Canon News and Rumors
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April 2012 -
• [04/30/12] - Too late I'm afraid. The Adorama deal below has gone. The price is back up to $1549. The B&H price has also gone up to $1549. Quite a coincidence... The moral of the story is that if you see a price from a reputable retailer that looks low, don't wait.
• [04/29/12] - I don't know how long this one is going to last, but if you use the following link, ADORAMA has the EOS 7D for $1199. That includes free shipping. This is a special via this link only. If you check the normal price on their site you'll see $1519. I have no idea how long this special will last, but if you want one (and this is a very good price), act now. The price at B&H is $1369
• [04/29/12] - The refurbished 5D mkII is out of stock at Canon again. They don't last long, so if you want one buy it when you see it in stock because the next day it may be gone again!
• [04/23/12] - Canon now have the
EOS 5D Mark II Body Refurbished in stock for $1759.20. Not a bad deal!.
The refurbished 5D MkII carries a 90 day Canon warranty and the following items are in the box:
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• [04/17/12] - Canon have issued an update for DPP taking it to version 3.11.26. It cures the "soft focus" issue seen when converting 5D MkIII RAW files. Not sure if it does anything else. The update isn't on the Canon USA website at the time I'm writing this, but it is on the Canon Canada website via the following URL - http://www.canon.ca/inetCA/serviceDetail?m=load&id=45&sid=7&mid=2200924&type=D&opt=1. You need to enter your OS (operating system) to see the software updates.
• [04/05/12] - Canon UK have issued a statement concerning some issues which have arisen in connection with the use of DPP 3.11.10 and RAW files generated by the EOS 5D MkIII. More information here: 5D MkIII and DPP 3.11.10 issue
March 2012 -
• [03/28/12] - Note that the current Canon Rebate Program ends this Saturday, March 31st 2012. Will it be extended? Who knows (I don't). The last few rebates have been extended and/or modified but that doesn't mean this one will be.
• [03/21/12] - The Canon EOS 5D MkIII is now shipping. A number of vendors have received their first shipments and are filling the pre-orders they have taken since the 5D MkIII was announced. Though it's unlikely you'll find anyone with a 5D MkIII sitting on the shelf, if you've placed a pre-order you'll be moving up the list as those orders are filled.
- Adorama EOS 5D MkIII Body pre-orders
- Adorama EOS 5D MkIII Body + EF 24-105/4L IS USM pre-orders
- B&H Photo EOS 5D MkIII Body pre-orders
- B&H Photo EOS 5D MkIII Body + EF 24-105/4L IS USM pre-orders
• [03/20/12] - You can now download a copy of the manual for DPP version 3.11.10, the version with DLO (Digital Lens Optimizer) and HDR, that will ship with the new EOS 5D MkIII. Here's the link - DPP 3.11.10 PDF manual. The DPP update itself is still not officially available, though there are some chinese and russian websites with links to a copy. However it's unknown whether those downloads are clean or contain malware.
• [03/16/12] - If you can't wait for your Canon EOS 5D MkIII to ship, you can download a .pdf copy of the manual from Canon today for bedtime reading! Try this link Canon EOS 5D MkIII Manual. I checked to see if they'd made the new version of DPP available, but they haven't. Probably soon though.
• [03/15/12] - If you've been looking for an EOS-1D MkIV you'll know that they have been in short supply. It looks like another batch has just been released by Canon. Adorama reports they are on their way to the warehouse and should be available in the next few days - see EOS-1D MkIV at ADORMA for current status. With the new 1-D X replacing both the 1D MkIV and 1Ds MkIII I don't know when the supply of those two cameras will dry up. Might not be long. If you want one, get one while you can! As of today B&H are showing it as "out of stock" and Amazon have only 1 in stock. Price is $4999 (the new 1-D X, when available, will be $6799).
Note also that:
Adorama are now accepting pre-orders for the EOS-1D X at $6799
B&H Photo are now accepting pre-orders for the EOS-1D X at $6799
• [03/06/12] - Canon have renewed their previous rebate program on Lenses and Speedlites. The old program expired on March 3rd, the new one runs from March 5th through March 31st 2012. More details on the REBATES PAGE
• [03/06/12] - Canon have officially lowered their "estimated retail price" on the EOS 5D MkII to $2199. That's actually what the 5D MkII had been selling for recently, but it's a $300 drop in the "official" price. Don't expect to see a $300 drop in the actual selling price though. As I said, it was already down to $2199 before this official announcement so this just brings Canon's price in line with that. I suspect we will see a drop in street price at some point, but not by $300 and not yet. See below for the best deal around right now from Adorama. It's $2199 but includes a lot of useful accessories.
• [03/05/12] - If the 5D MkIII is too expensive ($3500) and/or you want something NOW, Adorama are currently running an EOS 5D MkII special which includes "Canon EOS-5D Mark II Digital SLR Camera Body Kit,- USA Warranty - with 8GB CF Memory Card, Spare Canon LP-E6 Battery, Slinger Camera Bag, Flashpoint Professional Battery Grip - FREE: Red Giant Adorama Production Bundle for PC/Mac a $599.00 Retail Value" for $2199.49 via THIS LINK. Not a bad deal. The B&H price on the body only is $2199, so you get quite a lot for the extra 49 cents!
• [03/04/12] - In case you missed it (I did), Canon issued an update for DPP last month, taking it to version 3.11.4. No, this isn't the new version of DPP that will ship with the EOS 5d MkIII which will include several new features (such Digital Lens optimization and HDR support), we will have to wait for that one. All this one does is "Fix a phenomenon where, on occasion, the color aberration compensation causes false-color images. You can download it from the Canon support pages for your camera. It's the same for all cameras so you can use this link for the 7D. Just select your operating system, then the DPP update. I'm still keeping an eye open for any release of the 5D MkIII updated version of DPP (3.12? 4.0?) but no sign of it yet. I expect it to appear at the end of this month when the first EOS 5D MkIII bodies are scheduled to ship.
• [03/04/12] - Another good deal from Adorama, this time on a Canon PowerShot SX150 IS 14.1 MP with 28-336 IS zoom and a 3.0-Inch LCD. At $146 it's $53 lower than Amazon and B&H are charging. Limited time offer. UPDATE 03/06/12 - Sorry folks, price is back up to $199. You have to move fast on some of these specials :-(
• [03/02/12] - Adorama have a good special on right now - if you use the following link - Canon PowerShot ELPH 500 HS Digital ELPH Camera. It's 12.1MP with a 4.4x Optical Zoom 24-105.6mm Lens and a 3.2-inch Touch Panel LCD. At $149 it's $130 lower than their regular price, $90 lower than B&H and $55 lower than Amazon. Don't know how long the deal will last. Probably not long. UPDATE 03/07/12 - it didn't. Price today is back up to $279.. Your best bet now is Amazon.
• [03/02/12] - Just in case you missed them in the blinding light of the new Canon EOS 5D MkIII, there are a few new accessories that are compatible with other cameras in the EOS line too (7D and EOS-1D X for example). There's a new Speedlite 600EX-RT which should work with all EOS E-TTL bodies, a new GPS logging unit GP-E2, a new speedlite controller ST-E3_RT, a new wireless file transmitter WFT-E7A and a new grip BG-E11 (though that's exclusive for the 5D MkIII). Full details here - http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/canon_eos_5D_MkIII_preview_accessories.html
• [03/02/12] - No longer a rumor and out from under the non-disclosure agreement, read about my hand-on preview of Canon's new EOS 5D MkIII DSLR - http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/canon_eos_5D_MkIII_preview.html
• [03/01/12] - Canon UK are reporting the release of two new "all in one" photo printers, the PIXMA MX715 and the PIXMA MX895. For more information see the Canon UK website at http://www.canon.co.uk/About_Us/Press_Centre/Press_Releases/Consumer_News/All-in-Ones/PIXMA_MX715_PIXMA_MX895.aspx
February 2012
• [02/28/12] - Looks like Canon have run into a few problems with the shipping of several new products. Though nothing as yet on the Canon USA website, notes from Canon UK update the shipping status of the new EOS 1D-X. Originally scheduled to ship in March, the new shipping date is late April. Also delayed are several 1D-X accessories including the GPS receiver (GP-E1), wireless file transmitter (WFT-E6B), battery charger (LC-E4N), battery pack (LP-E4N), wide strap (L7), and focusing screen (EC- CV).
In a separate announcement, Canon UK issued a statement that the sales start of EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM and EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lenses will begin in May. That's actually good news since the original estimated shipping date for the 600/4L IS II USM was June.
• [02/21/12] - Just a reminder that the current round of Canon EOS lens and speedlite rebates end on on March 3rd, which is only 10 days away. The last two rebate periods have been extended (with some items added and some items dropped). However I wouldn't depend on that happening again, so if there's a lens or speedlite that you really want that's included, now might not be a bad time to buy it. See Canon EOS Rebates for more details.
There are rumors that Canon will be making a major announcement around the first week of March. Unlike some other sites I don't really like to repeat unsubstantiated rumors, but I wouldn't discount this one. On a historical note, the very first EOS camera, the EOS 650 was launched on March 1st 1987. March 1st 2012 would be exactly 25 years later...in fact, according to the Canon website 2012 would also the year of the 75th anniversary of Canon since they say:
September 2011
• [09/25/11] - It looks like Adorama are now showing a $100 instant rebate on the EOS 5D MkII. See Canon EOS 5D MkII - $2399 after $100 instant rebate.
• [09/21/11] - Wow! it's been a while since I posted here, but reliable Canon rumors have been thin on the ground (not that that stops other sites from posting them of course). Anyway, here's one with some solid foundation. Looks like a rebate on the 5D MkII is going to be announced soon. Prices on a couple of reliable Canadian websites have dropped to $1999 and there are some believable reports that US retailers have suggested customers "wait until after the weekend" if they want to buy and EOS 5D MkII. If there is a rebate announced I would not be at all surprised if an EOS 5D MkIII was waiting in the wings and might be announced later in the year. Just a guess, but it seems quite possible.
August 2010
• [08/26/10] - Canon have announced 6 new "L" series lenses including an 8-15 fisheye zoom, a 70-300/4-5.6L and new versions of the 300/2.8, 400/2.8, 1.4x TC and 2x TC - seehttp://www.bobatkins.com/photography/reviews/Canon_EF_L_lenses_fall_2010.html
• [08/26/10] - The Canon EOS 60D has been announced. 18MP, HD video, $1099. Read the hands on preview here - http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/canon_eos_60D_preview.html
• [08/24/10] - Canon have announced the development of a 120 MP APS-H CMOS sensor. More details via the link.
• [08/02/10] - Canon are having an Expo in NYC next month on September 2nd and 3rd (see https://expo.usa.canon.com/expo/). This isn't new news, just a reminder. Technically it's an "invitation only" event, but you can always ask them for a passcode. The worst that can happen is that they can say no! It is a business event, not a trade show but I'm sure they'll have some interesting photography related information and displays.
July 2010
• [07/26/10] - Right now Adorama have the refurbished EOS 7D available for $1399 (with free shipping). That's about $200 off the new price. I suspect the offer won't last for long as supply must be very limited. Refurbs are usually pretty much indistinguishable from new, except that they come with a 1 year store warranty rather than a 1 year Canon warranty.
• [07/22/10] - Canon have issued a firmware update for the EOS 7D. Nothing major but it addresses a few glitches associated with movie mode and AF secection and display. You can download it via http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/slr_cameras/eos_7d#DriversAndSoftware
• [07/21/10] - New smaller interchangable lens camera from Canon in the works? See New camera from Canon?
Canon have issued firmware updates for the EOS 1d MkIV and the Digital Rebel T2i. The updates mainly address an issue in which the set aperture moves unexpectedly when shooting movies in manual exposure mode using some Canon lenses (such as macro lenses). There are also some spelling corrections for the 1D MkIV!
• 1D MkIV v1.0.8 update - http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/firm-e/eos1dm4/firmware.html
• EOS Digital Rebel T2i (550D) update - http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/firm-e/eosdigital7/firmware.html
March 2010
• [03/19/10] - ...and they've fixed it! (see below). Canon have now released firmware 2.0.4 which corrects the problems which 2.0.3 introduced. So far I haven't seen any problems reported by users of firmware v2.0.4.
• [03/18/10] - Oops - we (i.e. Canon) screwed up. Don't dowmload Firmware 2.0.3 for the EOS 5D MkII yet. Here's Canon's statement:
See http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/firm-e/eos5dmk2/firmware.html for the latest info.
• [03/16/10] - Canon have issued their promised 5D MkII firmware update (2.0.3). You can download it from http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/firm-e/eos5dmk2/firmware.html. It mainly affects video shooting adding new modes, manual audio control, Av and Tv exposure control and it also corrects a small glitch associated with sensor cleaning.
• [03/10/10] - B&H are currently (5pm eastern 3/10/10) showing the new Canon EF 70-200/2.8L IS II USM as in stock at $2499.00. If you want one go for it now since I expect supply may be limited for a while. Canon were predicting availability as being April, so it's surprising that it's shown up so early.
• [03/05/10] - Look for a new round of Canon rebates starting on Sunday, March 7th and running for about a month. The usual lenses, speedlites and double rebates if you buy a 5D MkII. Full details will be posted soon on the Rebates page. This may well be a response to Nikon's current rebate program (I'll post details on that too, just in case we have any Nikonisas here!).
• [03/02/10] - Canon have posted updates for DPP and other software on their website. The new software supports the Rebel T2i (EOS 550D) and DPP now supports image rotation. Check the page for your DSLR (or in fact any DSLR) on the Canon website (e.g. this page for the EOS 7D)
Canon have also announced that new firmware upgrading the EOS 5D II video functions will be available for download starting in mid-May from their website at http://www.canon.com/eos-d/. I checked and it's not there yet!
February 2010 -
• [02/23/10] - Canon have issued a firmware update (v1.1.0)for the Digital Rebel T1i/EOS 500D. It claims to improve the reliability of Live View shooting, plus correct some menu issues. It can be downloaded from http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/firm-e/eosdigital6/firmware.html
• [02/17/10] - Looks like Canon will be shipping DPP 3.8 with the new Rebel T2i, and presumably it will also be avaiulable as an update for current DPP (3.7) users. Looks like the major change is the addition of the ability to rotate an image by an arbitrary angle to correct verticals or horizontals. While you can't download the software yet, you can download the DPP 3.8 manual from the Rebel T2i page on Canon's website.
• [02/10/10] - Looks like the price on the EOS 5D MkII is starting to drop in a few places. It's now down to $2499 at Amazon.com, which is $200 less than it was a month or so ago.
• [02/08/10] - Still nothing on the 60D, but today Canon released information on the new Digital Rebel T2i with an 18MP sensor and 1080HD video at 30, 25 and 24fps. See full preview here. Canon also announced 4 new Powershots (see the Canon Powershots press release
What this says about an EOS 60D is that if there is indeed one in the works it's also likely to be 18MP with 1080HD video at 30, 25 and 24fps. I suspect it would probably keep the 9 zone AF of the EOS 50D and have a frame rate of maybe 5fps. Since the T2i is priced at $800 and the 7D is priced at $1700, probably something like $1100-$1200 might be in the ballpark. Again, that's only if there actually is a 60D on it's way...
• [02/03/10] - There are all sorts of rumors buzzing around about an EOS 60D appearing very soon. I'm not going to repeat any of them because I have no reason to suspect that any of them are accurate. As with any rumor there's probably a grain of truth in them. I'm sure Canon does have plans for the 60D and it will certainly have HD video, but exactly how they will differentiate it from the 7D I really don't know. They obviously can't make it too close or they risk cannibalizing their own 7D sales. Nor do I know if a 60D will appear tomorrow, next week, next month or next year! PMA runs from February 19th through February 23rd this year, but Canon have already said that they won't be attending, so make of that what you will.
• [02/01/10] - Canon Japan have announced a price for the new EF 70-200/2.8L IS II USM - see http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/reviews/canon_ef_70-200_f28L_IS_II.html
January 2010
• [01/28/10] - Canon have released an EOS 1D MkIV firmware update. It is designed to improve focus tracking.
• [01/05/10] - Canon have announced a new "MkII" version of the EF 70-200/2.8L IS USM with better optics, better IS and a few other changes. See http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/reviews/canon_ef_70-200_f28L_IS_II.html
November 2009
• [11/20/09] - Adobe have released Camera RAW 5.6 with support for the EOS 7D (plus G11, S90 and various other cameras). See - http://labs.adobe.com/wiki/index.php/Camera_Raw_5.6. There's also a Lightroom release 2.6 with EOS 7D/G11/S90 support. See http://labs.adobe.com/wiki/index.php/Lightroom_2.6
• [11/18/09] - Finally got my Canon EOS 7D review posted. See Canon EOS 7D Review
• [11/15/09] - for any twitterers (tweeters? tweets?) out there, I've started a twitter feed with new content notices plus the occasional news item of interest. the URL is http://www.twitter.com/bobatkinsphoto
• [11/05/09] - Canon have issued a firmware update (1.1.0) for the EOS 7D. It corrects a phenomenon that in images captured by continuous shooting, and under certain conditions, barely noticeable traces of the immediately preceding frame may be visible. The firmware and instructions for installation can be downloaded from http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/firm-e/eos7d/firmware.html
• [11/03/09] - Canon have announced an "instant rebate" program for several "lens and body" kits wit the EOS 50D, T1i, XSi and XS, Rebates are $200 except for the XS kit, which is $100. Full details can be found here: Canon Instant Rebates (nov. 2009)
October 2009
• [10/19/09] - It looks like Canon have quietly launched a Fall "Instant Rebate" program on some lenses and speedlites without posting it on their website or sending out any press releases! Get the info here - http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/rebates_fall_2009.html
• [10/19/09] - Still catching up here...Canon are offering a small "Loyalty Upgrade Rebate" to customers who have registered an eligible camera with them and upgrade to a new model. It's $20 off new P&S digicams and $50 off new DSLRs and applies to the purchase of a new Canon EOS Rebel XS, Rebel XSi, Rebel T1i, 50D, 7D, 5D Mark II, PowerShot G11, G10, S90, SX1 IS, SX20 IS,SX200 IS, SX120 IS, D10, SD970 IS, SD980 IS, SD960 IS, SD940 IS, SD780 IS, SD1200 IS, A1100 IS, or A480 camera. So, for example, if you bought and registered an EOS 40D and want to upgrade to an EOS 7D, you'll get a $50 rebate. If you buy a G11, you get a $20 rebate. The "old" camera must have been bought and registered before October 12th 2009 and the new camera must be bought and registered between October 12, 2009 through December 31, 2009.
Here's the Loyalty Upgrade Rebate Link
• [10/19/09] - Canon have issued a firmware update (v1.09) for the EOS 7D. It incorporates the following fixes:
1- Improves AF accuracy during Live View shooting.
2 - Corrects a phenomenon where in rare instances, movie images shot by the camera may exhibit abnormal colors.
3 - Corrects a phenomenon that at certain timings, the shutter cannot be released when the camera's built-in flash or an external Speedlite is used for shooting.
The URL for download is http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/firm-e/eos7d/firmware.html
September 2009
• [09/16/09] - Amazon are now accepting pre-orders for the
Canon EOS 7D
• [09/09/09] - It appears that Canon Sweden have scheduled a press conference for a "Major product announcement" On September 29th. No word on if that product is a camera, a copier, a printer or something else. I'm sure there will be much speculation that it will be a 1D MkIV or a 1Ds MkIV, but at this point there's no good reason to think it is (except wishful thinking...). More on this if and when more details become available.
• [09/01/09] - Well, the EOS 7D is official. Canon released details today - see http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/canon_eos_7d_preview.html
August 2009 -
• [08/27/09] - There are updated rumors of a Canon7D floating around again. I don't know if there is any substance to them, but they are based on what appears to be a shot of an chinese language advertisement for a Canon 7D with an 18MP sensor, HD movie capability, 19 AF zones and 8fps continuous shooting. There's also a rumor that the Best Buy database has an entry for a 7D at $2700. Something is clearly wrong there since the full frame 24MP 5D MkII is $2700, so and 18MP APS-C camera should be significantly cheaper. I'd guess closer to $1800 for a camera which could be intended as competition for the Nikon D300. Also rumored are EF-S 15-85 and 18-135 (APS-C coverage) lenses. As I said, I've no idea if any of this can be trusted, I'm just passing along the information. If it's true I'd expect to see some sort of official announcement (or at least some better documented leaks) appear within the next week or two. As soon as (and if) any more news breaks on this issue, I'll report it here.
• [08/11/09] - Well, no news DSLRs today, but Canon did announce 6 new Powershots including a new G11 with a 10MP high sensitivity sensor.
• [08/11/09] - Canon have announced a press conference scheduled for Wednesday August 19th. Obviously they haven't said what will be announced, but in past years new DSLRs have been announced around this date, so it's reasonable to speculate that details of a new DSLR will be released. There don't seem to be any leaks about the nature of a new camera (though as usual the web is full of speculation). As is my practice here, I'm not going to speculate on details of equipment I don't know exists just to draw in readers. If you want my best guess, then perhaps a "60D" maybe be on the cards - basically a 50D but with video added. Such a camera would be fairly easy to derive from the 50D since video capability is mostly in firmware once a camera has the hardware for Live View. While it's only a year since the 50D was released, the 50D itself was released only a year after the 40D. An update of the 1D/1Ds could also be possible. Both the 1D MkIII and the 1Ds MkIII were released in 2007. The 1D MkIII has had it's share of problems (especially with the AF system). Maybe a new design would restore some confidence. Just guesses of course. We'll know in a few days anyway!
July 2009
• [07/22/09] - Canon have announced a new "hybrid" IS system which can compensate for lateral shift of the camera as well as angular rotation. Lateral shift is really only important for macro work, so expect the first lens to incorporate this to a macro! For more details, see the Canon news release at http://www.canon.com/news/2009/jul22e.html.
• [07/11/09] - It looks like Canon have extended their rebates on Lenses and Speedlites through August 8th 2009, but the deals on "Camera + Lens" specials will end on July 11th (the initial date for the end of rebates). See The Rebates Page.
May 2009 -
• [05/26/09] - Canon (Europe) have announced that a firmware update for the EOS 5D MkII will be available from Canon Europe's 5D Mk II support web site on June 2nd. The update allows manual selection of aperture, shutter speed (1/30s-1/4000s) and ISO (100-6400 plus H1) in the video recording mode. No word on the Canon USA website as far as I can tell, but I'm sure they will be making a similar announcement soon... ...and here it is!• [05/24/09] Adobe have released Camera RAW 5.4 which adds support to CS4 for the Digital Rebel T1i (plus a load of non-canon cameras!). This is a "candidate release" which is sort of like a Beta release. At some point in the future (after any tweaking has been done) a final "official" release version will be available. You can download it from http://labs.adobe.com/wiki/index.php/Camera_Raw_5.4
• [05/15/09] - Canon has discovered that images taken by some EOS-1D Mark III and EOS-1Ds Mark III digital SLR cameras may exhibit ring-shaped spots and is now offering free inspections and cleaning to solve this phenomenon. For full details see the Canon (USA) web page HERE
• [05/04/09] - Canon have announced "instant rebates" on a number of EOS DSLRs, lenses and speedlites. Details here: Canon Rebates - Spring 2009
April 2009 -
• [04/25/09] - Canon have issued firmware updates for 3 cameras:
- EOS 50D - http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/firm-e/eos50d/firmware.html
- EOS Rebel XSi/450D - http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/firm-e/eosdigital4/firmware.html
- EOS Rebel XS/1000D - http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/firm-e/eosdigital5/firmware.html
There's also a service notice for the Powershot G10 which fixes a problem with a small batch of cameras. Full information can be found on the G10 service notice page at Canon USA
March 2009 -
• [03/30/09] - Canon DPP version 3.6.0 has been released as an update for the Powershot SX1 IS, but it works with all EOS cameras. I'm sure there will eventually be an update posted for DSLRs, but in the meantime you can download a copy from the SX1 IS page here - http://web.canon.jp/imaging/dcp/firm-e/pssx1is/index.html. You will need a serial number for the download, but any number in the region of 7816002000 seems to work OK. DPP 3.6 adds sliders for shadow and highlight control. Still no image rotation though. There's a manual (in English) at http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/0/0300002160/01/dpp3.6-w-en.pdf
• [03/25/09] - Canon have announced a very fully featured new Digital Rebel, the Rebel T1i (aka EOS 500D). 15MP, HD video, ISO 12800, 14-bit A/D, Digic IV and a price of $799.99 (list). More details here: Digital Rebel T1i (500D)
• [03/02/09] - Canon has issued a service notice regarding AF on the EOS 1Ds MkIII and 1D MkIII, as well as firmware updates for both cameras. See http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/canon_1D3_1Ds3_updates_2009.html for full details.
• [03/02/09] - Looks like ADORAMA have the EOS 5D MkII bodies in stock again - $2699 with free shipping. The supply of the 5D MkII kits (with 24-1-5/4L lens) still seems to be limited at most stores.
February 2009 -
• [02/18/09] -Canon have announced two new tilt/shift lenses. The TS-E 17/4L and the TS-E 14/3.5L II. More info at http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/reviews/canon_tse_17_24.html
• [02/11/09] - Canon have announced a short rebate program running from Feb 11th 2009 to March 1st 2009. If you buy one of the eligible DSLR bodies, plus one of the eligible expensive "L" lenses plus a 580EX II speedlight, you can claim $200 back by mail in rebate. If you buy the lens as pat of a kit, I'm afraid it doesn't count through! Mre info here - Feb 2008 Canon Rebates
• [02/04/09] - Just published - a review of the EOS 5D MkII - http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/canon_eos_5D_mkii_review_1.html
January 2009 -
• [01/30/09] - As of 1pm today ADORAMA are showing the Canon EOS D MkII as being in stock. See ADORAMA $2699 - to find out if they still have any left!
• [01/26/09] - Not good news. Canon reported an 81 percent fall in quarterly profit and predicted a further slide in annual profit to a 14-year low this year, hit by slumping demand for cameras and office equipment and a stronger yen....Canon's profitability has been hit by sliding consumer demand, steep price falls and the strength of the yen, which makes Japanese products less price-competitive overseas and eats into revenues when converted into the Japanese currency. (Reuters).
• [01/26/09] - As of right now (Midnight, Sunday) ADORAMA are showing the EOS 5D MkII w/24-105/4L $3499 as being in stock. Stock doesn't usually last long, so by the time you read this the situation may have changed! (note added later...it has...back-ordered again)
• [01/23/09] - You may have noticed Canon prices go up over the last couple of weeks. In part this is due to the end of the rebate program back on January 17th, but I suspect there may also be other price increases ahead. I haven't heard and rumors about "across the board" price hikes for Canon, but there is a pretty well confirmed rumor that Nikon will increase their lens prices by about 15% starting on February 1st. See http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/Canon_prices_2009.html for a few more comments.
• [01/20/09] - Canon has issued a firmware update for the EOS 40D. For more information see http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/eos_40D_firmware_update_1-1-1.html
• [01/19/09] - If you use this link Refurb Canon A560, 7.1MP, 4x optical zoom - $59 you'll get to a special sale page at Adorama for a refurbished Canon Powershot A560. This is a 7.1MP digicam with full manual controls, an optical viewfinder and a 4x optical zoom (35-140mm). It's a "little brother" to the A720IS which I carry as a backup camera and use when I need something pocketable. For under $60 (and with free shipping), this isn't a bad deal if you're looking for a small digicam with decent image quality and manual override of most of the auto functions. If you want Image Stabilization, you can get the very similar A590IS from Amazon for $100.
• [01/17/09] - As of right now, Adorama seem to be showing the 5D MkII in stock, both the body only and the body + 24-105 kit. How long this will last is anyone's guess! See
ADORAMA EOS 5D MkII Body - $2699
ADORAMA EOS 5D MkII w/24-105/4L $3499
• [01/15/09] - ...and of course as of this morning, B&H no longer have the 5D MkII in stock (see below). There's certainly no lack of demand for the 5D MkII. I'm currently testing one and I can see why. It's a pretty neat camera!
As of noon today it's only 60 hours before the Canon rebate program is scheduled to end.
• [01/15/09] - As of this moment (2:10am on January 15th 2009) the Canon EOS 5D MkII body is shown as being IN STOCK at B&H Photo - $2699.95 (with free shipping). By the time you read this they may be sold out again of course...
• [0107/09] - Canon have issued a firmware fix for the EOS 5D MkII black dot and banding issues. To download it and for further info see http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/firm-e/eos5dmk2/firmware.html. For more info see this page - http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/Canon_EOS_5D_mkii_firmware.html
The price on the EOS 40D continues to shift up and down. Today's low price (lowest I've yet seen) is $806.95 at Amazon.com. Tomorrow it could be back up to $850. A few days ago it was over $900. Before that it was around $860. They seem to set the price based on throwing dice! The Canon $50 "instant rebate" is supposed to end on the 17th, and if it does the price should go up by $50.
• [01/06/09] - No real news to report. Canon don't seem to have released a firmware update for the EOS 5D MkII yet, though the complaints about the "black dots" issue seems to have quieted down. Maybe now people aren't shooting images of Christmas tree lights they aren't seeing them!
If you're thinking of buying a lens, an EOS 40D or EOS 50D note that the Canon Rebates are due to end on January 17th, so there's not much time left. It also appears that the price on some Canon lenses has been increasing. The price on the EF 85/1.2L is trending upwards for example. Other lenses seem to be holding their price, and yet others seem to be getting cheaper (e.g. the EF50/1.2L). It's not clear if there is any overall trend affecting prices but it could be that the high value of the Yen is responsible for the upward shifts. The dollar is currently worth 25% less (in terms of Yen), than it was 2 years ago, so Japanese companies are receiving 25% lower revenue (in Yen) based on sales in Dollars.
December 2008 -
• [12/17/08] - Canon have now published a white paper on the 50D and 5D MkII. You can download the PDF from their website HERE.
• [12/12/08] - More price drops on the 50D and 40D. The 50D is down to $1085.95 at Amazon and the 40D is now down to $803.43 at Amazon.
If you've been reading photo forums, you've no doubt heard of the dreaded "EOS 5D MkII Black Dots". More in this in the article at http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/eos_5D2_black_dots.html
November 2008 -
• [11/26/08] - Right now you can get the EOS 50D for only $1098.00 through the Amazon website. That's the lowest price I've seen from legitimate retailers so far. Free shipping too!.
• [11/25/08] - I received word from ADORAMA that they expect to start shipping the EOS 5D MkII on Friday of this week (11/28/08), so the wait is almost over for those who pre-ordered early! Canon have now started shipping orders to dealers and in fact several people have picked up a 5D MkII in person already if they had pre-ordered from a local store.
• [11/18/08] - A number of updates to Canon utilities (including DPP, ImageBrowser, ZoomBrowser, Picture Style Editor and EOS Utility) have been posted on the Canon website. I'd assume that the new versions provide support for the EOS 50D and maybe the EOS 5D MkII. I'm not aware of any major updates to what these utilities actually do. You can download the updates from the Canon USA website. Just enter your camera model on this page http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=SupportIndexAct. Select the "Downloads and Drivers"tab on the product specific page. I know it works for the EOS 40D, not sure about all other models.
• [11/18/08] - The company Canon have been using to process mail-in rebates has filed for bancruptcy, which will affect the processing of rebates on some printers and video products. The current instant rebates on DSLRs, lenses and Speedlites are not affected in any way. More details can be found HERE. Note that Canon will honor all mailed-in rebates, but there will probably be some delay with rebates in process and rebate checks which have not been cashed may now be invalid.
• [11/14/08] - Given the state of the ecomony, I thought this was a good time to tale a look at something less expensive then the new EOS 50D and EOS 5D MkII, so I've just posted a review of the Digital Rebel XSi. For the price (under $640 with the 18-55IS kit lens), it's certainly good value and would make an excellent starter DSLR.
• [11/04/08] - It looks like Canon USA are now offering a $100 "instant rebate" on the new EOS 50D, lowering the pr1ce to $1299. Though no trace of this can currently be found on the Canon USA website, a number of store including Amazon and Adorama have lowered the price from $1399 to $1299 and are describing the price reduction as a Canon instant rebate. I guess it doesn't matter why the price has dropped by $100, but it has!
October 2008
• [10/19/08] - Canon USA have announced their fall rebate program. Instant rebates on lenses and speedlites only, no cameras. See the Fall 2008 Rebates page for details. The program will run though January 17th 2009.
• [10/04/08] - It seems that Canon Canada have a Fall Rebate program. Instant rebates, no mail-in forms. More details HERE
• [10/04/08] - The EOS 50D is now shipping in the US (it's been available in Europe for about a week now). Amazon and several other vendors have started filling their pre-orders, though most are showing the 50D as "currently out of stock" because all their cameras are being used to fill pre-orders.
If the EOS 50D is too expensive, remember that the EOS 40D + EF70-300/4-5.6IS kit is currently $1370 (the Canon instant rebate runs until October 13th). This is $580 cheaper then the 50D + 70-300/4-5.6IS which would sell for $1950.
September 2008
• [09/16/08] - IT'S HERE. The details of the new Canon EOS 5D have been released. Read then here at http://bobatkins.com/photography/digital/canon_eos_5D_MkII_preview.html. Importnat features: 21MP, HD video, $2700, available by the end of November.
• [09/05/08] - As if we needed any more "hints" that a 5D upgrade is coming soon, Canon have posted a "teaser" at http://www.canon.com/moon/en/index.html. There's absolutely no information there - but I bet you'll look! A couple of other sites around the world have similarly uninformative pages running. What is it? My guess is that it's a 50D but with a different (21MP?) sensor, no built in flash and a slower frame rate. The 5D MkII (or maybe they'll call it a 3D, 4D, 6D or 7D). Right now Canon are just fueling the buzz about it. It won't be long before the other shoe drops and they'll actually tell us what it is (and how much it costs!). • [09/03/08] - Canon have issued a firmware update to v1.0.9 for the Digital Rebel XSi/450D. According to Canon it:
* Fixes a phenomenon in which AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing) shooting does not operate normally under specific conditions.
* Fixes a phenomenon in which the Live View exposure simulation warning indication does not properly display during Live View shooting.
* Fixes a phenomenon in which images cannot be played back after continuous shooting when a printer is connected to the camera or a video output terminal is used.
The download URL is: http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/firm-e/eosdigital4/firmware.html
The Canon EOS 50D (see preview) is now available for pre-order from Amazon.com - $1399 with free shipping. Orders will be filled in the order in which they are received. Currently it looks like shipping should start in October.
• [09/02/08] - You may be here looking for the latest rumors about the EOS 5D MkII, but I don't have anything you haven't already read elsewhere and I'm not sure if any of it is accurate at this point, so there's little point in repeating it all. There have been no really "hard" leaks. If you look at what's rumored (which is just about anything you could imagine) I think the current best guess could be summarized quite simply as "An EOS 50D with a full frame sensor of around 20MP". It may not shoot quite as fast (the 50D is 6.3fps), but that may be the only significant difference (plus it may or may not have a built in flash). No word on when and no word on how much, but we should know both within a few weeks.
If the sensor is 20+MP and the price is around that you might expect (~$3000?), you have to ask how many people will still be buying the 22MP EOS 1Ds MkIII for $8000? I doubt Canon will be bringing out a 1Ds MkIV at Photokina, though it sounds like they may have a 35+MP full frame camera in development and they've pretty much said that a 50MP full frame sensor with low noise is now technically possible. If you extrapolate the pixel density of the 50D to full frame, you'd have something close to 40MP. Maybe Canon would be prepared to take a temporary hit on 1Ds MkIII sales if they have something like a 40MP 1Ds MkIV waiting in the wings for PMA 2009? Perhaps Canon are more worried about losing mid level sales to the Nikon D700 (FF but "only" 12MP) than they are about loosing high end sales of the 1Ds MkIII. Just speculation here folks. I don't know Canon's plans - but if I find out about any I'll let you know!
There's also a rumor of an EF 24-70/2.8L IS to be released for Photokina. This would be no huge shock and it would make an excellent "standard zoom" companion for any 5D MkII. Again, it's just a rumor right now. No hard facts or confirmed sources! If and when I get confirmation on any of this or if there's a "hard" leak, I'll report here as soon as hear it.
August 2008
• [08/31/08] _ Canon have announced rebates on EOS 40D and Rebel XSi kits, with $150 off the 40D kits and $100 off the XSi kits. Promotion runs from August 31st to October 13th. Full details at EOS 40D and XSi Kit Rebates
• [08/30/08] - Tomorrow (August 31st 2008) is the last day to register your EOS 5D with Canon if you want their benefits package ($100 off repair, fast turnaround etc.). See EOS 5D Registration for full details.
• [08/26/08] - No big shock that Canon have confirmed the EOS 50D rumors. Price is $1399, availability October 2008. More into on the updated pages at http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/canon_eos_50D.html
Also, the EF-S 18-200/3.5-5.6IS is now confirmed. Price $699, Availability October 2008
• [08/21/08] - Looks like the Canon EOS 50D might be real after all. There's a leaked page on the Canon China website with some details. See the article here at http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/canon_eos_50D.html for the latest info
• [08/11/08] - Canon have announce a couple of new "All in One" (print/scan/copy) printers (LINK) and three new desktop scanners (LINK). In addition to document scanning, the $149.99 CANON CANOSCAN 5600F can also scan a strip of 6 negatives or 4 slides at a maximum optical scanning resolution of 4800x9600 dpi.
July 2008
• [07/20/08] - Well, the Canon instant rebates have officially ended. At B&H the EOS 5D is now $2300 and the EOS 40D is $1140. Up until this afternoon, Amazon still had the 5D listed at $1799.95 and the 40D listed at $899.95. As of this evening (8pm) Amazon's price on the EOS 5D has risen to $1899.95 (I told you to get one while they were cheaper!), which is still $400 less than B&H. The 40D is still listed at $899.95 on Amazon as I write this (8:30pm eastern). I don't suppose those prices will go down and I assume they will soon go up. If you missed the official rebate period and you want a 5D/40D, I'd act ASAP.
• EOD 5D - Lowest price - $1899.93 with free shipping (Amazon.com)
• EOD 40D - Lowest price - $899.95 with free shipping (Amazon.com)
• [07/13/08] - Just a reminder that the Canon Rebates end on the 19th (Saturday), so if you're looking for a 5D, 40D or one of the included lenses, now is the time to act. Also I just noted that Amazon have dropped their price on the Canon EOS 5D to $1799.95 (and that includes free shipping). That's $100 less than Adorama and $200 less than B&H Photo, so it's a pretty good deal. I doubt you'll see it cheaper than that from any reputable dealer in the near future.
Oh, and Canon confirmed the XS for the USA by issuing a press release on July 8th. Not exactly a huge surprise (see the item from 06/09/08 below). $700 with the 18-55IS kit lens, shipping in August 2008 (link to USA press release).
• [07/02/08] - A Dutch website (http://www.fotokonijnenberg.nl) is reporting that Canon will be introducing a Canon EF-S 18-200/3.5-5.6 IS lens in September. Not a big surprise since this would be a popular lens with those buying their first (Rebel) DSLR. Note it's an EF-S lens of course. It could replace the 18-55IS and 55-250IS lens pair as part of a kit. No details on availability in the US or price.
June 2008
• [06/09/08] - Canon have now officially announced the Digital Rebel XS which I reported here as a firm rumor last month. Not very exciting, basically an XTi with Liveview and a Digic III processor. Full details on the Canon Digital Rebel XS (1000D) page
May 2008
• [05/30/08] - Apple have issued an update which extends RAW file compatibility for Aperture 2 and iPhoto ’08 for the Digital Rebel XSi (450D) as well as the Pentax K20D and 200D, Epson R-D1 and some Leaf Digital backs. The update can be downloaded via THIS PAGE at Apple.com
• [05/26/08] - Well the book author and publisher of the "EOS 5D MkII Field Guide" posted in a forum on dpreview that the Amazon entry below was an error. They were planning such a book, but had no knowledge that an EOS 5D MkII was actually coming. They were "covering all the bases" by having a title in their system in case the camera was released and that provisional title was accidentally put on the Amazon site. Doesn't change my mind either way on the possibility of a 5D MkII being released this fall!
• [05/25/08] - Here's some possible hard evidence (if any was needed) that the EOS 5D MkII is on its way (at some point....). This is from the Amazon website:
Publication date is set for November 2008. My thoughts on the EOS 5D MkII really haven't changed since I wrote my Canon EOS 5D MkII article last year. 16MP, Live View, Self cleaning sensor, bigger buffer, HTP, 14-bit A/D, Digic III, faster frame rate, $3000, Launced at Photokina, availability fall 2008. Basically a 40D with a bigger sensor.
• [05/24/08] - First no rebates, then more rebates than you can count! In addition to the current instant rebates on the 5D and 40D, and the extra rebates if you buy a kit with a lens and/or printer, Canon are now offering another $50 back to any current owner of a Digital Rebel, XT, XTi or XSi! For full details see the Rebel Rebatepage. This bring the cost of an EOS 40D down to under $900 for any Digital Rebel owner looking to upgrade.
• [05/18/08] - The rebate rumor below is now confirmed. See the Canon Rebates Page for full details and links to rebated items.
• [05/13/08] - Canon have issued updates for several EOS utilities including an update to DPP to v3.4.1.1. In the compatibility list for DPP Canon mention a Rebel XS/1000D, which sounds like a new entry level DSLR. For more info and update links see Rebel XS/1000D and utility updates
• [05/11/08] - There's a report floating around the web at the moment that Canon may announce a rebate program next week, scheduled to run from May 18th to July 19th 2008. This isn't an announcement from Canon of course. They do NOT pre-annouce rebate programs. If it's real then it's an unofficial leak, but I can find no citations of the source of the leak. Usually the leaks happen when some website puts up information before they should. So I'm just passing this one along as a reasonable rumor. We'll know for sure in 7 days of course!
Is this the Canon Spring Rebate for 2008??
• [05/01/08] - As reported below [4/26/08], Canon lens prices are increasing. Some stores have raised them already and some will do so soon. I'm writing a review of the EF100-400/4.5-5.6L IS USM right now which will appear on the site in a week or so. However I've noticed the price of the lens is going up in many stores. Right now, Amazon have it for $1310, but it's in the $1410-$1450 range at most other stores. Though it's marked as out of stock at Amazon, they normally honor their web prices, so if you are thinking of buying the 100-400 and you want to save $100-$150, put an order in with Amazon right away before their prices go up too! My testing of the lens showed it to be very good, close to the 300/4 (+1.4x) at comparable focal lengths (full review coming shortly!)
April 2008
• [04/26/08] - There's a firmware update (v1.2.3) for the EOS 1D MkIII at http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eos1dm3/firmware.html. According to Canon the following changes have been made:
• Direct selection of AF points by the Multi-controller is added to C.Fn III-9.
• Alternate access to Exposure compensation is added to C.Fn IV-3.
•With the camera’s External Speedlite control menu, Flash function settings can be used to set the Wireless setting and Zoom.
The update also improves the stability of AF accuracy in AI servo AF when shooting extremely low-contrast subjects.
• [04/26/08] - Canon have announced that most lens prices (along with EOS and powershot accessories and binoculars) will rise to dealers by 3-5% on May 1st. Canon Canada follow on May 5th. For more information see Canon Price Increases 2008
• [04/25/08] - This is more of a non-news item, but the rumored date of April 22nd for a release of info on an EOS 5D MkII has come and gone. I'm not ignoring 5D MkII rumors (see entry below for [03/14/08]), but I don't report stuff I think is wrong or isn't backed up by some credible source. So far I haven't seen any such rumors. I'm beginning to suspect that people post rumors just to attract visitors to their websites. I still think that Photokina 2008 is currently the most likely place for Canon to debut a new 5D MkII (or whatever they end up calling it). That means some sort of annoucement might be made in late August (Photokina 2008 is in late September this year). My thoughts on any new EOS 5D haven't changed since I posted them last year (see EOS 5D MkII ?). Note they are just my thoughts based on some industry knowledge and experience. They're not rumors and they are not based on any "inside information".
• [04/19/08] - I've posted a very brief "first look" at the Digital Rebel XSi HERE
• [04/18/08] - I can now confirm that Amazon have started to ship the Digital Rebel XSi + 18-55IS lens kits. If you have pre-ordered one, it should ship out soon.
• [04/17/08] - I'm reliably informed that the first Canon EOS Rebel XSi kits (w/18-55IS) have been shipped to dealers and a few of them are already in the hands of customers. If you want to pay a little extra to get one early, several dealers are advertising them as being "in-stock" through Amazon - Rebel XSi with 18-55IS lens in stock . Prices range from $939 to $999.99. It also seems to be available from TigerDirect through Amazon for the Canon suggested price of $899.99. TigerDirect are usually pretty reliable. Amazon themselves still have June 15th release date showing, but that's typical of what they have done in the past. They normally ship much sooner than the stated date and I've heard rumors they are actually promising delivery by next week. Neither B&H, J&R nor Adorama are currently showing the XSi as being in stock. It may be that the kits are starting to ship earlier than the body only.
• [04/08/08] - Canon have issues a firmware update for the EOS 40D. You can download it from http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/eos40d/eos40d-firmware-e.html. It's a fairly minor tweak. According to Canon it "Fixes a phenomenon in which Image Stabilization operation emits a sound when certain buttons are pressed, with the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS lens attached to the camera. Fixes a phenomenon in which the Image Stabilization operation emits a sound from the lens when IS lenses are attached to the camera. Fixes a phenomenon in which a part of the image looks unnatural when reviewed on the LCD. Corrects errors in the Spanish and Norwegian menu screens."
March 2008
• [03/14/08] - There are new firmware updates now available for the EOS 30D ( http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eos30d/eos30d_firmware-e.html) and the EOS 5D (http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eos5d/eos5d_firmware-e.html). The 5D update (to v1.1.1) adds support for high-capacity CF cards (8GB and up) and both the 5D and 30D (to v1.0.6) updates allow the latest lens names to be recorded in the Exif information of images taken and add lenses that are compatible with the Digital Photo Professional 3.2 lens aberration correction function.
• [03/14/08] - Canon CANADA have announced a rebate program for EOS cameras and lenses which will run from March 15th 2008 to June 30th 2008. You can view full details HERE . It's a somewhat complex "chinese menu" program where you can combine items from columns A, B and C to increase the rebate, but basically it's $200 on a 5D, $100 on a 40D and $50-$100 on a selection of lenses, though you can double those amounts by buying the right combination of products!
• [03/14/08] - I'm sure by now you may have seen the rapidly circulating rumor that an EOS 5D MkII will be released in June at a price of $3500. The "specs" are usually given as 15.3MP, ISO to 12800, 6fps frame rate, 1.6 stops more sensitive than any previous DSLR, full weathersealing, 300,000 exposure shutter etc. So where does all this come from. Well, as far as I can tell it all comes from a single post in the Dpreview forums, citing an "unknown source". Some sites are even posting a picture. However note that the picture they are using is the same one they used to illustrate the previous EOS 5D MkII rumor that it would appear at PMA 2008 - which it obviously didn't. The "picture" is just a Photoshop mockup.
Could it be true? Yes, of course it could. Pretty much anything could be true. I don't think it will surprise anyone when Canon finally do announce a new camera to replace the 5D. However right now I really don't see any confirmation of this one (unnamed) source. So I'm not getting too excited about this rumor until I see some confirmation from a second independant source. There's always an aspect of "wishful thinking" to rumors. If you like the rumor, you'll repeat it and believe it's true, so it tends to spread. I'm not saying that such a camera isn't coming soon, I'm just saying that I'm not holding my breath at this point. If Canon dropped the 5D (now selling for around $2000) and replaced it with a 5D MkII at $3500, there would be a large hole in the lineup between the $1150 EOS 40D and a new $3500 EOS 5D MkII. I can't help but feel that there would then be an untapped market for a $2000 full frame DSLR like the EOS 5D is today. With 6fps and a full frame sensor, an EOS 5D MkII with the specs given above would be also be a very serious competitor for the EOS 1D MkIII which is now selling for around $4000
• [03/06/08] - Canon have issues an update on the Canon EOS 1D MkIII AF problem. You can read their comments HERE. Basically the 1D MkIII has sometimes exhibited inconsistent focusing accuracy or inconsistent focus tracking with moving subjects when using AI-Servo AF and continuous shooting modes, particularly in high temperatures. Canon now claim that after hardware and software updates, the 1D MkIII now has the best AF performance of any EOS body, past or present.
• [03/04/08] - Canon Europe have a cashback program running from March 1st 2008 to June 30th 2008. In the UK there's £150 off the EOS 5D, £100 off the EOS 40D and £40 to £70 off a selection of lenses. For full details for the UK see http://canon2008promotions.onlinerebates.com/intro.aspx?country=uk&view=promos
• [03/04/08] - EOS 30D for $649.95. Adorama now have official Canon factory refurbished EOS 30Ds in stock for $649.95. A pretty good price for what is pretty much a brand new camera. If you can't afford a 40D, a rebfurbished 30D is excellent value at this price.
February 2008
• [02/15/08] - Just a reminder that the Canon Rebate Program ends in 2 days on the 17th. If you're thinking of buying one of the lenses included in the program, now would be a good time to place the order!
• [02/12/08] - If you're wondering what's the next bell and whistle that's going to show up on an EOS DSLR, take a look at this Canon Patent filing. Basically it's n application for a patent on a system which takes a biometric reading from your eye (you eye's "fingerprint") and embeds that information into the images you shoot. That way you can prove who was looking through the viewfinder at the moment the shot was taken! I'd still rather have stabilization built into the body though...grumble, grumble... BTW Applied Minds were awarded a similar patent back in 2006.
• [02/06/08] - If you missed the last round of rebates and you still want an Canon EOS 5D ($2099.95), you can get a $200 rebate if you also buy an Canon MP970, Pro9000 or Pro9500 printer. [Actually you can get the same $200 rebate if you buy a 1D MkIII, 1Ds MkIII or EOS 40D]. In addition you also get $100 rebate on the printers, so that makes $300 in all. If you don't actually need a printer, the MP970 is only $270 from Adorama, so after the $300 total rebate, you still save $30 and you have a printer which you can sell! You can also get a similar deal from J&R and B&H , both recommended vendors.
• [02/05/08] - This may not be new, but it's new to me! Canon have a set of inline tutorials explaining how to use Digital Photo Professional 3.2 (DPP 3.2), which is provided free with all Canon DSLRs. The URL is http://www.usa.canon.com/content/dpp2/index.html. If you aren't familar with DPP, it has multiple uses including RAW conversion, basic image editing and file renaming.
January 2008
• [01/24/08] - Canon have now provided more details on the 200/2 and 800/5.6 which they showed prototypes of last year. The new Canon EF200mm f/2L IS USM is scheduled to be available in April at an estimated retail price of $5,999.00 and the new Canon EF800mm f/5.6L IS USM is scheduled to be available in May for an estimated retail price of $11,999.00. I doubt I'll be buying either one unless I win the lottery :-(
• [01/24/08] - Canon have just announce a new Canon digital Rebel XSi, with a 12.2MP sensor and 14-bit A/D. Full details here Canon Digital Rebel XSi
• [01/12/08] - Canon lens rebates are due to end tomorrow...or not... In spite of the January 13th 2008 expiration date on the Canon rebate .pdf page, it appears they may have extended it to February 17th. I've seen no announcement from Canon but several vendors, including Amazon.com, are now listing February 17th 2008 as the end date of the promotion. See for example Amazon's page for the Canon EF-S 10-22/3.5-4.5, where they say "...Instant Rebate: Purchase this product from Amazon.com and save instantly. Price includes manufacturer's instant rebate. Plus, save up to $125 instantly on select Canon lenses and Speedlites. Offer extended through February 17, 2008. See details..."
• [01/12/08] - This is your LAST day to take advantage of the $500 rebate on an EOS 5D + Pixma Pro printer, so if you want a 5D and you want to save some money, act now. It's possible there could be a 5D MkII announced at PMA, but if there is my guess is that you'll end up paying at least $1000 more for it and you probably won't be able to get one until March or April.
• [01/03/08] - No real news, but just a reminder that the Canon Lens Rebates expire on January 13th and the $500 rebate on the EOS 5D + Pixma Pro printer expires on January 12th, so if you are interested in either one, now's a good time to act. With the rebate, the price on a 5D is around $1730, which is probably as cheap as it will ever be.
The PMA (Photo Marketing Association) trade show takes place from January 30th to February 1st this year (2008), which is a bit earlier than usual. It looks like Canon will be making announcements the week before, probably on January 24th. There's no reliable word on what they will be announcing, but a replacement for the EOS 5D is certainly a 50/50 bet. If one is announced I suspect the price will be at least $1000 more than the current 5D after the $500 rebate (maybe $2800??).
November 2007
• [11/27/07] - Canon have released firmware version 1.1.3 for the EOS 1D MkIII. It can be downloaded from http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eos1dm3/firmware.html It increases transmission speed when using high-speed SD cards, fixes a phenomenon involving not being able to release the shutter, improves AF tracking in specific conditions and corrects errors in the Spanish and Korean menu screens.
• [11/18/07] - Canon have released firmware version 1.0.5 for the EOS 40D. It can be downloaded from http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/eos40d/eos40d-firmware-e.html. It doesn't look like there is anything critical in the update (you can read the full details via the link). Canon don't comment on whether or not it fixed the problem of ACR not being able to read RAW files from firmware v1.0.4 (see 11/09/07 entry below), though users are reporting that it does.
• [11/18/07] - Here's a pretty good deal if you are looking for an EOS 5D. Buy a Canon Pro9000 printer from ADORAMA (via this link and before 11/23) and the final price after rebate will be $299.95. If you also buy an EOS 5D at the same time you get a $400 rebate. So even if you never took the printer out of its box, you've still have saved $100 on your 5D! You can also get $100 rebate on an EOS 40D, XT or XTi bought at the same time as the printer.
• [11/09/07] - Word on the street is that Canon will be making new firmware available before the end of the month (November 2007) which will correct the problems with ACR and RAW files that users who have received recent EOS 40D cameras with the 1.0.4 firmware have been experiencing (see item from 11/06/07 below). I still don't know what 1.0.4 was supposed to address over the original 1.0.3 firmware that most 40Ds have shipped with, but I expect that Canon will have a list of changes when they make 1.0.5 available for download.
• [11/09/07] - Another heads-up. ADORAMA are offering a free Spyder2 Suite Color Calibration System with purchase of the Canon Pixma Pro 9500 printer. The Spyder2 Suite typically sells for around $120 and there's also a $100 rebate on the printer from Canon, which makes this a pretty good deal. Even better, if you buy an EOS 5D at the same time you get a $400 rebate on the 5D from Canon, making the final EOS 5D cost only $1699.95. Not bad for a full frame DSLR! On top of all this, if you use this special link: Canon Pixma Pro 9500 printer, you'll see a price on the printer that's $60 lower than the price you'll find if you just do a normal search of ADORAMA's website! This offer of an extra $60 off the price will expire on November 16th, so don't wait too long before ordering.
• [11/09/07] - Just a heads-up that Amazon are now listing the 12 MP Canon EOS 5D for $2099.95, available from stock and with free shipping. If you buy a Pro9000/9500 printer you get $400 rebate on the 5D making it only $1699.95, plus you get $100 off the printer too!
• [11/06/07] - It seem that some new Canon EOS 40Ds are shipping with revised firmware (v1.0.4, most cameras seem to have v1.0.3) which causes a problems for ACR (Adobe Camera Raw) when reading .CR2 (RAW) files. Canon's own RAW file processor, DPP is not affected. The problem seems to be a small change in the EXIF file data which is confusing the Adobe program. You can read more about this on the Adobe forum at http://adobeforums.com/webx/.3c033307. Someone there has posted a fix for the problem. I suspect Canon will be doing a firmware revision soon! I have no idea what the firmware change from v1.0.3 to v1.0.4 was supposed to do, and v1.0.4 is not currently listed as a firmware update for the 40D, so if you have v1.0.3 just sit back and don't worry! If you just got your 40D and it's v1.0.4, you may have a problem if you use ACR to convert your RAW files, but I'm sure either Adobe or Canon will soon have a solution for this issue. UPDATE 11/09/07 - Looks like Canon will be making revised firmware available for download before the end of the month (11/07) which will restore compatibility with ACR.
October 2007
• [10/27/07] - You can now download the latest version of DPP (DPP 3.2.0) from the Canon Europe website at http://software.canon-europe.com/software/0027547.asp. DPP 3.2.0 has support for EOS-1Ds Mark III and EOS 40D, a lens aberration correction function (for correcting peripheral illumination, distortion, chromatic aberration, and color blur), a highlight/shadow warning function and several other improvements over DPP 3.1. Note that it's a 24MB download, so I hope you're not still on a dialup connection!
• [10/27/07] - The new Canon EF-S 18-55/3.5-5.6IS USM "Kit" lens is now shipping from stock at Amazon.con for $199.99 (free shipping). This lens uses Canon's new lower cost Image Stabilization hardware, which Canon claims can give up top 4 stops of stabilization. It's the lowest cost IS lens that Canon have ever offered and includes automatic panning detection. Sounds very interesting!
• [10/18/07] - Cannon announced their Fall 200& Rebate program today. Included are 15 lenses and the 580EX II speedlite, with rebates from $125 to $20. No cameras are included, but see the entry below for rebates when a 5D/40D/XT/XTi is bought at the same times with an eligible printer. Full details are here: http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/rebates.html
While at PhotoPlus Expo today I spoke with Chuck Westfall of Canon. He said that the fix for the servo AF problem that some 1D MkIII users have reported has been finalized. It's a hardware fix related to an issue with the sub mirror used for focusing. There should be an announcement soon detailing the procedure to be followed for the repair. Not all 1D MkIII cameras have the problem. The 1Ds MkIII, due to be released later this year, does not have the same focus issue.
• [10/16/07] - Canon USA did announce a rebate scheme yesterday, but it didn't get much press and I only just stumbled on it! You can get a $400 rebate on an EOS 5D or a $100 rebate on an EOS 40D, XT or XTi. However you have to buy a PIXMA Pro9000 or Pro9500 at the same time. There's an additional $100 on the printer itself. Full details can be found on this page: http://bobatkins.com/photography/digital/eos_5D_40D_XT_pixma_rebate.html
• [10/15/07] - Canon have announce they are working on two new lenses, 200mm f2.0L IS USM and an 800mm f5.6L IS USM. They will be displaying prototypes at PhotoPlus Expo in NYC later this week. They have no word on when the lenses will be commercially available or what the prices will be. For more information see http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/reviews/canon_200f2_800f56.html
No word on any Canon rebates for the USA yet. However on items like the EOS 5D, the current price of just under $2200 is less than what you'd pay in Canada after taking advantage of their current rebate program which offers $350 on a 5D. Henry's price is $2800(Canadian) and the rebate is $350 making the price $2450. If you buy two items you can double the rebate to $700 which gives a final price around $100 less than in the US.
September 2007
• [09/30/07] - The Canon Europe Cashback reported here a week or so ago has been confirmed. See http://canon2007promotions.onlinerebates.com/ for specific details for each country. Canon Canada have also announced a spring rebate program (see for example http://instacontent.mirror-image.net/henrys/resources/rebateforms/CanonDoubleSavings.pdf. The only camera body included in the Canon Canada program is the EOS 5D which comes with a $350 rebate ($700 if you buy two items on the list). That puts the 5D price at around $2300 (after $700 rebate) at Henry's (prices in Canadian Dollars). No word yet on a USA rebate program, but remember that the Spring rebate program was a month late this year, so it's possible the USA fall rebate could be delayed. I do expect to see a USA program, but when, what items will be included and how much the rebates will be I just don't know yet. I'd expect it to be more similar to the Canadian program than the Europe program though, and a likely start date might be around October 15th
• [09/22/07] - According to this website: http://www.photouniversal.de/template/download/Canon_CashBack2007.pdf Canon EUROPE will have a cashback program starting on October 1st which will include a number of lenses, the 40D, the 400D and the 5D as well as a number of 40D and 5D camera/lens kits. Does this mean there will definitely be a US rebate program? No, it doesn't. Canon USA and Canon EUROPE are separate companies. Will there likely be a USA rebate program? Yes, I think there probably will, though the items offered and the amount of the rebates will almost certainly be somewhat different. Canon Europe prices are already quite a bit higher than Canon USA prices so they do have a little more room to cut!
• [09/16/07] - I don't think it's new, but I just came across the Canon Technology Highlights for 2007. It covers all aspects of Canon's technology from still and video cameras to printers and optics. Here's the URL:http://www.usa.canon.com/templatedata/AboutCanon/images/pdf/tech2007e.pdf
• [09/12/07] - Canon have published a 44 page White Paper on the EOS 40D, giving you the most comprehensive review of the technical details of the 40D that you're likely to find anywhere. There's nothing in there that hasn't been known and reported before, but Canon have now collected at all in one place! The white papaer is a 2.8MB pdf file and can be download from this URL:
http://www.usa.canon.com/uploadedimages/FCK/Image/2007/White%20Paper/40D/EOS_40D_WhitePaper_070817.pdf
• [09/06/07] - I've just posted an initial "hands-on" review of the new Canon EOS 40D. You can read it here: http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/canon_eos_40D_review_1.html
August 2007
• [08/26/07] - There are two Japanese websites which have examples of shots taken with the new EOS 40D at various ISO setting from ISO 100 to ISO 3200. The high ISO performance looks very good. Without side by side shots from a 20D/30D it's hard to quantify any improvement, but the performance at high ISO looks quite impressive.
• http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/review/2007/08/24/6904.html (opens new window)
• http://www.photo-cafe.jp/scoop/archives/2007/08/eos_40d_iso.html (opens new window)
• [08/21/07] - Canon are developing a Canon EOS 40D "Special Site" which you can view at http://cweb.canon.jp/camera/40d/index.html, Some of it's in Japanese and some of it is "coming soon". It seems pretty bandwith intensive, so it might not be much fun on a dialup connection. Worth watching for future developments. There's a more conventional information site at http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/eos40d/index.html
• [08/20/07] - Canon have issued a firmware update for the EOS 1D MkIII. You can download it from http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eos1dm3/firmware.html. Among other things it is said that it "Reduces the tendency to autofocus on the background instead of the main subject when shooting in AI Servo AF under certain conditions", so it looks like it may be the fix for the servo AF problems that some people have reported seeing
• [08/20/07] - Just posted: Specs and preview of the Canon EOS 40D; Specs and preview of the Canon EOS 1Ds MkIII. Also news of an EF 14/2.8L II and an EF-S 18-55/3.5-5.6IS USM
• [08/06/07] - Well, the 40D has a UPC code, so it must be real! See the EOS 40D page for details.
• [08/06/07] - It's not just Canon who are getting ready to make new product announcements. Pentax have a European press conference scheduled for August 23rd; Canon have one on August 21st and Nikon have one in London on August 24th. I'd expect new lenses from Pentax. There's a rumor (unconfirmed) that there will be a Sony press conference around September 6/7th with two new DSLRs. I expect the new canon EOS 40D may have a little competition! Of course not just DSLRs will be announced. I'm sure everyone will have a few new P&S digicams too.
• [08/03/07] - There are some new product shots which appear to be leaks of the EOS 40D floating around the web (original source unknown). You can see them on my 40D "news and rumor" pages HERE and on my 40D "Specs and Preview" page HERE. They suggest a 3" LCD, ISO display in the viewfinder, a dedicated "picture styles" button, CF card use and 3 "custom" shooting modes on the main dial. No information on pixel count, but I'm guessing around 10-10.5MP.
July 2007 -
• [07/31/07] - Canon EOS 1D MkIII firmware version 1.1.0 is now available for download from http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eos1dm3/firmware.html. It contains the same fixes as 1.0.9, but fixes a problem that 1.0.9 caused!
• [07/28/07] - According to material published in the UK magazine "Amateur Photographer", it seems that Canon (UK) have scheduled a meeting for dealers on August 21st (08/21/07) where they will announce information on some new products. Just for reference, the 20D was announced on 08/19/04, the EOS 5D and EOS 1D MkII N were announced on 08/22/05 and the Rebel XTi was announced on 08/24/06. Late August has also been a popular time to announce new P&S digicams (e.g. A610, A620, A630, SD550, SD30, A710IS etc.).
• [07/19/07] - Canon now have a firmware update for the EOS 1D MkIII camera. The firmware is v1.0.9 and can currently be installed by Canon service centers. The update is expected to be available on the web by the end of the month.
• [07/19/07] - Canon EOS 40D name was found on a CIPA (Camera Imaging Products Association) PictBridge certification list, which suggests that Canon are certainly working on it and that the name will be the 40D. The listing is now gone of course (see http://www.cipa.jp/pictbridge/CertifiedModels/PictBridgeCertifiedModels_E.html#DSC_CANON), but I found this via Google's cache of the site, so it certainly was there and someone has pulled the listing.
• [07/13/07] - Canon have updates for DPP (3.0.2) and EOS Utility (2.0.2) for both Windows and Mac operating systems. The changes include support for the EOS 1D MkIII and the windows Windows updates add more support for Vista. You can find the updates via this page: http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=DownloadIndexAct. Just type in your camera model and follow the "Software" link when it appears.
• [07/11/07] - Canon have issued a minor firmware update for the EOs 400D (Rebel XTi. It adds support for the new Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) USB protocol and Corrects errors in the Simplified Chinese menu screens. You can download it from http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosdigital3/e4kr3_firmware-e.html
• [07/10/07] - Canon have announce three new "lower end" (under $100) personal photo printers. See the full article Canon CP740, MP470 and MP210
June 2007
I went on vacation and not much happened!
May 2007
• [05/17/07] - Canon rebates announced as expected. Full details HERE
• [05/15/07] - While nothing is for sure until it actually happens, it now seems highly probable that a Canon rebate program for the US will be officially announced on May 17th. I will have full details on the rebates page as soon as an official announcement is released. Preliminary data suggests that there will be rebates from $25 to $100 on a number of lenses and it looks like it will be an "Instant Rebate". I'm not quite sure what the mechanics of this will be, but if it avoids mailing rebate forms and proof of purchase to a 3rd party rebate fulfillment company, it can only be a good thing! I have no information that there will be rebates on any camera bodies this spring, so if you were waiting for a lower price on a 5D or 30D, you may be disappointed.
• [05/07/07] - Canon has announce a couple of new Powershot digicams. The first is the Powershot S5 IS, 8MP, 12x optical zoom (36-432mm) with IS, ISO 1600. The second is the SD 850 IS, 8MP, 4x zoom (35-140mm) with IS, ISO 1600. Those hoping for the ability to store images in RAW format will be disappointed. JPEG only I'm afraid. The S5 should sell initially for just under $500 and the SD850 for just under $400. The S5 looks like a pretty capable camera, though like many similar cameras, it's not too wide at the wide end of the zoom range at 36mm (equiv.)
• [05/02/07] - Canon have released an update for DPP from version 3.0 to version 3.0.1. Just some small tweaks:
Changes: The following functions are not available on Windows Vista PC: Trimming tool, Quick check tool, Prints with detailed settings, Contact sheet prints
Fixes:When significantly adjusting the tone curve for RAW images taken with specific models* and executing [Convert and Save] or [Batch Save], gradation was partially lost. But this problem has been fixed. * EOS 5D, EOS-1D Mark II N, EOS 30D, EOS 400D, EOS-1D Mark III
I couldn't get the Canon USA site to talk to me properly. They've done something to it that my system doesn't like and I couldn't get to the page with software updates. However Canon Europe came to the rescue! This link http://software.canon-europe.com/software/0026524.asp?model= seems to work OK.
• [05/01/07] - Well, I wish there was some news to report about Canon USA spring rebates, but as far as I can tell, there isn't. Nothing on the Canon USA website, no rebate notices on any of the major vendor websites, no announcements in any of the usual internet photography forums. While they say "no news is good news", that doesn't really apply in this case for those waiting for a Canon rebate. It's around 10 weeks since the fall rebate program ended on February 19th now. I suppose there may still be a chance of a rebate program starting in a couple of weeks (3 months after the end of the fall program), but they chances aren't looking particularly good. If I hear anything, I'll certainly post the information here.
Despite the ludicrously low prices advertised by the usual "scum of the earth" vendors, the lowest street price from a reputable vendor on the Canon EOS 5D is currently around $2770 and on the Canon EOS 30D it's around $1120.
April 2007
• [04/20/07] - The new Canon Professional Network site is now live. Note it's a Canon EUROPE site. The URL is http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/index.do
• [04/19/07] - Amazon are now taking pre-orders for the EOS 1D MkIII . The price is $4499 with a free shipping option. They suggest a release date of June 20th, but I think they're probably being a bit conservative as usual. I'd expect initial shipments to begin in late May. If you want one ASAP, a pre-order isn't a bad idea.
• [04/17/07] - Canon have released a firmware update for the EOS 400D (Rebel XTi). You can download it HERE. According to Canon it fixes the printing of lens names when using PictBridge, allows [Redeye 1] to be selected when connecting with specific printers and improves the reliability of communication with the Speedlite 380EX.
• [04/17/07] - You can download the full text of Canon's "Lens Work III" book from the Canon Europe website via THIS LINK. There are 11 chapters (as .pdf files) which total 32MB, so you'll need broadband. You can also download the "Flash Work" brochure (4.4MB) HERE
• [04/15/07] - Well, it's April 15th and still no word of a US rebate program. The 15th is the latest date for announcement in recent years, but maybe the extension of the fall rebate program end to February 19th instead of the initial end date of January 13th has pushed their spring rebate schedule back a bit. It's less than 2 months since the fall program ended, and they usually have more like a 3 month gap between rebate programs. Maybe we'll see something by May. We can only hope!
On another note, I'm hearing a date of May 15th or thereabouts for the first shipments of the 1D MkIII. There's still some confusion on US pricing. Despite Canon's prediction of a $3999 street price it's looking like it might initially sell for closer to $4500 based on pre-release price listings by stores such as B&H, Canoga Camera, Samy's etc.
• [04/01/07] - Canon Canada have announced their rebate program for the Spring (April 1st - June 30th). They're offering a $CA 350 rebate on the EOS 5D, a $CA 150 rebate on the EOS 30D, $CA 20 on the 589EX and 430EX speedlites and up to $50 on a selection of lenses. So far it's not up on the Canon Canada website, but you can see details here: http://www.vistek.ca/rebates/Eos5D,30D.pdf. Still no word on any Canon USA rebate program either from Canon or via listings on the major vendor websites.
March 2007
• [03/31/07] - Canon have issued software updates for a number of utilities including Zoombrowser and DPP (now version 3.0), as well as RAW Codecs for Windows Vista. They are available for most EOS DLSRs from the 20D and 300D on to current models. Check out what's available from the main product support page http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=DownloadIndexAct
• [03/31/07] - Canon Europe have announced their Spring Rebate program. You can read the details at http://canonlensacc2007.onlinerebates.com/terms.aspx They are offering a 150 Euro rebate on the 5D, 100 Euros on the 30D and 150 Euros on the EF-S 17-85, which is about a 30% discount. The program runs from April 1st to June 30th 2007. There are also rebates on a number of "Camera + lens" and "multiple lens" kits, listed here - http://canonlensacc2007.onlinerebates.com/kits.aspx. No new yet of any US rebate program, but I suspect there will be an announcement soon.
• [03/29/07] - The first US retail listing (that I know of) for the new EOS 1D MkIII has appeared on the 
B&H Photo website. They are quoting a price of $4495 and anticipate availabilty in May 2007. The original data fron Canon suggested a street price of $4000, but I guess it's supply and demand while the camera is new and you'll have to pay a premium to be one of the first to get one! From what I hear, the Canadian stores Henry's and Vistek are projecting a price of $5500 CA (which works out to about $4750 US today) and also say delivery in May is likely. No listings yet on Adorama or Amazon.
• [03/18/07] - Canon have issued a warning about possible data loss when using Windows Vista . "...We have discovered that the original image data of TIFF (RAW) images shot with an EOS-1D or EOS-1Ds Digital SLR Camera, and rotated or edited using Windows Explorer or Windows Gallery on a computer running Windows Vista, will disappear from the computer's memory...". Full details can be found HERE. See also a warning on the same subject (image data loss in Vista) from Microsoft - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927527/en-us
• [03/06/07] - No surprise here, but it looks like Canon Europe will be offering rebates in the Spring. See http://canon2007promotions.onlinerebates.com/. No word from Canon USA yet, but if history repeats, we should be seeing something in April.
• [03/06/07] - No solid news on any Canon price cuts, though the price on the 30D has fallen to around $1100 (from $1175) and the 5D price has fallen to $2700 (from $2800) since the fall rebate program ended. Obviously you should ignore the bogus lower prices from the scammers
There are new "kits" but they aren't too exciting. There's a "5D + 24-105/4L" kit which is being listed at $3799. Since you can get the 5D for $2700 and the 24-105/4L for $1060 this isn't very enticing! There's also a "30D + 28-135" kit, which is a bit of an odd choice of lens. It's listed at $1499. Since the 30D is around $1100 and the 28-135 is around $410 it's still not a very impressive deal (you save $11!)
• [03/01/07] - Put this one solidly in the rumor department. I hear that Canon may soon be announcing a price drop on the 30D and 5D. This wouldn't be much of a shock of course, and the rumors don't specify exactly how much the list prices will be lowered. The reason suggested is that there are still lots of these cameras in stock and canon want to sell them before announcing replacements in the fall. Again this makes some sense if you note that the 2006 Fall rebate program was extended by a month, presumably to try to move existing stock on the 30D and 5D and sales on those cameras have been slow, presumably not helped by people waiting to see if there would be something new at PMA (and it looks very much like there won't be). Again, right now just a rumor. However it's supposed to be going to happen in the next day or two and if it does, I'll report the details here.
February 2007
• [02/24/07] - It looks like Canon-Europe will be launching a new website soon which replaces the old CPS (Canon Professional Services) website. It will be called the "Canon Professional Network". You can view a "teaser" at http://public.cps.canon-europe.com/index2.asp
• [02/20/07] - There's an interesting document at http://www.photographyblog.com/pdfs/canon_eos_kits_spring_2007.pdf which seems to indicate Canon maybe selling a number of different EOS 400D, 30D and EOS 5D "kits" with various lenses from widangles to macros to telephoto zooms. This looks like something that was probably circulated to Canon dealers. There are also lens "kits" listed (basically two lenses in one box). I've no idea if such "kits" would be sold at a discount compared to the prices of the individual items, when they will be for sale or which counties they will be sold in. However they do seem to indicate that the 30D and 5D aren't due for an upgrade at PMA.
• [02/20/07] - Well the News has broken and the 1D MkIII, 16-35/2.8L II and 580EX II were the major announcements (along with a few digicams, of which the Powershot TX-1 seems the most interesting). What's next? Well, the Canon Press Release had the title "TWENTY YEARS OF THE CANON EOS SYSTEM LEADS TO THIS MOMENT: CANON RELEASES THE EOS-1D MARK III DIGITAL SLR", which makes me think that the 1D MkIII is the big news from Canon at PMA. This surprises me a bit since there is no Photokina in 2007, so there would be no reason to save a 1Ds MkIII for the "big show". As for the 5D, it's still full frame and 12MP vs 10MP and 1.3x - and it's $1200 cheaper - so Canon haven't totally upstaged it with the 1D MkIII. None of this sheds any light on whether the EOS 40D will appear at PMA, but if it does and it inherits some of the features of the 1D MkIII, it could be quite interesting!
There is a report that at one product rollout for the 1D MkIII Canon said that this was it for now and that there would be no more product announcements before or during PMA, so the chances of a 40D this spring seem to be fading, as do chances of any more new lenses. However it ain't over 'till it's over, so we will just have to wait and see. I wouldn't hold my breath though.
• [02/20/07] - BREAKING NEWS....It's the EOS 1D Mk III. 10MP, 1.3x, 10fps with a buffer good for 100 JPEGS or 30RAW, 19 user selectable AF zones with 26 "assist" zones, Dual Digic III processors for lower shadow noise, 3" LCD monitor. ISO 50-6400, self cleaning sensor, 14 bit A/D. I'll be posting a full preview shortly.
....and here it is http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/canon_eos_1D_MkIII.html
There's also a new EF 16-35/2.8L USM II (see: http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/reviews/canon_ef_16-35_II.html) and a new version of the 580EX speedlite, the 580EX II (see: http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/reviews/canon_580EX_II.html)
• [02/20/07] - Not exactly earth shattering news, but a UK store (theflashcenter.com) has sent out a flier announcing they will be showing a new professional Canon DSLR in their store on March 6th. This is after the "Focus on Imaging" UK trade show (25th-28th Feb) and just before PMA (March 8th-11th), so the timing is right. The only real surprise would be if Canon didn't announce a new professional DSLR before PMA...
Other current rumors are suggesting that Canon will be saying something on Thursday February 22nd at 5pm Tokyo time (8am London, 3am New York), so if that's true we won't have to wait much longer!
• [02/20/07] - The same store as below is also listing a Canon EF400/5.6L IS on their website (http://www.geheugenkaart.be/English/store/viewitem.asp?idproduct=8982630 ay 1995 Euros. That sounds like a reasonable price and would probably translate to a street price in the US just under $2000. Again it's hard to say if they are just guessing and listing the lens in order to try to get publicity. Some stores do that. Last September at least one store guessed on a 22MP 1DsMkIII and advertised it "just in case". They were wrong.
They also have an EOS 40D listing (http://www.geheugenkaart.be/english/store/viewitem.asp?idproduct=8981440) which has a few specs in it. The specs are exactly what I'd guess at. Basically a 30D with a 10MP sensor and the anti-dust features of the XTi. A logical if not very exciting upgrade. Personally I think they are just guessing. If they knew any of this stuff for sure from Canon, Canon would come down on them fast for breaking a non-disclosure agreement and probably wouldn't ship them any cameras!
• [02/19/07] - There's a listing on the website of a Belgian camara store for a new 100-400/4L IS USM. Right now it's visible at http://www.geheugenkaart.be/English/store/viewitem.asp?idproduct=8981222. The price quoted is around 2500 Euros. On things like lenses the conversion rate between European and US prices is very roughly 1:1, so that would predict a price of a little under $2500. That's quite suspicious because the Nikon 200-400/4 VR sells for around $5000 and the same Belgian website lists it a 6000 Euros. So I'd say that either the whole thing is bogus, or they are way off on the price, If there ever was a 100-400/4L IS USM, I'd expect it to be priced close to the Nikon lens and be around $5000. For $2500 it would be an absolute bargain, but I wouldn't celebrate yet....
• [02/18/07] - Just a reminder that the Canon Rebates end tomorrow, February 19th. It's not likely rebates will be available again for several months, so now's not a bad time to buy a lens. Whether it's worth buying a 30D or 5D depends a bit on whether you expect replacement models to be announced before PMA in early March and whether you need a camera before April (when I expect any new cameras to be available) A 30D replacement I think is a good bet, a 5D replacement is maybe a 50/50 shot.
• [02/14/07] - In the "film's not quite dead yet but it's not feeling well" department, Canon Hong Kong now have a page (LINK) which describes the EOS 1v as the only current Canon EOS film camera. The EOS 30V (Elan 7N), EOS 300X (Rebel T2) and EOS 3000V (Rebel K2) are all listed as "discontinued" products in 2007, along with the EOS 3 which was discontinued in 2006 and all other EOS film bodies. Note that Canon USA still list the 1v, EOS3, Elan 7N, Rebel T2 and Rebel K2 as current, as do Canon UK and most other Canon sites. Maybe Hong Kong knows something that we don't?
January 2007
• [01/29/07] - Canon released their financial statement for 2006 today. You can read it in all its boring detail at http://www.canon.com/ir/results/2006/rslt2006e.pdf. Basically earnings are up, profits are up and the company is doing just fine! In the camera segment, they report particularly strong sales of the EOS 30D and XTi and overall sales in the digital camera market are up by 20% over 2005 (in terms of number of units sold).
• [01/22/07] - There's an image supposedly grabbed from the Canon UK website of an 800mm f5.6 DO USM lens. You can see it HERE (http://forum.xitek.com/showthread.php?threadid=422166). There are a few problems though. If you look at the URL and the "breadcrumbs" trail, you'll see one references the "fixed focal length" directory and the other references the "Image Stabilized Lenses" directory. On the real site for other lenses the URL and breadcrumbs match. Also the word "difractive" and "incorperates" are mis-spelled and the final sentence of the description makes no grammatical sense. The URL is also inconsistent with other lenses in that it puts a period in the aperture (i.e. 5.6), whereas other lenses like the 400/2.8 has a URL with no period in the aperture (i.e. 28), So the URL for this lens contains "_f5.6DOIS_", whereas the URL for the 400/2.8 contains the string "_f28DOIS_"
So either it's a pretty good, but imperfect fake or Canon need to hire better proof readers for their website and sort out the problems with their breadcrumbs and URLs!
• [01/22/07] - Interesting "slip" on the Canon Hong Kong website today. For a brief period there was a page with a headline of "EOS 40D" - but with no accompanying picture or text.
This seems to have caused a huge upsurge in the speculative rumor department, but I really don't know why. This certainly should come as no big shock for anyone who is familiar with Canon's product cycle and is exactly inline with what's been on my 2007 predictions page for a while now!
• [01/10/07] - Looks like Canon have extended the current rebate program from January 13th 2007 (when it was originally supposed to end) to February 19th 2007, so you have an extra month to decide if you really want that camera or lens! See the rebates page for full rebate details.
