End of an era: no 5D Mark V?

[DanK]

I don't normally follow news about gear very much, but this one I noticed because I have a 5D IV and used a 5D III for about 8 years. Canon Rumors, which has a pretty good track record, says rumor has it that development of a replacement for the current 5D Mark IV, which was reportedly still underway as of October, has been halted.

If that's true, it represents a very big change in direction for the market away from SLRs, as the 5D series was an extremely popular line that has been a mainstay for many professionals for years.

[xpatUSA]

I don't normally follow news about gear very much, but this one I noticed because I have a 5D IV and used a 5D III for about 8 years. Canon Rumors, which has a pretty good track record, says rumor has it that development of a replacement for the current 5D Mark IV, which was reportedly still underway as of October, has been halted.

If that's true, it represents a very big change in direction for the market away from SLRs, as the 5D series was an extremely popular line that has been a mainstay for many professionals for years.

I don't know if Canon is the trendsetter but it is certainly reminiscent of the death of the 4/3 SLR system and subsequent rise of the µ4/3 mirror-less system.

[LenR]

Disappointing indeed. I have been using the 5d series since the introduction of the original 13MP FF "Classic"

[DanK]

And I just upgraded to the Mark IV last month.


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[LenR]

And I just upgraded to the Mark IV last month.


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Dan, I am sure it will provide many years of sterling service.
Although no longer my principal Canon body, I still get respectable images from a 5DII and it must be over 10 years old.

[rpcrowe]

The 5Dii was part of my Canon gear until I finally totally switched to Sony last year. The 5D series were excellent cameras and I am sure that the 5Div will last for many years...
Now the 6Dii is a cat of another color. It was the 6Dii that originally tempted me to switch to Sony gear... The camera was decent within its limitations but, the limitations (especially the center grouping of focus points) were more than I cared to live with.
However, using the 6Dii, I learned that I liked face recognition AF but, did not like the requirement to use the LCD for that type of focus...

[DanK]

I really loved my 5D III. It had truly superb ergonomics, and it didn't have the limitations of the 6D. I decided recently I wanted improved dynamic range and somewhat more resolution (for cropping when I print large). I wanted to stay in the same basic line, to preserve similar controls, etc. Option 1 was to buy a Mark IV while they were on sale last month ($2000 from authorized dealers in the US. Option 2 was to wait for the R5. Net of what I got for my Mark III, option 2 would have been almost 2 1/2 times the cost of option 1. Since I have no use for 8K (or even 4K) video and have no plans to buy new lenses, the choice seemed clear. The one feature of the R5 that I'll miss is the apparently superb eye AF, but my keeper rate with candids is pretty high without it.

The 5 series are built like tanks, so I expect the Mark IV to provide many years of good service, even if it is no longer au courant.

[William W]

I agree that Canon seems to be changing the weight of its emphasis on DSLRs, but not - 'a very big change in direction for the market away from SLRs'. I suppose that could be seen as semantics, yet that's not intended as a point of debate.

Explanation -

Citing the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III is the company's 20-megapixel full-frame DSLR flagship camera, which was announced on January 6, 2020 and was in the market in February, I reckon that Canon has a long term commitment to DSLRs and the EOS / EF system.

I think what we are seeing is the "5D" echelon, which was picked up by so many professional uses, has been axed.

I think that the bean counters have projected that the ‘affordable just underneath the 1 Series’ tier, will no longer be a viable enough seller and putting more TR&D into that level of DSLR will cost too much.

Further, I reckon that (if it is a decision to axe the 5D Series), that decision was a thought which was always there, and the TR&D of the 5D MkV was genuine, but, if that has been terminated, that termination has been triggered, ‘now’, because of the economics caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

For a DSLR at the 'professional' level, I think Canon has rationalized and prioritized the requirements to (but not limited to)-
speed turn-around of JPEG files;
highly accurate and super fast AF;
fast frame rate;
rock solid build;
...
all requirements for high end fast sports and reportage in really awful situations. Two (main) situations not suited for Mirrorless or Consumer DSLRs.

WW

[DanK]

This certainly seems plausible, but if other manufacturers go the same route, it will force a lot of serious photographers to switch to mirrorless. The 1D X III sells for $6500, as does the competing Nikon D6. By comparison, the Nikon 850 and Canon 5D Mark IV sell for $3000 and $2500, respectively. The many serious photographers who use cameras like the 850 and Mark IV aren't going to pay more than twice as much for a camera along the lines of a 1D.

If the 5D line disappears, the 6D probably will too, which would leave people who want a FF sensor and don't want to pay 6500 no choice but to go with a mirrorless body--or to switch brands.

Nikon is in worse financial shape than Canon, so I wonder whether the Z models similarly are omens of the end of the D8xx series. Time will tell.

In any case, unless I drop my Mark IV from a substantial height or someone steals it, I won't have to worry about this for a long time.

[William W]

Nikon is in worse financial shape than Canon . . .

Important point:

I also think, from a marketing viewpoint, at the "top end" Canon will keep the 1 Series for a while.

In 2012 (London Olympic Games), Canon held back the public release of the 1Dx (originally advertised as March 2012) yet they supplied about 500 to Pool Photographers. Although (very naughty) Canon's Camera Museum still lists the release date as March -

One sample commentary at the time:

"Canon announces EOS-1D X release date."
"After many months of waiting, it seems photographers can buy the EOS-1D X next week. Good luck finding one, though."

Christopher MacManus
June 13, 2012 4:32 p.m. PT

REF: LINK

***

Canon has built a broad (and deep) ambassadorship for its 1Series, especially in the Sport's arena (pun intended). It has used this as part of its general marketing strategy.

This really got into higher revs in the digital age.

According to a survey conducted Canon (published and never rebuffed) about 70 percent (68%) of the registered professional photographers at the games in Rio de Janeiro used Canon gear. Canon was on-site at Rio with 70 CPN staff members speaking 12 languages and supplied 1600 loan lenses.

Getty is one (of a few) big ‘ambassador’.

At Rio, a Getty Pool Photographer carried a camera bag containing (minimum) 4 x 1Dx; 16-35mm f/2.8; 24-70mm f/2.8; 70-200mm f/2.8; 300mm f/2.8; one additional telephoto lens (coverage dependent) either - 400mm, 500mm, or 600mm; 2 flash units; laptop.

A Getty specialist Photographer, had more.

Similar ambassadorial scenarios and subsequent marketing also apply to FIFA World Cup; Winter Olympics; Para Olympics; Swimming and Athletics World Championships et al.

WW

[William W]

. . . In any case, unless I drop my Mark IV from a substantial height or someone steals it, I won't have to worry about this for a long time.

Neither the first, nor the second - only the last: worry not!

WW

[Manfred M]

I suspect this is all about rationalizing the product lines.

Going back a bit in history, we have seen this type of behavior before.

So far as I understand it, Nikon still makes and sells the "top of the line" F6 film SLR. When they decided to switch to digital, they stopped making all film cameras except for that one. They still sell the FM10 SLR, but that is not a Nikon built camera, but rather a rebranded Cosina CT-1.

Supporting two camera bodies with the same functionality / price point would be competing with themselves. Looking to the future, it would make sense to stick with the newer technology.

[DanK]

Indeed, but if so, and if Nikon follows suit, then folks like you and me will have to switch to mirrorless at some point--although I suspect my Mark IV may outlast me.

[Manfred M]

Indeed, but if so, and if Nikon follows suit, then folks like you and me will have to switch to mirrorless at some point--although I suspect my Mark IV may outlast me.

I had a look at the Nikon Z7 when it first came out and was reasonably impressed with the functionality.

As a rule, I tend to avoid Generation 1 technology, when I can, but will definitely have a hard look at the next generation when it comes out. The Z7 and D850 have very similar image quality and as I don't need the higher speed phase detect autofocus in much of my work, I can definitely see going mirrorless in my next purchase. Reports of the F-mount adapter to Z-mount have been quite favourable, although I will miss the onboard motor for some of the older D-type screw focus lenses.

I figure I have another 12 - 18 months before I have to make that decision.

[xpatUSA]

Indeed, but if so, and if Nikon follows suit, then folks like you and me will have to switch to mirrorless at some point--although I suspect my Mark IV may outlast me.

Sigma went mirror-less ILC about 5 years ago - no more flapping mirrors from them. Perhaps they are the trendsetters.

Recalcitrantly, I hang on to my Sigma SD15 5MP DSLR clunker .. just to buck the trend.

[zen]

Seems to me that this is all speculation, albeit based on recent announcements of the R5 and R6. But there's nothing official- unless I missed it in all the above, from Canon. So lets us Canon fans and 5d4ers not panic just yet. Instead, let's wait for something from Canon.

Personally, I love my 5d4, still own and occasionally shoot my leftover 5d3, and would not want to see the 5d line go dark. I sure don't want to have to invest [all over again] in thousands of dollars worth of glass for the R series.

So I'm going to wait for something from Canon, and hope the 5d5 stopping development announcement is because of the Covid-19 effect on the market, not the end of the line.

Zen

[xpatUSA]

In the genre of digital ILC's the trend is indisputable:

https://www.dpreview.com/articles/44...-and-shipments

Not saying there won't be another Canon Clunker ...

But a Canon-meister said last year:

"There is a trend towards mirrorless. They're the cameras being developed and produced, so there might come a time where that might happen. And Canon is making sure we're not behind with that trend."

Whatever that means ...

https://www.dpreview.com/interviews/...mers-as-we-can
.

[DanK]

Seems to me that this is all speculation, albeit based on recent announcements of the R5 and R6.

Well, not quite. It's not a documented fact yet, but it isn't speculation stemming from the release of the R5. Check out Canonrumors.com, which cites and unnamed source and rates it a CR2. Those usually but not always turn out to be true, or at least close to true. But it still might be wrong.

I sure don't want to have to invest [all over again] in thousands of dollars worth of glass for the R series.

You wouldn't have to. From what I have read, EF glass works flawlessly. Of course, you lose the advantage of a shorter flange distance.

But a Canon-meister said last year:

"There is a trend towards mirrorless. They're the cameras being developed and produced, so there might come a time where that might happen. And Canon is making sure we're not behind with that trend."

They have made it abundantly clear that catching a large share of the mirrorless market is a key to their financial health, and suspect the R5 will give them a lot of momentum in that regard. However, that needn't mean abandoning the SLR format. The camera market is so bad now that I wouldn't be surprised if they did decide that they simply can't support two product lines at that level--particularly if maintaining the 5D would entail substantial development, e.g., better video and IBIS.

We'll have to see. In any case, I wasn't about to plunk down that much more $$ yet.

[xpatUSA]

<> The camera market is so bad now that I wouldn't be surprised if [Canon] did decide that they simply can't support two product lines at that level--particularly if maintaining the 5D would entail substantial development, e.g., better video and IBIS.

We'll have to see. In any case, I wasn't about to plunk down that much more $$ yet.

Off the Canon topic but, sorta by coincidence, I've just plunked down "a few dollars more" and jumped straight from the Panasonic DMC-GH1 to a Panasonic DC-G9 in one hop ... much mo' better video and it adds 5-axis IBIS for my shaky hands and legacy lenses.