Canon will release four new full-frame cameras in 2020 [CR2]

Lee Jay

EOS 7D Mark II
Sep 22, 2011
2,250
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What makes a good image?

70% photographer
20% lens
10% camera body

I'm sure these will all be great bodies. Don't sweat it too much if the specific model you want isn't in the pipeline.

That's total bunk.

It depends HUGELY on what your subjects are. I like to make fun of people saying things like, "a good photographer can make good pictures with a cell phone camera", without specifying the types of subjects to be photographed. Deep sky astrophotography? Airshow photography? Don't think so. Modest focal length pictures in good light? No problem.

See the issue here?
 
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That's total bunk.

It depends HUGELY on what your subjects are. I like to make fun of people saying things like, "a good photographer can make good pictures with a cell phone camera", without specifying the types of subjects to be photographed. Deep sky astrophotography? Airshow photography? Don't think so. Modest focal length pictures in good light? No problem.

See the issue here?

Any DSLR or mirrorless camera made within the last 5 years can do any of those things. I'm not saying the body is unimportant, but people definitely place too much emphasis on it.
 
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tron

CR Pro
Nov 8, 2011
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We already have the 1DX Mark III announced, so my guess would be two EF & two RF
  1. 1DX Mark III --- We know about this one.
  2. Canon 5D Mark V (EF-mount) --- To compete with Nikon D850
  3. Canon RF (high megapixel) --- to compete with Sony A7R IV, Nikon Z7, and Panasonic S1R
  4. Canon RF (low megapixel, Video centric) --- to compete with Sony A7s line
Actually we need 5DmarkV (assuming it will stay at 30mpixel just like 1DxIII stayed at 20) to compete with Nikon D780 and 5DsRmarkII to compete with Nikon D850.
Otherwise we compare apples to oranges.
 
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Lee Jay

EOS 7D Mark II
Sep 22, 2011
2,250
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Any DSLR or mirrorless camera made within the last 5 years can do any of those things. I'm not saying the body is unimportant, but people definitely place too much emphasis on it.

So, if you need a modern ("within the last 5 years") body, then the body is mighty important. And so is the lens, because you can't do this type of photography *at all* without the correct optics. So they're awfully important too.

I would argue the entire idea of your percentages is dead wrong. You can't do the job without all three elements, making them all crucial to getting the job done. "Crucial" because you can't do the job lacking any one of them.
 
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TracerHD

Canon EOS R1 Pro
Aug 22, 2019
37
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Just a few thoughts, at least I haven't read any comments so far.
What we have:
  • RP - entry camera
  • R - mid class camera
  • Ra - specific usage
Note: I would place the R there because of the price point. Nevertheless I see the R as an "Live-View" equivalent of the 5D IV. If you breaks down the performance of the 5D IV to the Live-View the R is in much points stronger in exchange for the battery life.

These are possibilities of cameras which are maybe missing:
  • lower cost RP that now ( < 1000 )
  • RP II - early upgrade, maybe just a few improvments like other battery ( R battery)
  • R II - 2 ways maybe
    • stay in mid class or
    • moved to professional usage
  • RV - 5D V equivalent which would be released half a year later than a 5D V
  • Several specific cameras:
    • Rc - for video
    • Rs - for sports
    • RL - for landscape
in the case the R getting moved by update ( R II ) from "mid class" to pro class" there is a chance the RP moves to "mid class" automaticaly by releasing a "lower cost than RP" camera.
 
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Jan 29, 2011
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I have had a card fail at a paid-shooting event. Not fun. I did get back all but one image taken, but it took a couple of months.
Oh I am a pretty active camera club member, it's how I get to play with all the latest gear (only enthusiasts can justify most of it), I have recovered many corrupted cards from members and I have never failed to recover 'lost' images from corrupted, formatted, etc etc cards.

I use PhotoRec, it is free and as powerful as it gets, it takes a few minutes, an hour at most. I have never had an in use/camera card that has been corrupted to the point that recovery is impossible, I have seen cards so badly damaged from external causes that internal connections are damaged but that really is beyond almost any 'normal' use.
 
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So, if you need a modern ("within the last 5 years") body, then the body is mighty important.

No, that was only a broad generalization. Obviously cameras made even before that can do the job as well. A camera body is required to take pictures, but a specific model is not. If a body had significantly more importance, as you seem to believe, then you'd be on the Sony forums right now and not here.
 
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I'm actually a little confused by the rumor. Are we talking four or five? The headline says four new full frame bodies but the text refers to five: 1DX III, High Resolution R, Bargain R, Mystery R and a 5DV.
I get the impression that there's some guessing around what those 4 bodies will be. The article sounds pretty sure on the 1DXiii (for good reason obviously) and the high megapixel body, but the remaining two seem up in the air based on my interpretation. I'd absolutely shocked if one of those remaining two weren't either a 5DV or a comparable mirrorless body.
 
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Lee Jay

EOS 7D Mark II
Sep 22, 2011
2,250
175
Oh I am a pretty active camera club member, it's how I get to play with all the latest gear (only enthusiasts can justify most of it), I have recovered many corrupted cards from members and I have never failed to recover 'lost' images from corrupted, formatted, etc etc cards.

I use PhotoRec, it is free and as powerful as it gets, it takes a few minutes, an hour at most. I have never had an in use/camera card that has been corrupted to the point that recovery is impossible, I have seen cards so badly damaged from external causes that internal connections are damaged but that really is beyond almost any 'normal' use.

I used a tool to recover all but 8 images. Sandisk recovered 7 of those 8 (it took a couple of months and they sent them on a stack of CDs). The last one was unrecoverable.
 
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Lee Jay

EOS 7D Mark II
Sep 22, 2011
2,250
175
No, that was only a broad generalization. Obviously cameras made even before that can do the job as well. A camera body is required to take pictures, but a specific model is not. If a body had significantly more importance, as you seem to believe, then you'd be on the Sony forums right now and not here.

Sony cameras suck - they have EVFs I can't tolerate.

The point is, all three elements are crucial, meaning you can't do the job without all of them (and all have to be capable of the job). Therefore saying one is more important than the other is akin to saying the wings on your airliner are more important than the flight controls or engines. Well, you need them all, so they are all equally important.
 
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Ozarker

Love, joy, and peace to all of good will.
CR Pro
Jan 28, 2015
5,933
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That's total bunk.

I like to make fun of people saying things like, "a good photographer can make good pictures with a cell phone camera", without specifying the types of subjects to be photographed. Deep sky astrophotography? Airshow photography? Don't think so. Modest focal length pictures in good light? No problem.

See the issue here?
I've actually read someone say a good photographer could use coke bottle ends as lenses and still make a great photo. :rolleyes:
 
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usern4cr

R5
CR Pro
Sep 2, 2018
1,376
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Kentucky, USA
As a stills photographer, I'm most interested in their high-pixel R body, which I (personally) would require to have:
* 35-80MP, anywhere inbetween I'm happy. (BSI preferable). Show off how good you can make your dual-pixel AF work (eg have 1/2 of the dual-pixel sensors horizontal and 1/2 vertical).
* IBIS, hopefully working as dual-IS with IS lenses.
* 5+ MP EVF, with no black-out (preferably with much wider apparent angle-of-view).
* fully articulating screen (preferably with high resolution and as big as possible). Touch-screen interaction with as many features as possible.
* no embedded lower battery grip (it can be offered as an add-on).
* good continuous eye-AF (it doesn't have to beat Sony, but just be good enough)

What I'd really like added to it (some of which I know won't happen):
* at least 1 slot (preferably 2) for the very latest high speed memory card. If the 2nd memory card exists and is slower, then allow raw image to store just to the faster slot and be copied later in background (when not busy) to slower slot for backup use without slowing down shooting. I would be even happier if they had a good size internal super-fast memory for storage of raw image, with background copy to a single external card (which doesn't have to be the expensive latest fastest speed).
* Arca-swiss grooves at the bottom edges of the body so you can mount to any A-S mount, such as on tripods. It's easy to add them without affecting anything else. If possible, add another set of grooves on left side for portrait use on tripod.
* charging over USB 3 . Give the usb 3 connector a physical detent so when a cable is plugged in you can feel it snugly snap in place when fully inserted and not want to come out by accident. Allow USB 3 cable connection to computer (PC or MAC) or smart phone for control of everything (including seeing images) at full speed & 100% reliability.
* the EVF on the top left so you use with right eye while looking straight forward without smashing your nose into the body - made even better with an optional bigger fully light blocking rubber right-eye-cup which can be rotated(eye-cup only) 90 degrees for vertical shots. Now you can open your left eye (if desired) to see the normal view at the same time you frame your picture and take it, even after rotating camera 90 degrees left for portrait mode (oh, can you feel the ergonomic rating rise!).
* No PASM dial, but instead use dedicated (half-hidden) left-right rotary dials for speed, aperture, EV offset & ISO, each with a 'auto' toggle on/off (maybe by a push detent of the dial itself?). You could have 2 dials sticking out the top right front and 2 more sticking out the top right back. That's all 4 controls!
* A lever around the exposure button - for single frame, continuous frame, or video (or other start-stop control, such as single frame after 5(menu adjustable) second delay for selfies - yay!).
* neutral density algorithm (blending multiple images for tripod use)
* all bracketing options put together in one menu. Including aperture bracketing. Focus distance bracketing can be used (+/-) around the *center* distance (which is when button is pressed to start taking images, like when using eye-AF). If you dare to innovate, you could allow 2 brackets to be done for the same image (eg 3 in one bracket, and 4 in another means you take 3 * 4 pictures).
* low-light star tracking algorithm
* make strap connector locations at all 4 corners and recessed so they don't interfere with using buttons & dials (now you're free to attach the 2 camera-strap ends however you like).
* GPS, finally! Even better if you can do full offline location navigation with internal downloaded maps.
* A "silent" button. Those of you that don't want this can re-program it to something else.
 
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I get the impression that there's some guessing around what those 4 bodies will be. The article sounds pretty sure on the 1DXiii (for good reason obviously) and the high megapixel body, but the remaining two seem up in the air based on my interpretation. I'd absolutely shocked if one of those remaining two weren't either a 5DV or a comparable mirrorless body.
One issue with a 5DV DSLR is that you couldn't use all that new RF glass on it. So I am thinking a mirrorless equivalent to the 5D built around a new sensor is more likely. While this may be logical, apparently the rumors don't seem to be headed in this direction.
 
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slclick

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Dec 17, 2013
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There are tons of idiots out there.
Well, I can make a good (not great) photo with a cardboard box, gaffers tape, tin foil, a tiny hole and some Ilford paper.On top of it it's a whole lot more enjoyable than clicking on a button full of electronics and a keyboard. Now, do I do it very often? No. I like to spread the love around though. Like Canon offering different bodies for different strokes.
 
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Therefore saying one is more important than the other is akin to saying the wings on your airliner are more important than the flight controls or engines. Well, you need them all, so they are all equally important.

I don't think you're understanding what I'm saying. Let me break it down by importance:

The difference between a good photographer and a bad one: very high importance
The difference between using an 85mm 1.8 and a 50mm 1.8: medium-low importance
The difference between using a D750 and D780: low-no importance

We are not debating the importance of one facet of photography being present or not. Obviously they are all required.
 
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One issue with a 5DV DSLR is that you couldn't use all that new RF glass on it. So I am thinking a mirrorless equivalent to the 5D built around a new sensor is more likely. While this may be logical, apparently the rumors don't seem to be headed in this direction.
I think it's clear Canon wants to go that direction, but I wonder if they're ready to bet all their current 5DIV users will jump to mirrorless for the right camera. Maybe, but either way I just can't see them not refreshing that niche for longer than 4.5 years, whether by 5DV or EOS R equivalent. The 5D IV is still a great camera and frankly in a pinch I'd be comfortable hanging on to it until the next generation if the next version doesn't suit my need. Or maybe Canon's vision is that the high-resolution R will occupy that niche from now on, and the lower resolution equivalent will move down market to sit closer to where the R does now, though I'm sure that would be well received by all /s. I guess we'll know one way or another soon enough!
 
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Lee Jay

EOS 7D Mark II
Sep 22, 2011
2,250
175
I don't think you're understanding what I'm saying. Let me break it down by importance:

The difference between a good photographer and a bad one: very high importance

That depends on the subject.

The difference between using an 85mm 1.8 and a 50mm 1.8: medium-low importance.

You picked two very similar lenses thus minimizing the importance.

There difference between using a D750 and D780: low-no importance

You picked two very similar cameras, thus minimizing the importance.
 
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