Canon EOS 60D

The PMA in Las Vegas is now arriving fast. After a long time of little rumors, here comes the moment for big rumors, but not the actual revelations yet.

• Nikon has been telling the world that they intended to have a great year 2010. It seems that they will bring a new DSLR (it could be the Nikon D700x, Nikon D700s, or Nikon D800 according to the rumor mill). It would be confirmed according to the banner visible on LetsGoDigital. But this is apparently a fake built from press material from the older Nikon D3 (via NR).
• Yesterday’s press conference did not bring a single SLR though (Coolpix S8000, Coolpix S6000, Coolpix S4000, Coolpix S3000, Coolpix P100, Coolpix L110, Coolpix L22, Coolpix L21, nothing less!)
• Plenty of people expect to see the Canon EOS 60D arriving now, but it’s still uncertain. NL/DPR predicts a set of features: CMOS 18MPs, 6.3fps, HD 24 and 36fps, Digic IV.
• According to CR, Canon is preparing a new Rebel/EOS camera whose name should be Rebel T2i (the European name could be 550D or EOS 600D), with video, fixed LCD of improved resolution.
• At last, Canon would present the very pro Canon EOS 1Ds Mk IV
• Samsung should extend its new NX line, possibly with some lenses (waiting a little more for a new NX camera body).
• Olympus and Fuji should bring only P&S cameras.
• The Sony rumour line is totally silent, which could be indicator that either they are efficient at keeping a lid on the new Alpha 750 or there is nothing in preparation.

So, let’s wait a little more.

And finally, here it is! The new canon is born. Some were expecting the Canon EOS 60D, but this is a Canon EOS 7D which is rising. But read more…

Nearly exactly as expected, its features are disclosed now:

• 18 MP sensor, in APS-C size
• Dual DIGIC 4 processor
• 14-bit Analog-to-digital conversion
• Continuous shooting: 8 frames/s
• Sensitivity: 100 – 6400 ISO (ext. 12800 ISO)
• Improved 19-area Autofocus system
• 3″ LCD screen with 920,000 pixels
• Viewfinder: 100% coverage and 1.0x magnification (22 mm eye point) through a glass pentaprism
• 7 image styles
• Horizontal level
• HD video capture (1920 x 1080 @ 24/25/30 fps + 640 x 480 @ 50/60 fps) & stereo sound
• Magnesium alloy chassis
• Weather- and dust-protected body
• Shutter designed for 150,000 snapshots

And the price will be right too: 1699$. Starting in September 2009 (nearly immediately)

Even the press release from Canon is referring to the Canon EOS 50D, and this is really more a successor to the Canon EOS 50D (APS-C for the expert) than a little brother to the Canon EOS 5D or the 5D MkII (Semi-pro Full Frame).

The first preview I noticed (thanks to Bernd) is coming from Rob Galbraith, but DPReview is right on his tail.

Check availability of the Canon EOS 7D with these preferred web sites:

• Carrefour online
• Amazon
• B&H (The Professional’s Source)

(more…)

We are told that this Fall is a great time for news on the SLR market. I let you judge by yourself:

• Canon: one announcement would be a definite possibility to replace the Canon 1D Mk III with a Canon 1D Mk IV and maybe also a Canon EOS 7D whose top cover and a detail are visible below (August 25?)
• Nikon: D700x (or D800) to offer a 24 MP full frame sensor.
• Sony: Alpha 500, Alpha 550, Alpha 850 (probably on August 28)
• Pentax: an entry-level SLR

We only have to wait (impatiently) for a few days (maybe a few hours) in order to know all about .

Canon 7D ? top

Canon EOS 7D detail

There is a bizarre rush for visibility in the online shops all around the web. I start to feel that most of them are actual fakes. Let’s check this:

• Several (accidental?) leaks from Sony web sites, showing Sony Alpha 500, 550, 850 (and possibly Alpha 750, but this one may be a counter-fire).
• A German site showing the Alpha 850, with price.
• An Andorra web site showing a supposed Alpha 800, no price.
• The Canon EOS 7D spotted in Best Buy internal catalog system.

I will not fully judge their credibility, but I feel that the order I used goes from most possible to mere rumor.

According to Canon Rumors, we can expect an announcement on the 1st September in the Canon EOS line of digital photo cameras.

According to Canon Rumors and a Danish web site, the next round of Canon annoucements (Point’n Shoots and EOS) will be done on August 19.

For me, it would probably be the launch of the long-expected Canon EOS 60D due to replace the existing Canon EOS 50D. Normally, in this part of the Canon line, this should be a fairly incremental step. Neither the 40D nor the 50D was a revolution, but Canon keeps pumping good reliable SLR cameras around this price point.

The only big question is: “Will Canon bring Full Frame down from the EOS 5D Mk II to the xxD line?”

Stay tuned.

Canon is rather discreet in these times. But 2009 will not end without several important news. What can we expect? Two reflex cameras are about to arrive.

• A successor to the 50D, the Canon EOS 60D, probably at the end of the year (will it be ready for Christmas? I doubt it). Again, it will only be a small evolution of existing products but not the technological evolution that the Canon enthusiasts keep dreaming about. A new battery, 15+MP, 7 fps, 1080p video, SD memory cards (no longer CF).
• As always, Canon is preparing its best and most shocking news for higher up in the camera range. Even without rushing to another Full Frame camera, the successor to the 1D should arrive to bring ground-breaking progress in the field of light sensitivity (in private, it has been nick-named “The lord of darkness“). Still in APS-H size, it would have two Digic V processors, 16+MP, perfectly usable 6400 ISO (maybe more), 19-zone AF, video, LiveView, all-weather protection, 100% viewfinder, more than 3 inches of LCD screen (maybe 3.2″). Clearly, this will be the best technology Canon has, but the price will be definitely pro.

After that, a Canon EOS 2000D could arrive in Fall with a tilt-and-swivel LCD screen. But nothing more in terms of informations/specs.

Canon Rumours proposes a feature list for the next mid-range/high-end amateur reflex Canon camera: Canon EOS 60D. It is expected for next Fall only.

• Sensor upgraded slightly, but still 15.1 MP.
• 1080p HD video at 30fps.
• External mic jack.
• A newer AF system introduced.
• Continuous shooting at 8fps.

According to Canon Rumours, the future Canon EOS 60D will probably be a new autofocus system: Based upon the 1D autofocus, it would be more AF points/zones.

Not much more, but it could be significant if Canon is actually creating a new stepping stone for incremental improvements in the mid-range SLR Autofocus system, getting the best AF from the 1D system and making it slightly better while bringing it to the 50D/60D level of SLR cameras.

Photography Bay is showing a list of features for the upcoming replacement of the Canon EOS 50D. Already??? Sure, it seems a bit early to start talking about this one. Did I say rumour?

Anyway, here are the (rumoured) features:

• 15.1MP sensor (no resolution changes, improved IQ?)
• New 13 Point AF
• 1080p Movie Mode
• Continuous shooting: 8 fps
• 3″ VGA LCD
• Viewfinder: 98% coverage
• New battery model
• Weather-sealing (this one would be really nice)
• Ergonomic Upgrades
• Memory slots: 1x Compact Flash & 1x Secure Digital

The more important “information” may be a forecast of the launch date: Fall 2009.

And there is also an intersting tidbit: This camera may be breaking the naming conventions of the Canon EOS line. For sure, this is more rumour than fact: No marketing department would bet on a name as early as that…

Canon EOS 60D?

Crisis, recession, deflation, financial crush, layoffs are all words that we hear about on a daily basis. Whatever you feel/think about them, there is a reality: the consumers are buying less. This is as true for photo hardware and software as for the other markets (maybe it’s worse for cars…)

Made homeless by Bangor fire (Bain News Service, LOC - 1910/15)

Now, this has a clear impact on the decisions in photography-related companies. Who would want to spend millions of dollars on advertisement, press information, etc. if the potential customers are not even listening because their attention is focused on managing their day-to-day life or a foreclosure? Additionally, many camera manufacturers see their prices forced up (at the worst possible time) by unfavorable evolution of exchange rates (everybody is speaking about the world-wide price hike-ups of Nikon, Sigma and a few others). So, many marketing departments of photo companies are reviewing their launch calendar.

It seems that one of the first companies to have made a decision here is Canon. The word is out that the Canon EOS 500D is currently pressured for a delay which would make its launch more in line with a less depressed market. It may be pushed from this Winter to Spring or early Summer 2009 (Northlight Images even say Autumn). Of course, this goes with the possibility for the designers to add new features if it is still possible to use this delay. This could be a good financial and technical strategy.

However, there is a lot of pressure mounting inside Canon in order to close the gap created by Nikon with the launch of the Nikon D90, Nikon D700, Nikon D3x. The Canon 500D with video features would be a good answer.

It is also said that the Pentax K30D may be delayed. Or is it that Pentax is unsure about what to include in the package right now?

Sony has a lot of things to send to the market in 2009. Scheduling the launches in steps could be natural if they need to spread the costs, but I doubt they will adopt such a strategy. Despite the financial issues they recently disclosed, they seem quite able to pursue their usual strategy of “maximum impact” which supports well the simultaneous disclosing of a wealth of products. Nevertheless, it could lead to a step-by-step availability.

Nothing seems to be said of Nikon delays. Is it because they are perceived as having such an impetus that they can’t stop pushing new good products to the market?

Whatever happens, recession is a factor that the marketing department of any major camera company must take into account. There is little doubt that 2009 (and possibly 2010) will be a bad year for all consumer-oriented industries. Since no part of the world will be doing really better than the others, this brings the need to be cautious. Let’s hope that camera brands will not stop showing us good (better?) cameras.

Last minute note: Nikon Watch just announced that both Nikon and Canon were posting decreasing profits.

A current candidate feature set for the Canon EOS 60D includes:

• Improved LiveView AF to support focus tracking
• Improved normal AF (additional AF points)
• Orientable LCD screen (not definite, but easy to do) including a flip up mode to allow ‘from the hip’ shooting
• HD video mode (already confirmed by Canon), with AF and stereo sound
• GPS geo-tagging
• Upgraded 50D firmware to include options such as Chromatic Aberration adjustment (for lenses), and even more flexible Auto-ISO
• Same 15MP Sensor as EOS 50D

To me, this seems to be about the same as preparing a rumour (not even the rumour itself).

Source: NorthLight-Images.