Original Link: https://www.anandtech.com/show/2611
Biggest Guns Still Missing from Pre-Photokina Announcements
by Wesley Fink on September 5, 2008 12:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Digital Camera
In less than three weeks the photographic industry will converge on Cologne, Germany for the bi-annual photo technology-fest. Some of the biggest industry announcements are always made around Photokina, and this year is no exception.
We already have the announcement of the most expected new DSLR at Photokina in the Nikon D90. You can check out the announcement by clicking the Nikon D90 link. We also have the most unexpected DSLR announcement so far in the Canon 50D.
Canon had been like clockwork in 18-month announcements of new members of the 40D-30D-20D "prosumer" series, but a new Canon prosumer model had never been so poorly received as the Canon 40D. This time around Canon has fierce competition from Nikon, Sony, and even Pentax with higher resolutions, faster frame rates, and even higher ISO performance. In particular, the Sony and Nikon higher-res and more detailed LCD displays helped encourage many shoppers to buy the competing models instead of the 40D.
Certainly the competitive environment pushed Canon to crank up their release schedule, so we now have the early Canon 50D. With 15.1MP (megapixels), a now similar hi-res LCD to the competition, and ISO options extended even further the 50D now looks like it should compete very well in prosumer space, keeping Canon loyalists happy and perhaps even winning some new users over to Canon.
The two biggest announcements expected at Photokina, both full-frame DSLR cameras, have not yet been announced. Sony showed prototypes of their new full-frame at PMA in January with the promise it would launch this year. Everyone expects that to occur at Photokina. The other full-frame we expect is from Canon, as the Canon 5D is now 3 years old. While it is a competent full-frame, it no longer is up to date in current Canon checklist features or the latest faster generations of Digic processors. The new 50D features Digic IV while the aging 5D is still using Digic II. Canon has most industry observers scratching their head because they have already made pre-Photokina announcements and the 5D Mark II (3D or 7D have also been rumored) is just not there. In the past Canon made DSLR announcements in a single group, but either this year will be different or the 5D replacement is delayed again.
With so much happening so fast, let's take a closer look at the best info and rumors we now have on both these new full-frame cameras.
Sony A900
All evidence now points to an almost certain announcement of the Sony A900 around September 10. Sony has scheduled worldwide events for professional photographers around that date. There have also been leaks of two new ads for the A900 - one from National Geographic in English and a Danish photo magazine ad.
The description of 9-point dual cross AF with wide area 10-point assist is somewhat confusing. If we were forced to guess, we would speculate the new AF system has 19 points with 9 dual-cross points - the center one being double-cross like the current A700 for f/2.8 or faster lenses - plus 10 outlying single segment AF points. This is certainly an important specification for Sony ads to leave in doubt with such imprecise wording in the ad.
The new a900 has arrived. A new height in the "α" revolution is now within reach. Engineered with the exclusive 24.6 Mega Pixel Full Frame Exmor CMOS sensor, an industry breakthrough from Sony, this powerhouse integrates only the best imaging technologies from the world's leading image sensor manufacturer. A work of art for the truly discerning individual.
24.6 Mega Pixel Full Frame Exmor CMOS Sensor - Dual BIONZ Image Processing Engine - Intelligent Preview - 100% Viewfinder, 0.74x Magnification - 3.0", 921K-out Hybrid LCD - 9-point Centre Dual-cross AF (with f2.8 sensor and wide-area 10-point assist) - 5 FPS Continuous Shooting - SteadyShot INSIDE
The other intriguing specifications are the very pro-grade 100% viewfinder and a sort-of Live View system Sony calls "intelligent Preview". This is apparently some sort of fast depth-of-field and focus check on the LCD screen that is fast enough to be useful on a professional camera - unlike the Live View flavors that have appeared so far. Exactly what it is and how it works will have to wait for the Sony official announcement and the hands-on testing.
An unanswered question for many is how sensitive this 24.6MP sensor can be compared to sensors like the one used in the Nikon D3 and D700, which have a standard range to ISO 6400 and an extended range to ISO 25600. Some quick math shows that a full-frame sensor with the same pixel size and spacing as the 12.3MP Sony A700 and Nikon D300 sensor could be around 28MP. That means the Sony should be more sensitive than the highest ISO 6400 seen in the A700, but probably not at the 25600 of the D3/D700 that is half the resolution of the A900 - all else being the same. Our guess would be perhaps a stop faster at 12800 if we were forced to speculate.
The biggest remaining question for the Sony A900 is the price. Rumors have suggested anything from $1500 to $4000. The best info on price we have yet seen is a French ad listing a price of €2499. The same ad shows the current A700 at €1199, which is very close to the US dollar price. That is often the case with photo equipment, which is generally much more expensive in Europe than in the US. Based on that it would seem reasonable that the A900 will sell somewhere between $2500 and $3000 in the US.
Canon 5D Replacement
We're calling this the 5D replacement because it isn't completely clear what it will be called. Names that are flying around range from the Canon 5D Mark II to the Canon 3D and 7D. Some have even suggested that there will be several full-frame Canon models available in this price space after Photokina. Specs have ranged all over the place in the rumor mill, which has churned out speculation about a replacement model for almost two years. Lately the speculation seems to have converged on a set of specs that are likely close to the final product:
- 18.2MP or 21.1MP Full-Frame DIGIC IV
- ISO 100-6400 with expansions of Lo: 50 and Hi: 12800
- 5 FPS
- 3.2" High Resolution LCD
- 19-point AF
- HDMI Out
- Live View
- HD Movie Mode
- 100% Viewfinder Coverage (current 5D is 95%)
- Full weather sealing
- EF Lenses only (like the current 5D, EF-S lenses are rumored not to mount or work properly)
The price for the Canon 5D replacement is also all over the place, with rumors from $2000 (the current street price of the 5D) to $3500 (the original selling price of the 5D). Some have even suggested several full-frame models from Canon with price points of $2000, $3000, and $5000 (like the D3).
Other DSLR Announcements
Photokina will certainly bring other new DSLR announcements and the shows generally have at least a few surprises. Other cameras that might appear are a rumored Pentax full-frame DSLR based on a new Samsung sensor. The rumor mill has been very thin on details such as name or specifications and many believe this might be a more likely event for PMA in January.
There is also tremendous speculation about whether Nikon will introduce the expected D3x at Photokina. Some expect Nikon to also introduce a 24.6MP sensor version of the D3 based on the new Sony full-frame sensor or some customized variation of that sensor. It is certainly possible, but it appears more likely at Photokina. The Sony A700 and Nikon D300 were certainly both introduced with the new Sony 12.3MP APS-C sensor at about the same time.
It also seems likely that if the Canon 5D replacement also features HD video we may see a few more surprise DSLRs either announced at Photokina or at least shown as a prototype of a future model with HD video recording. The video feature looks too interesting for others to ignore, despite the fact that it will also likely bring electronic mirrors and viewfinders to DSLRs that are famous for their optics more than their electronics.
We initially thought the video feature might become a differentiator between crop sensors and the full-frame DSLR that would likely take over pro space. Now with the rumor that the 5D replacement may feature video that idea is squelched. If video starts appearing in full-frame DSLRs as rumored, get ready for a deluge as the market trips over itself to get out new models with HD video capabilities.
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