Any serious FF Canon mirrorless on the horizon?

I would seriously hope to see a full frame mirrorless from Canon soon. They have the 1 series, then the 5, 6, 7 series, then the 70 etc. What are they holding the 3 series for? Could there be a completely compatible full frame, high end body with EVF, great DR, broad ISO spread, and fast frame rate?

As much as I lust for the next 5D(IV), I would hold out for a true professional and lens-compatible FF body. How about it Canon, a 3D on the horizon?

No.

Canon doesn't even have a serious crop mirrorless candidate yet.

Don't hold your breath. Go Sony if you want a FF mirrorless.

They already have(had) a 3 series....

http://en.wikipedia.or​g/wiki/Canon_EOS-3

They will eventually make one years after Pentax,Samsung,Fuji and Nikon release one, then it'll take 3 versions to get it right(like with the eos m).

mystik610 wrote in post #17554124
Don't hold your breath. Go Sony if you want a FF mirrorless.

+1. If you don't want to wait decades, the Sony offer seems very solid. It's not perfect cameras but even if Canon enters seriously in the FF mirrorless, there will be flaws too.

And all your Canon & legacy lenses can be used with adaptors on the A7x cameras, if AF is not your priority.
Personnaly I'm just waiting that the price of 2nd hand A7R drops with the new generation coming.

Titi

If anything, they should make a version of the 5D4 with an EVF for people who like them.

That seems far more likely than Canon developing an entirely new system.

IMO, that is exactly the sort of thing they should be doing. No need to recreate the interchangeable lens design just because you're taking the mirror out. Start with the 5D3 (for example), take the mirror, pentaprism, metering sensor and af array out of the camera, add an EVF and use a sensor with the PDAF technology on it.

But the big draw of mirrorless systems is the size. If you keep the existing EF mount, the size advantages will not be there, and neither will the value proposition. Granted, some of the FE lenses for the a7 series are also so large that the size advantages become a moot point, but you still have the option to mount a compact lens and still have a lightweight, yet very capable, set-up.

Personally, I think mirrors will one day disappear from cameras even if the larger DSLR type form factor does not. But that will only happen when mirrorless cameras truly surpass DSLR's in terms of performance. We're close to mirrorless cameras matching the performance of DSLR's now, but still not quite there.

There are other advantages beside size. Accurate focus, silent operation, various focusing aids via the EVF. I can see this being a advantage for wedding photogs, being able to walk around and silently taking pictures without the clack-clack of the shutter. Heck, it would be an advantage for me at family get togethers. Seems like the most effective way to clear a room is to start clacking away. After the first shutter press, there goes any chance of stealth.

mystik610 wrote in post #17570157
We're close to mirrorless cameras matching the performance of DSLR's now, but still not quite there.

I don't think we're as close as you think.

8-10 years seems like the quickest that could happen.

mclaren777 wrote in post #17570270
I don't think we're as close as you think.

8-10 years seems like the quickest that could happen.

What makes you think it's that far away? There really isn't any new technological advance needed, just plain engineering. I think it's a company taking it seriously and putting out a 1D/D3 class camera using what's available today.

mclaren777 wrote in post #17570270
I don't think we're as close as you think.

8-10 years seems like the quickest that could happen.

8-10 years based on what?

It's all speculation at this point, but the biggest bottleneck in terms of mirrorless performance has been the lack of phase detect AF. Three years ago, that was a pipe-dream, but since then, we've seen mirrorless cameras with phase detect AF, and the introduction of a line of affordable full frame mirrorless cameras.

At this point, mirrorless cameras can do everything DSLR's can, as they share the same sensors and AF systems....DSLR's, at this point, simply do them a bit better. From here its a matter of refining existing mirrorless cameras so they can perform at the same level as DSLR's. They're close already, but just shy of being there. We're 1-2 generations from that IMO...which is 2-3 years in Sony's terms.

I think AF technology could get there in the next 2-4 years and EVF tech could match OFVs in the next 5-6 years, but battery tech is still a long way from giving mirrorless cameras the same stamina as traditional DSLRs. Plus, once a company like Canon gets into the FF MILC business, it will probably be another decade before it has a respectable selection of dedicated lenses that rival what they currently have for FF DSLRs.

mclaren777 wrote in post #17570787
I think AF technology could get there in the next 2-4 years and EVF tech could match OFVs in the next 5-6 years, but battery tech is still a long way from giving mirrorless cameras the same stamina as traditional DSLRs.

There isn't anything distinct about the battery 'tech' between mirrorless cameras and DSLRs. The only difference is physics: the size of the batteries. Mirrorless cameras draw a bit more because of the electronic viewfinders, but its a tiny OLED (which are very efficient displays) screen. If the true bottleneck to mirrorless adoption is battery life (which it isn't), then the solution is simple: use bigger batteries. i.e. the a7II has a larger grip, which could probably house a larger battery.

An even simpler solution is to simply carry more batteries. I've shot weddings and have travelled with my a7r....battery life has never been an issue, because changing batteries is not an issue. I can change a battery much faster than I can change a lens, and if space is an issue, I'd rather carry an extra battery or two, than lug a bigger body around.

mclaren777 wrote in post #17570787
Plus, once a company like Canon gets into the FF MILC business, it will probably be another decade before it has a respectable selection of dedicated lenses that rival what they currently have for FF DSLRs.

Which is why many people aren't waiting for Canon/Nikon and are transitioning over to Sony. As much as Canon likes to believe the market revolves around them, history has shown us that a market leader can only leverage their position for so long before the rug is swept from under them and the market punishes their unwillingness to adopt new technologies. Just ask Microsoft, Blackberry, Blockbuster, etc etc.

The fact that it takes so long to build a portfolio of lenses only compounds that risk, because as you said, it can take years to develop a line-up of lenses. Sony has aggressively filled out many of the lenses people would want in 16-200mm focal lengths in a mere year and a half. Every year that Canon waits puts them even further behind.