Is "X" the new "L"?

[unfocused]

Two new Canon cameras aimed at up-market buyers. Both designated as "X."

I'm wondering if this is a new marketing strategy by Canon. Given their success at convincing us that lenses with red rings around them and the letter "L" after the name are worth paying a premium for, can we expect a whole series of "X" cameras?

I don't foresee a 5D "X" (that's what the 1D series is reserved for) but I can definitely see a 7D "X" in the future. Marketed to pros wanting more reach than the 1D, but also selling to enthusiasts who have to have the latest and greatest.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I've never seen a "L" camera body, but lots of cameras from Nikon and others have used the "X" designator. Don't expect it to carry over to lenses.

 

[JR]

It sure looks like it! I would not be surprise to see a 7DX as well. The G1X suggest top of the line body in a given segment could carry the "X". That said, I would love to see a 5DX as well!

 

[DavidRiesenberg]

And don't forget Canon can designate as many segments as they want.

Top-of-the-line Entry Level DSLR
Top-of-the-line Prosumer
Top-of-the-line High MP Camera
Top-of-the-line Photo/Video Hybrid

So I won't be surprised if we're going to see a lot more X's this year

 

[EYEONE]

The X's weren't just used to mark something awesome though (as the "L" is). They were used because the typical naming system didn't really work because the products weren't really successors to one previous camera.

The 1Dx replaces the 1Ds III and the 1D IV. So what do you call it? Well, you come up something that sounds good (1Dx I guess) and then make up reasons for it later (like, it being a "x" breed and such).

The G1x is a replacement for the G12 but ups the price and the sensor size significantly. It's a whole new beast. I get that calling it the G13 wouldn't really be a good idea. So why the "x" on that one? Beats me. Honestly the "X" isn't as confusing as the "1" is. Why is that there? Is it the G1 series now?

The new 5D will be called the Mark 3 and the 7D will be a Mark 2.

 

[distant.star]

Yes, they tell me it's their new "axis" strategy. Or maybe it was "Malcolm."

What I really think, these are products you get to keep after the divorce -- just to remember what your "ex" left you with!

 

[AprilForever]

The X's weren't just used to mark something awesome though (as the "L" is). They were used because the typical naming system didn't really work because the products weren't really successors to one previous camera.

The 1Dx replaces the 1Ds III and the 1D IV. So what do you call it? Well, you come up something that sounds good (1Dx I guess) and then make up reasons for it later (like, it being a "x" breed and such).

The G1x is a replacement for the G12 but ups the price and the sensor size significantly. It's a whole new beast. I get that calling it the G13 wouldn't really be a good idea. So why the "x" on that one? Beats me. Honestly the "X" isn't as confusing as the "1" is. Why is that there? Is it the G1 series now?

The new 5D will be called the Mark 3 and the 7D will be a Mark 2.

Indeed it will. A 5D - 7D merger might be called something X, but I would really just as soon we keep the two distinct lines operating.

 

[dunkers]

No, X is not the new L.

The X was used by Canon to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Canon's Digital Lineup and/or the 10th generation of Canon cameras.

Somebody else also said that the X stood for the cross between 1D and 1Ds. However, this is not the case for the G1X. Unless you wanna argue that it is a semi-cross between the APS-C sensor DSLR and a point/shoot.

 

[wickidwombat]

no X isnt the new L its the new "i" 2012 is year of the X, (waits patiently for another Xmen movie to come out)

 

[ronderick]

Going off on a tangent here...

What is this with all the "X"?! Canon has the 1DX and the G1X, and there's also the GX1 from Panny, and the XPro1 from Fuji...

How many more "X"s do we have to see? All these X in camera models is getting really confusing...

 

[kapanak]

I suspect the G1X is going the same path in naming as the Rebel line. ie. G2X, G3X ... similar to T1i, T2i, T3i ...

Of course that is obvious. However, I do not believe Canon will consider the 'X' for their 5D or 7D ... and definitely not for their lower tier DSLRs ...

 

[Ellen Schmidtee]

Going off on a tangent here...

What is this with all the "X"?! Canon has the 1DX and the G1X, and there's also the GX1 from Panny, and the XPro1 from Fuji...

How many more "X"s do we have to see? All these X in camera models is getting really confusing...

I've read an article about naming products, giving medicines as examples. The article said research has shown people favour products with X, Y, and Z in their names, giving Zyllery as an example. The frequency of letters also plays a part, as the mind tends to notice their usage. X & Z are almost as rare as Q.

 

[waving_odd]

The X was used by Canon to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Canon's Digital Lineup and/or the 10th generation of Canon cameras.

Somebody else also said that the X stood for the cross between 1D and 1Ds. However, this is not the case for the G1X. Unless you wanna argue that it is a semi-cross between the APS-C sensor DSLR and a point/shoot.

The G1 X interview with Chuck Westfall suggests that "...Canon emphasizes that the G1 X does not replace the G12, instead representing the apex of the line... it is indeed a departure..." and Chuck sort of agrees (Q&A page 1).

That sounds like Canon can't simply follow their naming convention due to some new products that are more like hybrid / crossover / extreme sort of thing and are not necessarily the successor of the anything in the current lineup.

Most people must have read translation of this interview with developers of 1D X. But look at the bold word again "型番の“X”は何を意味しているのでしょうか? 吉開：まず統合機ということで「Crossover」のXですね。また今回は“1D”という名前を残していまして、従来のEOS-1Dからさらに進化して際だった商品ということで「Xtream」の意味も持たせました。それから、銀塩一眼レフカメラの「F-1」から数えてちょうど10世代目になるので10を表すXの意味もあります。銀塩の「EOS-1V」までが5世代、デジタルになってからは1Dと1Dsを同じ世代とカウントして5世代あり、合わせて10世代ということです。ただ、機種名の読みとしては「エックス」になります。"

And this one is rarely mentioned - "ちなみに「1D X」の「X」は「Extreme」の「X」と両モデルのを統合するクロスオーバー機としての「X」（クロス）の意味を持つとのことにょ。"

 

[katwil]

I've read an article about naming products, giving medicines as examples. The article said research has shown people favour products with X, Y, and Z in their names, giving Zyllery as an example. The frequency of letters also plays a part, as the mind tends to notice their usage. X & Z are almost as rare as Q.

No wonder I have all this old Quantaray glass lying around.

 

[Richard8971]

Hmmm... Well... in the Rebels, it went from XT to XTi to XSi to T1i and so forth... is the "T" the important thing or is the "i"? (Or was the "X" the important thing at one time?)

Or maybe it is whatever the guys at Canon thought would be a good selling name... who knows.

D

 

[Richard8971]

The X was used by Canon to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Canon's Digital Lineup and/or the 10th generation of Canon cameras.

Somebody else also said that the X stood for the cross between 1D and 1Ds. However, this is not the case for the G1X. Unless you wanna argue that it is a semi-cross between the APS-C sensor DSLR and a point/shoot.

The G1 X interview with Chuck Westfall suggests that "...Canon emphasizes that the G1 X does not replace the G12, instead representing the apex of the line... it is indeed a departure..." and Chuck sort of agrees (Q&A page 1).

That sounds like Canon can't simply follow their naming convention due to some new products that are more like hybrid / crossover / extreme sort of thing and are not necessarily the successor of the anything in the current lineup.

Most people must have read translation of this interview with developers of 1D X. But look at the bold word again "型番の“X”は何を意味しているのでしょうか? 吉開：まず統合機ということで「Crossover」のXですね。また今回は“1D”という名前を残していまして、従来のEOS-1Dからさらに進化して際だった商品ということで「Xtream」の意味も持たせました。それから、銀塩一眼レフカメラの「F-1」から数えてちょうど10世代目になるので10を表すXの意味もあります。銀塩の「EOS-1V」までが5世代、デジタルになってからは1Dと1Dsを同じ世代とカウントして5世代あり、合わせて10世代ということです。ただ、機種名の読みとしては「エックス」になります。"

And this one is rarely mentioned - "ちなみに「1D X」の「X」は「Extreme」の「X」と両モデルのを統合するクロスオーバー機としての「X」（クロス）の意味を持つとのことにょ。"

Hmmm... On the US Canon website they call the 1DX as the "ulitimate" EOS. Maybe ultimate means "X" in Japanese.

 

[bycostello]

i'd say bit more simple, the roman numeral things getting a bit long and convoluted... and x sounds a bit more cool!

 

[squarebox]

Hmmm... On the US Canon website they call the 1DX as the "ulitimate" EOS. Maybe ultimate means "X" in Japanese.

There is no "X" letter in Japanese Language.

In japanese above it is mentioned that X refers to Crossover in functionalities. Also it stands for Xtream, though i can't understand the reasoning here. And lastly, barring from F-1, "X" stands for the 10 generation and if you go back and start counting with the EOS-1 this will be the 10th generation camera in that line.

 

[nikkito]

Going off on a tangent here...

What is this with all the "X"?! Canon has the 1DX and the G1X, and there's also the GX1 from Panny, and the XPro1 from Fuji...

How many more "X"s do we have to see? All these X in camera models is getting really confusing...

Don't forget the XXX movies