Canon 50D at Photokina for definate, it’s launched!

So, all those people who posted about the August 26th launch of the Canon 50D and got flamed are now sitting smug, Canon has indeed launched it and the proposed specifications are pretty well matching those that were ‘leaked’.

It means that Canon has replaced the 40D which has only been out for a year, surprising many that the product cycle, which has been quite rigid with Canon, has been shortened. This means that the popular 40D will go at the end of the year, the 50D is expecting to ship in October with the body on having a $1399 price tag. This accounts for the price drops and for the user rebates of the 40D (If you’re starting out with a DLSR then it would be a very good purchase for the current pricing)

So, what is the 50D all about?

It is built around an identical body as the 40D but the 50D sensor jumps to 15 megapixels (still a 1.6x crop), the sensor resolution proposed in many forums. According to Canon, the new sensor has smaller pixels than that of the 40D’s 10-megapixel version which normally means more image noise but the company claims superior noise and image quality. This is due to an improved manufacturing process and larger, gap-free microlenses (there have been posts that Canon has been progressing well in this area). Canon will want to make a statement here with not just resolution but image quality, Nikon have been taking the headlines along with some market share, so many will be wanting to do side by side reviews with the D300 as soon as they get a 50D.

Along with the higher Mp resolution the camera sees the introduction of the new Digic 4 processor, Canons image processor chip line. They claim that despite the higher Mp it will not impose a performance penalty in terms of capture speed in burst (multiple) shooting. This is something that will appeal to action photographers.

The screen has a 3-inch LCD like the 40D but Canon has switched to a 920,000-dot LCD, the same higher-resolution display found on the Nikon D300. Long has this been a want for Canon users.

Some key facts:
50D

Sensor                     15.1-megapixel CMOS

Sensitivity range     ISO 100 to ISO 12,800

Image processor     Digic 4

Continuous shooting    6.3 fps 90 JPEG/16 raw 6.5fps
Autofocus                     9-pt AF all cross-type to f5.6 6
Price (body only)           $1,399

Other key upgrades include a 4-level High ISO speed noise reduction function and a maximum ISO rating of 12,800, improved Live View shooting with a new Face Detection Live mode, a high-precision diagonal center cross-type auto focus point with f/2.8 and faster lenses, and an HDMI connection for displaying full high-res images on an HDTV.

The Digic 4 high-ISO noise reduction function has low, medium and strong settings to a maximum of 12,800. No doubt this will be one of the first head to heads with Nikon D300. Files sizes for RAW shooting can be selected with user-requested variable raw sizes of 7 and 3.8 megapixels

There are also some tweaks to the autofocus system, for example compensation for pulsed vs. constant illumination, and support for in-camera lens databases that enable it to perform vignette correction and ensure undegraded illumination across the entire frame. Finally, Canon has improved the dust prevention, with a fluorine coating in front of the low-pass filter to deal with sticky dust.

Canon expects to ship the 50D in early October. The body will run $1,399, and a kit with the f3.5-5.6 28-135mm IS USM lens will cost $1,599. The price is a early marker it seems, the D300 body on B&H site is listing for $1624, so before a street price level is established it’s $200+ cheaper. Is the 5D mk2 going to be aggressively priced and what does that hold in store?

see more for yourself;

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=139&modelid=17499

It’s going to get interesting in the Mid range DLSR world if as some rumors say, the Nikon D90 is to be released tomorrow, the 27th August.

Canon 50D before Photokina?

Canon rumors is posting that the 50D will be launched on the 26th August, so not long to wait to find out if it’s true!  The post is from a source who quotes that it is aimed to compete with the D300 and it’s image/noise quality so presumably the 5d mk2 is the competitor for the D700 and will appear at Photokina.

“… so you might want to add that as an update in your post, the noise and image quality should be right in line with the D300 as this camera was intended specifically to compete with the D300. It will be announced on the 26th of this month.”

This is followed up across forums where a chinese 50D website url is circulating and receiving many comments. The site could be a mirror, hence the strange url,  it’s certainly got a huge amount of detail and images for not just the camera but also samples of photos taken with the camera. There are high ISO pictures that look good quality, some people have been studying the Exif data  and confirming that the stated image is indeed ISO1600 and 15Mp so could it be it is a competitor for the D300. If it’s fake then a lot of time has been taken in producing it and why?

If you’ve not already seen it here’s a link to one of the posts

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1019&thread=29056337

If it’s real and has the ability to directly challenge the Nikon D300 (and I couldn’t see any clues in the source code across the pages) then the all important missing link for the market is the price position. Are Canon going to go head to head or will they pitch it lower? There’s not only Nikon to consider in the (possible) launch of new products, Sony have been making waves introducing new products at very competitive price points and they have been taking some market share. (this has been the subject of some posts on the web attributed to Canon sources).

I’m eagerly awaiting the release!

New Canon 5d Mk2 rumors

Dpreview seems to be the place to shoot down any 5D mk2 rumor in recent times and the latest is no exception. The latest post lists the following specs
New FF from Canon:

1* new body design with integrated grip (just like 1D series but smaller)
2* ISO 100-12500
3* new processor (not digic III, may be digic IV or something completely new, I have no idea)
4* 6-8 fps (I don’t know if both or either 6 or
5* 3.2 inch lcd (not oled) and I don’t know what resolution is
6* I don’t know how many MP, my friend believes it is more than 15 MP but there is no certain number he’d tell. Personally I was hoping high-around 18 MP cam, may be it will be. Who knows!
7* Different name: not 3D, not 7D or 5D Mark II… something different; looks like it might have different names for Europe, USA and Asia (like kiss, xsi, d450 etc)
8* Timing: most likely they will wait for Sony’s announcement for their 24 MP FF; first or second week of September.

An integrated grip would be good for pro photographers but the downside of a larger body is some will miss the high performance vs portability of the 5D, i.e. travel and landscape shoots. High ISO seems to be a bit of a buzz after Nikons performance but how many shots do people take in lower light?  As a Canon user as nicer display with a loupe type option would be desirable.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1032&thread=29030888
Its one month to Photokina, time is ticking away until the new camera launches….

Canon 40D cashback in the UK

In the UK the 40D has a new cashback campaign where you can claim back £60. That brings the body down to £540, only a smallish amount more than the 450D. Canon rumors posted a report from a confirmed source that the 40D isn’t going to be discontinued before Xmas. Some rumours say that the reduced price may stick after the rebate period. Interestingly the end of the time period coincides with the Photokina show, which maybe will see the 50D arrive.

Details from Canon

http://www.canon.co.uk/eos40dcashback/

Canon 50D is coming before Photokina?

It appears that Canon is leaking nothing about the 5D mk2 (if there is such a thing), the postings on dpreview are suggesting the 50D is real and that the product will be announced before Photokina. This is following more posts ‘talking’ about the Hawaii dealer meeting. (people are staying tight lipped with details). The theory seems to be that if it happens then the 5D mk2 will be shown at the Photokina show and not before.
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1032&message=28994970

I just visited my local Canon retailer this morning. The owner just got back from a Canon meeting is Hawaii. I asked him if he knew anything about the potential 5D replacement…He said, no, nothing before the end of September. Apparently at some photo convention in Germany.

However, he did say that a 40D replacement is coming shortly. 50D, 15mp, weather sealed..Didnt get too into spec talk cause I’m not it that market. He couldn’t remember if it was 5 or 8 fps, but he said it was pretty cool.

Canon 40D not dead

Canon rumors is saying that 2 new Canon SLR’s still valid, apparently from a valid source. Quote is also that  “The 40D is safe for a while” so does that mean no replacement for Photokina.

However it doesn’t mean that the 40D still won’t be a “current” camera if a 50D is launched. The 400D was still in Canon’s lineup after the 450D was released and was for some time, though it didn’t seem logical, it’s certainly not unknown in other industries.

If the 40D stays positioned where it is, a higher spec 1.6 crop 50D could be the model to compete  against the D300. On the other hand with a ‘low’ price recently of the 40D recently it could mean it’s just making room for a bigger brother.

Then all everyone wants to hear will be a 5D mk2 to go head to head with the D700 at a lower price level say £1500 / $2700 !

Canon 50D 26th August?

Northlight Images is posting a translation from Japan for a 50D. Is this a rehash of the dpreview post re Hawaii and the dealers being given a 50D preview, that was 15Mp, or are we seeing snippets of information slowly leaking out. There’ s been nothing coming out as a follow up to this, maybe its Non disclosure and lawyers calling the tune.

Anyway, the info;

- Annouced on 26th Aug (Start sellling in late Sept)
- 15.10 MP 3.0′ VGA monitor, 6.3FPS, 9 point AF, LV, improved dust-removal system(or improved LV as well)
- Body only:150000 Yen, With 17-65 200000 Yen, With 18-200 220000 Yen,18-200 lens 80000 Yen.
- Digic IV will be used in the upcoming IXUS but not on 50D.

That’s £730 / $1360 or so after checking exchange rates. There’s not much info to go on from the post, ok more megapixels but that’s not everything as most know.

No more Canon G9?

The Canon G9 has been listed as discontinued on the B&H website, so I guess the G10 is on it’s way? Or is there as Canon Rumors has posted the likelihood of a ‘GSI’, a super high end G series with a larger sensor size?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/518209-REG/Canon_2082B001_PowerShot_G9_Digital_Camera.html

Northlight Images is reporting that the Canon 40D makes it to the ‘clearance section’ of the site of Camera action, a large Australian dealer. If you look, it’s still listed in the main Canon section but is this a real sign of stock clearance in advance of a new model? It’s all gone quiet on the rumour front if you’re looking for substance, some recent posts were saying late August so the clock is ticking down …….

Canon 1000D wins EISA award

Canon has scored a hat-trick of awards at the prestigious EISA awards. The Canon EOS 1000D was named Best European Consumer Camera 2008-2009. No doubt they will be more than happy after the gains by Nikon in the Digital SLR

canon 1000dPress release:

Canon has been presented with three highly respected awards by EISA (European Imaging and Sound Association) – Europe’s premier

consumer technology awards association. The Canon EOS 1000D was named European Consumer Camera 2008-2009; the Canon SELPHY ES2

took the plaudits for European Mini Photo Printer 2008-2009, while the Canon HV30 was voted European HD Camcorder 2008-2009.

The trio of awards underlines Canon’s success in pushing imaging technology forward.

“Canon is delighted to be honoured by the EISA judges once again,” said Mogens Jenson, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging Europe.

“It’s particularly satisfying to have gained this recognition over such a broad range of product groups – reflecting Canon’s

continuing commitment to driving imaging excellence across the board.”

Canon 50D rumor from Hawaii

There’s reports on dpreview of a new 50D in a post relating to a Canon USA dealers conference in Hawaii.
The 50D is coming, it was shown this week to camera store owners. Canon USA flew them to Hawaii to show it off, as well as the 18-200IS lens… It is being touted as a camera to go up against the D300 and will sell for a few hundred less maybe… dissapointing really, when everybody is expecting the 5D replacement, and they flew everyone to Hawaii…

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1019&message=28957814

Now that would be a nice price if it does compare to the D300 in performance, I think it would be pitching in at the right pricing point, it would be a good upgrade for 400D/450D users, maybe even the 40D buyers. It would also leave ground for Canon to pitch in with the 5D mk2.

There are also statements are that the 5D mk2 won’t be seen until the Photokina show in late September -  that will keep people posting theories that Canon has ‘lost it’

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1032&message=28958551