The DPreview forums are currently providing the latest bit of information about the Canon EOS 5D succession. The EOS 5D is dead, long live the… EOS 7D and EOS 5D MkII. The first would be for a low cost option (around $2000 – I told you that this low price point would be critical in the battle of the Full Frame cameras in 2008-09), the second would be staying up against the Nikon D700 and replace honorably the original Canon EOS 5D. Or it would be a set of Canon EOS 3D and Canon EOS 7D…

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Canon EOS 7D

Anyway, do not expect to get any reliable information now. Canon has put under NDA (Non Disclosure Agreement) all press representative and has provided the pre-production cameras for the initial hands-on reviews to pop up everywhere when the embargo is lifted.

This is exactly the reason why  we no longer have any information about the upcoming Sony Alpha 900 which will be fighting in exactly the same market. Possibly with exactly the same weapons (two cameras to simultaneously cover both the $2000 and $3000 ranges).

Currently, there are two groups of rumours running through the Internet forums about the future successor to the Canon EOS 5D digital SLR camera.

1. There will be two cameras at the same time (either Canon EOS 3D and Canon EOS 6D, or Canon EOS 3D and Canon EOS 7D) launched just before the Olympics (to allow pro photographers to publicly play with them during this very public event).
2. There will be two cameras at the same time (either Canon EOS 3D and Canon EOS 6D, or Canon EOS 3D and Canon EOS 7D) launched after the Olympics (usually pronosticated for Monday, September 8, 2008).

Did you notice the common points and the divergence?

Unfortunately, it is rather impossible to say where is the information and where is the fake news bit.

It’s amazing the number of unfounded rumours flowing currently about the future replacement of the Canon EOS 5D camera, a nice Full Frame digital SLR from the market leader. It seems that Canon has put a tight cover on all information, it is quite probable that an announcement will be made on 24th of January (but will it be a replacement for the 5D or for the smaller 400D/Rebel Xti?), and people start creating rumours just for fun.

Recently, I noticed the information about the sensor size of the future 6D or EOS 5D mk II (just in January):

• 12 MP (unchanged from EOS 5D)
• 16 MP
• 18 MP
• 24 MP

Either, Canon invented the technology to reconfigure the sensor size on-the-fly, or the vast majority of these guesstimates are plain wrong…