Interview: DPReview speaks to the “father of the EOS-1”

Canon Rumors Guy

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DPReview had the chance to speak with two senior Canon executives, Mr. Toshio Matsumoto, Senior Principle Engineer, and Mr. Kazuyuki Suzuki, Chief of Operations, the former being known as the “father of the EOS-1” about the upcoming Canon EOS-1D X Mark III.
Here are a couple of questions related to the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III:

How did you decide which features to update compared to the EOS-1D X Mark II?
There were a variety of factors. We get a lot of requests from our professional users, and we’re always listening to what they need. Their demands are sometimes very detailed! But we have to listen to their requests. In addition, we have to look at our technology – what kind of technology can meet those demands.
We then integrate [those pieces of information] and decide internally what we should include in the next model. In this new camera we’ve improved performance [in several areas], such as autofocus, networking and so on, which we’ll explain later in detail.
What...


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Jan 29, 2011
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I really can't take DPReview seriously though, which is a great shame because they do have some very good industry connections. I thought I'd look around a bit as I was there and took a look at their "The best cameras for family and friends photos in 2019". They decided that the Sony A6100 is the best camera for the job, they disliked the fact that the Canon M50 cropped and didn't AF in 4K video, in a photo review! Even though the M50 is over $100 less than the Sony and includes a lens when the Sony is body only, the kit prices were $400 different on a $650 camera kit!
 
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unfocused

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I'd like more resolution of course and this interview doesn't rule that out. But they seem to be concentrating on three things: Autofocus, ISO performance and transfer speed. I don't really care about transfer speed, but I do care about the first two. So, if there is significant improvement in ISO performance and autofocus and little improvement in resolution, I can live with that.
 
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I'm intrigued by the mention of "weight" being something that gets raised a lot (intrigued, rather than surprised).

I wonder how much weight they will manage to shave off, if indeed they are pursuing that option - and how they would achieve anything significant?

There was no mention in the handling of the new item by the journalist of any different feeling, but maybe that was one of the embargoed items?
 
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The biggest take away for me was the confession that they have no idea what the form factor for an R version of the 1D would look like. This sounds like the true sports R is a very long way from happening, unless he was being deliberately misleading for reasons I cannot understand. Which means I will likely go for the 1DXiii and continue to wait for a replacement for my R. Probably will likewise hold off on more RF lenses for a bit longer.
 
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The biggest take away for me was the confession that they have no idea what the form factor for an R version of the 1D would look like. This sounds like the true sports R is a very long way from happening, unless he was being deliberately misleading for reasons I cannot understand. Which means I will likely go for the 1DXiii and continue to wait for a replacement for my R. Probably will likewise hold off on more RF lenses for a bit longer.
I'd be surprised if they really have "no" idea. I'd expect it to be more one of the following two options:
a) They do know, but are keeping it under wraps for now, and the easiest way to deflect further questions is to say "no idea at this time";
or
b) there are two or more options in play, maybe out being field tested, and they have not yet determined which one to follow through with.

Just my 2 cents though...
 
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lp
I'd be surprised if they really have "no" idea. I'd expect it to be more one of the following two options:
a) They do know, but are keeping it under wraps for now, and the easiest way to deflect further questions is to say "no idea at this time";
or
b) there are two or more options in play, maybe out being field tested, and they have not yet determined which one to follow through with.

Just my 2 cents though...

You aren't helping my GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome for those who don't know).
 
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KT

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And hopefully that much improved AF tech will be transferred in all its glory to the new 5D mark V when that camera is launched sometime in the spring or fall of 2020, not a watered-down crippled version. You can keep all the network improvements to the 1Dx but at least the AF should be planted as it is, no corners cut, hopefully with a decent high-resolution sensor to go along.
 
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unfocused

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The biggest take away for me was the confession that they have no idea what the form factor for an R version of the 1D would look like. This sounds like the true sports R is a very long way from happening...

I'm a big fan of the R and use it as my main body these days, but this comment does not surprise me at all. There are a number of challenges to using the R as an effective sports camera that go well beyond the fps. It is hard for me to articulate these challenges, but they seem to be inherent to the nature/design of mirrorless and I suspect will be difficult to overcome in order for a true mirrorless action camera to meet Canon's standards.

About the best I can do to explain it is that with the R, I focus exclusively by using my thumb on the screen. I never use back button autofocus with the R, even though I have enabled it. Part of that is the ergonomics of the body -- the back button autofocus button is too small and too close to other buttons (that is easy to fix) but more significantly, it's just not they way I use a mirrorless camera. Shooting sports with a mirrorless will, for me, require some significant relearning before it becomes embedded in my brain and muscle memory -- my problem. But it will also require a more responsive and intuitive design than seems currently available.

Another practical problem is that a true sports camera has to be able to be used with gloves and I'm not talking about thin little smart phone gloves, but big old -20 degree gloves. The touch screen does not play well with my go-to winter photography gloves.
 
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Jethro

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Very insightful. But his answer to the first question on whether there was an upcoming mirrorless pro was very much like 'we decided to do another pro DSLR this time'. So we may be a full cycle away from the mirrorless version. But, he kept saying that what was being produced was what they were being asked for by actual pros - so it's hard to argue with the strategy.
 
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ethanz

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Another practical problem is that a true sports camera has to be able to be used with gloves and I'm not talking about thin little smart phone gloves, but big old -20 degree gloves. The touch screen does not play well with my go-to winter photography gloves.

That is a great feature of the 1d :)
 
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FramerMCB

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I'd be surprised if they really have "no" idea. I'd expect it to be more one of the following two options:
a) They do know, but are keeping it under wraps for now, and the easiest way to deflect further questions is to say "no idea at this time";
or
b) there are two or more options in play, maybe out being field tested, and they have not yet determined which one to follow through with.

Just my 2 cents though...
I would also guess that one of the things that is making the transition for Canon a bit tricky for producing an R version of a 1DX series has to do with mixed feedback from different Pros. Meaning, like many that comment here, there are those that decry any new body that isn't similarly sized to the 'midget' Sony's, but then there are those that either size doesn't matter (or take precedence in how they choose a model) or prefer a body with some size and heft - that would keep a rig better balanced when mounting professional grade lenses especially bigger zooms and super-teles (70-200mm f2.8s, 100-400mm, 400mm, 500mm, etc).
 
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The biggest take away for me was the confession that they have no idea what the form factor for an R version of the 1D would look like. This sounds like the true sports R is a very long way from happening, unless he was being deliberately misleading for reasons I cannot understand. Which means I will likely go for the 1DXiii and continue to wait for a replacement for my R. Probably will likewise hold off on more RF lenses for a bit longer.

Yes, this sounded to me like a subtle way to lower expectations. They probably just came off a 2-year product development sprint to get the 1DX3 out, and basic decisions about the mirrorless version (like, if the next version will be mirrorless) haven't been made yet. This sets back all of us Canon Rumors denizens back another 18-24 months in expectations of having a "pro pro" camera to use RF lenses.

Canon is going to have a really cool system in 2023-2024. I'm happy with my mix of Canon and Sony bodies now, but would be happier if I could use the RF lens set before then. Just need a body with 10+fps while autofocusing. That's a full frame mirrorless equivalent of the 7d2's capability. I'll be here when you come out with it. I just won't expecting it anytime soon. Message received.
 
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I wonder how much weight they will manage to shave off, if indeed they are pursuing that option - and how they would achieve anything significant?

There was no mention in the handling of the new item by the journalist of any different feeling, but maybe that was one of the embargoed items?

In a comment below the article Britton says the Mk III is "slightly lighter" than the Mk II.

Personally, as an owner of the old 1D Mk III who is thinking of updating it, I think the new model needs to be more than "slightly" lighter than the outgoing one. In my opinion the weight already crossed the line from "OK" to "not really OK" in in the move from the 1D Mk III to 1Ds Mk III, even though the latter is my main camera.

I'm not sure how much heavier the current model is than my cameras. It's hard to know what exactly is included in the listed specifications (caps, battery, viewfinder rubber etc.). Perhaps I should take a set of kitchen scales to the dealer.

I get that the new cameras have extra stuff like GPS and Ethernet jacks on board, but in the modern world we do usually expect things to get lighter and more compact over time. I've seen pictures of the innards of these 1 series cameras, with their multiple circuit boards, and can't help thinking there are savings to be made.
 
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