Canon will someday release new bodies.

Other than that, this is all speculative....

Regarding the 5DIII pricing. We've seen Canon go a year or more with very low pricing before offering a replacement. Just look at the 7D. So, I would consider it a sign, as it certainly cuts into profits, but I would not consider it the ultimate harbinger that the announcement of a 5DIII replacement is immanent.

That said, I would expect something this year. As Sean said, Canon has openly discussed the high MP camera. The real question is whether this is the true 5DIII replacement or is it essentially a new camera body.

I am hoping it is a new camera body. Or, if it is a replacement for the 5DIII, I hope they have worked out a pretty nifty way to bin pixels to get a ~26 MP equivalent with better sensor performance. Honestly, I can see a new entrant just based on price points:

  • 1DX Mk II: $6,000 - $7,000
  • 5Ds: $4,000 - $5,000
  • 5DIV: $3,000 - $3,500
  • 6D Mk II: $1,500-$2,200


Of course, part of that includes how Canon sees the market evolving. Could be that prices fall and the 5Ds/5DIV get merged into the ~$3k price point.

We'll see. While I am interested, I am still very happily shooting my 5DIII.