I see the new Poweshots announced (http://www.dpreview.com/news/0609/06091403_canon_sd800is.asp) include Digic III. Sorry if this isn't news, haven't really been keeping up with the rumor thread, but this is the first I've heard of digic III that wasn't a rumor.
Three new DIGIC III cameras and a 10MP G7. DSLR changes are coming and I suspect they are going to be significant. Can't have the lowend of the line with higher tech specs than the class above it for too long - the marketing departent would all die from hyperventilating if they did.
On second thought, perhaps this is Canon's way of reducing its workforce without having to go to layoffs. Sort of like Amtrack giving employees that they want to let go free train tickets instead.
the point and shoots with DIGIC III somewhat smells of a rolling change to me... maybe on the basis of streamlining production they will release new bodies.
Okay, after lurking for ages, my first post at this forum:
Can't have the lowend of the line with higher tech specs than the class above it for too long - the marketing departent would all die from hyperventilating if they did.
Have you seen what they did to the Canon Powershot G7 ?
- No fast f/2 - f/3 lens anymore, but f/2.8-f/4.8
- No Tilt & Swivel LCD anymore
- No power saving top LCD anymore
- No CF anymore
- Lower capacity NB-2LH instead of the BP511A (750 vs 1390 mAh)
- No RAW option anymore...
Each separately may be a delicate incision with a scalpel, together it still looks like slaughter.
Then again, the old G3 and G5 were in the price bracket (US$ 800 intro price) that the 400D body is in now. So, understandably, Canon neuters the G-series.
"Canon’s new DIGIC III image processor drives improved responsiveness and colour rendering along with increased noise reduction, extending the camera's ISO range to ISO 1600."
If you combine that with the 400D having the same noise with 10megapixels as 8, the new cameras coming up could have much better higher ISO noise profiles.
How are you going to keep a nice distance between the 400D and the 30D successor, the 40D?
What is it that will make the potential customer cough up more cash for a 40D, rather then settling for a 400D? Megapixel count is expected to be the same. That takes out that big selling point. Well, increased processing speed, improved detail and better noise reduction, that would possibly do it.
Tentacle wrote:
How are you going to keep a nice distance between the 400D and the 30D successor, the 40D?
What is it that will make the potential customer cough up more cash for a 40D, rather then settling for a 400D? Megapixel count is expected to be the same. That takes out that big selling point. Well, increased processing speed, improved detail and better noise reduction, that would possibly do it.
DIGIC III will enable more functionality—like face detection; along with the ability to process more images in less time.
DIGIC III will enable more functionality—like face detection;
Erhhmm. I don't think the face detection stuff will work on a dSLR, except perhaps if you also have live preview. Otherwise, how can it detect faces? And even then, AF points are fixed, so knowing where up to 9 faces are is going to be useless if they are not exactly at AF sensor sites. How else will the camera be able to try to get all of them sufficiently sharp?
I think he may be off a bit, but if I understand correctly the DIGIC does the A to D conversion as well as JPEG conversion. It also writes directly to the camera buffer, which using the DIGIC 3 can now consist of faster RAM.
The point about the face recognition and noise reduction algo's not being necessary make sense. I agree with the others who see DIGIC 2 vs. DIGIC 3 being the differentiator between 400D and the who-knows-when-it-will-be-released 40D.
I don't think the face detection stuff will work on a dSLR, except perhaps if you also have live preview. Otherwise, how can it detect faces? And even then, AF points are fixed, so knowing where up to 9 faces are is going to be useless if they are not exactly at AF sensor sites. How else will the camera be able to try to get all of them sufficiently sharp?