Another Mention of Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Coming in 2015

EOS 5D Mark IV
The EOS 5D Mark III

Northlight Images writes:

In a dealer sourced rumour, we’re again told that the 5D mk4 is due for launch at the start of February (in time for CP+ 12th-15th) along with ‘another Canon Pro DSLR’ around the same time.

This is not the first time that the EOS 5D Mark IV is rumored to be announced in 2015. So far very little specs leaked (and/or are speculated). Here at CW we got a rumor some time ago, saying the EOS 5D Mark IV will feature 4k video (which I really hope it will).

It’s still a bit early for reliable EOS 5D Mark IV rumors. Stay tuned…

It’s Coming: Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM (after almost 10 years of rumours, edited)

IMG_154428
The EF 100-400 f/4.5-5.6L IS

It’s the lens Canon makes out of sympathy after almost 10 years of rumoring. Just kidding :-)

Digicame-Info (translated) reports that the EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II lens will soon be announced. No specs so far (but I am sure they will surface soon). For the time being all we know is that the hood will have model number ET-83D, and that it doesn’t appear to be a big evolution from the 16 year old predecessor.

Edit: I got the last point wrong from the machine translated text. In the meantime I have been told that you can expected a substantial evolution from the previous model.

More to come…

More On The Lego-Style Canon DSLR

Canon DSLR
More about the “modular” DSLR.

Canon Rumors, correcting the previous leak:

[…] don’t think we’re going to get a camera that is fully modular, such as swapping out image sensors and that sort of thing. I think we’re going to see a camera that can maybe swap between an optical and electronic viewfinder,  as well as ergonomic changes depending if you’re shooting stills or video.

So, no lego-style DSLR as in the first rumour days ago, just a camera that can “maybe swap” the optical viewfinder with an electronic one (for what reason do you want to do this on a DSLR?), and some “ergonomic changes” depending if you shot stills or video. If for one minute you forget that you can “maybe swap” the VF, what else is there you can say it’s modular?

Doesn’t sound very modular to me but still a bit like non-sense.

Crazy how fast rumours change or get corrected, and how fast they get published. Got a good example yesterday after posting a rumor I got over a week ago, and that caused a lot of emails that found their way into my and others inbox and to some sites on the web. Good to know that even the shallowest rumour eventually finds a site to call its home :-)

Your opinion welcome…

Canon Patent for a 2mm f/1.4 Weather-Sealed Lens (action camera coming?)

Canon Patent

I totally missed this patent. Found it on Action Camera Rumors while surfing the web.

The patent was spotted by Egami (translated). The patent is for a 2mm f/1.4, weather-sealed lens. Such a lens could be used in surveillance cameras, or, as Action Camera Rumors suggests, for an upcoming action camera made by Canon. I think the lens in the patent will go on some surveillance camera (since Canon is already active in this domain). However, not all patents make into a market product.

Given all the hype around action cameras, who can say Canon is not planning one? Egami also mentions the possibility that such a lens would fit well on an action camera.

Machine translated patent description:

  • Patent Publication No. 2014-197128
    • Published 2014.10.16
    • Filing date 2013.3.29
  • Example
    • Focal length f = 2.03mm
    • Fno. 1.44mm
    • Half angle ω = 59.18 °
    • Image height 3.00mm
    • Overall length of the lens 32.17mm
    • BF 0.51mm
  • Canon patent of
    • Focus position of the periphery of the screen is displaced When mounting the dome cover
    • And suppress the deviation of the focus by changing the air space of the lens, depending on the presence or absence of the dome cover
[Egami via Action Camera Rumors]

Canon’s Upcoming Multi-Layer, Foveon-Like Sensor Made By Sony? (Update)

Foveon-Like Sensor

Update: Jep, here too we got an email stating that “Canon will continue to use Canon sensors”, very soon after this rumor was posted. Since no email came from a known source I would normally not post this update. But then, since this new rumor is floating around…here was the update :-)

Original post:

A very good source told me that the upcoming multi-layer, Foveon-like sensors that was mentioned in a rumor weeks ago will be made by Sony. I give the rumor of a Sony-made Foveon sensor a good possibility to be true. This sensor is said to be featured in two new pro-grade cameras that will be announced in Q1 2015.

Beside that this rumor comes from one of my best sources, I think it is plausible. It would not be the first time that Canon mounts a sensor made by Sony on their cameras. Even if there is no evidence, it is almost sure that the new Canon Powershot G7 X sports a Sony sensor.

On the other hand, it is a bit disappointing. Canon has research labs and production facilities, and I would prefer if they go on making sensors on their own instead of getting them from others. Especcially if Canon makes more excellent sensors like the one featured on the EOS 7D Mark II.

A note: during a recent interview with DPreview, when asked about the G7 X sensor, a Canon representative said:

Q: […] we’ve learned […] that the sensor in the G7X is not made by Canon. Does this represent a new philosophy at Canon?

A: We select the best sensor, whoever the manufacturer is. That’s our policy.

What do you think?