Quote Originally Posted by Kayaker72 View Post
R1 is pretty clearly aimed at sports. The "5" series has been events, even though I think Canon is broadening out the R5 in part to compete with other brands.
That’s been the case since the 1D and 1Ds lines were merged in 2012. The 1D X took a small step down in resolution from the 1Ds III while maintaining the speed of the 1D IV with a FF sensor. The 5DIII took over from the 1Ds III, and a few years later there was a 5Ds. There will likely be an R5s at some point, as well.

Objectively, Canon’s strategy has been successful. Good, affordable entry level bodies with the brand people see in the hands of pros. Not sure why some people think Canon should change their strategy now. The market has changed dramatically both in terms of the type and number of cameras sold over the past decade, and Canon has continued to lead the market with their market share unchanged even as Nikon lost a lot of customers to Sony.

The initial feedback on R1 performance is excellent, which is completely unsurprising. Canon knows how to meet the needs of the pros that use 1-series cameras.