but should be an interesting lens.

Bob Howland said:

Wild guess: Sigma is more than "thinking" about introducing a professional L-mount camera. I think they are actively working on it and it'll (update: be FF, )cost about $3000, and have about 30MP and world class focusing. Will they also introduce a cheaper version with an APS-C sensor? Who knows but they should.

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Sigma isn't great at AF on the camera side of things, at least not so far.

I think the real change in L mount will come from Chinese makers. A number of them have already joined the L mount alliance. I'd guess the first Chinese L mount camera will come from DJI who has plenty of AF experience already from Hasselblad as well as their own drone-based systems. They're already a Sony customer for sensors so that seems likely to continue. Expect extremely competitive cameras from multiple Chinese manufacturers, at prices that considerably undercut the existing big brands.

Edit: DJI might even brand a FF camera with the Hassy name. That'd be pretty cool.

The 300mm f/2 is one of my dream lenses which I've posted about here more than once but my version also has 2 builtin T.C.s:
1.4x for 420mm f/2.8 and
2x for 600mm f/4

My other dream lens is a 200mm f/1.4 with again 2 builtin T.Cs:

1.4x for 280mm f/2 and
2x for 400mm f/2.8

These 2 could replace the 600mm f/4 & 400mm f/2.8 and be much more versatile too.

Also would like to see an RF version of my EF200mm f/1.8 too

AlanF said:

A local Robin and Blue Tit today. (R5ii/200-800mm).

View attachment 227098View attachment 227099

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The Robin is very nice photo but the Blue tit is killer!

CJaurelius said:

Agreed that were all making assumptions. From what I have seen from most reports are that Professional is the largest end user( by revenue), followed by Prosumer and then hobbyist. Content Creator/Prosumer may or may not be grouped together depending on where you look. As mentioned Content Creator is the fastest growing group based on revenue.

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Canon/Nikon/Sony probably have more granular market segments (especially by region) but for me, there are 3 buyer categories:
1 Full time professionals whose primary business is photography ie selling images or run/gun hourly rates etc.
2 Professionals whose side hustle/part time business is photography or who needs camera gear to provide an income from other sources. They aren't fussed on brand, want simplicity and are cost conscious.
3 Everyone else who can afford some or a lot of camera gear from their disposable income and make no or minimum money from images.

I am definitely in the third category and bought low end gear a long time ago when I had little disposable income and substantially more now.
OEMs target this segment as they can get long term value capture.

Photography workshops - especially travel destinations are a big growth area for full time pros vs having a gallery and trying to sell prints. Providing white glove travel experiences is where some can make a lot of money!
That said, there are now specialist dog photographers making 6 figures as well heeled empty nesters or other couples have fur babies buying lots of big prints.

Maybe in my transition-to-retirement after being retrenched, I might sell some prints or offer custom day trips around Sydney to traveling photographers. Something I would like to pay for when I am traveling to new places

Lovely shots, Alan.

roby17269 said:

As I know pros that had to downsize since they cannot afford expensive gear anymore...

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which is unfortunate but the internet meme has a lot of truth to it

Dragon said:

Punishment from that crowd didn't quell sales of the R5, so probably not too much of a worry for Canon. First is still first.

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They latched onto something to downgrade Canon for daring to be first with 8k30 raw and still the only OEM to have a hybrid that does this. If cinema light codecs or external recording (USB-C or Ninja) or had the subsequent firmware updates (timer to measuring temperature to allowing higher internal temps before shutdown) at the beginning then it would have been a different story.

I certainly have no regrets having put down a pre-order in Feburary 2020 and still don't have a pressing desire to upgrade although 14 bit ES with variable fps is tempting. Maximising dynamic range for low light is a priority for me though.
3rd party SW with noise reduction in the last 6 years (Topaz/LR etc) has been very useful and probably avoided the upgrade so far.

David - Sydney said:

The reviewers would certainly punish any Canon attempt for 12k unless it can continuously record for 2 hours without overheating

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Punishment from that crowd didn't quell sales of the R5, so probably not too much of a worry for Canon. First is still first.

F/1.8 or F/2 are ok, but what about a more affordable 100-105mm with this aperture?

Tom R5R7 said:

I can think of one other approach to the R3 II, but I'm almost certain that Canon would not do it - a pro-level crop body. A stacked or semi-stacked low-noise 32 mpx APS-C sensor on a fast body with a huge battery, built for birding, wildlife, and such for those with a bit of a budget constraint. Who can afford a 600 f/4 and a couple of teleconverters? How about a 400 f/4 instead with a couple of teleconverters. Or the fabled 200-600 f/5.6....

There would be a market for such a camera, although it may be somewhat small. A crop R3 with a couple or 3 fast zooms like a 15-55 f/2.8 or 15-85 f/4 L quality available.

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Like, an R30?

Ozarker said:

I doubt there will be one of those. There might be (I hope) a 70-135 or 70-150 f/2.
I don't see overlapping two f/2 L zooms.

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That's what Sony does, if the range start at 70 make it up to 180mm. If it's start wider you can stop at 135 or 150mm.
I guess Sony offering starting at 50mm and Tamron 35mm forced Canon to change their plan.

wbrock001 said:

I'm waiting for the 50-150mm f/2 for RF. Also I don't think they'll do a 300 f/2.8 just because they already have the 100-300 f/2.8, unless i suppose they want to do what sony did and have a very light 300 prime.

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I doubt there will be one of those. There might be (I hope) a 70-135 or 70-150 f/2.
I don't see overlapping two f/2 L zooms.

neuroanatomist said:

Battery grips used to cost $200-250, they now cost over $400. Even accounting for inflation and the recent tariffs, that's a disproportionate price increase. A likely reason for that is that they are selling fewer units and need to increase the cost to achieve ROI. Canon stopped making battery grips for many lines, even the top APS-C R7 didn't come with that option...presumably because Canon didn't think they'd sell enough at an acceptable price to justify the development costs. No ROI = don't make it. So it seems that accessory grips are becoming less popular, not more. Probably doesn't add to the arguments in favor of a high-MP body with an integrated grip.

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Nikon surprised the market with their Z8/Z9 pairing which they thought would have been successful but only they know the volume of each. If they release their next iteration with the same option then we know there is sufficient volume for Nikon to offer it.

Sony clearly has the market lead when it comes to battery life but still provide a grip and would know how many they sell. Probably rare to need the extra battery life but moreso helping vertical shooting. If they were selling a huge number then selling an integrated grip version may make more sense but probably not the case.

In my opinion, Canon needed to have a cooling grip even if they sell very few simply to counter the massive over reaction to the overheating situation for 3 video modes in the R5. A R5cii also wasn't announced or released since. I imagine ethernet being a very small niche but critical to them. Extended battery and vertical shooting would probably be the highest volume.

I still contend that combining the 3 grips into an integrated body would save some money in multiple SKUs and offer the market a choice between R5ii body and R1 silencing the reviewers (and users) that want a higher mp integrated grip/ extended battery etc.
What Canon would name it is an interesting thought. Probably not a R5s. Maybe a R2?

David_B said:

Why is that? Canon sells more single memory card cameras than it does with two and it sells relatively few large battery pack cameras.


Why is everyone saying 45mm is a retro lens? Was it released with the AE-1?

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My first SLR was an AE-1. Bought it with the 50 1.4 which at the time was not a bad lens. However, after getting a 35-70 it hardly ever got used. So the two lenses mentioned are very likely candidates, though I was surprised that the RF45 was introduced rather than a 50. Suppose Canon want 50 to appear pro? Still have those bits of kit.

A local Robin and Blue Tit today. (R5ii/200-800mm).

montyproductions said:

Who’s running things at canon??? Not a good business decision in my opinion.

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The people who took the company to the leadership position in the ILC market 22 years ago, kept it there since then, and made the ongoing decisions that resulted market dominance with nearly half of the cameras sold every year having the Canon nameplate on them. So...I'm guessing people who know more about what features should go into cameras at various levels and for various target market segments, including the R1, than anyone posting on this forum.

Here are the two main reasons I bought the R1 over the R3. First, the R1 has dual CF express card slots. Second the R1 has a full HDMI port. Now, was it worth such a huge price gap to make the purchase? Probably not, but that’s what I wanted and that’s what they had.

What canon should have done, was put the R1 specs into the R3 and the R1 should have had 8K 60p with at least a 45-50 megapixel sensor all in “fine”. As a former product manager and director, they should have put all the bells and whistles into the R1 and yet, somehow the R5 has a higher pixel sensor, but doesn’t have fine in 60p, only the R5 in crop mode and R5c. Who’s running things at canon??? Not a good business decision in my opinion.

The R1 should have been and should be the red dress!!!

neuroanatomist said:

Offered for your consideration, the Leica Q2 "Ghost".
View attachment 227097

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He has a better hairstyle than I. Maybe a Kodak FunSaver is a better fit for me.

Our crop stable included the Rebel, Rebel XTi, T2i, and 80D. I love the Rebel and 80D, although the former is now for nostalgia and the 80D is in the hands of my kiddo. The 80D resulted in large, beautiful Alaska prints that adorn my office.

I was tempted with the 7D2, but at the time I felt it was too out of date compared to the 80D. But I have friends with the 7D2 for whom you'd have to pry the camera out of their dead hands, even with the R7 offering.

I ultimately decided the R6 with long glass gave me equivalent framing at much higher quality pixels, so left the crop world. But I think the crop world remains quite valid, and the sensors only get better. Someone mentioned in the R3 "II" forum how a crop R3 would be a neat spin on the professional use of crop sensors, and I have to agree. It would be neat to see an R7/R3II crop value pair in the line-up for those photographers needing every last ounce of apparent zoom.

CJaurelius said:

Agreed that were all making assumptions. From what I have seen from most reports are that Professional is the largest end user( by revenue), followed by Prosumer and then hobbyist. Content Creator/Prosumer may or may not be grouped together depending on where you look. As mentioned Content Creator is the fastest growing group based on revenue.

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I think the problem with those analysis is that there are no well-defined boundaries to separate hobbyists from prosumers from content creators. So it is difficult to establish what category goes up or down.

CJaurelius said:

I don't disagree that the hobbyist market is going upmarket as well. That was a core part of my argument. My macro view was that the bottom of the market is being eroded to smartphones and the Chinese and the Japanese camera makers are shifting toward more premium products rather than trying to compete head to head on price. For example Full frame is gaining ground. So if smartphones and the Chinese are making more and more small sensor cameras the Japanese are making more larger sensors.

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Agreed

CJaurelius said:

A hobbyist will be less likely to upgrade without a real meanigful upgrade. And we are hitting a point to where for the casual shooter they may never need to upgrade. I argued for example 8K tv's are declining in sales. So if we never surpass 4K displays as mainstream why would we need 12k consumer cameras for example?

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Well a lot of "gearheads" upgrade regardless Personally I tend to skip a generation (both with cameras and phones) but I haven't followed this rule recently with drones. I tell myself that the newer ones are a clear improvement (they are!), but the reality is that my drone flying / filmmaking skills are such that the previous generation was not limiting me But I wanted the new ones, so...

CJaurelius said:

Contrast that with the prosumer/professional where they are beating the crap out their equipment and can benefit from minimal new feautures as they are getting paid for the content they produce. As a result they are going to cylcle through equipment at a faster rate through either upgrade or replacing worn out items.

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While I do not shoot day in and day out, the main reason I am looking at a X2D II is that my H5X is about to give up the ghost. The X2D II also has a CMOS sensor and ok AF, which make me overlook the painful (to me) fact that I will be downgrading sensor size (from 54x40mm to 44x33mm ).
But apart from mileage, most pros I know are more sensitive to workflow improvements than camera-specific improvements (like resolution, AF, etc.) so they are more interested into accessories, software etc.
Just saying that there are different dynamics that may affect photographers in different ways.

CJaurelius said:

Now of course the future always throws something crazy at you. I wouldn't be surprised if they figure out how to put AI and some other software in the camera and then tie it to a subscription.

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Well color me uninterested I'm all in for smart AF, but call me old-fashioned, I want to be in control of the photos I take.

CJaurelius said:

By end user, content creators registered the fastest growth trajectory with a 6.8% CAGR through 2030, whereas professional photographers retained 35.6% revenue share in 2024.

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So Content creators grew, Professonals retained and therefore the hobbyist is probably what decreased a bit. This is as a precent of revenue and since revenue increased its possible that each group made more money its just the mix that is shifting.

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Thanks for that. I wasn't aware that CAGR has a fixed denominator, such that different segments must sum to 100% and if one segment grows then another must shrink. I also wasn't aware that predicted future growth (I think growth is the G in CAGR, right?) and current revenue share are the same type of information, such that they can be readily compared and/or added together.

Just goes to show, we're presented with new information every day. I guess the trick is to determine what information comes from a reliable source, and what information comes from someone talking out of their nether orifice. Fortunately for me, I am able to make that determination.