New speculations about Canon’s next announcement dates (EOS 5D Mark IV, 6D Mark II, M4)

canon rumors

Some new suggestions about Canon’s next announcements surfaced on the web.

  • Canon EOS 5D Mark IV: announcement in August 2016, Release in September/October.
  • Canon EOS M (High end model): announcement in October 2016, Release in November/December.
  • Canon EOS 6D Mark II: announcement in February 2017, release in March/April.
  • Canon EOS M4: announcement in February 2017, release in March/April

Please note that some of the dates listed above have been adjusted around four or five times. The only announcement date that’s a safe bet is the EOS 5D Mark IV date. It’s very likely the EOS 5D Mark IV will be announced late Summer 2016, ready for Photokina in September. This got confirmed from my sources. The other dates are better taken with a grain and of salt, though an announcement of the EOS 6D Mark II in 2017 starts to appear to be likely.

It’s also suggested that the EOS 6D Mark II might have the same sensor resolution as the EOS 5D Mark IV, i.e. 24MP. We got somewhat different information and we are trying to learn more.

[via Canon Rumors]

Yet another pro-level EOS M rumor (new APS-C sensor, and anything else you may wish) [CW3]

Eos M3

We had many rumors about a pro-level EOS M camera. Here is another one, surfacing at the right time.

I’ve had a hard time to assign a credibility rating to this rumor. In some ways it looks too good to be true, and it could also be seen as a sum-up of all the earlier pro-level EOS M rumors. On the other hand, it could also be real. I decided for a CW3, since anything stated in the rumor has a fair chance to be true. Given the many fake rumors that are sent around to a lot of people, I strongly recommend you take it with a big grain of salt. Let’s see what the key features of the rumored pro-level EOS M camera are:

  1. Expanding the EF-M system
  2. First ConnectedCamera device
  3. New technology sensor (APS-C)
  4. Built in EEVF viewfinder
  5. Pro level AF performance
  6. Best in class video capability
  7. Pro build quality with enhanced ergonomics
  8. Wider support for the EF lens family

As for 1), we already know that Canon will announce new EF-M lenses. Masaya Maeda himself stated it. The most liley candidate is a 35mm f/1.8 STM lens. I have no idea what 2) means. The EOS M3 has WiFi and NFC on board. No idea what a “ConnectedCamera device” means, if not WiFi and NFC. Point 3) suggests Canon may introduce a new APS-C sensor. This is not only plausible, but entirely likely. It has to be seen what we can expect by the suggested “new technology”. A higher resolution sensor with Dual Pixel AF would fit into “new technology”, so do not expect miracles on the sensor front. 4) is rumored since Canon released their first mirrorless camera. Generally speaking, points 4) to 7) seem to be informed wishful thinking. It’s what we all hope Canon will deliver with their pro-level MILC. Point 8) is interesting, since it could point to a new EF/EF-S to EF-M adapter. We spotted a pertinent patent for such an adapter, with improved AF speed.

It’s claimed the above bits come from an internal presentation. I can’t help but to me this sounds pretty much like wishful thinking. Don’t get me wrong, anything listed above may find its way into a professional Canon mirrorless camera. It’s just that it is exactly what we all were asking for, and what we are reading on the web since years, rumor after rumor. Let’s just hope it’s true and Canon will soon back it up. Another interesting point: the rumor says the alleged pro-level EOS M will be seen after the EOS M3 got an update. If I got it right, it means we will see this pro-level EOS M after Canon released the successor of the EOS M3. So, we may see two new APS-C EOS M models next year (both above the EOS M10), and one full-frame model too. It’s getting crowded.

Along with the same rumor came also a mention that the Canon EOS 6D Mark II may be announced at Photokina 2016 (in September, the 6D2 has always been rumored to be announced Q1-Q2 2016), and that Canon will extend 4K video to more devices (EOS 5D Mark IV?).

Our latest rumor concerning the EOS M system suggests Canon’s full-frame mirrorless camera is delayed because of mount-related issues.

Do you think this is a reliable rumor? Your thoughts are welcome…

Canon FF mirrorless camera mock-up by David Riesenberg
Canon mirrorless camera concept by David Riesenberg
[via NI]

Enthusiast-grade EOS M4 and new EF-M lenses coming, says Canon’s Masaya Maeda (8K, 4K, 120MP & 250MP sensors, new EF-S lenses, high-end inkjet printers coming soon, and much more)

EOS M3

Imaging Resource posted a long and revealing interview with Mr. Masaya Maeda, Senior Managing Director and Chief Executive of Canon Inc’s Image Communication Products Operations. The interview was taken at Canon Expo 2015 in NYC.

One of the things you can read in the interview is that Canon will soon release a new line of high-end inkjet printers. According to Mr. Maeda, this may happen very soon. There is also talk about Canon’s strategy in the lens department. All the new lenses released in the last 5 years have been engineered with the EOS 5Ds and EOS 5Ds R in mind. Mr. Maeda talks about 8K and 4K, the 120MP and 250MP sensors, reveals that new EF-S lenses will be announced.

Obviously, there is a question about Canon’s plans with mirrorless technology.

Q: […[ What is Canon’s strategy relative to mirrorless, and are you in any danger of being left behind in that market? Many competitors have not just a range of bodies, but a very large collection of lenses for them, as well.

Masaya Maeda: As I mentioned before when I talked about lenses, for all of the products, we are working from the top of the pyramid. Going forward […] we will put more effort into mirrorless, and also, naturally, we will continue to expand the EF-M lens group. In the very near future, I think that Canon will come out with a mirrorless camera that you would really like.

Masaya Maeda: I promise.

Sounds a bit like a deja vu to me (thanks lw). Another interesting question regards Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology.

Q: […] Dual Pixel CMOS AF has had a huge impact on autofocus performance, especially for video. We understand that it’s also a very expensive technology to manufacture. Can the cost come down as you gain more experience in manufacturing, or will it always cost quite a bit more than conventional sensors? And is there a chance we would eventually see it in Rebel-class cameras? Dual Pixel would especially benefit EOS M, where you don’t have the separate phase-detect system; is cost the overriding reason we haven’t seen it there?

Masaya Maeda: You are exactly right here. In the future, I would really want to introduce the Dual Pixel CMOS AF on projects in the Rebel-class cameras. We’re working on that.

An EOS M4 camera with Dual Pixel AF on board would make a huge difference. There is a lot more in the interview with Mr. Masaya Maeda.

Canon EOS M3: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA