Would you pay for a true pro-sumer camera?

Recently I got to shoot with a MkIII and it is a wonderful machine. It’s speed in focusing, ability to track moving objects, and accuracy left me drooling and I’m seriously considering the upgrade but it’s so dang big and heavy. Now I love my 40D but it’s not really a pro-sumer camera when compared to the MKIII. It’s much more sumer than pro basically being a dressed up xxx series camera with a few pro-like features, a marginal improvement in performance, and a better interface. (Donning asbestos undies)

What the 40D is missing the real pro features so that got me thinking, should Canon offer a real pro-sumer camera, one that would match the MkIII in performance but in a 40D package?

If Canon offered up a camera about the size and weight of the 40D with a 1.6 crop sensor, ISO 100 through 3200 with 50 and 6400 extended, a 45 point AF, EC +-3, 63 point metering, and still accept both EF and EF-S mount I’d open my wallet in a second.

So what about it? Would you be willing to spend a bit more and get a real pro-featured camera in a consumer body?

For the price that they would offer it at, you could get a real pro body. Why not check out a mark II or I?

i am the opposite. I would love if they made a 1.6x crop cam and a FF cam in the body like a 1D just a little smaller. basically the same size of a 40D and grip but all 1 body. i love the size and weight of the 1series

the 40D is a pro-sumer. The 1D are pro.

gjl711 wrote in post #6113876
Recently I got to shoot with a MkIII and it is a wonderful machine. It’s speed in focusing, ability to track moving objects, and accuracy left me drooling and I’m seriously considering the upgrade but it’s so dang big and heavy. Now I love my 40D but it’s not really a pro-sumer camera when compared to the MKIII. It’s much more sumer than pro basically being a dressed up xxx series camera with a few pro-like features, a marginal improvement in performance, and a better interface. (Donning asbestos undies)

What the 40D is missing the real pro features so that got me thinking, should Canon offer a real pro-sumer camera, one that would match the MkIII in performance but in a 40D package?

If Canon offered up a camera about the size and weight of the 40D with a 1.6 crop sensor, ISO 100 through 3200 with 50 and 6400 extended, a 45 point AF, EC +-3, 63 point metering, and still accept both EF and EF-S mount I’d open my wallet in a second.

So what about it? Would you be willing to spend a bit more and get a real pro-featured camera in a consumer body?

So in other words you want Canon to come out with a Nikon D300? At the price point of the D300 I would buy one in a heartbeat.

Definitely yes. For me, this is what is so attractive about the Nikon D700. It's a D3 in a smaller/lighter body. Awesome. If Canon can pull something like that off in the next 5D I will be a very happy camper. If not... my eyes might wander.

In2Photos wrote in post #6113961
So in other words you want Canon to come out with a Nikon D300? At the price point of the D300 I would buy one in a heartbeat.

Yes, exactly. A camera with pro performance in a consumer body.

gjl711 wrote in post #6113876
Recently I got to shoot with a MkIII and it is a wonderful machine. It’s speed in focusing, ability to track moving objects, and accuracy left me drooling and I’m seriously considering the upgrade but it’s so dang big and heavy. Now I love my 40D but it’s not really a pro-sumer camera when compared to the MKIII. It’s much more sumer than pro basically being a dressed up xxx series camera with a few pro-like features, a marginal improvement in performance, and a better interface. (Donning asbestos undies)

What the 40D is missing the real pro features so that got me thinking, should Canon offer a real pro-sumer camera, one that would match the MkIII in performance but in a 40D package?

If Canon offered up a camera about the size and weight of the 40D with a 1.6 crop sensor, ISO 100 through 3200 with 50 and 6400 extended, a 45 point AF, EC +-3, 63 point metering, and still accept both EF and EF-S mount I’d open my wallet in a second.

So what about it? Would you be willing to spend a bit more and get a real pro-featured camera in a consumer body?

so what you are asking is if we would buy a D300 if Canon made it. the answer is YES for me. i would love to buy a camera with the exact same pecs and features as the D300 with a canon mount.

gjl711 wrote in post #6114023
Yes, exactly. A camera with pro performance in a consumer body.

I thought that was the 5D. Cause I think the 5d is a much better camera than the D300. FF. Better in low light.

gjl711 wrote in post #6113876
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]If Canon offered up a camera about the size and weight of the 40D with a 1.6 crop sensor, ISO 100 through 3200 with 50 and 6400 extended, a 45 point AF, EC +-3, 63 point metering, and still accept both EF and EF-S mount I’d open my wallet in a second.

Me too, shortly after I'd wet myself in sheer excitement!

Graham

Nope, I like the build, performance, weather protection etc of the pro bodies, and as I always use a grip I prefer it to be integrated in the camera body.

What I would like though is a 1.6x pro body, I could use that for birds and sports.

i think what you're describing is what most of us are crossing our fingers and hoping the 5dmk2 will bring. the d700 has really stepped up the standard for the class, and there are many of us who want full frame in a more updated and refined body without dropping the money for a 1ds series camera.

airfrogusmc wrote in post #6114239
I thought that was the 5D. Cause I think the 5d is a much better camera than the D300. FF. Better in low light.

The 5D though a real nice camera, still bases itself on the consumer side of the fence. It only has a 9 point focus system same as the xxD bodies and a 35 point metering, again as the xxD bodies. It's claim to fame is the full frame sensor and the quality of image it delivers.

I'd love a D300 in a Canon format.

How is their AF and metering BTW? I read about this colour metering which sounds really interesting. Does it make it better at tracking objects in motion - eg by knowing the colour of the thing you've focused on so it won't get distracted and suddenly focus on the sky or trees?

airfrogusmc wrote in post #6114239
I thought that was the 5D. Cause I think the 5d is a much better camera than the D300. FF. Better in low light.

This is where the 5D dates itself. It still takes great photos (I don't own one.) but it's features give away it's age.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the 5D "replacement" as a slightly-downgraded 1DmkIII stuffed into a 5D-like body with something like "3D" for a model number. I would also expect Canon to continue to sell the 5D along side like they did with the XT and XTi, possibly as a mkII a la XS, XSi.