Could the 7D-iii be closer than we might think???

[LoneRider]

Absolute speculation, but, with the 1DX-ii out, and considering it has the same MP and similar specs as a "fixed" 7D-ii. IF Canon architecture is up to the task, I think it is reasonable the 7D-iii could be out within 6 to 9 months.

So, they both have 20.2MP, and there is nothing wrong with the ID of the 7D-ii except for the lack of a touch screen. So if the Mechanical Engineers and Product Engineers can sneak in a touch screen and leave the bulk of the tooling alone, AND the IC guys can get an APS-C 20.2 MP chip with on-die ADC ready. All you would have to do if figure out the thermal issues, if any, and copy over the schematic capture from the 1DX-ii (including the DIGIC 6+), and you could have a 7D-iii with DPAF with touchscreen, 4K crop video, and a few other little features that are on the 80D but missing on the 7D-ii.

Big risk items, working on the new sensor getting in the way of the 5D-iv's sensor, and other development resources, and of course thermal considerations for doing 4K video in the enclosure.

Canon is already discounting the 7D-ii. So that could be a fast track to keeping their flagship APS-C camera shining bright without a lot of risk or development time. It would truly be a slightly slower 1DX-ii with a APS-C sensor.

Anyway, just to through some gas on the fire.

 

[-1]

They could put the 80D sensor in a 7D body and ad some memory and stuff to buff up the buffer and framerate...

 

[RGF]

I would like to see a 1DX crop - similar build/features as 1Dx M2 with a 80D sensor

 

[arcer]

My 7D3 expected specifications:

24.2MP DPAF sensor, improved version from the 80D (hopefully weaker AA filter)
65 AF (all cross type), 65 AF (25 cross type) at f/8, double cross at f/2.8 with -3.5EV sensitivity
Better RGB+IR metering sensor
Dual DIGIC 7
12fps liveview, 10fps with AF/AE
Native ISO of 100 - 25600
Higher resolution touchscreen 3.0" LCD
If 4K is really introduced, expects it to be DCI also
1080p 120fps (Heard somewhere that DIGIC 7 might have H.265 standard)
CFast and SD
WiFi and GPS
LP-E20 battery like recently rumored for 5D4
Release Date: Summer 2017 - Fall 2018

A lot of the current expectations derived from the latest release, 80D and 1DX2, and a bit on the "not-yet-reliable" rumor of 5D4.

 

[pwp]

I would like to see a 1DX crop - similar build/features as 1Dx M2 with a 80D sensor

Nah...APS-H. I'd love to retire my 1D MkIV (APS-H x1.3 crop)

-pw

 

[AdamBotond]

I am pretty sure that development of 7D III is already on the way. It has to be. Not just because recently Canon has made some innovation stuff with DPAF and better sensor tech that current 7D II lacks, but also beacuse Nikons D500 is clearly the best APSC flagship right now. Canon has to give something that can compete, so I'm expecting them to release 7D III in first half of 2017. Certainly, it won't happen before releasing 5D IV and probably 6D II.

My 2 cents only.

 

[RGF]

I would like to see a 1DX crop - similar build/features as 1Dx M2 with a 80D sensor

Nah...APS-H. I'd love to retire my 1D MkIV (APS-H x1.3 crop)

-pw

As much as I would like to see the APS-H return to camera, I have given up all hope.

 

[davidj]

I'd be happily surprised if it's out within the next 12 months. The 5D IV is due out later this year, and it will get it's time in the spotlight. The 6D II will probably be next, as it's certainly due for an update. However, there isn't currently so much competitive pressure from Nikon here. My best guess is that the 6D II will be out in February or so next year (edit: the latest 6D II rumour gives that date too).

I wouldn't normally think that the 7D III is close given it's age, but the 7D II isn't ideally positioned with the 80D being good and, more importantly, the D500. The 7D III could also be released sooner after the 5D IV than the 6D II, as the markets for the two cameras would overlap less. If I was forced to guess, I'd say May next year for the 7D III, and probably before the end of 2017.

 

[Drum]

Canon don't seem to respond to the Nikon and Sony competition releases.... Just look at the countless discussions about DR!!! I wouldn't expect a 7D3 anytime soon.

 

[Mikehit]

I am pretty sure that development of 7D III is already on the way. It has to be. Not just because recently Canon has made some innovation stuff with DPAF and better sensor tech that current 7D II lacks, but also beacuse Nikons D500 is clearly the best APSC flagship right now. Canon has to give something that can compete, so I'm expecting them to release 7D III in first half of 2017. Certainly, it won't happen before releasing 5D IV and probably 6D II.

My 2 cents only.

I don't think Nikon is a driver for Canon at all. Look how long it took for the MkII to come out despite advances with Nikon sensors - I think that with the 7D2 Canon saw the had a niche position with the 7D being the best APS-C for action shots and they did not release the 7D2 until they knew they had a camera that was a genuine advance instead of an incremental one.
Given that the 7D2 was targeted at sports/action I have not seen any real-world reviews that suggest that the D500 is "the best APSC flagship right now" in that arena.

 

[scyrene]

Absolute speculation, but, with the 1DX-ii out, and considering it has the same MP and similar specs as a "fixed" 7D-ii. IF Canon architecture is up to the task, I think it is reasonable the 7D-iii could be out within 6 to 9 months.

Sorry to post a boring reply, but it boils down to sales, pretty much entirely imho. If the 7DII sales dip, for whatever reason, perhaps they will rush the replacement. But that's it.

I would like to see a 1DX crop - similar build/features as 1Dx M2 with a 80D sensor

Nah...APS-H. I'd love to retire my 1D MkIV (APS-H x1.3 crop)

-pw

Can APS-H use EF-S lenses? I thought not. If not, then that would piss off a lot of people. More people use EF-S lenses than know or care about APS-H, I would contend.

 

[ajfotofilmagem]

I believe 7D Mark iii will only come at the end of 2017. But sales 7D Mark II (if down) can anticipate a few months.

 

[[email protected]]

A couple speculations:

1- A company that has its own sensor fab is going to be very, very attentive to maximizing its utilization. The costs are so great in this that it is just about as important as sales figures. Putting out the new, better chips will be maxing capacity, I'd suppose, for the launches of the 1d and 5d releases. When those cameras start stacking up in warehouses unsold, that'll be a good time for Canon to start turning to the production of new cameras. Perhaps the fab that turns to the 7Diii run will be the one (also APSC) that is currently putting out the 80D cameras right now. That fab will likely be busy between now and the third quarter putting out sensors for the christmas rush on 80Ds.

It seems reasonable to me it might be an auspicious time to create sensors for a 6d2 and a 7d3 toward the end of 2016. This doesn't mean at all that you'd see a camera then. This would lead to an announcement around the turn of the year at the earliest.

2 - I think that, having worked for Japanese companies a couple times, their sense of the market is going to be disproportionately established by their own local market. Some of the lack of responsiveness to major perceived issues in the U.S. may be because they didn't think it was a really big deal elsewhere. DR comes to mind. Canon USA doesn't call the shots in terms of product direction; they just buy the stuff that the mother ship puts out.


All of this is to say that it seems like the logical target for Canon (who hasn't historically reacted quickly to competition) for these launches would be spring 2017 as a target. And we all know how well Canon meets targets. The summer/fall estimates sound more reasonable to me.

 

[NancyP]

APS-H can't use EF-S lenses due to mount design and electronics, but may be able to use a few third party APS-C lenses if those lenses have a big image circle and don't have elements protruding into the camera past the lens mount (and interfering with mirror).

My guess is that the sales for the 7D2 will remain high enough for another year to prevent Canon from making a move to put its on-chip-ADC sensor tech and DIGIC7 x 2 into a "7D3".

 

[slclick]

7D3 needs to get in line behind a couple big brothers

 

[Don Haines]

7D3 needs to get in line behind a couple big brothers

+1

I am sure that the 7D3 is well into the prototype stage and early testing, but it is a safe bet that the 5D4 and 6D2 are even further along and we will not see a 7D3 until those two cameras are out on store shelves.....

 

[Sabaki]

I think the 7Diii will have many of the generational updates we expect. Better base ISO, better DR, banding management, ergonomics etc etc

There is however, one MAJOR change I'd like to see in the 7Diii. The dedicated chipset for ITR like we see in the 1DX and 1DXii.

In my opinion, saying the autofocus system is identical to the 1DX is a major reach without this bit of tech

 

[K-amps]

Apart from history... there is little reason to delay the 7d3 after the 6d2. They are quite different offerings, serving very different purposes.

 

[ahsanford]

I just don't see the market leader (from a sales perspective) give a rat's ass about what Nikon is up to until they start losing market share. As well spec'd as the D500 is, I'm not convinced it's going to steal sales as dramatically as the various forum's denizens predict. I think Nikon's birders rejoiced and bought a bunch of D500s, but the hard slog is soon to be upon them -- we'll see how well a spec-based hard sell works in flipping Canon users or upcharging the Rebel/D5500 crowd in search of their next rig. Canon's really good at holding its customers through other means -- lens portfolio, service, reliability, 3rd party accessory ecosystem, etc.

So I think Canon will stick with its 'slow' 4-ish year refresh cycles on the major lines (1D, 5D, 7D, etc.). The rollout of those three brands -- and let's throw in the 6D and make it a fourth -- takes up about 18-24 months of 'air time' between the announcements, promotional materials, pre-orders, initial reviews and launch. The remainder of that 4-ish year cycle is a chance for Canon to course-correct / fill specific gaps (5DS line), update other product lines (Cinema, 80D, EOS-M, etc.), and most importantly, innovate with new product lines (XC10, perhaps dedicated drone rigs, FF mirrorless, etc.).

I think Canon is as predictable as the mailman's route through your neighborhood, but it is working for them, and they won't change things dramatically unless they start losing market share.

- A

 

[Don Haines]

I just don't see the market leader (from a sales perspective) give a rat's ass about what Nikon is up to until they start losing market share. As well spec'd as the D500 is, I'm not convinced it's going to steal sales as dramatically as the various forum's denizens predict. I think Nikon's birders rejoiced and bought a bunch of D500s, but the hard slog is soon to be upon them -- we'll see how well a spec-based hard sell works in flipping Canon users or upcharging the Rebel/D5500 crowd in search of their next rig. Canon's really good at holding its customers through other means -- lens portfolio, service, reliability, 3rd party accessory ecosystem, etc.

So I think Canon will stick with its 'slow' 4-ish year refresh cycles on the major lines (1D, 5D, 7D, etc.). The rollout of those three brands -- and let's throw in the 6D and make it a fourth -- takes up about 18-24 months of 'air time' between the announcements, promotional materials, pre-orders, initial reviews and launch. The remainder of that 4-ish year cycle is a chance for Canon to course-correct / fill specific gaps (5DS line), update other product lines (Cinema, 80D, EOS-M, etc.), and most importantly, innovate with new product lines (XC10, perhaps dedicated drone rigs, FF mirrorless, etc.).

I think Canon is as predictable as the mailman's route through your neighborhood, but it is working for them, and they won't change things dramatically unless they start losing market share.

- A

I think the big thing Nikon has done is the 200-500 F5.6 lens..... I see a LOT! of them out there..... far more than the Canon 100-400.... I can see Canon dealing with that problem before they replace the 7D2, a camera which is apparently still selling well.... but who knows, perhaps they will come out with a 7D3 and 200-600 F5.6 in time to deplete out wallets for Christmas....

But I do agree with Ahsanford, "they won't change things dramatically unless they start losing market share".