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Canon EOS 5D Mark II update in eight months ??

I

igmolinav

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Aug 15, 2005
1,126
4
Hi,

I am quite interested in buying an updated camera to the Canon EOS 5D Mark II.

If my logic is correct, this camera should come to the market by the end of the summer of 2011. Do you think that it is likely ??

Canon came out with the Canon EOS 5D in september of 2005, and with the Canon EOS 5D Mark II in September of 2008. Wouldn't it be logic if they come out with an update at the end of the summer??

I would rather wait to buy this camera in 2011 than to buy it for the holidays in December.

Thank you, kind regards,

igmolinav.
 
Those that know aren't telling and those that are telling dont know.

Why wait? What are you holding out for?
 
The 5D Mark III will be out sometime in the summer of 2011, if Canon follows the schedule they used with the 5D and 5D Mark II.
 
Yes, that time frame sounds about right. If it's really a 5D Mark III and not some newly positioned camera, then it will probably cost about $2700 and will be in short supply for the first few months. So weigh that against a camera that is $2500 and available now.
 
Some relevant tidbits from CanonRumors.com...

Time to address the questions
I am getting a ton of questions regarding the 5D Mark II and how much longer it’s going to be a current camera. While I obviously have nothing definitive, there are been a few pieces of information come my way in regards to a Canon roadmap.

5D Mark III


A Q2/Q3 announcement in 2011, this is not yet decided within Canon.
Big megapixel boost, 28mp +
Continue to build on EOSHD and supreme image quality.
A variant of the 7D AF system.
I can’t see them not calling it 5D Mark III, the 5D name carries a lot of weight.
Expect it to be in the same $2699 range the 5D Mark II was at launch.
Obvious ergonomic upgrades.
I get asked a lot if people are safe to buy a 5D Mark II now. The answer is “yes”, it’s a great camera today and it’ll still be a great camera in a year.

There is not a lot of urgency for Canon & Nikon to launch new higher end cameras in the current economic climate. Things look to improve in 2011. The 5D Mark II also still sells extremely well.
Click to expand...

The contact mentioned an announcement for a new high end Canon camera would be coming in March. It will NOT be a 1Ds Mark IV by the sounds of it. The general consensus is it will be a 5D Mark II replacement or bigger brother.

The 5D Mark II turns 3 at the end of the summer 2011, there are a few bits of information that put a replacement before its 3rd birthday.

A few dealers have mentioned a significant slowdown in 5D Mark II sales. The same dealers said the D700 wasn’t selling well anymore either.

I will say pinning down exact announcement dates this far in advance is difficult.
Click to expand...
 
The question is not when the update is announced (and the time frame is realistic), but when the camera becomes broadly available. That depends on your location, preferred dealer, connections to Canon, etc.

If you constantly think about getting the `latest' and that you're outdated once a new model has been announced, you're in for a very expensive life style. You can take great pictures with `outdated products' and unless new models are literally just around the corner, I wouldn't worry about it.

If you want to have a camera, I'd ask myself the following questions:
(i) Do the alternatives (e. g. the 5D Mark II, a used 1 Ds Mark II(I) or a Nikon D700) suffice for what I do? One such question is: why do you want full frame? If you want a Canon, for instance, you may want to consider the 50D is a very good camera that's also a good value at its current price.
(ii) Does the update offer something I really, really need.

All this talk about 28 MP sensors and fps is missing that most of us won't need that much. I'm satisfied with 10~12 MP, 3 fps and whatnot. I can't say if you're in the same category, but the majority of people doesn't need 7 frames per second or so.
 
Kronie said:
Seriously? Where do you base this from? Please tell us all about it.
Click to expand...
5D Mark II has essentially the same AF module as the 5D Mark I -- and even when the 5D Mark I came out, the AF module was dated. The 7D has a top-of-the-line AF system that is (within the Canon-line-up, of course) at worst the second-fastest and second-most powerful.

I went on quite a few photo excursions with a friend of mine who owns the 5D Mark I and my D80's AF system performed better in some situations (e. g. twilight) than his.*

I think Canon has to substantially update the AF system in the successor of the 5D Mark II.

* I don't want to start the discussion whether the AF system is usable or not. Nor am I saying you cannot take good pictures with a 5D Mark I or Mark II.
 
Kronie said:
Seriously? Where do you base this from? Please tell us all about it.
Click to expand...

Based on a few hours of playing with a 5Dii at a wedding, the AF on my 20D works more reliably when both have an f4 lens. I was ready to physically chuck the 5dii as it was almost impossible to get it to lock onto anything. With an f 1.x lens, the 5Dii autofocus performs admirably.
 
luminosity said:
They'll have to update the autofocus on it or it will go from being archaic to being a joke.
Click to expand...

*sigh*. Oh joy! Let's pull this argument out again. It WAS updated in the 5DII, added more cross sensors, greater sensitivity etc. Is it as good as the 7D? Nope. Is it designed to be as good as the 7D AF? Nope.

Let's take a look through Business Glasses for a moment. If Canon were to put a 7D equivalent AF in the 5DII, why would anyone buy the top-model Full Frame camera?

The 5D is NOT a "speed" camera. Would I like a more responsive AF in mine? Absolutely. And if I really want that I'll drop $8K on the 1 Series. So, firstly, neither the camera nor the AF are archaic, and secondly, the 5DII/III will never be a 'joke' camera.
 
robbieduncan said:
Compared to the 7D the 5DII autofocus is shocking.
Click to expand...

I have compared them and wouldn't call it a shocking difference or archaic. But then I'm a landscape and portrait photographer. If I needed super quick I wouldn't have bought a 5D MKII.
 
wheezy said:
*sigh*. Oh joy! Let's pull this argument out again. It WAS updated in the 5DII, added more cross sensors, greater sensitivity etc. Is it as good as the 7D? Nope. Is it designed to be as good as the 7D AF? Nope.
Click to expand...
They have added one cross sensor not several: compared to the Mark I, the center AF point was upgraded to a cross-type sensor. Other than that, the specs of the AF system haven't changed. And if you compare that to other cameras when it was released (say, the 50D), the AF system -- a minor upgrade from a now 5-year camera -- is outdated.
wheezy said:
So, firstly, neither the camera nor the AF are archaic, and secondly, the 5DII/III will never be a 'joke' camera.
Click to expand...
Nobody claimed the camera to be archaic, just that the AF system is very much outdated. There is no need to be defensive about it, it's just a technical fact. Again, it doesn't mean you cannot take good pictures with the camera.

Keep in mind that 12 years ago, Canon was able to put a 45 point AF system in the (analog) EOS-3. It was introduced in the EOS-3 and later also used in the EOS-1v ;)
 
The 5D Mark II's autofocus system is fine for portraits and still/slow moving scenes. It is not fine for action or anything that requires a lot of tracking or a fast response.

It has a terrific sensor. It also has an outdated autofocus system. The two can and do overlap.
 
if you're always waiting a year for the next possible update, you're always going to be waiting. what's the point? I picked up a 5D2 when they were first released (had one preordered) and relegated my 30D to backup duty. I love it and doubt I will upgrade to the next version. This is a camera that can last a looong time with the features it has.
 
Kronie said:
Great but who needs a 45 point AF system?
Click to expand...
The point is two-fold:
(i) Canon has used the same AF system in its second-best body as in the best body. It has even introduced the AF system in the second-best body. So much for cannibalization.
(ii) Canon has used 45 point AF system 12 years ago, now the 5D uses 9 (+ 6). I know that more points does not imply the AF system is better, but the point is that 12 years ago, Canon has given its second-best model a top of the line AF system. Nowadays it intentionally gives the 5D a mediocre/outdated AF system.

Nikon uses essentially the same AF system in its top four cameras, the D3x, D3s, D700 and D300s (although the D300s uses a DX version).
 
Slow AF?

The old 5D managed to track this quite well......

hawk1.jpg
 
Phrasikleia said:
Actually, the point is moot. If the camera has what a person needs, then it makes no difference that it could have had something else.
Click to expand...

Part of the issue is that Canon forces those who need a high megapixel sensor and great autofocusing to choose between the 7D (a crop camera), the 1D Mark IV (much more expensive than the 5D Mark II and another crop camera) and the 1Ds Mark III (ridiculously overpriced, given its age).
 
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