Canon naming policy

[mrsfotografie]

You're bound to run into confusion when you have (a) too many cameras simultaneously on the market, (b) when you release cameras too rapidly. The EOS 100D came out in 2013 ... it's an "entry-level" camera, so the EOS 150D should be here this year, as well as the 750D ... what happens in 2017 (the new 300D) and 2019 (the new 100D or 1000D or 000D)? Plus, eventually the 5D and the 1D series will reach Mark L and even more eventually Mark C level. But before then, there'll be the Mark XXXVIII and, fitting for the 1D series, the Mark XL.

You forgot about the 100D/SL1. What will happen to the x0D line after the 80D and 90D?

After the 950D the rebels will likely go back to 300 and after the 90D the xxD line will likely go back to 10 but they might not be "D". Although I am curious as to what the 100D / SL1 will become. Maybe 110D?

Well at one point it becomes useless to add the 'D' to designate 'digital'. Better drop it and use an 'F" for film or something like that ;D

 

[Albi86]

I wish they could pick real names and "Mark X" or years e.g. 5D 2012 or 5D 2015 instead of number codes. Eventually this is going to get confusing. The XXXD line has to stop at 950D for example.

 

[jrista]

Not sure about the 100D/SL1...that's a new thing, however historically I think Canon's xxxD line has started at 300, so who knows.

As for post 90D and 950D, Canon could always to the Mark II series. The 300D II, the 30D II, etc.

 

[Ruined]

To me its fairly simple:

xxxD = consumer
xxD = enthusiast/semi-pro
xD = pro

APS-C/full frame does not play into this in any way, other than there are more full frame than crop pro cameras. In other words, crop pro cameras exist. Their photo printer line is similarly named.

 

[RGF]

Canon are lazy. They are currently just using the same numbers they had in the 1980's and 1990's, but with a "D" tacked on the back. Given that they are moving to EVFs in the next couple of years, I suspect that they'll go back to the start, but replace the "D" with an "E" (for EVF, Evolution etc). We'll have "C", "D", and "E" cameras, and it will be immediately obvious what type of camera it is.

Disagree that Canon marketing department is lazy. It is wise to continue with a heritage, it will help build on brand equity. If you think Canon should change, why not even change the name "Canon" to something else.

The biggest problem I see with the current name system is that in the future we may see names like 5D Mark 75 or the Canon Rebel T827i

At some point Canon will need to rationalize it naming convention and "reinvent" itself, like Adobe did with CS (Creative Suite). Perhaps this is what the OP meant, though I don't think Canon is there yet.

 

[Don Haines]

The biggest problem I see with the current name system is that in the future we may see names like 5D Mark 75 or the Canon Rebel T827i

So any idea when the 5D Mark 75 is supposed to be released?

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

The biggest problem I see with the current name system is that in the future we may see names like 5D Mark 75 or the Canon Rebel T827i

So any idea when the 5D Mark 75 is supposed to be released?

Very likely 3-4 years after the Mark 74 comes out

 

[jrista]

Canon are lazy. They are currently just using the same numbers they had in the 1980's and 1990's, but with a "D" tacked on the back. Given that they are moving to EVFs in the next couple of years, I suspect that they'll go back to the start, but replace the "D" with an "E" (for EVF, Evolution etc). We'll have "C", "D", and "E" cameras, and it will be immediately obvious what type of camera it is.

Disagree that Canon marketing department is lazy. It is wise to continue with a heritage, it will help build on brand equity. If you think Canon should change, why not even change the name "Canon" to something else.

The biggest problem I see with the current name system is that in the future we may see names like 5D Mark 75 or the Canon Rebel T827i

At some point Canon will need to rationalize it naming convention and "reinvent" itself, like Adobe did with CS (Creative Suite). Perhaps this is what the OP meant, though I don't think Canon is there yet.

Well, I'm ok with the 5D Mark 75. That sucker won't be rolling around for another 288 years, so I won't ever have to deal with ludicrous version numbers like that. For that matter, we won't even see the 5D X for another 28 years. I'll be retired by then, and X is a nice round roman numeral. (Assums a 4-year inter-version release period.)

 

[Zv]

I happen to really like Canon's naming scheme. It make logical sense and is easy for me to know which camera someone is talking about and how it fits in to the line up.

Can't say the same for Nikon. I always end up googling it and trying to figure out what the person I'm talking to is going on about! I usually just smile and nod my head and say things like "ah! Yeah that's a nice one!"

One thing that I wish Canon would abolish is the rebel cameras and their 3 variations - xxxD, txi and kiss xx. It gets a bit confusing. The xxxD is easier to understand.