I can't wait to see whats install for the 40D and the 6D! I hope to see the dust reduction system, and digic III in both these cameras, As well as sealing on the 6D (Or a 3D).
The person is taking a small amount of information and speculating. Quite intelligently, I believe, but still speculating.
We do know that the DIGIC3 chip contains certain capabilities pertinent to P/S cameras. We have no clue whether it does or does not also contain capabilities pertinent to DSLRs.
JRMDC wrote:
The person is taking a small amount of information and speculating. Quite intelligently, I believe, but still speculating.
We do know that the DIGIC3 chip contains certain capabilities pertinent to P/S cameras. We have no clue whether it does or does not also contain capabilities pertinent to DSLRs.
I doubt that Canon would use the name Digic 3 if they did not intend to use it across their entire line, from P/S through Series 1 (or its replacements) SLRs.
Instead I think they would have identified it as "Digic 2 compact" or some such name. Why use a nane that should be reserved for the most recent developments in your lower end cameras? It was my understanding that Canon has always put its most advanced features and technology in the most expensive models (Series 1 and even into the 20-30D and 5D bodies). Just my two cents.
gavlon wrote:
I don't think Canon will announce any new lens or DSLR's at Photokina, I think we'll have to wait till Spring. Bring on the Triple rebates.
I guess I would rather wait and get a really amazing camera over a rushed out one but I would be really disappointed if something doesn't come out since I have been waiting...I guess I can always buy more L lenses.
I also don't think Canon will be releasing any more cameras this fall. I just got this email:
You received this e-mail because you registered with the Canon USA Digital
Camera SDK program. If you do not wish to receive any further notifications
from us, please reply to this e-mail and type “Unsubscribe” in the subject
line.
Canon Digital Camera Software Development Kit Status Update
September 14, 2006
On August 24th 2006, Canon announced the following new digital cameras:
Model Resolution Availability Estimated Selling Price*
EOS Digital Rebel XTi 10.1 MP Current $899 (with zoom
lens)
PowerShot A710 IS 7.1 MP End of Sept. $399.99
PowerShot A640 10.0 MP Current $399.99
PowerShot A630 8.0 MP Current $299.99
This was followed up on September 14th, 2006 with the introduction of 4
additional PowerShot models:
Model Resolution Availability Estimated Selling Price*
PowerShot G7 10.0 MP End of October $599.99
PowerShot SD900 10.0 MP October $499.99
PowerShot SD800 IS 7.1 MP October $399.99
PowerShot SD40 7.1 MP October $349.99
*Actual selling prices are set by dealers and may vary.
Additional product information for these new models and all other current
models is available on our web site:
We would like to share with you, our registered SDK developers, the status
of SDK support for the new models.
• The EOS Digital Rebel XTi will be supported by new versions of the
ED-SDK for Windows and Macintosh computers. The release date has not been
finalized, but we are expecting the new SDKs to be available in Q4, if not
sooner.
• The PowerShot A640 and the PowerShot G7 will be supported by a new
version of the PS-ReC SDK when it is released. The exact release date of
the next PS-ReC SDK has not been finalized, but we are expecting it in
December. The next version of the PS-ReC SDK is expected to support remote
control and video out for the A640 and G7 in addition to the S80, S3 IS and
A620.
• SDK support will not be provided for the A710 IS, A630, or any of the
new Digital ELPH models.
Inventories of the PowerShot A620 and S80 have sold out, so the S3 IS is
the only current PowerShot model that is supported by an SDK and is
currently available for purchase through authorized dealers.
Going forward, Canon Inc. informs us that they plan to limit SDK support
for future PowerShots to the top-of-the-line A-series model and higher
models excluding the Digital ELPH series. We do not expect any further
versions of the CD-SDK. As always, registered developers will be informed
as new SDKs become available.
Remote Capture Usage Survey Update
Last but not least, thanks to the registered developers who answered our
survey questions in July and August. We received approximately 150
responses, which were forwarded to Canon Inc. in Japan for consideration.
We will inform you of their response when we receive it.
Best Regards,
Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Digital Camera Developer Relations Program ...Show more →
I think if they were releasing more cameras, they'd most likey hold off on the SDK update announcement until they were all released or after Photokina.
Kamil,
thank you for sharing that e-mail. It's sad to contemplate a "legend" free photokina, but what you've posted is likely the first factual information this thread has seen, and it all points to no new cameras!
Oh well,
cheers,
john
geez, that sucks. I think all signs point to a new series of great DSLR's in the future, but it sure looks like that will be later rather than sooner. I will still be astonished if the 30D is supposed to compete for market share with a new breed of midrange DSLR's, including the 400D. IMHO, as of right now the 400D is too close in capability to the 30D. I assume Canon knows that, but my guess is that the 40D will one day be superior enough to distinguish itself - or it will never exist and the 5D will be the midrange camera.
kisielk wrote:
timbop: I can't imagine Canon having only one EF-S body in their lineup. I'm sure there will be a 30D successor.
hmmm, forgot about that. OK, so one day there will be a 30D replacement with great performance at even higher ISO, brighter viewfinder, and better AF. I feel happy now!
Just looking at pixel throughput numbers of current DIGIC II designs, one can conclude that, with a DIGIC II based 1Ds Mk II pushing 17.2 x 4 = 69 mpixel/second, a 40D with 10.5 mpixel and 5 fps doesn't need DIGIC III for speed. (I'm using sensor mpixels here, not effective.) Nor does a 3D/6D with, say, 12.4 mpixel and 5 fps.
But, and I'm very much out on a limb here, I would not be surprised if Canon is speedbinning the DIGIC line so that only the highest clockable chips are picked to go into the low volume Mark II series. If this is a valid assumption, then you have a very good reason to go to DIGIC III: yields. DIGIC II more than 2 years old now.
Think not only gimmicks like facial recognition with DIGIC III, also think cost reduction, power use reduction and increased processing power that comes along with a move to a smaller litho process. From the 250 nm to the 180 node, or perhaps even from 180 nm to 130 nm.
Just looking at pixel throughput numbers of current DIGIC II designs, one can conclude that, with a DIGIC II based 1Ds Mk II pushing 17.2 x 4 = 69 mpixel/second, a 40D with 10.5 mpixel and 5 fps doesn't need DIGIC III for speed. (I'm using sensor mpixels here, not effective.) Nor does a 3D/6D with, say, 12.4 mpixel and 5 fps.
But, and I'm very much out on a limb here, I would not be surprised if Canon is speedbinning the DIGIC line so that only the highest clockable chips are picked to go into the low volume Mark II series. If this is a valid assumption, then you have a very good reason to go to DIGIC III: yields. DIGIC II more than 2 years old now.
Think not only gimmicks like facial recognition with DIGIC III, also think cost reduction, power use reduction and increased processing power that comes along with a move to a smaller litho process. From the 250 nm to the 180 node, or perhaps even from 180 nm to 130 nm. ...Show more →
I thought they effectively doubled up the DIGICII on the 1DII and the 1DsII?
So you get twice as much throughput.
DIGICIII should presumably do about as well as those without the doubling - so a 40D would have around the same processing power available to it as the 1DII.
Regards,
DaveMart
Digic III on a 1Ds II would turn it into a sports camera, and reduce the value of my 1Ds II down to pan.
I suppose technology has a habit of improving so quickly that each step forward is bigger than the last, and a bit like computers the value of the previous model just goes through the floor as improvements are made.
I'm going to be very careful about future purchases, I can see a whole load of money being lost on these newer cameras!
According to the press release that accompanied the Powershot G7:
[...] Complementing DIGIC III's performance, the camera features the same DDR-SDRAM used in professional EOS cameras – raising the data throughput rate substantially. [...]
So they use DDR SDRAM on the Mark II series and, presumably, used SDR SDRAM on everything up to the 30D and 5D. Or they could have used a dual channel buffer on the Mark II series, which doesn't quite make it DDR SDRAM, but it's close enough in PR/marketing terms. Both effectively Double the Data Rate.
A 5D needs 12.8x3 = 38.4 mpixel/second and a 30D 8.5x5 = 42.5. A 1DsII will not quite double this, but do two thirds more at 69 mpixel/second. Interestingly, that hints/suggests that a hypothetical 1D Mk III could do 22.5 mpixel at 4 fps with the current DIGIC II limit times two.
Please note that these number are a bit deceptive. You can't say that the megapixels per second, times the bit-depth, times 3, is the buffer speed per se. DIGIC can do smart I/O stuff like reading RAW from the buffer and writing back a JPG into the buffer to free space while bursting in JPG mode, so it's not that straightforward.
[edit 1] Erhmmm. What I forgot in the above, is that there is no detailed information on the link between DIGIC processing power and DIGIC bandwidth. As with computers, bandwidth overkill will not dramatically help performance, nor will increased processing power be of any use without additional I/O power.
So all the bandwidth speculation leaves the other half of the equation unknown. I would assume that DIGIC comes in different clockspeeds. Enter the speedbinning (again) that Canon is likely to do in the production process: Low clocking chips go into digicompacts, specimens that can be clocked to high speeds go into the camera's that need the power. This can be another explanation why we see DIGIC III in compacts first: Yields on high clocking chips are low when the production is new.
[edit 2]Given the fact that DIGIC III has the power to recognize faces, and track up to nine of them, it's a pretty safe bet that DIGIC III has quite a bit of (potential) horsepower. From the same press release:
Technologies Explained
DIGIC III
Canon’s DIGIC III (DIGital Imaging Core) image processor manages all of the camera’s primary functions to optimize operating efficiency. Advanced image processing algorithms deliver superb image detail and colour reproduction with accurate white balance. Key improvements over DIGIC II include markedly faster response times, advanced Noise Reduction Technology and support for Canon's Face Detection AF/AE technology. DIGIC III also enables the PowerShot G7 to support DDR-SDRAM, effectively doubling data throughput rates for even faster performance.
Edited by Tentacle on Sep 15, 2006 at 11:00 AM GMT
kisielk wrote:
timbop: I can't imagine Canon having only one EF-S body in their lineup. I'm sure there will be a 30D successor.
Canon as officially stated that in a not so far away future their DSLR lineup will be made up entirely of FF cameras, with the entry level body being the only exception.
Erhmmm. 
What I forgot in the above, is that there is no detailed information on the link between DIGIC processing power and DIGIC bandwidth. As with computers, bandwidth overkill will not dramatically help performance, nor will increased processing power be of any use without additional I/O power.