7D Firmware officially announced

[Marsu42]

Maybe that's just me, but as consumers I think we should demand that the support from the manufacturer should be more than just incremental and trivial updates.

That's the well-known problematic point: demand how? Writing forum posts? Buy less Canon gear or switch to Nikon as a regular consumer? All of these won't be noticed or for the wrong reasons. The things that might work is cps professionals telling Canon they're considering to switch to another brand because of mediocre support.

And yes, I do see the reason why they do things this way, but it isn't necessarily the best way to do business.

I hate to say it, but personally I think Canon is rather clever engineering people into buying the most expensive stuff which they never though they'd to a short time ago. Canon now just has to meet the competition, i.e. upgrade their sensors like on the 1dx and do r&d on mirrorless.

 

[japhoto]

Maybe that's just me, but as consumers I think we should demand that the support from the manufacturer should be more than just incremental and trivial updates.

That's the well-known problematic point: demand how? Writing forum posts? Buy less Canon gear or switch to Nikon as a regular consumer? All of these won't be noticed or for the wrong reasons. The things that might work is cps professionals telling Canon they're considering to switch to another brand because of mediocre support.

And yes, I do see the reason why they do things this way, but it isn't necessarily the best way to do business.

I hate to say it, but personally I think Canon is rather clever engineering people into buying the most expensive stuff which they never though they'd to a short time ago. Canon now just has to meet the competition, i.e. upgrade their sensors like on the 1dx and do r&d on mirrorless.

I do agree with you here, not buying Canon gear doesn't do any good since other manufacturers do things quite similarly so the "message" wouldn't go through. Although I must say that when I had 4/3rds gear, Olympus did for example release optimizations to their AF systems both for bodies and lenses (the lenses also had upgradeable firmware). And to my knowledge the issues were pretty minor and they released a fix in a reasonable time frame. I don't know if that's too much to expect, but again I agree that I don't know how this change could be made.

Also I tend to agree with you on the business side of things, I meant originally that it's not perhaps the most ethical way to do business, but yes, it is damn effective. Just look at the 5D - series, making sure there was a lack of much needed features on the MkII they can pretty much ask for what they want for the MkIII. But at the same time I feel that they could trickle the features down from the 1D - series to their flagship APS-C - sensor camera (at the moment 7D). I don't think that for example adding better bracketing to the 7D or its successor would affect the sales of the 1DX.

It would be really cool if someone would release a modular DSLR like the computers are at the moment. With upgradeable "motherboard", sensor, AF-system, body etc. I'd be all over that

 

[Marsu42]

It would be really cool if someone would release a modular DSLR like the computers are at the moment. With upgradeable "motherboard", sensor, AF-system, body etc. I'd be all over that

It would be completely sufficient to provide documented firmware hooks for 3rd party firmware like magic lantern to do more things outside live view, and without time-consuming reverse engineering. They could also invent a "this will void your warranty" flag if they fear too many bricked bodies returning.

Actually, I think this would benefit Canon because ml only runs on Canon's very good digic processors (well, except dual cpu bodies like the 7d). And because 1d or 5d users would still buy the same camera body and not say "Well, ye know, the 600d does unlimited bracketing with magic lantern, why would I need a 5d3?". So imho, this specific shortcoming is poor business due to sheer, blatant ignorance and arrogance.

 

[skitron]

1. the current firmware upgrade even if it is free is: too little, too late.

I agree. I passed on the 7D for the sole reason it did not have manual audio control. Now it finally has it but the rest is getting rather dated. So good for existing owners, but no incentive to buy one unless a really cheap price.

 

[Marsu42]

So good for existing owners, but no incentive to buy one unless a really cheap price.

At least with working auto-iso, the 7d is up to par to newer bodies and it's possible to circumvent the sensor's problems by setting an upper iso limit like on the 60d. So imho if you need a high fps camera with ok iq, the 7d at the current price could be counted as "cheap" given the Canon & Nikon competition in this sports sector.

 

[SDsc0rch]

The unexpected firmware that only makes this very good camera even better by adding new features beyond those you purchased it with is not good enough for you people? OMG

^this^

 

[AvTvM]

So good for existing owners, but no incentive to buy one unless a really cheap price.

At least with working auto-iso, the 7d is up to par to newer bodies and it's possible to circumvent the sensor's problems by setting an upper iso limit like on the 60d. So imho if you need a high fps camera with ok iq, the 7d at the current price could be counted as "cheap" given the Canon & Nikon competition in this sports sector.

I do not consider AUto-ISO "solved". Canon has supplied the ABSOLUTE MINIMUM... and it comes three years after the cam has been released. A cheap, extremely simple poiece of software code. Every Nikon from the D80 and better has a better Auto ISO implementation than firmware 2.0.X for the 7D, Canon's APS-C flagship camera.

And the 7D's lease on life probably expires the very minute Nikon brings out a DX D400. If they decide to ever get one to market. Until a possibly superior D400 materializes, I do prefer my 7D over the Nikon D300s, despite the D300s' better Auto-ISO feature.

 

[gabriele]

Would have been nice if they added some of those functions on the way more expensive Canon EOS 5D Mark II.

 

[Marsu42]

Would have been nice if they added some of those functions on the way more expensive Canon EOS 5D Mark II.

True, but that's why everybody recons that the 7d2 is not around the corner: Canon does not seem to be in the habit of adding features to cameras that already or nearly have a successor. So the firmware upgrade for the 5d2 is the 5d3.

 

[gabriele]

Would have been nice if they added some of those functions on the way more expensive Canon EOS 5D Mark II.

True, but that's why everybody recons that the 7d2 is not around the corner: Canon does not seem to be in the habit of adding features to cameras that already or nearly have a successor. So the firmware upgrade for the 5d2 is the 5d3.

I know that's the hint of no 7D Mark II around but I hate this kind of Canon marketing: never seen such an expensive firmware upgrade!

 

[Marsu42]

I know that's the hint of no 7D Mark II around but I hate this kind of Canon marketing: never seen such an expensive firmware upgrade!

Good marketing is not when you love it, but when you buy it (or at least don't buy something else) :-o ... just like the most annoying tv advertisement or the radio jingle you can't get out of your head. But of course you know that, I just couldn't resist writing it again.

 

[PCPhil]

Would have been nice if they added some of those functions on the way more expensive Canon EOS 5D Mark II.

True, but that's why everybody recons that the 7d2 is not around the corner: Canon does not seem to be in the habit of adding features to cameras that already or nearly have a successor. So the firmware upgrade for the 5d2 is the 5d3.

Ooo. Download link please

 

[canon20d7d]

will the firmware update give us audio controls while recording like the 5dm3 and let you see your audio levels live? or will it be more like the audio controls on the 5dm2/60d where you have to preset your settings?

i cant really tell by the descriptions

 

[cheinly]

I hope this firmware comes out soon as my GP-E2 just shipped from B&H. hate to have *** that will not work with camera till i get the firmware update