Rumor: Canon Mirrorless CSC is Coming - What Will It Mean for Micro 4/3 Users?

Amin Sabet · #1 June 26th, 2012, 05:00 AM

According to CanonRumors, Canon will be announcing a new mirrorless system and a few lenses on July 24, 2012. What will the Canon system mean for Micro 4/3 users?

While the Canon mirrorless CSC will almost certainly compete against Micro 4/3 cameras, I think it will overall benefit the Micro 4/3 system by validating the 4/3 sensor size. Assuming it uses the 1.5" sensor format from the G1X, Canon's CSC sensor will be only a bit larger than 4/3, much closer to 4/3 than to APS-C. Crop factors for Micro 4/3, Canon CSC, and Sony NEX would be 2X, 1.85X, and 1.5X respectively.

What this means is that if a third party lensmaker like Sigma or Tamron were to design a lens for a Canon CSC, that lens would cover only very slightly more than the 4/3 frame and should be easy to adapt to our system. Currently, a third party lensmaker has to decide between designing a lens for Micro 4/3 and designing a lens for APS-C that can be used on Micro 4/3. Sigma chose to develop for Sony NEX, and we ended up with somewhat odd focal lengths (19mm and 30mm) and larger, heavier lenses than we require.

Consider the rumor that Tamron is going to announce an 18-200mm lens for Micro 4/3. That's a 27-300mm equivalent zoom for Sony NEX, likely adapted by Tamron to serve as a 36-400mm equivalent zoom for Micro 4/3. On the other hand, if Tamron were looking to create a 27-300mm equivalent zoom for Canon's mirrorless system, it would be a 29-324mm equivalent for Micro 4/3.

It's one thing for a company to invest in creating lenses for APS-C rather than Micro 4/3. It's another to invest in Sony NEX and Samsung NX rather than Micro 4/3 and Canon. I think we'll see a boom in 3rd party lens options for Micro 4/3 if Canon commits to the G1X format size.

Source: CanonRumors via 1001NoisyCameras

Bhupinder2002 · #2 June 26th, 2012, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amin Sabet

According to CanonRumors, Canon will be announcing a new mirrorless system and a few lenses on July 24, 2012. What will the Canon system mean for Micro 4/3 users?

While the Canon mirrorless CSC will almost certainly compete against Micro 4/3 cameras, I think it will overall benefit the Micro 4/3 system by validating the 4/3 sensor size. Assuming it uses the 1.5" sensor format from the G1X, Canon's CSC sensor will be only a bit larger than 4/3, much closer to 4/3 than to APS-C. Crop factors for Micro 4/3, Canon CSC, and Sony NEX would be 2X, 1.85X, and 1.5X respectively.

What this means is that if a third party lensmaker like Sigma or Tamron were to design a lens for a Canon CSC, that lens would cover only very slightly more than the 4/3 frame and should be easy to adapt to our system. Currently, a third party lensmaker has to decide between designing a lens for Micro 4/3 and designing a lens for APS-C that can be used on Micro 4/3. Sigma chose to develop for Sony NEX, and we ended up with somewhat odd focal lengths (19mm and 30mm) and larger, heavier lenses than we require.

Consider the rumor that Tamron is going to announce an 18-200mm lens for Micro 4/3. That's a 27-300mm equivalent zoom for Sony NEX, likely adapted by Tamron to serve as a 36-400mm equivalent zoom for Micro 4/3. On the other hand, if Tamron were looking to create a 27-300mm equivalent zoom for Canon's mirrorless system, it would be a 29-324mm equivalent for Micro 4/3.

It's one thing for a company to invest in creating lenses for APS-C rather than Micro 4/3. It's another to invest in Sony NEX and Samsung NX rather than Micro 4/3 and Canon. I think we'll see a boom in 3rd party lens options for Micro 4/3 if Canon commits to the G1X format size.

Source: CanonRumors via 1001NoisyCameras

Thanks a lot or info Amin but I think it won't affect us by and large . The whole idea of MFT was to have a portable package in a small size. If canon offers small lenses only then its gonna be useful otherwise its the same NEX kind of story. MFT has touching new heights and some more competition means Panny and Oly will have to be more innovative and competitive as well .Moreover OMD is up there with many APSC sized sensors as far as performance is concerned so I dont hope Canon will offer something better than that. Anyhow it will be very nice to have some more toys to play with . As you said if we have more smaller lens for Canon system from third party then that means more fun for us.
Cheers
Bhupinder

Uwharrie · #3 June 26th, 2012, 05:41 AM

I may be glad I waited on getting the OMD.

dhazeghi · #4 June 26th, 2012, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amin Sabet

It's one thing for a company to invest in creating lenses for APS-C rather than Micro 4/3. It's another to invest in Sony NEX and Samsung NX rather than Micro 4/3 and Canon. I think we'll see a boom in 3rd party lens options for Micro 4/3 if Canon commits to the G1X format size.

Very true. And even those lenses that don't come to m4/3 will act as a form of price competition, as will (hopefully) the bodies. Canon has usually been aggressive about pricing, so I think we'll see soon just how inexpensive mirrorless cameras are to produce, compared to DSLRs.

DH

meyerweb · #5 June 26th, 2012, 07:14 AM

I think there are potentially multiple sides to this coin (to mix a really poor metaphor). Heck, why not mix in another metaphor while I'm at it:

On the one hand, as Amin suggests, there's a good chance it will result in more m43 compatible lenses and price competition in lenses. And it could force Olympus and Panasonic to up their game and bring out even more competitive cameras. Panasonic has already acknowledged that need. That's good.

OTOH, Canon's name recognition, market position, and marketing budget could, if they do the camera right, marginalize Olympus and Panasonic. Canon has a presence in every camera store, big box store, discounter, warehouse club and mail order electronics vendor in America (and maybe the world). Olympus is barely visible in most of those locations, and people think of TVs and phones when they hear Panasonic. I suspect Canon can spend more in a week to advertise their mirrorless than Panasonic spends in a year.

But on the gripping hand (Science Fiction reference, there: see Larry Niven), Canon's presence could validate the mirrorless concept, and make people more aware of the genre, and actually help PanOly sales even if their share of the market drops.

But on the final hand, if Canon doesn't do a good job (and if the Rebel T4i / EOS 650 live view AF performance is a guide, they may not), and people try Canon's mirrorless and find it lacking, it could tarnish the whole mirrorless segment. "Oh, I tried one of those mirrorless cameras. AF really sucked. I'm sticking to DSLRs from now on."

Just too many unknowns to predict anything right now.

timallenphoto · #6 June 26th, 2012, 08:02 AM

As long as they don't screw up like Nikon (and I don't think they will) then I would bet they'll be outselling M4/3 hugely, and quickly. Olympus and Panasonic released far too many similar models in a short space of time which confuses and annoys people and Canon is still a far bigger brand than either of them.

JJJPhoto · #7 June 26th, 2012, 08:28 AM

It's Canon. Even if a Canon-branded CSC is a piece of junk it will have decent sales because it is a Canon. I'm not hating on Canon for that ... I'm just acknowledging a simple truth in the camera market.

What that means for m4/3 is another system is going to be competing for some of the same customers. I agree that it will probably make life easier for 3rd party lens makers to build lenses for the m4/3 mount (since they will CERTAINLY make lenses for anything with the word "Canon" on it and the Canon CSC will likely have a similar sensor size to m4/3.

I would only be concerned about a severely negative impact to m4/3 if Canon comes out swinging ... meaning they deliver a "serious" CSC with a commitment to "serious" features and a wide range of high quality (fast aperture) lenses.

If the Canon CSC is essentially just a Canon version of the Nikon V1 with better looks and a larger sensor then m4/3 will still have the dominant position in the market for serious photographers who want a compact camera.

If Canon delivers a great system for serious amateurs (and even some professionals) then I suspect most people who don't already own m4/3 gear will probably be more likely to buy the camera with the Canon logo on it.

With_Eyes_Unclouded · #8 June 26th, 2012, 09:13 AM

Good points about lenses Amin.

Haven't thought about it this way, but it makes sense.

I'm with Thom Hogan (Welcome to sans Mirror | Sans Mirror â€” mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras | Thom Hogan) in that, it seems, things have started to settle down concerning major sensor sizes available today. As he notes in this article: Sensor Sizes Redux | Sans Mirror â€” mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras | Thom Hogan :

Quote:

As I pointed out in my article on picking a size, these sensor sizes are all about a stop apart (and the crop ratios look like the inverse of an f/stop progression because of that: 2.7x, 2x, 1.5x, 1x isn't all that different from f/2.8, f/2, f/1.4, and f/1, is it?).

He refers to 1" (Nikon/Sony),

/G1X, APS-C, FF sensors. There is also a whole other discussion about technology for mobile phone sensors, but it doesn't concern us here. But it WILL concern us in the future, I think, because of new technologies developed for them. At this point, it's evident to me that Nikon didn't exactly "srew up" with the 1 series. They just chose an "appropriate" format to introduce themselves into the mirrorless market; and the V1 has its place there.

Speaking specifically for Canon, at this point they are just testing the waters I believe. Their main audience shall be Canon DSLR users in need of a smaller/mobile system that is compatible with EOS. I'm 100% positive they'll offer EF/EFS lens compatibility (same as Nikon did). The G1X fell short in that department.

I have no doubt the Canon mirrorless camera will be succesful. But, at this point, I don't see it making a dent at

for non-Canon users. They'll need probably around a year to come up with an adequate collection of native (read: small and full performance) lenses for the proprietary mount. Also I'm not that confident about their sensor performance. The 650D was not exactly a revelation at that.

And it's most probably good news about third party lenses as Amin points out. This is a major thing missing from

.

What I'd like to see as a response from Olympus and Panasonic during the next 12 months:

Full "pro level" body

A new "high tech" sensor (FOVEON type, non Bayer-type, or similar designs, already introduced as patents)

Advancements in AF speed/accuracy, like PD-AF in-sensor, motion sensing AF, etc

A collection of native lenses, some of them already announced, to complete the system

jloden · #9 June 26th, 2012, 09:14 AM

Very interesting development... my initial reaction is that I suspect this will be much like Sony NEX; it will develop its own following, and will likely have certain technological advantages. However, I think the main advantage to Micro Four Thirds is the multiple manufacturers and open standard rather than necessarily the "best" technology. Look at the native lens choices we have compared to Sony NEX for example - a bigger/better sensor only means so much without the glass in front of it. Not only that, but with the open standard you can buy from any MFT manufacturer with the assurance that a lens will work 100% on your camera body. That's a big deal to me when you compare that with other systems.

If Canon comes up with its own format then they're starting from scratch. They have the juggernaut power in the industry to maybe get away with that to a point, but I think MFT will retain the same strengths here as it has compared with other systems.

rparmar · #10 June 26th, 2012, 10:17 AM

Canon must be my least favourite camera manufacturer. They just never seem to get anything right. I doubt this will be any different: too big, too expensive, too late. But I guess we shall see.