A 2014 Roadmap Part 1: The 7D Mark II is Coming [CR2]

[mkabi]

Oh, by the way... if you have found this "official press release" and they did say that the "7D II will receive a new sensor" technically the sensor from the 70D put into the 7D II is a "new" sensor compared to the original 7D. You can't argue with them if they put in the dual pixel 70D sensor into the 7D, "oh but you said that the 7D II will receive a new sensor" they will say that is a new sensor.

No, no, no - Canon will not be quite SOOO cheap. Almost, but not quite. ;D

Even with my rather low expectation regarding Canon's innovative zest - I do expect the 7D II (whatever it may be called) .. to be announced in 2014 to NOT have the 70D sensor .. but something "slightly improved" ... say 24 MP and 0.1 EV better DR ... and of course Dualpixel-AF and other "video Optimization" on board. ;D

I am rather sure ... because otherwise even Canon could not possibly charge USD/€ 2500 for the 7D II (whatever its goin to be called) ... lol

Really? After 4 years... in terms of MP... the difference between 5D Mark II and the 5D Mark III is 1MP.
Even if you take into consideration, the 50D to 60D to 70D, the increments are relatively small max 2-3MP.
The Biggest surprise of them all was the 1Dx... it was an increase from the 1D, but a decrease from the 1Ds.

You're telling me that the 7D Mark II will have a whole 6MP difference between Mark I & II?
May be if they changed the name, but that won't make it a 7D mark II... its a different gear altogether.

€ 2500 for an APS-C??? Why??? Have you seen the prices of the 6D and even the 5D mark III, lately?

 

[Don Haines]

Oh, by the way... if you have found this "official press release" and they did say that the "7D II will receive a new sensor" technically the sensor from the 70D put into the 7D II is a "new" sensor compared to the original 7D. You can't argue with them if they put in the dual pixel 70D sensor into the 7D, "oh but you said that the 7D II will receive a new sensor" they will say that is a new sensor.

No, no, no - Canon will not be quite SOOO cheap. Almost, but not quite. ;D

Even with my rather low expectation regarding Canon's innovative zest - I do expect the 7D II (whatever it may be called) .. to be announced in 2014 to NOT have the 70D sensor .. but something "slightly improved" ... say 24 MP and 0.1 EV better DR ... and of course Dualpixel-AF and other "video Optimization" on board. ;D

I am rather sure ... because otherwise even Canon could not possibly charge USD/€ 2500 for the 7D II (whatever its goin to be called) ... lol

Really? After 4 years... in terms of MP... the difference between 5D Mark II and the 5D Mark III is 1MP.
Even if you take into consideration, the 50D to 60D to 70D, the increments are relatively small max 2-3MP.
The Biggest surprise of them all was the 1Dx... it was an increase from the 1D, but a decrease from the 1Ds.

You're telling me that the 7D Mark II will have a whole 6MP difference between Mark I & II?
May be if they changed the name, but that won't make it a 7D mark II... its a different gear altogether.

€ 2500 for an APS-C??? Why??? Have you seen the prices of the 6D and even the 5D mark III, lately?

18 or 20 megapixels is now ancient history..... Just like when 10 was normal and then we all made the big jump to high megapixel cameras with 18 meg sensors, we will soon arrive at a time where 25 meg is the new 18

 

[mkabi]

Oh, by the way... if you have found this "official press release" and they did say that the "7D II will receive a new sensor" technically the sensor from the 70D put into the 7D II is a "new" sensor compared to the original 7D. You can't argue with them if they put in the dual pixel 70D sensor into the 7D, "oh but you said that the 7D II will receive a new sensor" they will say that is a new sensor.

No, no, no - Canon will not be quite SOOO cheap. Almost, but not quite. ;D

Even with my rather low expectation regarding Canon's innovative zest - I do expect the 7D II (whatever it may be called) .. to be announced in 2014 to NOT have the 70D sensor .. but something "slightly improved" ... say 24 MP and 0.1 EV better DR ... and of course Dualpixel-AF and other "video Optimization" on board. ;D

I am rather sure ... because otherwise even Canon could not possibly charge USD/€ 2500 for the 7D II (whatever its goin to be called) ... lol

Really? After 4 years... in terms of MP... the difference between 5D Mark II and the 5D Mark III is 1MP.
Even if you take into consideration, the 50D to 60D to 70D, the increments are relatively small max 2-3MP.
The Biggest surprise of them all was the 1Dx... it was an increase from the 1D, but a decrease from the 1Ds.

You're telling me that the 7D Mark II will have a whole 6MP difference between Mark I & II?
May be if they changed the name, but that won't make it a 7D mark II... its a different gear altogether.

€ 2500 for an APS-C??? Why??? Have you seen the prices of the 6D and even the 5D mark III, lately?

18 or 20 megapixels is now ancient history..... Just like when 10 was normal and then we all made the big jump to high megapixel cameras with 18 meg sensors, we will soon arrive at a time where 25 meg is the new 18

I don't think Canon got that memo when they released the 1Dx, SL1, EOS M, EOS M2, t5i, even the 6D and 70D has only 20.2.

I'm not complaining, 18MP is all I need.

 

[jrista]

Oh, by the way... if you have found this "official press release" and they did say that the "7D II will receive a new sensor" technically the sensor from the 70D put into the 7D II is a "new" sensor compared to the original 7D. You can't argue with them if they put in the dual pixel 70D sensor into the 7D, "oh but you said that the 7D II will receive a new sensor" they will say that is a new sensor.

No, no, no - Canon will not be quite SOOO cheap. Almost, but not quite. ;D

Even with my rather low expectation regarding Canon's innovative zest - I do expect the 7D II (whatever it may be called) .. to be announced in 2014 to NOT have the 70D sensor .. but something "slightly improved" ... say 24 MP and 0.1 EV better DR ... and of course Dualpixel-AF and other "video Optimization" on board. ;D

I am rather sure ... because otherwise even Canon could not possibly charge USD/€ 2500 for the 7D II (whatever its goin to be called) ... lol

Really? After 4 years... in terms of MP... the difference between 5D Mark II and the 5D Mark III is 1MP.
Even if you take into consideration, the 50D to 60D to 70D, the increments are relatively small max 2-3MP.
The Biggest surprise of them all was the 1Dx... it was an increase from the 1D, but a decrease from the 1Ds.

You're telling me that the 7D Mark II will have a whole 6MP difference between Mark I & II?
May be if they changed the name, but that won't make it a 7D mark II... its a different gear altogether.

€ 2500 for an APS-C??? Why??? Have you seen the prices of the 6D and even the 5D mark III, lately?

18 or 20 megapixels is now ancient history..... Just like when 10 was normal and then we all made the big jump to high megapixel cameras with 18 meg sensors, we will soon arrive at a time where 25 meg is the new 18

I don't think Canon got that memo when they released the 1Dx, SL1, EOS M, EOS M2, t5i, even the 6D and 70D has only 20.2.

I'm not complaining, 18MP is all I need.

Canon got the memo people were sending with the 1D X, 5D III and 6D: Fewer megapixels, better high ISO. That WAS the outcry before the D800. I asked for it (along with higher frame rate, which the 1D X delivers in spades.)

However, SINCE the D800, the memo being sent from Canon fans is different. They already got their low megapixel camera that kicks ass at high ISO. Now, they want something different. They want high MP...as many megapixels as they can get their hands on. And more dynamic range. Different messages, different times. Canon delivered, exquisitely, EXACTLY what their customers asked for with the last round of major upgrades. The low-end entry lebel rebels and whatnot don't matter...no one really gives a damn about them, they are unimportant in the grand scheme of things. The 70D is barely important, even, more of a stopgap to fill in the time till the 7D II release than anything, and a tool to showcase the fact that Canon is still innovating in the sensor realm. Consumers will buy the entry level and midrange camera models pretty much regardless, so their stats aren't nearly as important. The camera models that matter are the xD series models. The high end models. The models that have a FOUR YEAR cycle, rather than a one year cycle.

It is still early, rather quite early, for Canon to be releasing replacements for the 1D X, 5D III, and 6D. The 7D was released a bit after the 5D II, so it is no surprise it's coming would be later...however if Canon was indeed caught off guard with the onslaught of high megapixel parts from SoNikon, it is no surprise they require additional time to respond to the new demand, the demand for higher megapixels. The 7D II won't just be some mediocre half-assed upgrade. The 7D is a professional-grade part, Canon knows it's a popular line, Canon knows that simply "using the same old sensor" is just an insult to their customers, and Canon knows that to compete, they have to COMPETE. The chances are low that Canon won't do something very compelling with the 7D II. I also think the chances are relatively low that they will eliminate the 7D line...it's been wildly popular and an exceptionally good seller...seems highly doubtful Canon would do away with such a success.

 

[CarlTN]

This thread is entirely too speculative to be a "roadmap", and entirely too argumentative about that speculation...

It's going to amuse me when this new camera turns out to not be everything you all hope it will be, at least regarding image quality (no doubt it will be blindingly fast with pro quality autofocus...which for many of you is all that counts).

For instance, I highly doubt this new sensor will exceed (or even equal) the dynamic range of the existing 24 MP 1.5x sensor being used across the way. How could it? It's going to have smaller photosites, by definition, so each will get less photons. Do any of you really see a quantum leap in crop sensor performance coming soon from Canon? I don't. If they make big strides in sensor performance at all (and that's a big IF), it will go into the new full frame camera. Why else would the new rumor suddenly be going from 41 MP down to "approximately 35MP" ?? And this is full frame...NOT CROP. Keep in mind the photosites on the D800 are essentially the same size as their SIXTEEN megapixel 1.5x crop sensor in the old D7000, etc...which already has relatively huge photosites compared to the 70D...which itself, by your speculation, also has much larger photosites than the so-called "7D2", with its 24 MP crammed into the tiny 1.6x crop sensor area.

I mean, if all you want are the tiniest photosites possible, you should just buy into a micro 4/3 system, and forget all about dynamic range.

 

[AvTvM]

well, for a 2014 announcement, the bare minimum in sensor performance Canon needs to deliver in a 7D successor is the Nikon D7100 ... 24 MP, no DPLF (AA-Filter), excellent IQ and very good DR - more than 1 step up from Canon's pre-historic 18 MP APS-C sensor!

If Sony/Nikon can "cram that many pixels" onto a APS-C sensor and get excellent IQ from it, so should Canon. Crop 1.6x vs. 1.5x makes hardly a difference in real life. If Canon can't even achieve that much, they might as well pack up their entire APS-C business and call it quits.

That's why I absolutely expect a 24MP (or maybe 26MP) sensor in the 7D II. Of course with dual pixel-AF, plus an (even) better phase-AF module. Slightly faster too ... 9 or 10 fps. WiFi, GPS built-in and also [finally!] a RT radio wireless flash controller. After all, the 7D was the first ever Canon EOS camera to include an [optical] wireless speedlite master controller. Plus a fully articulated, touchscreen LCD - which Canon has learned to make some time ago already (EOS 650D). Plus some video-optimized stuff, bingo! No really innovation needed.

Price tag? USD/€ 2199,- ... in line with Canon's pricing decisions in its more recent history. ;-)

 

[jrista]

well, for a 2014 announcement, the bare minimum in sensor performance Canon needs to deliver in a 7D successor is the Nikon D7100 ... 24 MP, no DPLF (AA-Filter), excellent IQ and very good DR - more than 1 step up from Canon's pre-historic 18 MP APS-C sensor!

If Sony/Nikon can "cram that many pixels" onto a APS-C sensor and get excellent IQ from it, so should Canon. Crop 1.6x vs. 1.5x makes hardly a difference in real life. If Canon can't even achieve that much, they might as well pack up their entire APS-C business and call it quits.

That's why I absolutely expect a 24MP (or maybe 26MP) sensor in the 7D II. Of course with dual pixel-AF, plus an (even) better phase-AF module. Slightly faster too ... 9 or 10 fps. WiFi, GPS built-in and also [finally!] a RT radio wireless flash controller. After all, the 7D was the first ever Canon EOS camera to include an [optical] wireless speedlite master controller. Plus a fully articulated, touchscreen LCD - which Canon has learned to make some time ago already (EOS 650D). Plus some video-optimized stuff, bingo! No really innovation needed.

Price tag? USD/€ 2199,- ... in line with Canon's pricing decisions in its more recent history. ;-)

Two things in all that I most certainly hope they do NOT do. First is the articulated screen. HELL NO. For one, the articulated screen makes it much harder to weather seal the body, and weather sealing is VASTLY more important for the 7D line. Additionally, it is just another part to break. Either whatever sealing Canon manages to stuff into the joint will eventually wear out, nullifying any other weather sealing...or the whole damn screen could break off. Articulated screen + professional model? Nah, I don't see it happening, and if it did, that would forever end my use of the 7D line.

As for the AA filter, at best, Canon should offer the option if there are really that many people who want it. I personally don't understand the trend towards more moire and worse aliasing...it's an odd trend. It is also largely a gimmick. An AA filter restores proper resolving power, eliminating nonsense data and massaging it into useful data. I don't really believe there are enough people who want AA-filter-less cameras that Canon would do this. Again, though, if they only offered a version without an AA filter, and none with, that too would probably end my use of the 7D line. I photograph birds...lack of an AA filter would decimate fine feather detail and leave it riddled with color moire, and there is no way to clean that up in post.

 

[Don Haines]

well, for a 2014 announcement, the bare minimum in sensor performance Canon needs to deliver in a 7D successor is the Nikon D7100 ... 24 MP, no DPLF (AA-Filter), excellent IQ and very good DR - more than 1 step up from Canon's pre-historic 18 MP APS-C sensor!

If Sony/Nikon can "cram that many pixels" onto a APS-C sensor and get excellent IQ from it, so should Canon. Crop 1.6x vs. 1.5x makes hardly a difference in real life. If Canon can't even achieve that much, they might as well pack up their entire APS-C business and call it quits.

That's why I absolutely expect a 24MP (or maybe 26MP) sensor in the 7D II. Of course with dual pixel-AF, plus an (even) better phase-AF module. Slightly faster too ... 9 or 10 fps. WiFi, GPS built-in and also [finally!] a RT radio wireless flash controller. After all, the 7D was the first ever Canon EOS camera to include an [optical] wireless speedlite master controller. Plus a fully articulated, touchscreen LCD - which Canon has learned to make some time ago already (EOS 650D). Plus some video-optimized stuff, bingo! No really innovation needed.

Price tag? USD/€ 2199,- ... in line with Canon's pricing decisions in its more recent history. ;-)

Two things in all that I most certainly hope they do NOT do. First is the articulated screen. HELL NO. For one, the articulated screen makes it much harder to weather seal the body, and weather sealing is VASTLY more important for the 7D line. Additionally, it is just another part to break. Either whatever sealing Canon manages to stuff into the joint will eventually wear out, nullifying any other weather sealing...or the whole damn screen could break off. Articulated screen + professional model? Nah, I don't see it happening, and if it did, that would forever end my use of the 7D line.

As for the AA filter, at best, Canon should offer the option if there are really that many people who want it. I personally don't understand the trend towards more moire and worse aliasing...it's an odd trend. It is also largely a gimmick. An AA filter restores proper resolving power, eliminating nonsense data and massaging it into useful data. I don't really believe there are enough people who want AA-filter-less cameras that Canon would do this. Again, though, if they only offered a version without an AA filter, and none with, that too would probably end my use of the 7D line. I photograph birds...lack of an AA filter would decimate fine feather detail and leave it riddled with color moire, and there is no way to clean that up in post.

I agree 100 percent on the AA filter.

The articulated screen is slightly different logic, but I end up in the same place. I find the articulated screen to be a very useful feature and would not want to have a camera without one.... But the addition of WiFi and touchscreen interfaces takes things to the next level.... If you can have a phone or iPad that does the same things as the articulated screen, you end up with the possibility of a detached screen that is WAY more versatile than any articulated screen could be. For that reason, I think that the convenience of an articulated screen is less important on newer cameras than it was on previous models, and at least for me, having an articulated screen on a WiFi enabled camera is a non-issue.

We should be seeing more convergence between tablets/phones and DSLRs.

 

[dgatwood]

For instance, I highly doubt this new sensor will exceed (or even equal) the dynamic range of the existing 24 MP 1.5x sensor being used across the way. How could it? It's going to have smaller photosites, by definition, so each will get less photons. Do any of you really see a quantum leap in crop sensor performance coming soon from Canon? I don't.

I'd be surprised if Canon's sensors don't move to back-side illumination pretty soon. It's a quantum leap for high-density sensors like the ones used in cell phones, but the benefit would be smaller in a sensor as big as APS-C unless the sensor's resolution were utterly insane. Either way, though, it should improve the SNR, and should compensate somewhat for the shrink in pixel size caused by a resolution increase, though I'm not sure exactly how much.

 

[jrista]

well, for a 2014 announcement, the bare minimum in sensor performance Canon needs to deliver in a 7D successor is the Nikon D7100 ... 24 MP, no DPLF (AA-Filter), excellent IQ and very good DR - more than 1 step up from Canon's pre-historic 18 MP APS-C sensor!

If Sony/Nikon can "cram that many pixels" onto a APS-C sensor and get excellent IQ from it, so should Canon. Crop 1.6x vs. 1.5x makes hardly a difference in real life. If Canon can't even achieve that much, they might as well pack up their entire APS-C business and call it quits.

That's why I absolutely expect a 24MP (or maybe 26MP) sensor in the 7D II. Of course with dual pixel-AF, plus an (even) better phase-AF module. Slightly faster too ... 9 or 10 fps. WiFi, GPS built-in and also [finally!] a RT radio wireless flash controller. After all, the 7D was the first ever Canon EOS camera to include an [optical] wireless speedlite master controller. Plus a fully articulated, touchscreen LCD - which Canon has learned to make some time ago already (EOS 650D). Plus some video-optimized stuff, bingo! No really innovation needed.

Price tag? USD/€ 2199,- ... in line with Canon's pricing decisions in its more recent history. ;-)

Two things in all that I most certainly hope they do NOT do. First is the articulated screen. HELL NO. For one, the articulated screen makes it much harder to weather seal the body, and weather sealing is VASTLY more important for the 7D line. Additionally, it is just another part to break. Either whatever sealing Canon manages to stuff into the joint will eventually wear out, nullifying any other weather sealing...or the whole damn screen could break off. Articulated screen + professional model? Nah, I don't see it happening, and if it did, that would forever end my use of the 7D line.

As for the AA filter, at best, Canon should offer the option if there are really that many people who want it. I personally don't understand the trend towards more moire and worse aliasing...it's an odd trend. It is also largely a gimmick. An AA filter restores proper resolving power, eliminating nonsense data and massaging it into useful data. I don't really believe there are enough people who want AA-filter-less cameras that Canon would do this. Again, though, if they only offered a version without an AA filter, and none with, that too would probably end my use of the 7D line. I photograph birds...lack of an AA filter would decimate fine feather detail and leave it riddled with color moire, and there is no way to clean that up in post.

I agree 100 percent on the AA filter.

The articulated screen is slightly different logic, but I end up in the same place. I find the articulated screen to be a very useful feature and would not want to have a camera without one.... But the addition of WiFi and touchscreen interfaces takes things to the next level.... If you can have a phone or iPad that does the same things as the articulated screen, you end up with the possibility of a detached screen that is WAY more versatile than any articulated screen could be. For that reason, I think that the convenience of an articulated screen is less important on newer cameras than it was on previous models, and at least for me, having an articulated screen on a WiFi enabled camera is a non-issue.

We should be seeing more convergence between tablets/phones and DSLRs.

Don't get me wrong, I totally understand the value of an articulating screen, and would love one. But, not at the sacrifice of device durability and weather sealing. Not for the price rance the 7D line generally lives in, anyway (a $800 or cheaper camera is a bit of a different deal...you break the screen, it isn't such a huge deal, nor as costly to fix.)

As you say, though, WiFi changes the game, and makes the whole articulated screen pointless and less capable than the potential alternatives.

 

[jrista]

For instance, I highly doubt this new sensor will exceed (or even equal) the dynamic range of the existing 24 MP 1.5x sensor being used across the way. How could it? It's going to have smaller photosites, by definition, so each will get less photons. Do any of you really see a quantum leap in crop sensor performance coming soon from Canon? I don't.

I'd be surprised if Canon's sensors don't move to back-side illumination pretty soon. It's a quantum leap for high-density sensors like the ones used in cell phones, but the benefit would be smaller in a sensor as big as APS-C unless the sensor's resolution were utterly insane. Either way, though, it should improve the SNR, and should compensate somewhat for the shrink in pixel size caused by a resolution increase, though I'm not sure exactly how much.

If Canon doesn't move to a 180nm process, moving to BSI on a 500nm process could actually result in fairly significant gains for an APS-C sized sensor. It is absolutely necessary for the tiny form factor sensors in phones and the like these days...hell, some of those sensors might almost be single PIXELs in a larger format sensor given how small they are. BSI wouldn't be absolutely necessary for Canon's APS-C, but it would probably offer a greater benefit than for any manufacturers already using 180nm or 90nm processes.

That said...moving to BSI requires a fairly hefty investment in fabs anyway...Canon might as well move to 180nm or a smaller process AND do BSI given the cost necessary to do either one.

 

[gkaefer]

what about following (naive fallacy):

EOS 5D Mark II
Introduced November 2008

...41 months...

EOS 5D Mark III
Introduced March 2012

...41 months would be...

EOS 5D Mark IV
around August 2014

???

 

[Gorku]

what about following (naive fallacy):

EOS 5D Mark II
Introduced November 2008

...41 months...

EOS 5D Mark III
Introduced March 2012

...41 months would be...

EOS 5D Mark IV
around August 2014

???

no 41 months would be August 2015

 

[gkaefer]

no 41 months would be August 2015

uups my anticipation...
Georg

 

[jrista]

what about following (naive fallacy):

EOS 5D Mark II
Introduced November 2008

...41 months...

EOS 5D Mark III
Introduced March 2012

...41 months would be...

EOS 5D Mark IV
around August 2014

???

You are a year early...August 2015. And I think that is a MAYBE. The 5D III is already extremely good. I think Aug. 2015 would be the earliest we might see an announcement for a 5D IV, but I really don't suspect one will actually hit the shelves until sometime 2016.

 

[MovingViolations]

No matter how good the upgrade is internally and to the IQ and DR, Just please don't put it in "Plastic". And I strongly agree with the no articulating back. I'd use a second body when that is really needed. One thing I'd like to really see is just the 8-9 frames a second and bring back a new aps-h sensor with the 24 MP density of pixels with wi-fi like the 6D. Coming from the 1D MII world I love the aps-h sensor. I'm sorely disappointed in Canon's abandonment of the 1D/1Ds lines and merging them into a 1DX. After down loading and printing images from both Nikon's D800 and Canon's 1DX there is just no comparison. Canon shot themselves in the foot for landscape/city skylines. If Canon should bring out a new aps-h senosr in a 7D MII I'd be standing in line for one if DR and over all IQ at higher ISO setting is achieved. 24mp on an aps-h sensor should leap frog all of Nikon's aps-c 24mp senors for IQ. My 1D MII was ordered the day it was announced and I've never regretted it. Time has come for better and maybe in a lighter body. And above all keep the AA filter. Or make an additional 7D MIIx. I would like to see dual memory card slots as in the 1D series so that the images could be backed up.

 

[Don Haines]

No matter how good the upgrade is internally and to the IQ and DR, Just please don't put it in "Plastic". And I strongly agree with the no articulating back. I'd use a second body when that is really needed. One thing I'd like to really see is just the 8-9 frames a second and bring back a new aps-h sensor with the 24 MP density of pixels with wi-fi like the 6D. Coming from the 1D MII world I love the aps-h sensor. I'm sorely disappointed in Canon's abandonment of the 1D/1Ds lines and merging them into a 1DX. After down loading and printing images from both Nikon's D800 and Canon's 1DX there is just no comparison. Canon shot themselves in the foot for landscape/city skylines. If Canon should bring out a new aps-h senosr in a 7D MII I'd be standing in line for one if DR and over all IQ at higher ISO setting is achieved. 24mp on an aps-h sensor should leap frog all of Nikon's aps-c 24mp senors for IQ. My 1D MII was ordered the day it was announced and I've never regretted it. Time has come for better and maybe in a lighter body. And above all keep the AA filter. Or make an additional 7D MIIx. I would like to see dual memory card slots as in the 1D series so that the images could be backed up.

APS-h is not going to happen. It would not work with any of the APS-c lenses, so that means FF lenses only. You end up with a FF camera with a slightly smaller sensor.

The original reason for APS-h was poor yields and high cost with ff sensors.... A reason which has gone away as manufacturing processes have matured. An APS-h sensor might be five dollars cheaper to produce than FF....

 

[CarlTN]

For instance, I highly doubt this new sensor will exceed (or even equal) the dynamic range of the existing 24 MP 1.5x sensor being used across the way. How could it? It's going to have smaller photosites, by definition, so each will get less photons. Do any of you really see a quantum leap in crop sensor performance coming soon from Canon? I don't.

I'd be surprised if Canon's sensors don't move to back-side illumination pretty soon. It's a quantum leap for high-density sensors like the ones used in cell phones, but the benefit would be smaller in a sensor as big as APS-C unless the sensor's resolution were utterly insane. Either way, though, it should improve the SNR, and should compensate somewhat for the shrink in pixel size caused by a resolution increase, though I'm not sure exactly how much.

That would be nice.