Camera rumors for 2016?

MASSIVE +1 to the XF line... I would love a 4K fixed lens 2.8 XF camera.

The question is would you pay an extra $1500 for that lens on that camera, which would be double the size and weight of the f/4? Optical physics being what it is, there is no free lunch.

I really don't understand the reluctance to shoot high quality efficiently editable codecs like Prores or XAVC-I over H.264 when the only downside is file size. Storage is relatively cheap these days. The higher grade codecs run much better on lower powered computers like laptops than H.264 if you have reasonably fast external raid storage to handle the data rates.
 
The current XF300 has a 1.6 - 2.8 lens... I should have been more greedy in my wish list post... and if its only x12 or x14
ok I can punch in in post.
 
The Blackmagic Pocket uses a Micro Four Thirds mount with a sensor that's slightly smaller than 1 inch, and the Digital Bolex offered the mount on its sensor, which is a touch smaller. JVC uses a Micro Four Thirds mount with an S35 sensor. The mount might even work with 135. There is an old mount for 135 that had about the same throat size. The point is, there is no technical reason that the mount could not be used with a wide variety of sensor sizes. I'm not saying what any camera company will do, though.
Oh, I fully recognize that it is technically possible to use MFT for other frame sizes (the image circle would be too small for 135 though despite throat size compatibility - the JVC already crops for MFT lenses IIRC, for example). However, you are also technically limiting lens possibilities by using MFT mount on a smaller frame size. It should be possible to make smaller, lighter, brighter lenses for a Super 16mm / 1-inch type frame (3x crop) than for MFT (2x crop). That's all I was trying to say.

Still, out of the currently available options if one doesn't want to develop their own, new Super 16 lenses, MFT is probably the smartest choice for a camera with that frame size since you can use modern MFT lenses which provide a reasonable selection of wide and relatively bright lenses, as well as vintage C-mount, PL-mount, and other more exotic stuff through an adapter. In short, BM made the right choice for the BMPCC, but I don't think Canon (being Canon) would ever follow suit.
 
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Something more narrative shot on an XC10.

While I like the story, the action, and the overall cinematography of this short... I hate the look of it. It has an overall green cast to the image, the image is not very sharp ( very surprising if this was shot in 4K ), and there are lots of places where movement is making the image turn to mush. ( which might have been the Vimeo re-compression )

I remember watching this a year ago when this first came out and feeling exactly the same. Great little film, but "pass" on the camera.
 
In the past when canon added a 5 on the end of a model number it meant that it was the same camera with the addition of a SDI port. Hence the XC15 is probably the same camera with a SDI output.
 
The lens is not sharp in the XC10. Even in 4K, there is barely any visual difference to the HD in my opinion.

I feel the same about a lot of fixed lens cameras.

You need quality glass and then you'll see 4K.
 
Canonrumors.com claims to have found info indicating there will be a XC15 announcement.
If they would just add dual pixel and a more attractive lens, something like a constant f2.8, it would be a way more appealing camera. I've been impressed with the footage out of it and the handling. But that lens- woof. (Cue the people who love it)
 
In the past when canon added a 5 on the end of a model number it meant that it was the same camera with the addition of a SDI port. Hence the XC15 is probably the same camera with a SDI output.

Wow, if Canon does this they have reached a new level of unconnectedness with their customers. Enough time has passed that they can improve this camera and lens. If they don't know already - THE LENS is TOO SLOW!
 
Any guesses what Sony will do next? Putting F65 in a more F55-style body would be a no-brainer so they probably won't do that.
 
Any guesses what Sony will do next? Putting F65 in a more F55-style body would be a no-brainer so they probably won't do that.
The Kumamoto earthquake probably pushed their new projects back by about half a year. Right now, some of their bread and butter models seem to be on back order or in short supply and the same goes for their OEM buyers (Nikon, Panasonic, Fuji, Olympus) also.
 
Any guesses what Sony will do next?

On the "real camera" side (FS5, FS7, etc), absolutely no idea: they seem to be ticking all the boxes already, so minor improvements and price drops, probably.

On the a7 series, my current guess is:
- a7 III just like a7 II but with 4K at 24-25-30 fps. Maybe slog3 too, but just as in the a7S II (i.e. with no DR improvement). It could arrive in september, but maybe a few months later because of the earthquake.
- a7R III with photog-oriented improvements (maybe more Mpix, or maybe same sensor with higher burst rate and better options for flashes and storage and things like that). Maybe first half of 2017.
- a7S III with ~18 Mpix and either actual slog3 (i.e. same DR as FS7) or 4K at 60 fps and 1080p at 120 fps. Maybe second half of 2017.

Also, if an a9 model comes around, I would expect it to be stills-centered (similar to what I described for the a7R III, but with a bigger body and maybe both the higher-Mpix sensor and the other improvements). If they also want it to have killer video, they could implement RAW video, which would probably have very impressive DR.
 
Rumors are that a9 will have unlimited raw bursts. I don't think it will be 24- it would be great tough. This could be one of the features that could stir things up again. Another one would be 16 bit.
 
(I wasn't thinking of 24 fps stills, but something like 5D3+RAW, maybe with a compressed RAW format)
 
(I wasn't thinking of 24 fps stills, but something like 5D3+RAW, maybe with a compressed RAW format)
Sony's codecs that were just introduced for their higher end cameras are "very compressed" Raw, at under 700 Mbps. Speaking once again in a hypothetical, 4K ProRes capable recorders/monitors can run under $1,000 (though, most are a few hundred bucks over). With cameras already having lower speed internal recording and a screen/monitor, this higher tier internal recorder can't be any more than a couple of hundred dollars to implement.

Sony's got a leg up in this battle due to the speed of their lineup upgrades (everywhere aside their Cine Alta line). They can release A7SIII or A7RIII with a more powerful chip, compressed Raw and the new UFS card and blast by 5D MKIV.
 
The current models - A7SII/A7RII - already blast by the 5DmkIV.


I don't think that is a fair assumption given that not a single person on this forum has seen any image from it. That said, you might be absolutely correct about this. Its just unknown right now. Specs are not everything....though they do inform a lot.

My take is....give it a chance. Canon will probably frustrate a lot of people, myself included.....but lets see where the cards fall after some video examples start popping up.

I do have to say, the 1DXII footage does not really do it for me for a 6K camera. The footage form that camera looks very video-ish to me.
 
It's relatively easy to extrapolate Canon's future direction with a model. They're the kings of "model segmentation." I'd guess, based on the specs and the 1DXII, the 5DIV will have video quality similar to the 1DXII... which is to say completely outclassed by the Sony mirrorless DSLRs.

The other indication that the 5DIV's video isn't going to be stellar is that Canon hasn't really released a killer hybrid stills/video body since they started the C-line. I think they're putting all of their filmmaking eggs in the C-line basket.

I'm convinced that Canon operates in a complete vacuum. They don't really pay attention to their competitors at all. That can be a good thing, but it also means they often really miss the boat.
 
It's relatively easy to extrapolate Canon's future direction with a model. They're the kings of "model segmentation." I'd guess, based on the specs and the 1DXII, the 5DIV will have video quality similar to the 1DXII... which is to say completely outclassed by the Sony mirrorless DSLRs.

The other indication that the 5DIV's video isn't going to be stellar is that Canon hasn't really released a killer hybrid stills/video body since they started the C-line. I think they're putting all of their filmmaking eggs in the C-line basket.

I'm convinced that Canon operates in a complete vacuum. They don't really pay attention to their competitors at all. That can be a good thing, but it also means they often really miss the boat.

I can agree with all of that. I would love Canon to surprise us and deliver a 5DIV....along side a new video centric DSLR. Wishful dreaming though.
 
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