Will the GH4 push Canon?

roxics

roxics

Veteran
Obviously Canon has been slower to update the video functionality of their DSLR line than Panasonic. The 70D being the newest with only AF improvements.

But should we expect 4K recording in the next round of Canon DSLR updates? Is the GH4 enough of a camera to push a titan like Canon to go this direction? Or maybe just the industry as a whole.

Also what will this mean for the 1DC?

With the 70D just being released and the 7DmkII probabaly around the corner, (which I don't expect will record 4K) we're probably a couple years out from the next round of updates. Rebels aside.

The GH4 is a tempting camera from what I'm seeing, but I told myself I would stick with Canon back when I got my 60D rather than jump around from system to system. Plus I prefer the Canon color. I also just think Canon offers a lot more options for scaling your system, with the C series being available and the full frame cameras and the cine primes and L glass. So I plan to wait it out and stick with Canon. But it would be nice to have a 4K 60D/70D replacement. Just for that nice crisp 1080p downsampling.
 
My guess would be: probably as much as BlackMagic did.

And still, I do have big hopes for Canon in 2015: a 5D4 should probably arrive next year, and I would expect it to finally bring some competitive DR for RAW stills. If it has 14+ stops and it can run ML to record RAW video, it's my next camera.
 
if I had to guess, I would say it will stay at a premium price, and not nearly as popular as the BM cameras or the GH4
in 2015 we should see a new generation of Canon DSLRs, maybe then they'll add things like 422 or even 10-bit to <$3K cameras (which should mean a whole new C line too)
 
Right, but what I'm asking is that if the next round of Canon DSLR's have 4k on them, what will happen with the 1DC? Canon typically updates their lower end models on a faster cycle than their pro cameras. That would put the 1DC in an odd position if the Rebels or 80D suddenly shot 4K at a tenth the price of the 1DC.
 
homestar_kevin said:
thats why they won't do it.
Click to expand...

That might be true, there was a rumor going around a week or so back about Canon releasing a 2.5K DSLR. We all know resolution isn't everything, based on the Alexa. So technically this could be a viable option for them. But how will that look from a marketing perspective if others are pushing otu 4K cameras sub $2000?
 
There's been rumors going around on canon rumors for years, that's the purpose of the site. Thats what they're there for.

Very few of them hold any water.

Canon isn't really hurting. the 4k push will come, but it's just starting.

I'm sure they'll have some 4k camcorders out, but I really don't expect any DSLRs.
 
The one thing we can count on is Canon being Canon.
Which means that unless it's an accident, things get released which are perfect three years after the market has moved.
 
roxics said:
That might be true, there was a rumor going around a week or so back about Canon releasing a 2.5K DSLR. We all know resolution isn't everything, based on the Alexa. So technically this could be a viable option for them. But how will that look from a marketing perspective if others are pushing otu 4K cameras sub $2000?
Click to expand...

Canon are either early to the game or late depending on their own methodical timeline. They were early to 24P, late to HD, held on to HDV for a long time, they were early to DSLR video, they were late to the large sensor video camera game, they were early to 4K with the 1DC. Now they are holding on a bit with their DSLR tech.

Bottom line is, they don't seem to react as much as just march ahead, and when they release something, it's usually very well thought out and solid.
The XL2 was a very good camera
The XHA1 was a very good camera
The 5DMK2 after updates and 7D became huge hits for video followed by many successful Rebel cameras.
The C100 is a workhorse
The C300/C500 are excellent performers.
The XF300/305 are very good cameras

They will get to 4K, but it will depend more on how they have their timeline mapped out than anything else.
 
I guess another consideration is that Canon doesn't make 4K TVs. So they may not be as eager to offer a 4K consumer priced camera to pair with a display. For better or worse that is. Considering that in many cases those consumer level cameras are not what we desire for production work.

I guess my only real fear is that the cinema line of camera will really hold Canon back from offering newer video features on their DSLR lineup. I'd hate to seem them stick with the same level of video quality they are at now. Which is perfectly usable but not ideal. So ideally I want to see dynamic range improvements, less moire/aliasing issues, more frame rate options and headphone/mic jacks starting at the Rebel level. Nothing too outrageous.

I would love to see 4K simply so we can downsample to a nice 1080p image. It seems that is the most realistic way we'll get an improved image out of cameras at this market level. We all know they aren't going to be selling them with 10bit 4:2:2, even as a 1080 option.
 
roxics said:
I guess another consideration is that Canon doesn't make 4K TVs. So they may not be as eager to offer a 4K consumer priced camera to pair with a display. For better or worse that is. Considering that in many cases those consumer level cameras are not what we desire for production work.
Click to expand...

Saw this one at NAB last year.
The Canon 30" DP-V3010 4K Reference Display is scheduled to be available in the first quarter of 2014 for a suggested list price of $40,000. It's not a TV but they do have a display.

Canon4k monitor.jpg

Canon has to release something 4K in a affordable consumer camera. They just cant ignore it with the other big boys having options for consumers, but expect it to be very limited in features.
 
Last edited:
At the current price the 1DC is well too expensive for me.But a 80D with 4K will be long in the future as the 70D is a recent product,a completely new consumer 4K DSLR also very unlikely,so unless you are professional with unlimited resource canon loyal consumer users will have to move or watch the endless 4k online videos from the rivals not that online can show its gain over 1080P video,Camcorders a 4k G40 who knows.But as i have said making 4K projects at present is far from a priority to me but archiving for future use sounds enticing,editing and the price of cards not so enticing though.
Having owned a GH2 i dont want to go back to Pana and can only wait to see what what the future brings
 
* 4K: I have no interest in it, that's why I didn't mention it. We already have 4K video in phones, and people are not rushing to shoot superbowl ads with them. I like what BlackMagic and Panasonic are doing, but it's not for the increased resolution, but for the DR and for enabling 10-bit 422 recording. That's the sense in which I would want others would follow suit.

* rumors: every time a competitor brings out something compelling, rumors arise saying Canon will follow suit; it happened with Sony/Nikon DR, and it happened with D800 resolution. I'm still waiting for a Canon DSLR with >30 Mpix and 14 stops of DR. Also: not specific to Canon, also works for every other manufacturer falling behind in any respect.

* 1DC price: it could fall to 1DX levels, but I doubt it will

* a sensor for a stills camera: think about the GH4 and the 1DC, they both crops in order to get that 4K image, because it's a lot easier to debayer from a same-res sensor. That means that already at 18mpix you're getting 1.27x crop video from a FF sensor. Increase the resolution, and you either end up with a smaller crop, or a soft 4K image as a result of a difficult debayer/subsample being ran in-camera. Until you reach 45 Mpix (8192x5460; that's 4.4nm pixels, not tiny at all, in fact bigger than what the 24mpix APS-C cameras are using, which is 3.9nm); then it's easy again, but a fast readout probably requires line-skipping. Bottom line: much easier to do 4K on dedicated video cameras or on m43 cameras, which usually have lower resolution sensors.
 
Last edited:
heri said:
If Sony launches a new FS100 with 4K, then I see Canon releases a new C100 with 4K capability.
Click to expand...
Sony did (the FS700), which they nerfed with its external recorder requirements so as not to undercut their F5. A 4K C100 would undercut their C300 & 500 (which one could consider C100's with 4:2:2 and 4K capability). I honestly think the GH4 turns this whole "protecting the Pro lines" paradigm on its ear... ASSUMING of course that the GH4 doesn't wind up sucking at shooting 4K, which it very well might at a ~2K price level.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top