The EOS 6D (Rumours!)

A Full frame Canon DSLR

22nd August. 2010 No even numbers?

Another possible EOS digital SLR...

This page covers all our EOS 6D info since we started collecting it...

The 6D started appearing in rumour threads in earnest in 2008, while everyone was waiting for a replacement for the 5D.

Note we have a page set aside for the 7D - a real camera...

Latest info

2010 August

• 22nd No mention of a 6D in the last two years

---

2008 September

3rd A big update on Canon technology on the 60D page (now updated with lots more info just received)

August 30th A comment [fkr] about someone trying the 6D (with 6D in EXIF)

July 9th A somewhat tenuous POTN thread once again says there will be 2 cameras announced after the Olympics - the 3D and 6D

June 14th A tentative 6D spec. There is a report [CR] of a '3D' and '6D', although if previous numbering conventions are anything to go by I'd suspect the model number guestimates are the wrong way around.

"Canon EOS 6D (unknown model name)

Resolution: 14mp Full Frame
FPS: 5fps
LCD:3"
AF: 9 point
ISO: 100-3200
Memory Card: CF & SD
Proc: DIGIC III
Sealing: Some (40D)
Feature: Live View w/AF
Price: $1999 USD

Any general details are on the main 5D replacement page.

The EOS 7s ;-) -->

June 9th At POTN there is the suggestion that the 5D replacement camera name may not be the long expected 5D Mk2 "internally in the company is coded as 'Cobra', but it will be released to the public under the name of 6D"

2008 January 21st The popular 'Tsiphoto' makes a usual late entry on DPR and announces that "pma will not bring a new 5d body..... " This poster, who has a 'better than most'* record with pre-launch info is usually regarded a a harbinger of product announcements on DPR.

*'Better than most' is a relative term - you can check his past posting history on DPR ;-)

(There has been swapping between 7D and 6D for some time)

The thread also includes several other people's predictions including the interesting...

on Jan 24 they will announce 2 new cameras for PMA: the 7D and the 450D.
The 7D will be the 16Mp successor of the 5D. Making room for a 3D introduction later this year.
The 7D will be the big brother to the 40D. With FF and spectacular high iso performance.
I suspect the 450D to be surprisingly interesting due to a larger viewfinder and an improved AF system with face-detection.

2008 January 15th Meanwhile in the US a Canon rep allegedly says [DPR]: "Stay home if you are looking for anything like a 5D follow on at PMA. We just introduced 2 cameras last year - it will not be until the Fall until we do anything with the 5D line."

2007 December 30th

"The person said 2 DSLRs ($3500 and $2500) will be released next year. He added the later one is 5D successor. New model released in Jan. might be 3D. "

BTW If you're new to the page, see all the info we had back in September regarding the 5D/3D split, 5D2 functionality etc.

2007 December 29th According to 'Hisashi Owada' in an interview (translated from Japanese to Chinese to English, so it could really say almost anything ;-)

"We will launch a strong product. Intermediate camera 'EOS 5D' there will be increased durability and the subsequent pixel models listed. At the same price, we will launch better products. "

Original article
Google translation

Make of that what you will, but improved weather sealing and 16MP look more likely, ...and coming in at the original 5D price?

2007 October 17th

The Mythical 3D

Canon still believe that a greater proportion of the market will move to be full frame as the cost of the sensors come down.

They have on-again / off-again plans to split the 5D and have a lower and higher end full frame model.

The higher end would be weather sealed, and have pro-level AF and exposure

The lower end would have a flash and be like a 40D but with full frame

This is being complicated by the emerging push to bring high end features into the mid range anyway (as per the Nikon D300.

However so far, Canon is still seriously considering the split.

2007 September 15th There are lot's more discussions about the 3D appearing now, while we are waiting for the '5Dmk2'. Unfortunately there's not one that I've found, that doesn't look like a "what I'd want/like/demand in a smaller CHEAPER 1 series camera" post :-)

For 5D price falls in Europe have a look at this DPR thread which has lots of spurious graphs charting the drift/crash downwards in 5D prices (POV depends on whether you like to put the origin on the graph ;-)

While we're collecting some older posts - there is this collection of info I missed (unfortunately with no sources or attribution) which has a fairly broad range of rumours, including a 4D (popular opinion has always been that Canon would avoid the number 4 for various reasons)

2007 January 29th The 3D rumour just keeps rolling on...

Just when I was wondering where it had got to, a 3D rumour surfaces on DPR - not much at all really, but it's nice to know that this particular rumour,which has been growing in performance and doing the rounds for the last 4-5 years, is not dead

2007 January 17th An interesting post at FM suggesting that there are quite a few cameras to be released this year. So as not to annoy the dealers too much (New everything folks - lots of hard to shift stock). There would be 2 at PMA and two later in the year -- but in what order?. Canon's 'dilemma' (quoted from the FM post) was:

The 1 series should be announced first for pride / reputation with the new features
Even though the 1 series sells in very limited quantities, the professional camera division in Canon has a lot of clout - seen as creating a brand image leadership in the whole camera space.
The 30D replacement is badly required as the 20D/30D's combined market share has dropped radically over the last few months due to a combination of internal competition from the 400D and the market impact of the Nikon D80 and Sony A100 etc.
The 30D series segment is seen as important to Canon because of lens on-sell. This market and upwards tends to buy extra lenses, including high value lenses (I interpret that to be “high profit”).
The two 5D replacements make the most sense if sold together. Though they could announce the high end one first (as a 5D replacment) and then follow with the low end (entry level FF). The low end 5D repalcement is thought too similar to the 5D to be released while the 5D is in the market.
The 5D has not sold as well as hoped in most markets except when rebates are offered. However Canon still sell lots more of them that the 1 series and they are nicely profitable. They also have excellent resell on high value lenses.
The combination of Nikon's aggressive D40 / D80 / D200 range, with the Sony A100 is taking more DSLR market share than Canon predicted. The 400D is selling very well but Canon know they need to regain more of the midrange DLR market quickly to maintain the lens sales and 'own' the system for the advanced amateur and semi-pro etc.
Sony is known to be working on CMOS sensors at 1.6 and FF for their DSLR range and are expected to continue to complete aggressively on features. (Interesting to see what this does for Nikon who currently buy their CCD sensor from Sony) (Also interesting to see no mention of Pentax, which seems stange..).
Hence the big dilemma – 30D replacement and 1 series replacement now or 30D and one of the 5D replacements now and leave the other 5D and 1 series for later. Or do they upset their channels (never a good idea) and issue 3 cammeras to give the market at knockout puch. In terms of revenue and immediate market share protection delaying the 1 series further makes sense. But the new high end 5D replacement to very close to the 1 series performance (16mp etc), and in terms of prestige, the 1 series should be the best (Note, no mention of delaying the 30D replacement so I guess that is a given?)

The 5D replacements

5D would be split into FF two lines to create full frame demand
Low end – similar to current 12 Mp sensor but with a more 30D like body (could be a 7D?) and DIGIC III. This low end and xxD series were meant to provide a more cost effective choice between 1.6 and FF for the advance amateur and allow a gradual migration to more full frame over time driven by the market.
High end with more MP (16mp but not the 1D sensor), improved AF for the full frame, DIGIC III etc. (could be a 3D?)

2006 December 12th I'm told that as from today Canon Australia is offering a $750 rebate on the 1DsMk2 -- until Feb '07. Was seen on printed posters in dealers, not yet on the web - thanks Phil

There is also this Chinese rumour site http://www.fengniao.com/news/47/477501.html which mentions several new cameras. If you run the page through Babelfish you can get a translation (of sorts :-)

Some points?

35D/40D 12MP, Digic III, 5 FPS, 1.6x, new AF, $1300
3D 16MP, better AF with poss Eye control, 5 FPS, 6400 ISO with 12800 mode, more expensive than current 5D
5D Mk2 12MP, 5 FPS, Dustproof, slightly cheaper than current 5D

No news of a 1DsMk2 ... Do bear in mind that this is from a translation that includes such gems as:

No doubt someone will summarise it a bit more accurately :-)

2006 August 30th From a DPR thread mentioning some new lenses there was also this snippet. Usual caveats apply -- as in most of this stuff! ;-)

"I did know that they were working on the 85 f/1.2L and 50 f/1.2L that I told you earlier. Canon R&D is working on new DSLRs. We'll see 3D, successor of 5D and DRebel. I have no information about the 40D. They're also working on a series of non L wide angle lenses such as 24, 28, and 35. There're no plan, or I don't know, to replace 24L and 35L. R&D has many different groups working on different project. I only know one. So my information is only 70% accurate. Don't buy anything now especially the 30D and 5D. Dell is offering 25% off for the 5D. You should now why. The 5D successor is better than you can imagine. All DSLRs will have a big jump in performance. The pushed out the 30D just to buy time and fill the gap." (sic)

There may not be an announcement of the '1Ds MkIII' at photokina. We were told that the current release plan for the 'Mk3' is end of November/ start of December. This will depend on KissX [XTi/400D] sales and may get postponed until next year. '1DsMk3' Development is completed and waits for production - which is not yet started.

2006 August 12th Tis the season for conspiracies -- it seems that a thread was removed from the Fred Miranda forum (a good forum - far fewer trolls and "here is a picture of my cat taken with my new XXX" type posts than some others ;-)

6fps FF camera with 5D sensor (5D+ or the fabled 3D)
1Ds III with 5fps 18MP and 8.5 fps 12 or 10MP (aka 1DsN or 1Ds3)
a 35mm 1.8, a 100-400 f/4L IS and a 400 5.6L IS

Film EOS numbers- http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/EOS/CanonEOSFilmSLRs
Digital EOS numbers - http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/EOS/CanonEOSDigitalSLRs

For some nice pictures and diagrams, have a look at some of Canon's thoughts on the benefit of full frame sensors at http://web.Canon.jp/Imaging/cmos/index-e.html

Given their stated long term aim of moving as many cameras as possible to FF sensors the convergence of 1D and 1Ds will be sooner than later...

"Reading between the lines of the specs and press release, you may discover that the EOS 5D is the first model in a new strategy frm Canon, in the direction of full frame image sensor in many cameras to come. They have now solved many of the obstacles and production cost barriers, first and foremost related to the lowpass filter in front of the CMOS.
Brian Worley, product manager of D-SLR cameras at Canon Europa, said that it's a long way before all EOS models will have a full size sensor, but Canon's aim is to equip all models, except the cheapest, with a 35mm sensor in the future. " From 5D review at http://www.digit.no/wip4/detail.epl?id=59456

Other (real :-) info and stuff on this site

Using your film scanner as a microscope
A Canon 1Ds pinhole camera
Attaching a DSLR to a 5x4 view camera
Reviews of useful hardware and software
Articles and tutorials
Colour management
Keith's Landscape photos
Collection of photography and digital imaging info
Apple Mac info
Webcams in Leicester and view from space