There are only three certainties in life – death, taxes and rumors of new cameras.  Hence the latest rumor of a Canon 1Ds Mark IV around the corner.  Picked up on the photofans.cn forum via Slashgear.

Rumored specs include:

• CMOS size 36x24mm
• 21 megapixels
• ISO 25-12800 (expandable to ISO 10, 25600, 51200)
• 69-point AF EAC technology (do not know what this technology) (TTL-AREA-SIR II AF)
• Flash Sync Mode: 1 / 4000 ESR (X high-speed flash sync?)
• USB2.0 and external HD transmission
• 4 to 3 and 16 to 9 on the two show
• HDMI terminal. External monitor may display LV
• Continuous rate of 6.8 per second
• 2 DIGIC 4 processing chips
• 24fps and 30fps 2 kind of video mode

Also, rumors of two new lenses were included:

1. The new 100-400L F4.0-5.6 IS
2. The new 50/F1.4 USM

Credibility?  Unknown.

This is a flyer on its own for now.  Granted, the 5D Mark II really changes the picture for the current 1Ds Mark III, which is in some ways inferior to a camera that is about 1/3 of its price point.  Perhaps this is more of a 1Ds Mark IIIn than a Mark IV given the presence of a 21 megapixel sensor in the rumored specs?

What do you think?

UPDATES

2/10/09: 1D Mark III replacement will not appear at PMA 2009. Read more.