Exploring Canon’s 1 Series Digital Legacy

[Michael Clark]

I said it's not at the same level, which is true. My point is that people who need high resolution have been placed in third tier by Canon.

In the context of discussing the whole series 1 and how sport and wildlife shooters are getting R1, I made a comparison that people needing high resolution are going to be offered R5mk2 - in the same form factor as before, with same resolution as before, making this the first time ever in the series 5 camera that there will be no increase in sensor resolution.

Yeah, that jump from 21.0 for the 5D Mark II to 22.3 for the 5D Mark III was so huge.

It wasn't at all about the Mark III getting a pro grade 61 point AF system that used the same part number for the PDAF array as the 1D X instead of the 9 point consumer grade system of the 5D Mark II, the better weather and dust resistance, or a sturdier body compared to the Mark II.

I used the 5D Mark II as my primary body for over three years, then used the 5D Mark III body for over four years. Other than the sensors, which were pretty close in performance, the Mark III was an entirely different class of camera than the Mark II.

Roger Cicala said the same thing regarding both it's construction and AF performance.

Despite my well-recognized modesty, I will also point out that when the 5D Mk III was first released, and Canon fanboys were dropping off cliffs right and left, I said “the 5D III is no minor-upgrade camera; it’s an entirely new camera using the old camera’s name”. Its autofocus system is certainly not a minor upgrade–it’s moved over to the big-boy camera side.

Roger also said here:

This is no minor upgrade camera; it’s an entirely new camera using the old camera’s name. And it’s better—in every way. After just a few hours with it (30 minutes of which was a lesson from Tim about using the autofocus system) this camera has grown on me like salmonella on room temperature chicken. I absolutely love it and have set aside my 5D II for good.

 

[tcphoto]

I remember receiving my first 1D and how it changed my experience shooting for clients and then there was Capture One and shooting tethered. I didn't see a mention of the 1Ds, it paired well with the 1Dx for me for a couple of years.

 

[DSB]

Yeah, that jump from 21.0 for the 5D Mark II to 22.3 for the 5D Mark III was so huge.

It wasn't at all about the Mark III getting a pro grade 61 point AF system that used the same part number for the PDAF array as the 1D X instead of the 9 point consumer grade system of the 5D Mark II, the better weather and dust resistance, or a sturdier body compared to the Mark II.

I used the 5D Mark II as my primary body for over three years, then used the 5D Mark III body for over four years. Other than the sensors, which were pretty close in performance, the Mark III was an entirely different class of camera than the Mark II.

Roger Cicala said the same thing regarding both it's construction and AF performance.



Roger also said here:

FYI, I own both R5 and R5mk2. There's really not much difference between the two. Yes, the AF is somewhat better in mk2, but s not by a huge margin. Unless you're a sports / wildlife shooter, I really doubt most would profit from the improvement, considering the AF was pretty good in R5. It's certainly nowhere near the difference with 5Dmk2 which had abysmal AF compared to 5Dmk3 which had a decent AF system.

And, ironically, if you're a sports / wildlife shooter, you're probably better off with R3 or R1, even further confirming my earlier assessment that Canon is mainly catering to the speed-focused market while ignoring those that need high resolution.

This has led me down the path to purchasing a GFX100II, along with a full set of 8 lenses. For the first time in my career I'm running 2 systems, simply because I got tired of waiting for Canon. I do all of my architecture / product / landscape / cityscape work with the Fuji and use Canon almost exclusively for occasional sport gig, a low light handheld shoots or taking photos of my dog.

And I have to say, being fully aware of the Fujifilm user tropes, I'm really enjoying what that camera produces, both in terms of resolution as well as the colors. And at 8 fps, it's no slouch either. I'll be getting some fast primes soon and I have a feeling Fuji will take over that part of my work from Canon as well.

I just feel like Canon has been stagnant for a long time. The releases come and go and it all feels so predictable and incremental. There's nothing to bash, of course. Canon is reliable and proven and performs well. Kinda like a Toyota sedan. But I'm missing something that makes the heart beat faster.

And I feel like this is desperately needed, because with the onslaught of AI, I have zero doubt that all camera makers will start feeling the pain.