Pro2/G7: A 'hinting' reply from Canon

[PixelMinded]

It looks like Sony have just announced a new 8mp 1/1.8" chip
(supposedly lower noise levels) that could be dropped into a G7
with Digic II. So Canon could only be a few weeks or months from
announcing a G7. But who knows what they will do? good luck with
your Pro1, gkl

Last August it was time to update the G series and there was the 1/1.8" 8MP sensor used in the S80, and Canon didn't make the G7. Instead they introduced a "demoralized" S80 with no RAW and SD instead of CF. The fact that there are no prosumer replacements from most if not all other brands makes me feel this is a trend rather than a temporary shortage of components. There was the Sony R1 last year but it lacked many of the advantages of a prosumer (similar to DSLRs in many ways: no movie, no real macro, not "compactish", insufficient zoom range with one lens), there was also the noisy FZ30. Now that Panasonic, Sony (even Samsung) are starting to make DSLRs, they are likely to follow Canon/Nikon/Oly in producing demoralized P&S. I guess there will be no FZ40.

 

[Julian Kirkness]

Your comments about dropping your 20D for a Pro 1 or similar are very interesting - I have had a 20D for over a year and have realised that on so many occasions i have forgotten to take my camera with me. I have just bought a Panasonic LX1 which I keep in my pocket and so far it has produced some excellent results. I am now thinking about selling my 20D and all its paraphenalia and buting a pro-sumer such as a Panasonic FZ30.

I would probably have bought a Pro 2 had it been announced as i have always liked Canon cameras - however I found the Pro 1 simply too slow - even though I thought it handled beutifully. I would not consider the S3 IS as i am now used to 8M pixel cameras and consider this the minimum.

--
Julian Kirkness

 

[Fidibus]

Guess Canon split their spring 06 novelties between PMA and CEBIT, so I guess that they might very likely have another big goodie in their bag to be revealed at Hannover CEBIT 09.03.2006 - 15.03.2006 (European date)
Johannes
--
fidibus
http://home.fotocommunity.de/hannesm

 

[ShutterNot]

WOW .... nice .... sounds like you lead the life of Riley while I am stuck here in the office.

How about a stop gap solution while you wait for the new PRO type camera ? The A610 at around $200 can see you through till Canon gets their act together. ..... ........ just an idea. It's something I did.

--
Shutter Nut

 

[ShutterNot]

European date .... meaning March 9 through 15

There is still hope for a PRO ..... something Red Sox fans said for many years .... why not us Canon fans too ?

Shutter Nut

 

[gkl]

Well, you have a point. The S80 was announced Aug 2005 (following the S70 in Aug 04), but they did miss the annual Gx upgrade in Aug 05. And now they've missed the second anniversary of the Pro1 (Feb 06).

Listing only main body/lens/sensor changes in the G series:
g6 Aug 2004 7mp, major body change, lens design/coatings
g5 Jun 2003 5mp, that's about the only change
g3 Sep 2002 4 mp, major body and lens change (wider zoom)
g2 Aug 2001 4 mp, improvements in body/metering/focus
g1 Sep 2000 3mp

As for the S-series, the S80 had a significantly different body (smaller) than the S70 and a larger LCD, but otherwise really wasn't much of an upgrade.

Canon probably found the G5 (with no body/lens changes) didn't sell as well as they'd hoped (not enough people upgrading from G3), and may have cold feet about minor upgrades to the Gx. Personally, I think dropping just the Digic II into the G7 would have been good enough, but I'm not Canon. I hope they are simply waiting for more significant improvements, e.g. reduced noise levels.

I believe the S80 sensor has more noise at ISO 200 and 400 than the S70/G6. For me, that sensor isn't a terribly useful upgrade. In contrast, the 8mp 1/1.8" sensor Sony has in the W100 announced at PMA has ISO up to 1250. If Sony is getting reasonably clean ISO 400 or better out of their new 8mp 1/1.8" sensor, then we could easily see a G7, say in the June-Aug timeframe.

However, as others have suggested, Canon could be hard at work on their own 2/3" and 1/1.8" CMOS sensors. There is nothing at the moment to suggest that CMOS technology can produce viable yields and

competitive image quality with 6-8mp in those small sensors. But if that's what Canon is up to, then we may not see any new prosumers from them until much later. cheers, gkl

It looks like Sony have just announced a new 8mp 1/1.8" chip
(supposedly lower noise levels) that could be dropped into a G7
with Digic II. So Canon could only be a few weeks or months from
announcing a G7. But who knows what they will do? good luck with
your Pro1, gkl

Last August it was time to update the G series and there was the
1/1.8" 8MP sensor used in the S80, and Canon didn't make the G7.
Instead they introduced a "demoralized" S80 with no RAW and SD
instead of CF. The fact that there are no prosumer replacements
from most if not all other brands makes me feel this is a trend
rather than a temporary shortage of components. There was the Sony
R1 last year but it lacked many of the advantages of a prosumer
(similar to DSLRs in many ways: no movie, no real macro, not
"compactish", insufficient zoom range with one lens), there was
also the noisy FZ30. Now that Panasonic, Sony (even Samsung) are
starting to make DSLRs, they are likely to follow Canon/Nikon/Oly
in producing demoralized P&S. I guess there will be no FZ40.

 

[scott wernek]

I guess hope springs eternal.

 

[Sheldon Bowles]

First, as for the life of Riley, there are some advantages to getting old!

It's about 11 here, and I'm seriously thinking of going to the office ---- question is, do I go by the photo store on the way to look at the A610, or should I save that for after lunch on my way home. Ah, decisions, decisions, decisions.

Second, no snowy owls today. Well, I guess they're out there, but so is the cloud and a light dusting of snow. I have enough trouble with white on white when the sun is out, in the gray overcast of a winter's day, forget it!

Thanks for the A610 suggestion, I'll have a look.

Now, once I DO get to the office, where shall I go for lunch today .....?????

Hmmmm ?????

 

[Walter Muma]

I have a Pro1 and love it - I highly recommend it. However, I am making the move to the new 30D as soon as it comes out, simply because I wantt o go to SLR.
Anyways...What I really want to say here is:

While I was in the camera store yesterday I asked why there were no Pro1's on display. They told me it had been DISCONTINUED and that there wasn't going to be a "Pro2". All the Pro1 stock had already been shipped back to Canon!

 

[Walter Muma]

Sorry .. forgot to mention...

They told me the reason why there was no "Pro2" was that the lower end SLR's are edging down into the highend prosumer non-DSLR market, so the focus (pardon the pun) will be on the low-to-mid non-DSLR and the low end DSLR lines. No high end non-DLSRs. They pointed out that Nikon has done the same.

BTW, this was a pretty experienced, senior salesperson telling me all this, not some greenhorn shooting their mouth off.

 

[gkl]

Anyways...What I really want to say here is:
While I was in the camera store yesterday I asked why there were no
Pro1's on display. They told me it had been DISCONTINUED and that
there wasn't going to be a "Pro2". All the Pro1 stock had already
been shipped back to Canon!

Did they tell you what Canon is going to do with the Pro1 stock that all these stores are sending back? Grind them up to make A430s? Seriously though, why not sell them at a discount? I dunno, maybe I am missing something but it doesn't sound right.

Sorry .. forgot to mention...
They told me the reason why there was no "Pro2" was that the lower
end SLR's are edging down into the highend prosumer non-DSLR
market, so the focus (pardon the pun) will be on the low-to-mid
non-DSLR and the low end DSLR lines. No high end non-DLSRs. They
pointed out that Nikon has done the same.
BTW, this was a pretty experienced, senior salesperson telling me
all this, not some greenhorn shooting their mouth off.

It's true that we've seen a slew of discontinued prosumers over the past year, but Sony hasn't given up. Isn't it possible this particular non-greenhorn is just guessing like the rest of us non-greenhorns. cheers, gkl

 

[Walter Muma]

I wondered that very thing aloud to the saleperson. She said that they'll likely be discounted and sold somewhere. She also said they may end up at their chain's warehouse store to be sold at a discount. Said it wasn't worth it to sell them at the individual stores. I was surprised. I figured they would hang onto the stock they had and simply sell them all off.
Oh well.

On the other hand, I MAY be getting confused with the 20D's. These for sure have gone from the store. But also for sure there were no Pro1's at the store.

 

[mamallama]

Very true. Ever gone into TJMax or Ross? The clothes in there is the same as in Macy's or Norstrom. Just that when the seasons or stock change it is more economical for the big stores to offload to stores like Ross rather than return to supplier or to the warehouse. There are plenty of Electronic Surplus stores here that deal with slightly out-of-date computer things (DVD Recorders, Motherboards, etc.). Sometimes I see digital cameras, and camcorders there but no Canons yet.

--mamallama

I wondered that very thing aloud to the saleperson. She said that
they'll likely be discounted and sold somewhere. She also said they
may end up at their chain's warehouse store to be sold at a
discount. Said it wasn't worth it to sell them at the individual
stores. I was surprised. I figured they would hang onto the stock
they had and simply sell them all off.
Oh well.
On the other hand, I MAY be getting confused with the 20D's. These
for sure have gone from the store. But also for sure there were no
Pro1's at the store.

 

[PixelMinded]

I wondered that very thing aloud to the saleperson. She said that
they'll likely be discounted and sold somewhere. She also said they
may end up at their chain's warehouse store to be sold at a
discount. Said it wasn't worth it to sell them at the individual
stores. I was surprised. I figured they would hang onto the stock
they had and simply sell them all off.

Thanks a lot for all the info. However there are others who suggested (based on good sources also) that a Pro2 might be coming in the foreseeable future. I think that whenever true info is leaked without Canon's consent, Canon reacts by leaking a counter-rumour so that the 2 contradictory pieces of info almost cancel one another. Anyhow I think am leaning toward getting myself a Pro1 for many reasons (i would rather lose few hundreds than miss a golden opportunity). It's just a matter of finding a reasonably good deal now.

 

[Walter Muma]

Don't hold your breath.

I think that the fact that neither Henry's nor Vistek in Canada (Canada's premier camera stores) no longer sell the Pro1 should tell us all something. Wouldn't they both continue to sell the Pro1's right up until a "Pro2" was released? That's what happened with the 20D - 30D.

 

[PixelMinded]

Don't hold your breath.
I think that the fact that neither Henry's nor Vistek in Canada
(Canada's premier camera stores) no longer sell the Pro1 should
tell us all something. Wouldn't they both continue to sell the
Pro1's right up until a "Pro2" was released? That's what happened
with the 20D - 30D.

I certainly didn't hold my breath. Check what I've just wrote u here:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1010&message=17676292

 

[MatejMM]

I also was waiting for Pro2 for a loooong time. But now I got Sony R-1 and it was not a bad decision at all. Canon just lost my $1000... Sorry for Canon!