But maybe Canon don’t really care?...Maybe they figure the actual intended market will be ok with whatever the resolution is and any chatter by others is just noise...
Lets be honest the 1 series, new, has always been an expensive niche, and a lot of people saying they want an R1 with 50-60mp are mostly talking nonsense as they are never truthfully in the market for one.
All publicity is good publicity? The R5/6 sales are higher than expected but bodies seem to be generally available now vs lenses.
Can't make everyone happy. I wonder how much the overhyped overheating issue lost Canon actual sales.
I’m not sure it cost them many sales, it did cause them to lose face a little, which is just as bad!...
Generally I agree. But I have thoughts/comments.
The 1 series "market"
was professional photojournalists and sports photographers. But, that market has been devastated over the last few years. I can't imagine how Canon can sell two bodies (R3 and R1) to that market. I would think that both have to appeal to a larger audience of enthusiasts in order to turn a profit. The enthusiast market
does care about resolution and has the resources to buy. Perhaps Canon has decided that the R3 will be the "true" sports and photojournalism mirrorless and the R1 will be the luxury model for those who are not price sensitive -- in which case we might actually see a 50-60mp R1.
Are R5/R6 sales higher than expected? Or has Canon simply benefited from COVID Induced shortages? Certainly Canon has been able to maximize its per-camera profit thanks to COVID. In a normal cycle by now we'd be seeing price reductions from dealers. Instead Canon has been able to maximize it's direct to consumer sales, which it admitted has resulted in more per-product profit for the company. With the bizarre year we've had, I don't believe anyone, including Canon, can really know what the market will be like once things return to normal (if they ever do).
I agree that Canon definitely does not want a repeat of the overheating issue. Contrary to the saying, all publicity is not good publicity.
I'm still trying to sort out my own decision. I'd really like to ditch the 1D for a mirrorless body, mostly so I don't have to keep lugging around so much duplicative equipment and keep switching back and forth between formats. I'm willing to take a hit on the 1Dx III, for the convenience of a single mount. I've never had a problem with the 20mp of the 1Dx III, so from that perspective 24mp is not a sacrifice, but it's also not really a step forward. I never believed the 45 mp rumors, although I would have found that appealing. 30 mp seemed like a reasonable option, as it would have matched the R and the 5DIV and I appreciate the cropping room of those bodies over the 20 mp of the 1Dx.
I just looked up the shutter life of the R5 and found it's equal to the 1D series. If I'm shooting in the rain, I protect my bodies, so the 1 series weathersealing versus 5 series is not that big of a deal to me. I know many people prefer the ergonomics of the 1 series, but I'm perfectly fine with slapping a grip on the R5 when I need extra battery life and enjoying a smaller body when I'm not. I've been loving the 1.6 crop of the R5 and know that isn't really going to be a good option with the R3, but when and if Canon ever delivers on the 100-500, that gives me an extra 100 mm, which would help with outdoor sports on a 24 mp body.
Decisions. Decisions.