Hi friends,
I have been following various discussions of a possible'new' FF (eg 5DX/5DIII/5Ds/3D) on these forums and in other places for some time, and have found it interesting seeing the various opinions and speculations presented.
Amidst all the 'information and rumour' overload... there have been a few posts in this particular thread that I think are particularly logical - and applause duly given to those 8)
I do
not think Canon will be going down the route of developing and selling 2 cameras under the 5D line. I think their branding department want to maintain an emphasis on different camera names with an intended target market.
So I believe there might be a 3D in some of the rumours / information we've seen floating over the last while. I believe a 3D will be marketed as a camera that can do anything a 5D can do, but somewhat better in every regard.
In this post, I provide my take (in summary) on what could constitute the whole of a future Canon lineup, under the APS-C and FF tiers / sensor size categories. I'm predicting the next model of each camera body / line,
except for the 1DX which hasn't hit the shelves yet. Within my list, I'll provide my take on the possible equivalent of a 5DmkII replacement, which I'm calling the 5DmkIII, though it could also be called the 5DX (same for the possibility of a '7DX'). I have given a name to each line ('in brackets'), that I think defines the branding strategy and focus Canon has had for each line over recent years.
I'm
not including all features of each camera- even though I might have a projection and guess for these. That is I won't list the following in my comparisons below: display size / resolution / type, ISO range, exposure or metering details, live view, video details, memory type, CPU # or type/s, flash details, body size.
Note that comparisons between APS-C and FF should not be made. People who do not understand the real differences between APS-C and FF cameras / sensor sizes will consider APS-C to be 'non pro' and FF to be 'pro'. :
Read from the top down to make sense of the list. That is, comparisons of 'better' / 'more', etc refer to the model directly above. In general, the handling and features of the respective bodies will get progressively superior in each tier (APS-C and FF) - which can be noted by aspects such as (any) weather sealing, quality of optical view finder (OVF), buttons, features and customisation.
APS-C
- 1200D ('budget') 12MP 3fps. Basic 9pt AF & budget sensor. Smallest body & OVF.
- 650D ('consumer') 18MP 4fps. 9pt with cross-type & better sensor. Better display & OVF.
- 70D ('amateur') 18MP 6fps. 9pt AF with more cross-type AF pts. Better body & OVF.
- 7DmkII ('prosumer') 22MP 8fps. 19pt AF, cross-type AF pts. Best APS-C body & OVF.
FF
- 5DmkIII ('enthusiast') 26MP 5fps. 19pt AF downgraded 7D AF, A few cross-type AF pts.
- 3D ('premium') 34MP 8fps. 45 AF, many cross-type and extra sensitivity AF pts. Better body.
- 1DX ('professional') 18MP 14fps. 61AF. Full professional body. Highest connectivity and feature set.
The main
marketed differentiation between the 5D line and the 3D line will be on the sensor, with the focus for the 5D line being on low noise and great DR, whereas the 3D marketing focus will emphasize resolution, advanced features and body quality. Both 5D line and 3D line will require a separate grip. The most difficult name to attribute to any of these cameras, was the (hypothetical) 3D... I had also considered the following words "advanced / elite / deluxe / superior / expert / high-end" before deciding on 'premium'. ;D
I expect the eventual (street) price of the 5DMkIII will be about $3,000 Euro / AUD / USD or about 2000 GBP, though the initial RRP might be a bit higher.
In comparison, if a 3D line does come out, I expect it to have a price of about $5,000 Euro / AUD / USD or about 3500 GBP, again though - the initial RRP might be a bit higher.
The 1DX has been marketed as the 'super fast, powerful AF' that photo-journalists and professional sports photographers demand, with connectivity options indicating a 'on the fly' environment for the target market. The 1DX's sensor will probably be Canon's lowest noise / highest dynamic range sensor for some time - given the relatively low MP for a FF.
FYI, I have the Canon 7D and 350D camera bodies, and a number of lenses, including the 15-85mm USM IS, 70-300mm L USM IS, 100mm USM macro and Sigma 10-20mm HSM EX. In my humble opinion, the number of quality Canon EF-S lenses (eg 17-55mm, 10-22mm, 15-85mm, 60mm macro) indicates their commitment to continue developing and producing the 'amateur' and 'prosumer' camera body lines for some time yet, with APS-C sensors continuing to offer a broad spectrum of photographers a good balance in terms of flexibility, quality and size. The APS-C tier fits between P&S / mirrorless cameras and FF.
My take on the future above, is purely derived from a personal analytical perspective. I have a marketing degree and working background, but have no insider knowledge from Canon. I don't believe that we'll see the return of APS-H sensors. Part of what I've written above might be hypothetical, but I'll be curious to see in the future how many of these I got 'close' or even 'spot on'!
I look forward to your comments.
Paul