5DS Coming this Spring!?

[Anthony M]

Wow, if true they sure slipped that one in. We'll know this Friday they say. Color me surprised. Not Bryan and Sean I'm sure!

Does anybody think that the ISO 100-6400 (extended with ISO50 and 12800) spec is a little lower than we'd hoped? I know that the fear was a 53MP sensor would be noisy but that's sounding a bit like confirmation. Other than that, 61 AF points, Dual DIGIC 6, 252 zone TTL metering - yummy! I can hardly wait to see some samples from Bryan!

So who's going to plunk down some serious Benjamin's on this one?

[HDNitehawk]

I expected higher ISO available as a marketing ploy, but I do not care. I would only shoot at higher ISO's than that if I am trying to see something in the dark. I have used my camera before and after dark to make out what is passing my blind. For most everything I am capturing a image to keep though ISO 3200 is about the limit.

So to me it matters not.

I expect this body to be as noisy as the 7D II. If it is better it is a plus.

[Anthony M]

I expected higher ISO available as a marketing ploy...

Gasp! Canon? Marketing ploy? Say it ain't so Joe!

Regardless, it looks like us Canon shooters are going to be running out of things to complain about pretty soon!

[DavidEccleston]

We've still got shadow noise and low-ISO noise levels to complain about... And, prices. We'll always be able to complain about prices!

[conropl]

For most everything I am capturing a image to keep though ISO 3200 is about the limit.

This true for me as well, but that is only because that seems to be the limit to what I want to tolerate in noise. If I could get cleaner pictures above that, then I would use higher ISO's for night shots (which I like to do). The problem I see with the ISO spec is that it is lower; and therefore, am I to assume that the highest limit that I am willing to tolerate the noise level is now going to be lower than ISO 3200? The highest setting on the camera is not my gauge other than as an indicator of the highest ISO I am willing to tolerate. In other words, as the highest set point allowable goes down, then typically so does the highest ISO setting that I am willing to use.

The Nikon D800E drew a lot of landscape photographers (this includes a lot of high end armatures) away from canon. I am not debating numbers or saying they were right or wrong, but there seemed to be a shift (especially early on). I thought this camera was Canons answer for the landscape photographer... except then you look at the ISO spec and it makes you pause. Most landscapes are going to be at low ISO, and this is great for that. However, the high ISO cameras out there are creating a shift in landscape photography towards more night time shots. I am not saying it is the majority of peoples shots, but it is turning into another arrow in the landscape photographers quiver - one I do not think many want to lose. Will Canon's new high pixel camera be good for golden hour and daytime landscapes - Yes. But will it be a good night time camera - Doubtful. Given the later, it will probably be to be difficult to satisfy the higher end landscape users. As for those that were lost to the lures of the D800E... this camera is not likely a compelling reason to switch back and lose capability at high ISO.

If this was geared towards the landscape photographer, then this seems to be a fail unless Canon has shifted their interpretation on what is a usable ISO setting.

The other nice use for this camera would be wildlife, and either cropping heavily or printing large. This camera sounds like a nice fit, but then again we see the usable ISO seems to have been lowered. You need fast shutter speeds for those long lenses to get good detail for printing large or heavy cropping. When you are shooting in the shadows, morning/evening, or overcast days; then you need good clean high ISO's to get the fast shutter speeds (1/1000 sec or fast would be ideal). Again, this would seem to fall a little short for that purpose as well.

I guess we will see what there intent is soon.

Pat

[Kayaker72]

Agreed...the max ISO 6400 rumor probably stands out most other than the 53 MP. I am not sure what it means yet. I am hopeful that Canon is breaking with their past and the max ISO is actually usable. It actually doesn't make sense to me otherwise. The 7DII has a max ISO of 16000. The rumored 5Ds has the essentially the same pixel density. Why would ISO go backwards in ISO performance with the same pixel density? The closest answer I have seen to this is that they are enhancing the bayer filter to get better color rendition. But that costing 1.3 stops of light? Also, there has been talk/rumors of Canon finally putting their analog/digital converters on chip rather than off, which is supposed to reduce the noise.

So, hopefully on Friday, we'll at least get some glimpses of IQ in sample images. Then, hopefully we'll see in about a month when Bryan (and maybe Rick) get their hands on the camera.

I can see the advantages if this camera ends up being very good. My biggest issue is that the 5DIII is excellent for the vast majority of what I shoot. I am actually considering being "done" for awhile in the gear department (well, maybe one more lens ) and focusing any photography investment in courses, trips, etc.

[HDNitehawk]

Pat, I see this body as being limited use (acceptable use anyway) just as the 7D II is.
It will be a specialty tool that either fits your specialty or handicaps you if you try to use it as a general body.

You will not be able to go as high with the ISO because of noise. Sunsets and Sunrise it will be fine on a tripod. At night at the local club or play it will be weak. If you need higher ISO's it will not be the camera for you. During the day for still wildlife it will be fine, but your day will end a bit sooner and start a bit later because of loss of light. None of these are issues with me since I have multiple bodies and one of the others will perform better in those situations.

One thing I hope to see;

In crop mode it would be nice if at 1.3x the body could do 7 or 8 fps. It would make it a bit more versatile.

[conropl]

...the max ISO 6400 rumor probably stands out most other than the 53 MP. I am not sure what it means yet. I am hopeful that Canon is breaking with their past and the max ISO is actually usable. It actually doesn't make sense to me otherwise. The 7DII has a max ISO of 16000. The rumored 5Ds has the essentially the same pixel density. Why would ISO go backwards in ISO performance with the same pixel density? The closest answer I have seen to this is that they are enhancing the bayer filter to get better color rendition. But that costing 1.3 stops of light? Also, there has been talk/rumors of Canon finally putting their analog/digital converters on chip rather than off, which is supposed to reduce the noise.

Just a little mussing... nothing technically researched, but:
Given the much higher pixel count over the 7DII, I would assume there is more heat generated (creating more noise) which may also limit the usable ISO. Yes, it has more surface area to lose heat, but I would assume the heat generation is at a greater rate that the cooling rate. My simplistic analogy: Stick 20 people in a 10'X10" room and it is going to get stuffy... put 50 people in a 16'X16' room and it is going to to get hot (and unbearable). So unless they add active cooling to the sensor, then I would assume the noise would go up.

Pat

[Kayaker72]

There could be something there. In each case, each person/MP has 0.2 sq ft of space. So, the density is the same and I would expect similar heat per unit area. But the total heat would be more. To keep with the analogy, where I could see issues is if there is only 1 or 2 exits and someone pulls a fire alarm. Then instead of 20 people rushing through 1-2 exits you have 50. Granted, I do not know how many exits there are (AD converters). But, I can imagine that having more exits and putting them closer (i.e. "on chip") would be better.

[peety3]

ISO-wise, we had the same thing with the 1Ds3 (and perhaps others, but I'm too lazy to look it up). The 1D3 offers ISO 100-3200 with expansion L and H (6400). The 1Ds3 offers ISO 100-1600 with expansion L and H (3200).