Is history going to repeat itself with the Nikon D4 (see above mock-ad re: Nikon D3)? But this time on the video side of the DSLR market?
Nikon is really happy with its new D4 flagship. My favorite quote from a Nikon person at CES was “We like to shut people up.”
Boy, did they…
There’s no doubt that the D4 is an amazing camera. It’s amazing how far they’ve one-upped their own D3s. I’m really hoping to get the chance to shoot some college basketball with one before the season is over.
For sports shooters, Canon’s 1D X and Nikon’s D4 should be close again. I think the D3s edged out the 1D Mark IV in AF performance over series of real world tests I conducted in 2010. However, I think the performance is closer than most forum postings would lead you to believe.
I’m curious to see how well these new cameras stack up against each other on the still image capture side; however, I’m even more interested in how Canon will respond to the Nikon D4’s key video capture features.
Yes, the cameras are both shoot HD video. And, based on my initial hands-on look at each one, they both do a better job than the previous generation in terms of overall quality and functionality. However, the Nikon D4 adds a couple of “duh” features (headphone output & clean HDMI-out) that may make it the current king of the HDSLR hill. And since Canon built that hill over the past three years or so, I reckon that it is readying some sort of response, which we’re all expecting to see at or around the NAB Show in April.
The 1D X looks like a great camera and I was impressed with the improvements Canon made to the video capture features. However, I specifically asked Chuck Westfall from Canon about the lack of a headphone port for audio monitoring and the lack of clean HDMI-out when I talked to him at PhotoPlus. As to the headphone port, he cited the need for a LAN port was more pressing and there simply wasn’t room on the 1D X body. And the lack of HDMI-out on the 1D X is due to the lack of processing power. You can see the full context of this discussion in my original recap here.
Nikon just managed to put both of these features in a camera that is lighter and costs $800 less than the 1D X. On the HDSLR side of things, the Nikon D4 makes Canon look like a bit of a chump.
Canon’s $16,000 C300 is all well and good; however, there’s still a huge market in the sub-$5000 HDSLR user base. So, Canon can point to the C300 and say, “Look, we’ve got all those features here.” But when it comes down to a lot of the prosumer or low-budget pro/indie shooters looking for a camera body that’s his best bang for buck, that $10k price gap may as well be a $50k price gap.
And if Nikon launches the D800 with similar “duh” features, Canon might be better off to fall on its sword (and run a real Touché ad) than to bring the 5D Mark III out with the 1D X video tweaks and call it an upgrade.
The thing is, I don’t think that’s what will happen. I think the 5D brand has become so ubiquitous in the HDSLR scene, that Canon will come out of the gate with a 5D Mark III as a true next-gen HDSLR.
And just to be clear, I’m more reading tea leaves here than I am passing along inside info. Based on where we’ve been over the past three years, the partnerships Canon’s formed with Technicolor and Adobe, and its new Cine-brand initiative, Canon’s built up too much steam to lay anything less than a golden egg now.
So, what kind of bells and whistles will make the 5D Mark III as special as the Mark II?
- First of all, I don’t know that Canon’s going to outdo the Mark II in terms of impact on the market. The 5D Mark II was a special camera and freak occurrence that created an entire market without any expectation of this.
- But doing a better job on audio is critical. I want my battery grip with XLR inputs. I may still be dreaming on this, but darned if I don’t want it. Even if Canon doesn’t go that far, someone else will soon (probably Sony if I were putting money on it). Audio monitoring is a must – both headphones and on-screen levels. New mics like the Rode VideoMic HD will make the most out of in-camera audio improvements.
- Clean HDMI-out. I would say that it’s a must, but that may be a bit strong. It’s highly desired by lots, but it won’t kill the camera. Canon would still look like a bit of a chump if the D800 has this feature though. Yeah OK, it’s almost a must.
- Smooth aperture pulls. Canon has a patent on this. It’s time.
- Smooth focus pulls. Several companies already make EF lens controls for focus pulling. How about a first-party solution?
- 1080/60p. Sony FS100, A77, NEX-7, NEX-5N . . . all offer 1080/60p. Just sayin’.
Canon Rumors had yet another interesting tidbit recently from its “sources” that the 5D Mark III would be sticking with a resolution around 21-22MP, instead of the rumored 30+MP sensor we heard a while back. Shouldn’t be a problem with the video side of things. Canon seems to have solved much of the rolling shutter skew and moire problems in the 1D X, which should easily transfer over to the 5D Mark III’s tech.
What’s more interesting on the video side of the rumor mill are those niggling rumors of a 30MP+ camera that’s coming from Canon. Alongside the Canon C300, a 4K concept camera was teased. No specs other than 4K and a DSLR form factor.
In the Canon C300 is a 4K sensor; however, it only delivers a 1080p image. This is due to the fact that it reads a full HD signal for each of the three RGB channels to deliver a single 1920 x 1080 image.
If Canon were to employ the same (apparently very effective) process to its 4K camera, we’d end up with a 33.1MP image sensor at a full 8K (7680 x 4320). That would be sufficient to allow the camera to read a full 4K signal for each RGB channel and deliver a single 4K image in the same manner as the C300.
We’ll keep an eye on this. In the mean time, the comment section below is all yours.
So full frame still cameras are gone forever, and I should take very good care of my 5D.
This just got real. That’s some serious one-upsmanship.
As a Canon shooter, this whole conversation is disappointing to me on a number of levels. While Canon provides excuses for not providing audio monitoring and an HDMI output, Nikon does it. This is a familiar position for Canon shooters. But why? Canon certainly has more resources. Unfortunately, resources don’t guarantee responsiveness to the market. ($20,000…err…$16,000 C300 anyone?) This is something that Nikon has excelled at since replacing its management team sometime after introducing the D2. Canon should be thanking God daily for allowing them to stumble backassward into the video market the way they did with the 5D II.
But speaking of video, it is equally disappointing to me to imagine the 5D line evolving into a video-centric line. It’s not that I hate video; I find it quite useful. But I LOVE still photography and what I want is a small, lightweight, highly capable full frame camera that excels at stills. Canon offers one model, the 5D2, with crippled AF, crippled auto-ISO in M mode, and limited weather resistance. That fact that most of the talk about 5D III improvements tends to be on the video side of the equation makes me crazy. Is that really what is driving sales?
A parallel universe to my own thoughts on current developments :-)
Coming from the POV where I want a camera for stills and have no use for video, I’m strongly minded to agree with Thom Hogan about the D4:
“If you want the short synopsis: nothing revolutionary this time, just a great deal of iteration.”
The real test will be comparisons of still image quality and realistic AF usage. Both 1D X and D4 are going to be pretty similar, enough to keep the armchair enthusiasts arguing, whilst real users go with what they had before or what Canon/Nikon marketing convince their corporate buyers to supply them with.
XLR connectors on a DSLR – I think not. No, as someone who wants a top notch stills DSLR for my work, a waste of space, weight and another hole to get mud in :-)
Has everyone lost site of the fact that at it’s heart the 5D mkII was a damn good full frame stills camera. Many top end pros use them instead of the 1D series cameras. whenever I see a TV show with a photoshoot of some sort i notice there are just as many 5D mkII’s as there are 1ds mkII’s (and also a lot less Nikons :o)
I’ve been using one for a couple of years now and over the last couple of years and I have also started shooting video for clients with it.
There is no question that video is becoming an integral part of some professional photographers lives but I hope canon doesn’t sacrifice the stills side on a 5D upgrade.
Often I read the blogs and rumor mill sites about 5D upgrades and it’s often people asking and wishing for things like hdmi and audio control etc.
But my main hope is that Canon fix the few floors in the 5D mkII’s current setup. it’s a great camera when you get to know it but lets face it, the focus in unusual lighting conditions sucks, with wide angle lenses the focus sucks, any of the off center focus points suck 80% of the time.
The (stills) frame rate could be higher (not so important but 5fps would be nice)
And the very annoying 160th sync with most off camera flashes has always been a pain. Thank god for small mercies and pocket wizard flex and mini TT1.
As for the video, surely canon know a lot of people have spent small fortunes on rigs and video kit that fits around the 5D mkII body shape (minus the grip) so bringing out a “C” body or a 5D mk ** in a 1D form factor is going to mean investing in yet more video rigs or having to adapt what people have invested in.
With current 5D prices buying a fully flegged video kit means that the camera is one of the cheaper parts of the setup.
SO! I hope Canon upgrade the 5D by adding what they can from the 1D X but for a price that reflects the position in the market that the 5D holds. Making sure it focuses well and functions as an amazing stills camera as well as an amazing video camera.
Eric, The title here says CANON 5D MARK III VS. NIKON D4 Shouldn’t it be NIKON D4 VS. CANON EOS 1 DX? I’ve been following both of these cameras and I have no doubt that they are competing, in fact they are so close that it seems like both cameras were built using the same “BUILD SHEET”. Of the biggest differences, I find that the NIKON has two media card slots one the UDMA7 COMPACT FLASH & SLOT 2 uses the brand new XQD Memory card. Designed and Built by SONY, it’s expected FEB 16th just like the NIKON. They only come in 32GB and 64GB (for now) at a cost of $129. & $229 RESPECTFULLY . There is also a READER needed for the card. Also, the NIKON has an Ethernet port and is 802.11b,g, & n Compatible.
In the 2 part interview with James Banfield of NIKON UK, at the site Whatdigitalcamera? they are apparently looking toward the future as these cards will eventually come in 1TB & 2TB, so they are built for speed. For reasons still unknown, NIKON used USB 2.0 Rather than the new USB 3.0 The XQD card is USB 3.0 and backward compatible as well. I have questioned them in several areas like, with an ethernet port, it should have a MAC ADDRESS and would be considered a WEB DEVICE. They seem confused about how it can go on line, they say it’s not a web device. It would not need FCC approval if it was not built as a “COMMUNICATOR” The ethernet port should connect right to the internet & be able to send PHOTO (files) Without a computer.
They keep referring to the new WT5 transmitter as it’s internet connection. So they’re back to using the computer. Why then does it have WI FI, DO YOU LOOK FOR A HOTSPOT? I can’t get a straight answer (30 DAYS TIL RELEASE DATE). It can be controlled with an IPHONE, But why, you can’t make a phone call from the camera. I’m pretty annoyed because of the lack of information. Each tech rep. gives a different version. Apparently this camera has 45 new Functions, but it’s not clear what they do. Also remember, you’re buying into a system & it’s more like $8,000.00 once you buy the WT5 Transmitter, Microphone, XQD Cards and readers, and any number of other accessories that are needed.
B/T/W, You’re not going to buy an XQD card while you’re out on a job and the helper drops yours in the mud.
The seals they talk about, are the “rubber Plugs that cover the connection ports. These things are rubber, hinge and all, They’re not built for making constant connections especially in extreme cold weather, I have them on some cameras now and the more I use them the more they feel like they’ll break. This is not a plug on a beach ball that you’ve just blown up . The worst thing is, besides the lack of consistent information, they should just say, they don’t know yet. They’ve been sent to work unprepared. You are headed for trouble.
Some guys depend on the two card system, to have a copy, to shoot one in raw & one in jpeg or one of the many other possible combinations. It seems that the newer Brand x sensor, will (should) work in three different sizes. (SONY WANTS TO USE THEIR OWN SENSORS ON THEIR CAMERAS NOW) Full frame(FX 24X36), APS-C (1.5 CROP) and a 2.7 crop factor(I don’t know the name of that one) Maybe they should have put in a variable dial, so you can change it “on the fly” Don’t get me wrong, it’s a marvel of electronics, but it’s like they don’t want us to know everything. Well, I think we should Know everything. With cameras reaching this level of electronicship ( I invented that word) we are depending on them more and more.
When you’re out on a job, you don’t want to call the rep in D.Republic just to have him give you a reference number. The time to know everything is now. And how could they “not know at this point in time” Over the years, I have given them many thousands of hard earned dollars and they finally come up with something that’s more advanced than anything we’ve seen and they can’t tell us all about it because they just don’t know. I guess they don’t call their employees in for regular meetings the way U.S. companies do.
Aside from all this, and assuming everything works out O K, can we please do away with the comments about how much it costs and do we need all these options, Like I have said before, think before you complain. Because if you have to question everything about it, this camera just wasn’t built for you! Don’t get me wrong, there will be benefits in time due to the trickle down effect. in time, you will see. As technology advances, the prices will come down and the lower cost cameras will have more advanced features. Many people do just fine with a much lower priced camera. You can drive a LINCOLN TOWN CAR to work, but you can get there with a CHEVY too!
The main reason I’m rebelling this is that, they’ll be happy to take our money, but they can’t answer our questions. And those pictures of the NIKON factory, they seemed a little too much like the people where ROBOTS and they were closely watched. We only had access to the areas that they wanted us to see, and they supplied the photos, no cameras or cell phones were allowed, they wouldn’t get passed the metal detector. The day I SAW THOSE PICTURES ON LINE, I LOST QUITE A BIT OF RESPECT FOR NIKON. It’s too bad that I’m so invested in their lenses and bodies, or I MIGHT NOT BE WRITING THIS. The only thing missing from their “SUPERVISORS” hand was a whip! HE DID HAVE HIS WHISTLE & TWO WAY RADIO .
I READ THE COMMENTS, I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO FELT THAT WAY.
Don’t forget to look at the new CANON EOS 1 D X And the spectacular PRO 1 PRINTER. It has 12 Jets, 5 of them for HDR – BLACK & WHITE. It is QUITE A COMBINATION!
**BEFORE SOME OF YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS COMMENT, REMEMBER, YOU DON’T HAVE TO READ IT** … You guessed it. … Joe Prete
The color brochures are starting to be available now, if anyone is interested. I thought the D800 catalog was going to be packed with information. NOT! It’s printed on very thick paper, almost cardboard. The 28 pages have large snapshots slightly less ugly than the ones in the D700 brochure. There’s a paragraph on the D800E, and a paragraph for each of the photographers on the back.
I think the single camera brochure costs close to the price of the camera it self. How is it that tree parts are called when they’re cut up? “Cords” I think, but the Green people will not be pleased with the amount or weight of paper stock used. Anyhow, besides the flawed pictures there is a little information. If you print it, you may only use one black cartridge.
Well as a Canon user with 7 L lenses I am feeling a bit apprehensive.
I do still photography. Video is interesting but I feel like Canon is blowing off the still photographer here.
Feeling tempted to switch to Nikon. I like the 1D Mark IV but I was expecting more from it.
Should I jump ship?
Well JHILL,
Let me offer you a little advice, First, don’t knock the video until you’ve tried it. I don’t know much about the CANON, but The NIKON D4 looks like they’ve really nailed the controls, the amount and choices of the controls is great, but the location of each seems perfect. To be shooting video ant see a good still, it’s simple, you couldn’t make a mistake if you tried.
SECOND: If you’re still against video after you’ve tried it, just disregard it! FORGET it’s there. VIDEO, is one of those things that, you don’t know that you needed it until you’ve used it. I’d bet that after you got use to it, you won’t know how you’ve gotten along without it. Think of the extra money you’ll make! That alone is something to consider. Nikon, is actually giving classes on using these options. Not that you need it, but to show you what it can do for you.
Do you know that if you buy a BMW, they give you classes on how to drive it. It comes with the car. Now, you know how to drive, why else would you be buying a car. But after you take the lessons, it opens up a whole new world for you. You’d say “HOW DID I GET ALONG WITHOUT THIS” with the first one that you bought used, (B/T/W- Those are the people that buy them new, the people that have driven them, they have like a 97% resale rate!)
Give it a try, I mean the Camera. … Joe Prete
While all the talk about 5d Mark III is on and the great features of the D4.
Back in this part of the world, Africa We won’t mind to buy off you the likes of your old 1Ds Mark II . I think that might be a treasure, I can then buy a 5D Mark IV afterwards.
We are following you guys from a distance, You are doing a good job of analysing and reviewing this Photographers’ toys. Thank you.
Okuwole, While I doubt that people will “jump ship” to get to use a different camera body, I do think that people will “upgrade” their own system, & move their current body to “back up” position.(think Baseball) I do think they will start to sell off their older bodies, so if you have the 1)BATTER 2) ON DECK 3) THE BULL PEN. YES, YOU ARE MOVING UP. It will take some time but, remember that there are many “TEAMS” That will be doing the same thing, SO, in short, have a little patience, and next year at this time, you may be much closer to “your turn”. So this “trickle down” effect will be more & more every year.
In the mean time, please remember that it’s not the camera, it’s the man behind it, that takes the picture. I like to tell the students, don’t bang out 100 or so frames “just because you can” Take your time and carefully compose and focus your shot. Pretend that it’s a roll of film, and you only have one frame left. Try your best to make that shot “Thee shot” , the one your going to send in to the Paper, or Magazine, or the one you need to complete your portfolio. Sometimes I say “USE A GOOD TRI POD, BECAUSE IT SLOWS YOU DOWN, MAKES YOU THINK, COMPOSE, FOCUS & FIRE THE SHUTTER AT THE RIGHT TIME!
NEVER, EVER THINK THAT YOU JUST NEED THAT ONE CAMERA, LENS OR WHATEVER COMPONENT THAT YOU’VE GOT THE HOTS FOR. DON’T LET THAT MONEY BURN A HOLE IN YOUR POCKET. That leads to bad photography. That’s not what you want. Before the PHOTOSHOP CRAZE, we took PHOTOGRAPHS. Since the “PHOTOSHOP EFFECT” (I just invented that phrase) But before we had a signature, like “PHOTO BY_ _ _ ” Now we have “PHOTO CREATION BY_ _ _ _” Forget all that stuff, it should be in the “FIRST AID BOX” TAKE THE RIGHT PHOTOGRAPH, AND YOU WON’T HAVE TO PUT 17 LAYERS ON TOP TO TELL YOUR STORY.
We used to have a saying “A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS” Now it’s “A PHOTOSHOP COST A THOUSAND BUCKS” Okay, That’s a new old saying I just made up. But I think you get the idea now. You know when a kid has to stay after class, the teacher has to stay too!. … Joe Prete
Just back from a large air show in the Mid East. 90% Nikon to 10% Canon across the pro shooters.
The D4 is a stunning stills camera. So is the 1dx, but I prefer Nikons.
I cannot see Canon putting uncompressed clean HDMI out on a DSLR (and definitely not XLRs). It would murder their camcorder market.
Very keen to see their 4k DSLR-ish cam. THAT I’d be interested in investing in.
Mark,
The way that you say it, it sounds like canon has gotten them selves boxed in!
Hi Eric,
This is a very interesting post, indeed. I think you’re completely right in many aspects.
* We all really hope that some high level charge at CANON INC. (JAPAN) READ this post and the comments, for the benefit of all Canon customers and the company itself.
I would really like to mention that LOT of Canon users who shoot video expected much more from the EOS-1D X.
It is an amazing camera, BUT it could be much better. Canon concentrated efforts on some specific aspects, but seems to completely forget or dismiss too many and very important ones RELATED TO VIDEO.
– Canon’s own words:
Let’s remember Canon’s own word from their press release: they called it “The film-maker’s DSLR”. That are really strong words, and clearly means they (supposedly) know and understand the importance of IMPLEMENTING FEATURES related to film-making in DSLRs.
However, Canon (and this is a summary of possible features they SHOULD consider):
– Did NOT implemented 1080p60, which is even available in consumers camcorders under $800 and now many Sony mirrorless cameras. Slow motion is now being used more than ever! It is even ESSENTIAL for film-makers, it’s a must feature for serious purposes. There is no excuse about “hardware limitation” in the upcoming DSLRs.
– Did NOT implement a headphone output (really silly decision…) WHY Canon seems not to read what real film-makers request? It was one of the FIRST implementations of Magic Lantern (along with disabling AGC).
– Did NOT implement clean HDMI output, telling there isn’t enough processing power. That sounds VERY weird, since this camera has TWO Digic 5+ plus a Digic 4 for AF system. Isn’t that enough processing power to implement more and better features?
– Did NOT implement any kind of Focusing Aids (like Peaking, etc.). Let’s remember that Magic Lantern was able to achieve lot of film-making related functions with a much slower CPU and chipset (of course, they’re not as fast as you may want, but the new Digic 5+ would certainly be able to give such necessary speed to provide those features working fast and fine). Everyone can see the HUGE amount of features that there are being included and improved with Magic Lantern every month!
– Did NOT implement any kind of Focus pulls/Rack Focus feature (even when that’s completely possible in current cameras)
– Did NOT implement any feature to ALLOW users to tell the camera to hide HOT PIXELS that may appear over time (or even come in a brand new camera). Considering that ALL digital cameras with several megapixels sensor have hot pixels (mostly mapped at factory to be hidden), this feature is a MUST.
[How many times do customers get cameras (DSLRs and P&S) with Hot Pixels? LOT of times! So it is almost absurd not to implement such a feature that would work in similar way to the “Dust Delete Data”]
– Did NOT implement any CROP mode to allow FULL HD video recording from the center of the sensor (or from any position), which would allow a moire-free footage. At this point this is a MUST have feature. We’ve been requesting this since many years ago (the closest that Canon went on this was with the T3i and its Digital Zoom 3x). CROP MODES and DIGITAL ZOOM at FULL HD are extremely useful for LOT of users.
If Canon REALLY want to make a REAL UPGRADE, it would be very useful to check what Magic Lantern Team has already implemented in current Canon HDSLRs. There is a ton of features that Canon could implement in upcoming DSLRs *IF* they want.
As part of our efforts to encourage Canon to Improve and Implement more features in upcoming cameras, we wrote this article:
“Canon EOS-1D X Needs Firmware Update”
http://www.hdcamteam.com/2011/10/20/canon-eos-1d-x-needs-firmware-update/
We are Canon users from several years ago, but we do NOT “get married” with any brand.
So we SINCERELY HOPE that Canon RETHINK and CONSIDER implementing more and better features in the upcoming 5D Mark III, 7D Mark II and so on. Because all those cameras will have a huge potential inside, and we are tired to see how manufacturers “cripple” their cameras, forcing lot of users to hack them to exploit their full potential.
Canon has their time now to demonstrate that they CAN improve and implement more features, and not do “just enough” to sell, because Nikon has finally done a BIG step that we also hope to be included in the D800.
It is sad that a company needs to be “pushed” by the competition to give to their customers what they ALREADY CAN give. We all know there is a matter of business and marketing matters here, but…
Canon: you SHOULD listen to your customers and see what they have been requesting since so long ago. Check the features request all over the internet. Most of the needed technology is already in the cameras, you only need to “free” it to your customers.
Best regards
C’mon guys, this is a typical Canon product~~they just don’t put all the features in the new body despite they do have the abilities.
It’s just like squeezing toothpaste, they like to squeeze a few features this year and another few next year, they just won’t squeeze them all together.
How many years they have been used the 45 point AF system! Since year 2000 with the EOS 1
How many years they have been used the 9 point AF system!! Since year 2006 with the 400D
And all Canon DSLRs(except 1D series) cannot use spot metering on other focus points except the center one. This is a very handy feature which Nikon put it on all their DSLRs from entry level to high end.
Just keep dreaming guys, Canon won’t put all these “Did NOT implement” into one body, they will at least release two or three bodies to complete your wishes!!
Keep waiting!!
You’re right in lot of what you say.
But, HOPEFULLY Canon will improve and implement some of those features requested by LOT of people across the world, probably “thanks” to Nikon, especially if the D800 is a smaller version of the D4.
OTHERWISE Canon will put on HIGH RISK a very big market segment they have reached in these past three years.
Customers are not fools, and will not get stuck with one brand ONLY for “Loyalty” if ANOTHER BRAND is giving you MORE BY LESS MONEY.
So, let’s see what Canon is willing to do!
BTW: There is an email address that Chuck Westfall at Canon USA told us where all customers can SEND SUGGESTIONS to Canon: carecenter@cits.canon.com
The original article is here: http://www.hdcamteam.com/2011/05/09/how-to-tell-canon-what-you-need/
Regards
That’s putting it bluntly, but very true, I shoot Nikon, and when I saw the new EOS 1 D X,
I thought it was great, but wondering what Nikon was doing. Now comparing to the D4, they’ve swapped positions. But, the die hard Canon shooters re not going to sell all that glass! And for Canon, they’ve got their eggs in so many baskets, they’ve diversified they’re investment. They just can’t lose. For Nikon, it’s like hey, we’re in the Super Bowl now. We can live with that! As for the guys shooting Nikon, it’s quite a relief.
You’re right in lot of what you say.
But, HOPEFULLY Canon will improve and implement some of those features requested by LOT of people across the world, probably “thanks” to Nikon, especially if the D800 is a smaller version of the D4.
OTHERWISE Canon will put on HIGH RISK a very big market segment they have reached in these past three years.
Customers are not fools, and will not get stuck with one brand ONLY for “Loyalty” if ANOTHER BRAND is giving you MORE BY LESS MONEY.
So, let’s see what Canon is willing to do!
BTW: There is an email address that Chuck Westfall at Canon USA told us where all customers can SEND SUGGESTIONS to Canon: carecenter@cits.canon.com
The original article is titled: “FEATURES REQUEST: HOW to tell Canon what YOU need!”
Regards
Mr Eric Reagan the most thing i hate on people is when they try to distort the truth.
Tell us from the beginning of this article that you are a Nikon fan and you dont like Canon too much and That’s It! But you prefer to tell us that D4 can even get in to the combetition with 1D-X.. no sorry but Nikon can’t and the history have told us that most times Nikon wins the 2nd place and you all know that very good.
Are you serious Mr Reagan? D4 has better slr video from 1D-X? omg where did u read this really..
Lets leave Dslr out and talk about ISO noise.. AF points.. Rapidfire.. and many other specs that Canon has the lead easily against Nikon.
Remember if Canon was not discovering all these big discoveries and technologies until today you Nikon people.. should not exist.
With Canon you shoot reality.
FYI, I shoot Canon. Always have.
I’m just calling it like I see it.
Mak,
Sorry but do you think you could turn on “spell check” and put your sentences in order?
Maybe reading it before posting is a good idea. You jump around so much, and one sentence to short, the next too long, it’s a hard post to read. I’m not even sure what your point is!
Your punctuation is quite the mess. I’m reading Eric’s writings for years now and his words flow together and everything is in proper order it’s really an easy read. But maybe english is not your first language, maybe you can put your point into a nutshell like 2 or 3 sentences
and we’ll try to understand what you are saying. … Joe Prete
I hope Canon does not blow it again by offering to little too late… Get it right on the auto focus, low light photography and new ideas in technology…Once upon a time Canon was the innovator…
Remember the Canon EOS 3… Eye controlled focus… an idea that no one else had thought of or duplicated…
…Yes, everyone loved the 5D with it’s wonderful video but the auto focus is ancient technology…and even the low light features Nikon has leaped far ahead… Wake up Canon… Like Dodge you are becoming the #3 of the big three camera companies…
i think it’s a bit late to be emailing canon what we need now, the preproductions are probably out there, they’ve probably already got ideas about upgrades for the next generation. whatever the 5d will be it will be, I know we all whinge and bitch about what we need and what we want (me included) but chances are there’ll be an announcement in the next month or two and it will either be a happy time or a big disappointment. Personally I invested in lenses over the last couple of years because after the 5D mkII I didn’t see the point in buying another body. Now on the other hand, if Canon come up with the goods I think it will be worth trading my 5D mk1 and mkII to get two new bodies to move forward with. No more hacks or chimping to get done what should already be possible.
I’m like a lot of people, pro or amateurs that can’t really afford or justify ditching not only the lens system but the other accessories and software that i’ve built up over the years.
I use my camera kit daily and I know it and understand it, last thing I need is to have to get to know a new system.
So i’m sat here with fingers crossed, touching wood, on bended knee, hoping….etc,etc,etc.
I mean for gods sake Nikon lenses turn the WRONG way!!
I’m way too invested in Canon glass to be worrying about Nikon comparisons, but this is goo to know info..
Martin Ellard, That was a strange comment to hear as I had, and still do have Canon gear, I have always felt that it was the CANON mount that turned the wrong way! Having said that, the actual turning point for me was in 1985, when I went to buy a new CANON body, It was my friend at the camera store that said to me “Joe, you know your lenses won’t fit on that body” So it was thanks to Michael Horowitz of A PHOTOGRAPHERS PLACE in long Island N.Y. that I then went over to NIKON.
I do however, always wonder how Left handed people get by. But I assure you that CANON is no slouch, and although Nikon has some 45 new features, some of them were bound to EXCEED (OR EXPEED(pun) those of the Canon. This time it was more of a 10 or 12 up on all of the competition, not just Canon, but remember this is one small division of CANON, so while all of us Shutter Bugs debating this, in the CAMERA industry, the EYE Doctors of the world are praising Canon for their “RETINAL DIGITAL CAMERA The CR-2” So while we’ll have more camera options, they will be saving more peoples VISION.
So at the end of the day, which is more important, making great images or having your vision restored to see them. Forget not the people that are just now seeing for the first time. I have a habit of using caps on important words, which is not correct, but I suspect that some readers in these forums only see what they want to see so I’m just trying to open their eyes (pun) with larger letters. So CANON shooters of the world, please look at the bigger Picture (pun) and when you, or a loved one, have to go to a hospital take notice of the brand names on their equipment. BTW Sears Craftsmen, sell as many tool boxes and rolling carts to the Medical industry as they sell the to Auto Repair Industry.
While I’m using Canon as an example, because this is their column, just about every photographic company does design & build extremely important Optical/Digital machines for Laboratory and Medical and countless other industries. I urge you all to at least look at what these Companies are doing in Medical and other industries. You may realize that there are many other things going on in the world besides Cameras. I would like to remind you again, that it is Still the Photographer that shoots the photograph, and not the camera (for now at least) Now play nice Boys and Girls. … Joe Prete
If the future is a video camera that takes pictures, what a pity, but it´s not the end of the world. I’ll keep on taking pictures with whatever. BUT, if the 5DIII doesn`t give me better AF in dim light (and even with good light) I’m going to sell the 5DII, my lenses, etc. and go for something more coherent. I would keep just the 550D, the ring flash and the MP65mm. And “hasta la vista, Canon”.
Alejandro, I hope you get a decent part of your investment back. You know it wouldn’t hurt to have a wait and see attitude, and remember these massive production’s often turn out to be so, so cameras once people start using them. I have done quite a bit of investigating on the D4 if you search my name, and the camera name and model at least you can see what I found out.
I should tell you that in the U.S. they’ve been holding back on a lot of answers to the questions that I’ve asked. One message that I couldn’t miss was mailed and emailed to me twice. “this information will be released on the same date that the camera is released” Now if that makes you comfortable, then you must be doing better than me. As I’ve said in other forums and other posts, you are buying into a system. Prepare to spend $8,000.00 + tax and Lenses! And remember that SONY is the only company to make the XQD MEDIA CARD. There’s only two that were announced the 32GB and 64GB $129.00 and $229.00 plus the reader. This is one of your two memory slots. Try to buy an extra card while you’re out on an assignment.
Sandisk and Lexar passed on the offer to be in on “XQD”. (Nikon’s recommended cards) All the other’s are content to stay with “SDHC” (some still use Compact Flash cards) I’m going to leave you with that because the information is in several forums. I will say that there will not be any hurry, this is no fire sale. Good luck to all of those in first on the “stores” waiting list.
Joe Prete
Canon could be planning to reveal the successor to the EOS 5D Mark II as early as March 2
The full-frame 5D3 is expected to be GPS enabled and feature eye control auto focus. A sensor resolution in the 22 megapixel range along with shooting at 6.9 frames per second and 61 auto focus points have also been reported. Canon recently replaced both the 1D Mark IV and 1Ds Mark III models with the EOS-1D X digital SLR.
I think most people here are looking the wrong direction. With people who really are true pros and realize that digital technology is moving at a speed to fast to keep up with, it very hard to really weed out the noise and pinpoint what a pro really needs in the field.
There is generally too much hoolabaloo about Nikon and Canon when there are others who have come up to speed, with little fanfare.
I have been an ardent Nikon user for well over two decades already and quite frankly, I have never had an assignment or situation where I messed up an assignment because the camera was too limited to perform the functions I needed. I have since followed Nikon into the digital age and have still feel confident about their products. Even when Nikon teamed up with fujifilm to create the S2and S3 cameras, which I felt were great parnerships, I tried those too. The S3 bring quite superior I’m image quality to anything else at the time for that price point. I think the only thing that caught up with the camera was the write speed lag that slowed me down on fashion shoots.
That said, I think we have way more features than we really need to get our jobs done. Most people are just in love with technology and have become downright wishful and wanton.
Right now, in this particular time in photography, it very exciting. No longer do we have to be do hung up on Nikon and canon.
In fact, based on my own needs as a photographer, I’m never going to utilize the majority of the features packed into one camera. It has nothing to with me not knowing what they are for or how to use them. It’s just that I know what I need and how to get the image that I want with what I am using and everything else is just fluff. The image is what after and frankly, just about any of these cameras in discussion here can give you that image.
Because I travel frequently, I find it quite tedious to tug these big heavy flagship $5,000 cameras in my arsenal on my globe trots and have been looking for a happy alternative. I have found that with Sony.
I think folks should be paying more attention to sony than to the two big guys. Their days are passing and the new kid on the block, in Sony, is about to vanguish those two.
To start, Sony is gaining rather than losing customers. They have created a happy medium in their NEX systems that should satisfy nearly everybody. Firstly, you do not have to trade in your current lens system. That’s a big one. Secondly, the compactness of these camera cannot be beat. They are rugged and quite user friendly. Once I bought the Sony NEX-5, I realized how little I was using my flagship nikons, except for the caveat of not being able to use studio flash with the camera. That was one that I could not get around. I found ways to trigger my studio strobes and multiple flashes off camera, but there were issues. I new that Sony must be thinking to fix this. And they did. The NEX-7 came out and I now have it in
My arsenal.
Since I began with the Sony, I realize that I am now bringing manual Nikon lenses which I have not used in 16 years or better out of retirement. That is amazing! Imagine, not having to get a whole new line of lenses.
Without going to deep into this, I wanna say this: if you want to be smart and same money without losing quality. The Sony NEX-7 is the way to go. In fact, it’s the future. I do not know when I will be using my nikons again. I just do not see Nikon in my future. Sony is enough for me.
Suspect many have already seen the actual specs, but just in case:
http://bhpho.to/x8Dk09
–Gary