Canon 1Ds mark 4

Gel wrote in post #10968504
Bearing the above in mind, I bet Canon crippled the AF in the 5D2 specifically to stop everyone buying the 5D2 over the others.

I beg to differ. It is just marketing strategy.

They made such huge advancements in the feature-set and resolution that they could easily get away with keeping the old AF system in tact. This may've also helped with R&D costs early on, but who knows.

What I do know that with the release of 7D, it has become quite clear that Canon is looking to provide a 1.6x crop alternative to those who own EF-S lenses and aren't exactly ready to buy invest in the more expensive, optics optimized for full-frame. The 7D has assured us of a couple things:

A camera body (3D or 5D III) will be released using the same AF brain of the 7D which could easily get away with 9 reliable AF points while making minimal improvements in all other departments and sell like fire during the Ice Age.

This full-frame camera will also have 100% VF coverage not only because the 7D boasts this underrated feature, but in the event that it is the 5D III that sees this AF improvement, it would be accurate to assess it as well from chronological increases (5D = 96%, 5D II = 98%) in given area of topic.

Only time will tell though.

40Driggs wrote in post #10968285
Good question. While I feel like the new 400 is a winner due to the lighter weight, I couldn't imagine a 60D user actually using one.

Nah, they're all using 250mm lenses.

As there is not much rumors lately let's try to imagine what is Canon up to with the inevitably coming 1Ds MK4.

I got myself thinking that Canon tries to go much bigger in megapixels (sic! so predictable, stuff more pixels in) than 32MP. One reason is that after not too long wait Nikon will release the D4x and they obviously do not stop so close in megapixels as their current flagship D3x is, which undermines the Canon's counterpart too quickly. What was the issue not releasing the 1Ds MK4 at Photokina? Because Canon cannot afford to go back in some of the specifications, 5fps has to be maintained. This leads to the DIGIC 5 and the time it takes to develop it. As the lifespan of a DIGIC should be long enough (business optimization) , improved video features will be added too to the same chip (a'la intelligently downsized frames not just skipped pixels like now).

In conclusion - because of the delay in release and possible competition Canon goes much higher in megapixels with the 1Ds MK4, also improving video.

If the industry speculation is right, Nikon and possibly Sony are poised to announce something very important for release sometime next year. Again, this is all rumour, but this is thought to be a full frame camera with an extreme pixel count, Canon's natural territory.

If Canons "informants" have given them advance warning, which I believe is very likely, then they have maybe 9 months to completely rethink the 1Ds and get it announced. As Nikon would have to beat the assumed 32MP by a margin, then Canon must have to redouble it. This is a very tight schedule for a big job, but if they had released the 1Ds4 as was, then its shelf-life would have been months, not years.

So the question is, what sort of margins are likely. I suggest 35-40 from Nikon/Sony which means Canon need to offer 45-50MP to stay ahead. If Nikon are allowed to make that leap unchallenged, Canon are bound to loose market share to Nikon.

They can do it, a 50MP sensor was developed some years ago. What that means in terms of processing I don't know and to be honest don't care. They will develop whatever package is needed to do the job, thats relatively easy. I don't see the 1Ds replacement being at all controversial, Canon tend to stay old school with cameras aimed at the professional.

Sorry but you think canon will bring out a 50mp 1Ds4 !? Next year? realy!?

Rob,

If the speculation about the reason they pulled the 1Ds4 is correct. Its that or fold up their tent and allow Nikon and Sony to take over at the top. Can you see that happening? No, neither can I.

Of course its equally possible that a problem was discovered while "beta testing" the IDs4 and thats why its been delayed. We common folk won't know until Canon tell us.

Who the hell needs 50mp, really.

You think if canon release a top end pro body thats a few mp shy of nikons (say 21mp vs 24 for example....) its game over!?!

And that canon are going to compete with midrange MF backs at 50mp?

Sony arnt going to take over at the top. They've prety much given up. They couldnt even find a pro who shot sony to shoot their own product shots.

its not all about MPX but canon does definitely like to be ahead in that area.

1Ds4 is so far ahead (if to believe rumors) that any speculation will be 99% wrong.

We re looking at a completely new design with a completely new technology ... who knows what it can offer!?

I think it's going to be a different route. It will be called the 1Ds-R. The "s" means studio and the "R" means rangfinder.

Where'd the Sony talk come from all of a sudden? If it's not Canon that defines the upper end then it will be Nikon, no other maker is even in the same ballpark when it comes to 35mm (d)SLRs. Sony has done very little to earn a spot in that conversation.

That said, it's been over 3 years since Canon has defined the state of the pro-level art. I have a hunch that the upcoming 1Ds announcement, whenever it comes, will dramatically change recent past fortunes in that regard. It's gonna be worth the wait.

I feels it!

Indecent Exposure wrote in post #11035697
That said, it's been over 3 years since Canon has defined the state of the pro-level art. I have a hunch that the upcoming 1Ds announcement, whenever it comes, will dramatically change recent past fortunes in that regard. It's gonna be worth the wait.

I feels it!

I hope so, for competitions sake. Don't want Nikon resting on their laurels like Canon has done.

I remember going out of a photowalk with about 50-70 people.

The lead guy basically asked how many canon and nikon people there were.
Then some guy went 'oi! what about Sony'.

He was the only one there.

Last Saturday I went on a photowalk thingy... There was an OLYMPUS DSLR user!!!1

I almost fainted!

I'm a bit embarrassed - while Sony doesn't have a decent network for pro level operation, I think that the Sony A900 is IQ wise better than Canon's current megapixels flagship.

While Sony's latest developments are towards mass market, they definitely have the ability to produce a nice FF camera. I would like to see them taking this even more seriously, two in the competition is clearly not a big number, I'm a bit bored with modest updates.

Gel wrote in post #11036509
I remember going out of a photowalk with about 50-70 people.

The lead guy basically asked how many canon and nikon people there were.
Then some guy went 'oi! what about Sony'.

He was the only one there.