Big New Canon Rumor - RAW Recording Module for 5D2 & 7D?

[Joel Kaye]

Either that, or they had some kind of business interest in remaining asleep.

Their entire video department management strategic planning team should probably be fired, IMO.

A friend of mine is (was?) a Canon video dealer and he used to say they never got into the upper end of video cameras because they made lenses that were very profitable for the other manufacturers and they wanted those relationships to stay healthy. Could be BS, but sounds reasonable. My guess is there's a lot of profit in glass and a lot less customer service.

I think glass is Canon's real moneymaker. I think that's why RED started making their own glass and keep adding accessories. That stuff is more profitable than bodies.

My question is why Nikon has been sleeping. Those guys had no video market to protect. I just spoke with a Nikon dealer and he made it sound like Nikon was really hurting... as if Canon was really sticking it to them in the marketplace. Not sure how real all that is.

I'm not convinced Canon "failed". Canon video bodies have been pretty dismal... but that's just one little piece of the whole puzzle. Has Apple failed because FCP is getting pwned by AVID and Adobe right now? No.

I think it's fair to guess Canon's slumber is ending and technology is sitting on the shelf waiting to be sprung when they think the consumer market is more ripe.

 

[Tom Lowe]

I've heard the lens protection theory many times. No idea if it's true.

I agree that Nikon has nothing to lose by going full throttle into cine video, but I also think they do not have the chops or resources right now to piss in the tall weeds with the big boys. Canon is an R&D powerhouse. They can basically do whatever they want. Nikon will struggle more to jump into the big leagues.

Meanwhile, the other big companies like Sony and Panasonic are hamstrung trying to protect overpriced 2/3" and $200K cameras like the F35.

 

[Joel Kaye]

Canon is an R&D powerhouse. They can basically do whatever they want. Nikon will struggle more to jump into the big leagues.

Meanwhile, the other big companies like Sony and Panasonic are hamstrung trying to protect overpriced 2/3" and $200K cameras like the F35.

Interesting times for sure. If I was Canon I'd merge pro video and photo and just get it over with. Then I'd buy Nikon. LOL.

"Canon has announced that it has produced over 10 million consumer D-SLRs (digital single-lens-reflex) worldwide since the launch of the EOS 300D in 2003...

...The increasing volume of consumer-orientated D-SLR models on the market has also driven an increase the volume of lens sales. Canon EF lens portfolio is now the world's most extensive and popular range of D-SLR lenses, with over 60 models and 40 million sales worldwide. "
http://www.canon-europe.com/About_Us/Press_Centre/Press_Releases/Consumer/News/10_Million_D-SLRs.asp

RED is a boutique camera and Canon is a consumer GIANT. OK Canon's video division has been abysmal. Oh well.

 

[M Most]

If Canon built a 3K APS-C RAW with (1080p RGB option) prosumer cine camera that could shoot at least 60fps and take Canon lenses under $10K, they would sell tens of thousands of them. They would sell like hotcakes.

It is absolutely baffling to me that Canon cannot seem to understand the cravings the market has for such a camera. To me, it's as clear as a sunny day. Crystal clear, and has been for about 4 or 5 years.

That's because you have a personal interest in such devices. I'm quite sure that Canon and every other major manufacturer does tons of market research and has a very good idea of what they can sell and how many. I don't know where your figures or projections come from or if you have done any real research to back up your statements. It's very easy to say such things about devices one feels strongly about. It doesn't make those things true.

Meanwhile, the other big companies like Sony and Panasonic are hamstrung trying to protect overpriced 2/3" and $200K cameras like the F35.

Once again, that's your own opinion, but the fact is that Panasonic happens to be doing quite well these days, as is Sony with the XDCam line and many other professional products that have little to do with the F35. In fact, the F35 is doing quite well in the market it serves, as is the Panavision Genesis. You would be hard pressed to find any F35's or Genesis sitting on shelves right now - they're all out being used. Every one of them. They may not be on the productions you're involved with, but if you go to just about any network television drama set that isn't shooting film I can almost guarantee that you'll see F35's, Genesis, or D21's as both the A and B cameras (with, perhaps surprisingly, the occasional Canon 5D or 7D thrown in for specialty shots). That's their market and their model, and it happens to be working quite well, even if the indie productions largely represented here don't understand it.

 

[M Most]

I think glass is Canon's real moneymaker. I think that's why RED started making their own glass and keep adding accessories. That stuff is more profitable than bodies.

Well, yes. Especially when you consider that many camera owners may own one camera, but multiple lenses. Not very different than printers, which are sold very cheaply these days - but require the user to continually buy rather expensive ink cartridges.

 

[Are Pilskog]

If Canon built a 3K APS-C RAW with (1080p RGB option) prosumer cine camera that could shoot at least 60fps and take Canon lenses under $10K, they would sell tens of thousands of them. They would sell like hotcakes.

I heard from one reseller that canon would never go into cine lenses/cine industry. This because canon had a some kind of connection to an other company that produce cine lenses. I don´t remember the name of this other company, neither why this connection.
Just wanted to tell you though so you do not have to high expectations/hopes.

 

[Tom Lowe]

I'm quite sure that Canon and every other major manufacturer does tons of market research and has a very good idea of what they can sell and how many.

Um, then why did they not realize people were going to go apeshit over the 5D2 video??

 

[Noah Kadner]

Um, then why did they not realize people were going to go apeshit over the 5D2 video??

Amen to that...

Noah

 

[Liam Hall]

I'm constantly amazed at the lack of foresight of the big conglomerates. They can hold all the focus groups they want and conduct as much market research as they like, but their left-hand rarely knows what their right-hand is doing.