Is the x0D line doomed? (Canon naming scheme)

[xvnm]

Hi,

One thing I never quite understood is why Canon has different naming schemes for its entry-level product line across North America, Europe, and Japan.

I mean, the whole "the smaller the number, the better the camera" as a whole is awesome, so why ruin it and replace it in North America with T2i, XSi, SL1, T3? Isn't 600D, 100D, 1000D much better?

Well, you may be tempted to answer that the reason is historic, that Canon already had the Rebel brand well-stablished here. But that only pushes the question backward: why did they name it Rebel back in the film days to start with?

Which begs the question: now that we have a 100D camera, what will be of the x0D line after the 80D and 90D are released in a couple of years? Makes me wonder if they are going to bring the Elan brand back.

 

[Loswr]

Why are they called Rebel in North America, Kiss in Japan, and xxxD everywhere else? Why is it the Honda Fit in North America, the Honda Jazz in other markets, and why did Honda not call it the Fitta in Norway? Why didn't the Chevy Nova sell in Latin America? Ok, that last one is apocryphal, but you get the idea. Marketing…it's always marketing.

 

[Don Haines]

Why didn't the Chevy Nova sell in Latin America?

Chevrolet Nova
Chevre Lait No Va
Goat's Milk Doesn't Go????

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Marketing is the Reason. We had Canon Rebels long before digital cameras came along. Its a very valuable name and it sells. Why change it for something else when its not broken.

 

[Hannes]

Why are they called Rebel in North America, Kiss in Japan, and xxxD everywhere else? Why is it the Honda Fit in North America, the Honda Jazz in other markets, and why did Honda not call it the Fitta in Norway? Why didn't the Chevy Nova sell in Latin America? Ok, that last one is apocryphal, but you get the idea. Marketing…it's always marketing.

well, in old norse it means wet, boggy ground

 

[Loswr]

Why are they called Rebel in North America, Kiss in Japan, and xxxD everywhere else? Why is it the Honda Fit in North America, the Honda Jazz in other markets, and why did Honda not call it the Fitta in Norway? Why didn't the Chevy Nova sell in Latin America? Ok, that last one is apocryphal, but you get the idea. Marketing…it's always marketing.

well, in old norse it means wet, boggy ground

Oh, that must have been it...

 

[Sella174]

I mean, the whole "the smaller the number, the better the camera" as a whole is awesome, so why ruin it and replace it in North America with T2i, XSi, SL1, T3? Isn't 600D, 100D, 1000D much better?

Marketing and established brand apart, the current xxxD, xxD and xD naming scheme, in my opinion, just doesn't work as it is not truly scalable and future-proof. What happens after the 90D, for then it's either back to the 10D or as the 100D into the xxxD naming space. And you also end up with all those Mark VIII labels.

The Tx, SLx and Mx naming scheme is much better, as you then differentiate the various lines with a letter or two, and just increment the number with each new camera within that line. For example, the SL38 would be the 38th model in the super-compact DSLR range, instead of the "EOS 100D Mark XXXVIII"; and so on ... you get the idea.

As an aside, Olympus seems to be taking lessons from Canon ... in chronological order: E-M5, E-M1, E-M10; and in "level of user" order: E-M1, E-M5, E-M10. Giving all tiers of your cameras the same naming scheme is short-sighted and simply looking for a marketing headache.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

All naming and numbering schemes break down or have to be extended. Canon Started with a D30 and a D60 before coming out with the 10D.

I used to work for a Airplane Company. They made a 707, 717 (actually a DC-9), 727, 737, 747, 757, 767, 777, and now a 787. There are different versions of each, they were up to 737-800 when I retired. After the 797, there will be a new numbering system, I believe its already in place, but not for the public. There was also a 2707 that never left the ground. It was also known as the SST.