Anyone care to guess at what it will cost at release?
If it is anything like the 5DS - $3,700 -- ouch! More? Insane.
Consider this - right now, from authorized USA retailers,
A 6D and 7D2 can be bought together for $3,100.
That combo has a tremendous amount of versatility. 6D with great image quality, FF sensor, low light performance. 7D with the strong AF system, blazing FPS, video features, and crop factor for sports/wildlife. Between the two, there's very little that can't be done. And you get two bodies too.
Given this - does it stand to reason that Canon would have to put out a 5D4 that is better in specs than these cameras combined? I would hope so. Otherwise, why bother? Better to have two bodies than one in my opinion. Only thing you lose is having all the features in one body for convenience.
That said, initial rumors did not really indicate an emphasis on increased ISO. They indicate a higher expanded ISO, but that isn't an indicator of native ISO performance. Given the less than stellar ISO specs of recent cameras - who knows what Canon might release. It isn't out of the realm that the 5D4 will be less than a stop better. That would be a disappointment.
The original 7D had more FPS than the 5D2 or 5D3. So there is no reason to assume that Canon is going to give the 5D4 more FPS than the 7D2. I don't buy into the 12fps rumor. 12 is a LOT. 12 ain't happening.
Even if released at $3,100 - the 5D4 would still be the equal of 2 separate lower line, but excellent bodies combined price wise. This makes me wonder what will be the enticing aspect of the 5D4? What will make people want to drop what they own and buy this thing? Or make people not want to buy two bodies to get the job done, and instead opt for a single 5D4?
The only thing I can think of is a real boost in ISO performance, in keeping with the 5D's reputation as low light king. But I'm not so confident anymore. 4K is up in the air. Better AF is a sure thing, but that isn't the big of an appeal since we already have great AF in the 5D3. Dual pixel, now that is going to be big. But worth spending that much? For the video guys it will be. They are salivating for a FF with dual pixel that doesn't cost as much as a car.
Or, will it be the sum of many minor to medium evolutionary improvements that all add up to an overall better camera?
Hard to place value on it.
I keep imagining Canon would need to really put out something potent. But will they? There's no way guys like KR are correct in saying there won't be a 5D4. For that to happen, would mean that Canon is going to keep the 5DS lineup in that range, and the 5D3 will live on in the low $2,000 range to compete with Nikon and others. That sounds like a disaster.
So either they make this camera (based on speculation) on the higher end of performance to justify the price, OR it will end up on the conservative side of the rumors and speculations (as has been the real trend) and Canon prices it a bit lower, in the low $3,000 range initially.
Worst of both worlds would be disappointing specs and high price. I wouldn't put that past Canon, they've done it before. If that happens, anyone who sold their 5D3 anticipating it will kick themselves.
The trend seems incremental and conservative improvements. These wild numbers in rumors almost always flop. The exception being the megapixels of the 5DS, but that was the whole point of that camera...
