Canon Rumors for CP+: Updated

Update 2/14: Prices and more item details added. The CP+ Show in Japan is coming February 23rd and it's expected Canon will be announcing products today for the show. With the arrival, there's a handful of Canon rumors and leaked images for what's coming down the line. We'll be getting a refresh with new T7 rebels, a M6 mirrorless, 18-55mm lens, and more. Somewhat oddly, Canon has decided to go from the Ti/Ts name convention to a new 77D for the T6s line of cameras.As a note, no SL2 mentions recently to go with this batch of camera news.  The given rumor was a SL2 release at CP+ last year, then CES, but it went by without a blip. The SL1 while entry level was quite popular and we still get asked about it now. As for the SL line's small size it seems Canon is focusing on the M6 for now.Canon EOS T7i 

• Will be available in the new 18-55 f/4-5.6 IS STM lens below and the older 18-135mm STM
• Price will run $749 for the body only
• Specifications
  • 24.2 MP
  • DIGIC 7
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF
  • 6 FPS Burst
  • ISO 100 -25600
  • Full HD Video, 5-axis electronic image stabilization
  • LCD: Type 3 Touch Panel Bali Angle LCD
  • Built-in WiFi / Bluetooth
  • Dimensions: 131.0 × 99.9 × 76.2 mm
  • Weight: 532 g

Canon EOS 77d

• 77D will be the replacement to the T6s with a different naming convention
• Prices will run $899 (body only), $1049 with the new 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, and $1499 with the older 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM.
• Specifications
  • 24.2 MP
  • DIGIC 7
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF
  • AF point: 45 points
  • 6 FPS Burst
  • ISO 100 -25600
  • LCD: Type 3 Touch Panel Bali Angle LCD
  • Built-in Wi-Fi / Bluetooth
  • Dimensions: 131.0 × 99.9 × 76.2 mm
  • Weight: 540 g

Canon EOS M6 Mirrorless

• Coming in black and silver
• Packaged body only, with a 15-45mm kit lens, a 18-150mm kit lens, or a double lens kit
• Also coming, sold separately, with the M6 is a Canon EVF-DC 2 viewfinder attachment
• Body only Price will be $779
• Specifications
  • 24.2 MP
  • DIGIC 7
  • 49 Point AF
  • 7 FPS (9 if auto focus is fixed)
  • ISO 100 -25600
  • Shutter Speed: 1/4000 - 30
  • Sync Speed: 1/200
  • Video: Full HD, HD, VGA
  • LCD: Type 3 tilt type touch panel
  • Recording medium: SD / SDHC / SDXC card
  • Built-in WiFi / Bluetooth
  • Size: 112.0 × 68.0 × 44.5 mm

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

• A new kit lens that will be packaged with the kit lenses and available separately. Something to note is that it's aperture is just slightly slower then the current generation of kit lens.
• Lens construction: 12 elements in 10 groups
• Minimum shooting distance: 0.25 m
• Filter: 58 mm
• Size: 66.5 x 61.8 mm Weight: 215 g

Canon BR-E 1

• A Bluetooth wireless remote, shown below

Canon EH30-CJ

• A body jacket for the announced M6

Rumors and photos via Nokishita, Digicame-Info

Canon 5D Mark IV Rumors

Northlight Images has received some updated info on the replacement for the Canon 5D Mark III, for those waiting patiently it isn't the best news -

• 5D Mark IV won't be along until later in the year, not until the 5Ds/R is shipping in reasonable numbers.
• Timing depends on just how well it sells and to whom - 5D3 sales in Europe have been holding up well, which might push the 5D4 back beyond the update of the 1D X.
• This may or may not fit in with info from the far east, that the 5D4 is due in August/September
• Current rumored specs - 28MP, 9fps and with 4k video. With a 'significant' advance in Canon's flash control capabilities. This would also include adapters/controllers and firmware updates for recent models to make more use of the functionality.

It is clear to me that we will certainly not see a 5D Mark IV replacement before August and maybe even later in the year or next! The gap between the 5D Mark II and III was a similar amount of time - 5D Mark II was announced Sept 2008 and the 5D Mark III was announced March 2012.A few weeks back we shared some specs that might be the 5D Mark IV (see below) At the time I did not expect those to be true, maybe a new camera but not the 5D Mark IV.  The specs above do seem likely but the reality is, this far from launch we just don't know and are guessing.  The one item I am still not convinced will happen is 4k in this camera. Canon has said and backed-up with recent releases that they are very focused on creating cameras targeted to more narrow markets- the 5Ds/R are clearly for photographers, very little video there. The 7D Mark II is clearly for sports and wildlife. Will the 5D Mark IV continue to be this all around machine that that the Mark III offers or will they want videographers to move toward their cinema line?Mentioned in February as possible 5D Mark IV specs and I went on record saying - no way. This may be a future camera from Canon but it will not be the 5D Mark IV.A camera currently being tested specifications

• 18mp Full Frame CMOS
• ISO 100-204,800
• 61 AF Points (all crosstype)
• 12fps
• Dual CFast
• 4K Video Capture

With the recent Canon Price drops - I do know it is a great time to buy a 5D Mark III or used 5D Mark II

Lightroom 6 - April 21st???

 Will we see Lightroom 6 announced tomorrow, April 21st?Lightroom 6 links have been leaked online in several locations. It looks like it will still be sold as a standalone program and has a few new features, one I find quite surprising!Episode 1-7 of our Lightroom Guide is out and for a limited time just $2.49 -Anyone purchasing the guide now will have free access to the updated Lightroom 6 videos when released.  More informationNew features in Lightroom 6

• Face Recognition- Quickly find pictures of loved ones, even without metadata tags. You select a face on the photo, Lightroom and search the person it belongs to all of your other shots. Sort and group your photos by faces. //I am quite surprised and did not think Adobe would include this, it feels very much like a consumer feature but that does support the idea that Adobe wants that market as well as the professional market.

• Merge to HDR- Create realistic or surreal images from high-contrast scenes. By merging HDR, you can easily combine photos with different exposures into a single HDR image. //We will be able to combine images in Lightroom to create HDR- previously this required 3rd party plugins or trips outside Lightroom.

• Fusion panoramas- Realize XXL ultradétaillés panoramas. Photomerge technology lets you merge multiple images, including raw files, to create panoramas out of the ordinary. //Sounds like the photomerge tool in Photoshop. I don't know if the "fusion" at the beginning makes it better, probably just marketing speak. "Hey Joe, what should we call the new panorama feature?" "Ummm Panorama tool?" "No that is boring, let's stick a word on the front that is really fancy for merge. . ."  Additional note- this is all translated from french, it is possible that they won't use the word fusion.  I will be sad :)

• Performance gains- Import and refine your photos in record time. Lightroom leverages compatible graphics process to get you better performance, especially when you edit your images in the Develop module.  //VERY WELCOME FEATURE. Lightroom is great but there are many little catching points that slow you down at times and I am hopeful we will see some real speed gains here.I have highlighted the portion here that points to where those gains are likely to come from.

• Sophisticated video slideshows- Create stunning slideshows combining still images, movies and music, and supplement them with pan and zoom effects, for example. //Sounds great - there is a slideshow module in Lightroom 5 but this looks to take it up a level or two with pan and zooms. After the Fusion Panramas I am surprised they only went with the word "sophisticated". 

What feature are you most excited about? What features would you still like to see? Leave a comment below or on the facebook post-Want to jump on the Lightroom Bandwagon? Purchase Creative Cloud today ($9.99/mo)and you will automatically receive the upgrade to Lightroom 6 when released.[yop_poll id="1"]The full product description is below (Translated from French)Product Overview Lightroom 6Master your digital photography workflowRanking, optimization and sharing - Lightroom together in one fast, intuitive application all tools dedicated to digital photography.Bring out the best of each photoTest your ideas freely with non-destructive tools - your original pictures remain intact. Lightroom lets you optimize every pixel of your photos, they were taken with a professional digital SLR camera or mobile phone.Key features of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 6Environment nondestructiveUnleash your creativity in a nondestructive editing environment that allows you to test your ideas freely. The originals remain intact and you can easily cancel your edits or save multiple versions of a cliché.Advanced conversion feature black and whiteMonitor closely the tonal qualities so essential to the black and white photos. Combine precisely the information of eight color layers in the grayscale conversion.Development predefined settingsSave time by instantly applying the desired effect to your images.Just save develop settings as a preset and apply them to other photos in a click. If Lightroom includes dozens of presets, thousands more are offered by third parties.Face RecognitionQuickly find pictures of loved ones, even without metadata tags. You select a face on the photo, Lightroom and search the person it belongs to all of your other shots. Sort and group your photos by faces.Sophisticated Healing BrushGet best pictures with one touch. Set the brush size and move it according to specific plots. Unwanted items and other imperfections, including irregular shapes son type, magically disappear.Upright (Vertically)Straighten skewed images with a single click. The Upright tool (Vertically) analyzes the image and detects horizontal or vertical lines inclined. It can even recover images without horizon.Merge to HDRCreate realistic or surreal images from high-contrast scenes. By merging HDR, you can easily combine photos with different exposures into a single HDR image.Fusion panoramasRealize XXL ultradétaillés panoramas. Photomerge technology lets you merge multiple images, including raw files, to create panoramas out of the ordinary.Performance gainsImport and refine your photos in record time. Lightroom leverages compatible graphics process to get you better performance, especially when you edit your images in the Develop module.Sophisticated video slideshowsCreate stunning slideshows combining still images, movies and music, and supplement them with pan and zoom effects, for example.Optimized web galleriesPresent your work in the most elegant web galleries, more attractive and interactive. The new models of HTML5 compatible galleries are supported by many browsers and mobile devices work stations.Integration of online sharingEasily publish images on social networks and sites for such as Facebook and Flickr. On some sites, you can even view the online comments on your images directly from Lightroom Library.Creating photo booksCreate beautiful photo books. Lightroom includes a large number of user-friendly catalog templates that you can now customize. Load them then printing a few clicks. 

New Samsung, Olympus, Canon, Pentax and more

Canon

• Canon Specs are updated for the 750D and the 760D (read more)
• Canon Specs, early press release and additional images are up for the Canon 5DS and 5DS R (read more)
• Rumors of a new Canon 50mm f/1.8 with STM and 49mm filter size, existing 50mm f/1.8 has a 52mm filter size
• Rumors of a new Canon 70-300 - no further details.

Samsung

Samsung NX500 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 16-50mm Power Zoom Lens

• 28.2MP BSI APS-C CMOS Sensor
• DRIMe V Image Signal Processor
• 4K HEVC Video Recording at 24 fps
• 3.0" 1036k-Dot Tilt-Touchscreen Monitor

Preorder at B&H Photo- $799

Olympus

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II Mirrorless

• 16MP Live MOS Sensor
• TruePic VII Image Processor
• 2360k-Dot Electronic Viewfinder
• 3.0" Tilting OLED Monitor
• Full HD 1080i Video
• 40MP High Res Shot
• Built-In WiFi
• 5-Axis VCM Image Stabilization
• 10 Frames Per Second
• Dustproof and Splash-Proof Construction

How do they manage a 40MP shot from a 16MP Sensor?The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II takes high-resolution imaging to a whole new level. In addition to the exceptional 16-megapixel stills you’ve come to expect from OM-D, the E-M5 Mark II captures 40-megapixel images*2 using an innovative pixel-shift technique that is facilitated by the voice-coil motor IS unit. The 40-Megapixel High-Res Shot mode captures eight sequential images, moving the sensor by 0.5-pixel steps between each shot. Then, the E-M5 Mark II compiles those images to produce a super-high resolution shot that rivals those captured with a 40-megapixel full-frame camera.Preorder at B&H Photo- $1099 (body only)Other Olympus News - EM-1 Owners will soon be able to update to 3.0 firmware giving you 9 fps,better continuous tracking and ability to use smartphone to control video. Read MoreOlympus Announces Development of the M.Zuiko Digital ED 8MM f/1.8 Fisheye Pro Lens Read MoreOlympus Announces the 14-150mm f/4-5.6 II Lens. Read MoreThis is the 35mm Equiv of 28-300.Preorder at B&H Photo $599.99

Pentax

Pentax Tease and Pro LensesPentax will have a k-Mount full frame camera on display at CP+. No specs are available and availability by the end of 2015.Two new lenses from Pentax. Look over the specs, what is missing on lenses at this price?

Pentax HD PENTAX D FA* 70-200mm f/2.8 ED DC AW Lens

• K-Mount Lens/Full Frame Format
• 105-300mm (35mm Equivalent on APS-C)
• Aperture Range: f/2.8 to f/22
• Extra-Low Dispersion Glass Elements
• HD, SP, and Aero Bright Coatings
• Direct Current AF and Quick-Shift Focus
• Focus Range Limiter
• Weather-Resistant with 13 Seals
• Detachable, Rotatable Tripod Collar
• Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm

Coming Soon - Preorder now from B&H Photo $2296.95

Pentax HD PENTAX D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 DC AW Lens

• K-Mount Lens/Full Frame Format
• 225-675mm (35mm Equivalent on APS-C)
• Aperture Range: f/4.5 to f/27
• Extra-Low Dispersion Glass Elements
• HD and Super Protect Coatings
• Direct Current AF and Quick-Shift Focus
• Focus Preset Modes and Range Limiter
• Weather-Resistant with 21 Seals
• Detachable, Rotatable Tripod Collar
• Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm

Coming Soon - Preorder now from B&H Photo $2496.95Missing- Any type of stabilization (IS, OS, VC). This is because Pentax bodies offer the stabilization and it is not needed in the lenses.  I would think that would allow them to keep the costs a little lower but looking at these prices I guess not.Nikon D7200 Rumors (we should have an official announcement in the next 24-48 hours)

• New 24MP APS-C sensor
• Nikon D750 styled body with a tilting screen
• Expeed 4 processor
• MultiCAM 3500DX2 autofocus system
• 51 AF points
• Built-in Wi-Fi
• 6fps
• Buffer: 16 RAW+JPG
• Video: 1080p @60 and 720p @120 (not sure about 4k)
• Video aperture will be adjustable during live view

Thoughts? Questions? Leave a comment here or on my Facebook page

EOS-M3 First Look - Canon's Newest Mirrorless Camera

Update: The EOS-M3 will NOT be released outside of Europe/Asia.Specs:  Canon UK has a full Spec SheetWe have our first look at the new Canon EOS-M3, the successor to the EOS-M. Note- The M2 was only released in Asia. And now a picture of the back courtesy of DSLR Forum DEDetails are very light - we can see that there is a redesigned grip and the mode dial and drive mode dials have appeared, they were not present on earlier models and we know no that it will be compatible with Hotshoe EVF Attachment from Canon.Specs of the original EOS-M:

• 18.0 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor (same as in Canon Rebel series)
• DIGIC 5 Image Processor
• ISO 100-12800; expandable to 25600 (H)
• Hybrid CMOS AF (the largest complaint regarding this camera was slow AF)
• EOS Full HD Movie mode with Movie Servo AF for continuous focus tracking of moving subjects
• EOS-M Mount, Compatible with Canon EF and EF-S lenses (Optional EF Lens Adapter is required - no light loss or quality degradation - cost is $44.95)
• 3.0" Touchscreen
• Retailed for $899, now can be found around $300.

As I mentioned in the specs the largest complaint regarding this camera was the AF speed.  Canon addressed this with a firmware update in June 2013 and those I have spoken to were happier with the performance improvements but compared to similar mirrorless models it still lags behind.What do I want to see in the new EOS-M3?

• Dual Pixel AF system from the Canon 70D
• Same or better sensor as the Canon 70D
• Wifi
• Slightly articulating screen would be nice ala Sony A7 series (UPDATE: with the new leaked pic of the back it is confirmed that the screen will be at least slightly articulating!
• Robust video options, higher bitrates and 60fps at 1080p

What do you want to see in this little camera?  Will be announced Feb 6th. Very few upgrades on the EOS-M2,

• Faster focusing (2.3x speed is the claim)
• 4.6 fps vs 4.3 in original
• 10% smaller

Canon 5DS & 5DS R Announcement: 50MP

B&H Has a fantastic write up of the new Canon 5DS and 5DS R Cameras. Read More on B&H Photo Official SpecsNote - No one is taking preorder of the bodies at this time.

• EOS 5DS for $3699 at B&H | Amazon | Adorama (available in June)
  • 50.6MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
  • Dual DIGIC 6 Image Processors
  • 3.2" 1,040K-Dot ClearView II LCD Monitor
  • Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 30 fps
  • 61-Point High Density Reticular AF
  • 150,000-Pixel RGB+IR Metering Sensor
  • ISO 100-6400; 5.0 fps Burst Shooting
  • Anti-Flicker Compensation
  • User-Selectable Shutter Release Time Lag
  • Dual Compact Flash and SD Media Slots

• EOS 5DS R for $3899 at B&H | Amazon | Adorama (available in June)
  • 50.6MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
  • Dual DIGIC 6 Image Processors
  • Low-Pass Filter Effect Cancellation
  • 3.2" 1,040K-Dot ClearView II LCD Monitor
  • Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 30 fps
  • 61-Point High Density Reticular AF
  • 150,000-pixel RGB+IR Metering Sensor
  • Native ISO 6400; 5.0 fps Burst Shooting
  • User-Selectable Shutter Release Time Lag
  • Dual Compact Flash and SD Media Slots

• EF 11-24mm f/4L USM for $2999 at B&H, Adorama, Amazon (available at the end of this month 2/28)
  • EF Mount L-Series Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Constant f/4 Maximum Aperture
  • Super UD, UD, and 4 Aspherical Elements
  • SWC, Air Sphere, and Fluorine Coatings
  • Ring-Type USM Autofocus Motor
  • Internal Focus; Full-Time Manual Focus
  • Weather-Resistant Design
  • Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm

Quote from Canon's Chuck Westerfall

Despite some rumors to the contrary, Westfall said the 50.6MP CMOS sensors in the 5DS and 5DS R are developed and produced by Canon. When asked whether they were created in collaboration with Sony as some rumors indicated, Westfall responded by saying: “Absolutely not. The sensors were developed completely in-house, by Canon.”

Canon 5DS & Canon 5DS R Specs: UPDATES in BOLD

• 50.6MP full-size CMOS sensor on both cameras
• 5DS R no low-pass filter
• 3.2 inch LCD 1.04 million pixels
• Raw (50MP), M-Raw (28MP), S-Raw (12.4MP)
• CF (UDMA7) and SD / SDHC / SDXC (UHS-I)
• Magnesium alloy body.
• Weather Sealed
• Dual DIGIC6 processor
• ISO sensitivity ISO100-6400 (Extended 50 and 12800)
• Continuous shooting 5 frames / sec
• High precision 61-point AF (41 cross type)
• EOS Itr AF (— Intelligent Tracking and Recognition also in the Canon 1Dx)
• 150,000 pixel RGB + IR photometry sensor
• Add a "fine detail" to the Picture Style
• 1.3x and 1.6x crop shooting mode
• Customizable "Quick Control screen"
• Time-lapse movie (not sure if this means it will create movies in camera from interval shooting)
• Anti-flicker
• Interval Timer
• Video 1920×1080 30fps (ALL-I or IPB)
• External Mic Port
• 1/200 Flash Sync
• Bulb timer (adjustable length in menu system like Canon 7D Mark II)
• USB 3.0
• Dimensions 152mm x 116.4mm x 76.4mm
• Weight  845g (body only)

My Thoughts (video)My quick thoughts - 50MP and ISO 6400 limit!! This is targeted at studio and serious landscape photographers. This will not be the replacement for the 5D Mark III and a jack of all trades camera. That will be the 5D Mark IV coming soon*, but apparently not as soon as these two. They will be officially announced next week along with the EOS-M3 and hopefully the Canon T6i (750D). *Northlight images is now reporting that the 5D Mark IV will be announced in August and feature 4k video with a modest increase in MP and targeted toward low light shooters.  August feels FAR away so we need to take these specs, if we can even call these specs with some healthy skepticism. I will change my tune from the video and say if we are waiting till August to see a 5D Mark IV I do think it is a good possibility that 4K video will be an option.

Canon T6i (750D/760D) Rumors and Speculation UPDATE

Updated with Specs (Feb 5, 2015)UPDATE - Images of the 760D(T6i) (Feb 4, 2015)First we are getting a 750D, This will probably be the Canon T5 replacement)

• 24.2MP CMOS sensor
• DIGIC 6 processor
• Finder penta mirror. Field of view 95%, magnification 0.82 times, the eye point 19mm
• AF 19-point cross-type. Center F2.8 corresponding dual cross
• 7560-pixel RGB-IR photometry sensor. 63 zone TTL metering
• ISO100-12800 (extended with 25600)
• The shutter speed is 30 seconds -1/4000 seconds (Flash Sync 1/200 sec)
• Continuous shooting 5 frames / sec.
• LCD monitor 3 inches 1.04 million dots. Vari-Angle
• Built-in guide number 12 flash
• New hybrid CMOS AF III
• Video Full HD 30fps
• Wi-Fi · NFC (Compatible with new Base Station)
• Remote control by smartphone and tablet
• Battery LP-E17
• The size of 131.9 x 100.7 x 77.8mm
• Weight 555g (CPA criteria). 510g (body only)

Now the Canon T6i or 760D   

• 24.2MP CMOS sensor
• DIGIC 6 processor
• 7560 pixel RGB + IR photometry sensor
• AF 19 points
• Hybrid CMOS AF III
• Dynamic tracking continuous shooting in live view
• Top LCD panel
• Intelligent Viewfinder
• Vari-angle LCD monitor
• Wi-Fi · NFC (Compatible with new Base Station)
• Remote control by smartphone and tablet
• Creative modes including HDR movie

New photos from DCIRecent Canon P&S releases and the new connect station from Canon have given us some clues on the new Canon T6i (750D/760D). In a promo video a new DSLR is shown, I have a few screen grabs to share.Here you can see just a corner of the DSLR and if we take a closer look We see a top LCD and a lock switch. Both items have never before been seen on a xxxD or Rebel series DSLR. This could be very interesting and might mean they are ditching the top dial.  Or maybe the just moved it to the other side similar to the xxD line.  Everything else looks like a Rebel back there and Canon Rumors has confirmed that this is the next Rebel.  Last year I blogged about the T6i and thought that they might go mirrorless, I no longer believe that is true and while I do suspect that at some point in the future the Rebel line will be a mirrorless system it seems to early and Canon has given us no other indication that this will be the switch.Just one more shot of the front - very little to see here as the hands do a spectacular job of hiding anything of interest.  We do know that this next DSLR will work with the connect station from Canon. UPDATE  Feb 4, 2015 - Camera will be called T6i/760D Skipping 750D to avoid confusion with Nikon's D750.So the name confusion - Looks like the T6i replacement will be 760D but there will be a 750D that will likely be the T5 replacement (barebones entry level DSLR)

• Full HD movies, MP4 format, HDR movie, automatic shooting modes (EOS 760D )
• 24.2MP sensor and Canon’s DIGIC 6 image processor
• ISO 100-12,800 range
• Flicker Detection technology
• 5 fps continuous shooting mode
• 19 cross-type AF point system
• Hybrid CMOS AF III
• Rear Quick Control Dial (EOS 760D )
• Creative movie modes (EOS 760D )
• Wi-Fi and NFC

Note: Hybrid CMOS AF III is NOT the same as dual pixel AF.Below are my predictions for this camera before the list above was released.Rumors suggest a release just before the CP+ Show scheduled for mid February. So what DO I think the next rebel specs will be?

• 20.2 MP Sensor (Same as 70D)
• Dual Pixel AF system (also same as 70D)
• Wifi and NFC(for use with Connect Station)
• 1080p at 60 FPS
• 9 cross type focus points
• Digic 6
• Articulating Touchscreen (sensitivity mode touchscreen similar to Canon Sl1)

What did I think the specs for the Canon T6i would be last year? Read about the possible mirrorless T6iI'd love to know your thoughts.  Leave a comment or sound off on my Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/Digital.Photo.Recommendations

High Megapixel Canon Camera - Coming 2015

This has been rumored for months and now confirmed with a recent Interview. Photorumors has the complete details of the interview with a Canon Exec.  The auto translation from Japanese to English is rough but a fluent reader on DPreview has summarized nicely. Highlights of the interview:

• The decline in DSLR sales is coming mainly from the entry level, as the evolution in that segment has slowed. He admits that they have not been able to introduce new entry class products that would spur people to change models (the original statement can be seen as an indictment of either Canon, or the entire DSLR industry). However, he does note that developing countries like Brazil and India are still seeing double digit growths.
• He speculates that maybe part of the mirrorless needs can be met by high end compact cameras, as the latter type gets more and more zoom range. Canon is trying both options.
• On the other hand, he also speculates that mirrorless may replace the Rebel line in the future. (I wrote about this with the T6i Rumors I don't think the T6i will be mirrorless)
• Annual updates of entry class models are no longer likely. (Canon never did annual updates of mid- and high-end models anyway.)
• He sees electronic shutter as the future, saying "global shutter makes more sense."
• Canon will apparently stick with "glass" based IS for the time being, and believes it still has room for improvement. (Curiously, the other alternative the interviewer suggested was electronic IS, and neither side seems to talk about IBIS.)
• Durability against e.g. shock and drop, in addition to "uncompromising optics," is a focus point in developing new EF lenses these days.
• Full size mirrorless? "Uh, I can't answer that now."
• Medium format? "The 35mm format has so much potential left. Although I don't deny the merits of a larger sensor, there are many other things we need to be doing right now."

Nikon D5400 Rumors

Starting to hear some rumors about the D5400 which according to this post on Nikon Rumors will be called the D5500. Skipping the D5400. It seems the number 4 in Japanese has the same pronunciation as the word for "death" (shi) and thus they avoid it. (Thanks Tom C.)   Why their flagship DSLR is named the D4s causes me some confusion but let's set the number/name aside and talk about the features.At this point we know very little other than a touchscreen will be added to the articulating screen and the camera will be announced in early January in time for Consumer Electronics Show (CES).  I suspect most other features will remain the same or similar with the D5300 and expect Nikon to use the same excellent 24mp sensor that they are currently using.I hear from many photographers upgrading to DSLRS that feel torn between the increased quality of the Nikon but want the touchscreen of the Canon T5i.   This should help with the decision but I expect (or hope) Canon will come back with something in the T6i that gives them a fighting chance. Right now Canon does have a clear advantage with the dual pixel AF and the STM lenses if you want to easily capture video but on the photo side Nikon is my pick. Early rumors that I reported on suggested Canon would go mirror-less for the T6i but I doubt that is true, what will be more likely is the inclusion of the 70Ds fast live view focusing system.How do you feel about touchscreens in your DSLR? Do you have one and love it? Don't have one and don't think you would want it?  Christina and I touch on the touchscreen debate and talk about the D5500 in this segment from our weekly podcast.Poll - How do you feel about touchscreens in your DSLR? 

Canon T6i (750D) Rumors and Speculation

Canon has a teaser counting down to the impossible - less than 24 hours as of monday morning.  Doubtful that this is camera related - any major announcements would have happened at Photokina. My experience in the past with Canon's mysterious countdowns and unveiling has always been a let down - sometimes printers, sometimes a new project that has no interest to me- so I refuse to get excited. But, I will keep my eyes and ears open and pass along any info.   This does remind me that we still have no info about the T6i (750D) so I went digging.It has been very quiet regarding the replacement for the Canon T5i- originally released in March of 2013 and offering only a minor upgrade to the T4i- the time for a replacement is due.  There was some speculation that Photokina would be the place and time but that has passed with just the 7D Mark II announcement.   The next show is PhotoPlus at the end of this month but still no credible information and in fact we are starting to hear that maybe nothing until the second quarter of 2015!!  That would make a 24 month release cycle from the T5i which is longer than any previous version and if we count the T4i as the actual release, since the T4i and T5i are nearly identical, we are talking almost three years!! Crazy!  But what might be crazier is the rumour that the T6i will be the first rebel to feature an electronic viewfinder (EVF) This means it won't be a dslr. No mirror box, no optical viewfinder. it will be a MIRRORLESS CAMERA!!T6i Specs (rumoured)

• Mirrorless Camera
• 20mp Dual Pixel AF Sensor (updated version of 70D sensor)
• Digic 6
• Articulated Touchscreen
• WiFi

Many have said that it is just a matter of time before more and more cameras become mirrorless - the design of a DSLR is ancient but has some advantages - many of those advantages have been erased or at least equalled with the advances of technology.  Dual Pixel focus and Digic 6 should allow this to be a fast performing camera and having access to Canon's huge lens selection is always important.   BUT! I have two questionsWill users looking to upgrade their current camera care that this isn't a DSLR?NO, I doubt many users will care if what they upgrade to has a mirror or EVF.  If it has the Canon logo and decent reviews(they don't even need to be stellar) they will buy when they are looking to upgrade.  I have evidence based on the hundreds of questions I get a week about which camera to upgrade to, many choose Canon despite there being a better option(performance, features and value) from other camera manufacturers.Is it too little too late to join the mirrorless race?This is a bit more difficult to answer- past the point of fashionably late to the party(probably always debated by the one who is actually late) but Canon has the lenses and within the camera space the brand Canon carries a huge amount of weight(see the first question above) . When people start to consider upgrading from their P&S or smart phone cameras many seem to consider Canon and Nikon and not much else.  An argument for "too late" - The Sony a6000(my review) is selling well and right now offers everything that the T6i probably will offer.  By the time the T6i actually comes to market we will probably have an a6100 and I wouldn't be surprised if it offered 4k video. Sony doesn't have the lens selection but they are working on that and with many higher end models photographers buying into the system at the a6000 level there is reason to see hope and room to grow.What about Canon's current mirrorless offering - the EOS-M and EOS-M2(sold in Japan) - The autofocus system isn't snappy enough to set it apart from P&S cameras and more importantly they used a different mount, making the huge lens selection argument null unless you use an adapter- something you can do with the a6000 or many other models.  The EOS-M was a half hearted attempt at the mirrorless market as was the Canon SL1 - the world's smallest DSLR - these were poor bluffs at the mirrorless market and it is time for Canon to go all in on mirrorless. Taking the rebel line mirrorless would be just that - all in!I'd love to know your thoughts. If this is really going to be a Q2 launch - April 2015 at the earliest, too little too late? Always time for Canon? Come back kid (if they aren't even really down yet)?  Leave a comment or sound off on my Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/Digital.Photo.Recommendations

Lightroom 6 - Rumour Roundup

  UPDATE 2-19-15: Lightroom 6 will be out in March - Complete feature list here UPDATE 2-16-2015: Lightroom 6 will be arriving in March(latest rumors). The easiest solution is to buy the Photoshop/Lightroom Creative Cloud for Photographers at 9.99/mo. This will provide you the full version of Photoshop, Lightroom and Lightroom mobile. When Lightroom 6 is released you will automatically be upgraded.  Click here to purchase Creative Cloud for Photographers at 9.99/moUPDATE 1-15-2015: Lightroom 6 will require a 64 bit OSFrom the Adobe Blog

In order to leverage the latest operating system features and technologies, Lightroom 6 will require Mac OS X 10.8 or above, or a 64 bit version of Windows 7, 8 or 8.1. Focusing our work on more modern operating systems and architectures allows us to spend more time adding functionality requested by users, including additional advanced imaging features and improving general application performance.

If you are on Mac OS X 10.7, or a 32 bit version of Windows, you will continue to be able to install and run Lightroom 5 and use Lightroom mobile. However, you will not be able to install Lightroom 6 until you upgrade to a supported operating system.

If you are currently running Mac OS X 10.7, Apple offers a free upgrade (here) to a more current operating system. For Windows users, Microsoft has a how-to reference (here) to help you determine whether you are running a 32 or 64 bit version of Windows.

Original Post -Adobe Lightroom 6. I had thought we would get some info in June 2014 at Adobe's Creative Cloud announcements but all we heard was a reiteration of the mobile versions and how well they worked with Lightroom 5 (Technically 5.5 for all the mobile stuff). So when will we hear about Lightroom 6?Current information from the Cyberland site points to a October Beta with a full release in March 2015.What features will we get in Lightroom 6?Lightroom 6 features that were recently revealed by Cyberland are simple UI tweaks that makes things more streamlined compared to 5.5 but the biggest "features" are the stability and performance enhancements. With reports that Lightroom 6 has been greatly optimized running almost 70 to 100 percent faster than Adobe Lightroom 5.5!The other big question in my mind - will this be a standalone release or only available through the now permanent $9.99/mo plan that provides Photoshop and Lightroom.What features would you like to see in Lightroom 6?