The Canon EOS R8
First up, let’s examine the current whispers regarding this highly anticipated new entrant into the EOS R series cameras.
The R8 is suspected to be launched during the CP+ show in Japan to be held between February 23rd and 26th. Though not much is currently known about the R8, we can deduce from the rumors that a 24-MP sensor will power the EOS R8, making the R8 quite similar to the EOS R10 in terms of resolution. However, there are sure to be other exciting variations that are unknown to us at this time.
The EOS R50
The EOS M50 has been a successful camera for vloggers and social media enthusiasts. As Canon seems to be focusing all its energy and attention on the RF mount, they have decided to bring forth a replacement for this camera in the RF series. The new camera will be named the EOS RF 50 and we can deduce that this will be a direct replacement for the EOS M50 II, which has enjoyed a good fan following.
The recently discontinued EOS M10 was the cheapest mirrorless camera sold by Canon and the EOS M200 is the cheapest camera and lens package in the mirrorless segment. On the other hand, the cheapest mirrorless R-mount camera that Canon sells is the EOS R10. We’re hoping that when Canon launches the EOS R50 it will come at a lower price than the EOS R10. Why do we suspect this is a possibility? Because the EOS M50 currently sells at a lower price than the EOS R10. As per Canon’s typical naming convention, the R50 should be more affordable. However, that’s only speculation; we can only wait and see what happens.
If the EOS R 50 does come in 2023 (it’s rumored to be launched sometime in February, so we could expect that can happen during the CP+ show in Japan), we’ll be very interested to see what technological changes Canon implements in this updated model. This is one of the most popular vlogging cameras and is loved by professional YouTubers and other social media users. So, we’ll see if Canon keeps the same mix of features or tinkers with the formula to make it more alluring for a wider spectrum of users.
Canon R5 Mark II
The Canon R6 and the R5 have been game-changers for Canon users. Both these cameras have enjoyed a dedicated fan following among users looking for a Canon camera that can shoot both stunning stills and 4K 10-bit internal video.
Within just over two years of the EOS R6 dropping, Canon launched its successor, the EOS R6 II. With improved sensor resolution and a host of refinements, the EOS R6 is a worthy successor to the EOS R6. This gives us an inkling that the R5 is due for an update soon. It could even be within the next few months or at least in 2023 that Canon decides to upgrade its other mirrorless behemoth, the EOS R5.
With the EOS R6 II, we have seen an improvement in both the sensor’s resolution and the camera’s video capabilities. The EOS R5 II can also improve in these areas, especially in heat management when shooting at 8K RAW and 4K 120 10-Bit internally. We also don’t like that the R5 currently adds some noise reduction to the RAW files. We hope the R5 Mark II has the option to switch any in-camera processing off at the photographer’s will.
On the other hand, if Canon decides to leave the same 45-MP sensor and stops making serious improvements to the camera, it won’t be easy to put a price hike on the new camera. The EOS R6 and the EOS R6 Mark II are available at a price difference of only a couple of hundred dollars. That makes the EOS R6 II a much better choice for someone looking for a mirrorless full-frame camera that can shoot stunning videos and stills. We’re hoping this will not be the case for the EOS R5 II. The EOS R6 appears a poor choice, given that the new Mark II is just 200 dollars more.
Canon EOS R100
While speculating about the EOS R50, how can we overlook the rumors about another entry-level mirrorless camera for the EOS R mount? I am referring to the EOS R100.
It will be exciting to see where Canon places the EOS R100, considering that the EOS R10 is the cheapest R-series mirrorless camera that they currently sell, and there is a good chance that the EOS R50, when it comes, is going to be placed under the EOS R10 both in terms of features and pricing. At this time, we can only wait and see where the R100 will fall in these rankings.
Canon recently came up with the new RF-S mount and the new RF-S lenses. So far, only two new RF-S lenses have been launched. These are the Canon RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM, and the Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM. With the launch of new cameras using the RF-S mount, we can only expect that more lenses are in the pipeline. So, when the EOS R100 and the EOS R50 come, they should have more dedicated RF-S lenses to pair with. Or perhaps Canon only launches one of the two cameras for the time being.
What are RF-S Lenses?
Let’s quickly look at the RF-S lenses, as this is a new lens mount. Currently, there are only two RF-S lenses in production, and we can only hope that as Canon is launching new APS-C mirrorless cameras using the RF mount, we can see more such lenses in the future.
So what is the RF-S mount? The RF-S mount has been optimized for the smaller image circle of the APS-C sensor-powered RF cameras.
Just like the traditional EF-S lenses have been designed for the smaller image circle of Canon’s APS-C sensor-powered DSLR cameras, such as the Rebel series cameras, the EOS 90D, and the EOS 7D Mark II, so are the RF-S lenses. But for the APS-C RF mount cameras.
Like the EF-S mount has a crop factor, so does the RF-S mount. And the crop factor is 1.6x. When you mount the RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM on a crop camera like the R10, the crop factor will convert the effective focal length to 28.8mm – 240mm, making it a wide-angle and telephoto lens rolled into one.
Ultimate Guides on Lenses:
Prime vs Zoom Lenses (Complete Guide)
The Canon EOS R5S
The Canon R5S is a rumored megapixel behemoth – a camera that’s said to come with a sensor that will offer 100-MP. This rumor isn’t new; we first heard about it around two years ago. For some reason, the rumors haven’t faded, and there was a time in 2022 when everybody thought that the EOS R5S was an immediate possibility. However, this is one camera that has not bloomed and resulted in a physical product. Yet, there are still hopes that the EOS R5S is a possibility, and we’re perhaps going to see a camera very soon wearing that label.
There has been a lot of speculation about this camera. People have mentioned that the Canon EOS R5S will be designed keeping landscape photographers in mind. Some rumor mills have also suggested that the camera will be designed for photographers who shoot high-resolution stills such as products and fashion.
There have also been rumors that Canon plans this to be an even higher resolution camera by utilizing the sensor-shift image stabilization system and conjuring up four times more resolution. If that happens, we can see a camera that can shoot more than 300-MP images, just like the Fujifilm GFX 100, which utilized the pixel-shift image stabilization system and became a 400-MP camera post its firmware update in 2020.
If that happens, this will be a first with Canon cameras. Dedicated Canon users would love this, especially those who have been shooting high-resolution fashion, landscapes, and other genres and wishing for a similar camera from the Canon stable for a long time.
Canon EOS R1
Canon’s current flagship, the EOS R3, is a formidable camera that trades blows with the Nikon Z9. However, one area where the EOS R3 loses out is in resolution. The EOS R3 has a 24-MP sensor, while the Nikon Z9 has a sensor that churns out 45.4-MP. This is one area where the rumored EOS R1 will outsmart the EOS R3 and much of the competition.
It is speculated that an 85-MP global shutter sensor will power the R1. That should practically remove the issues of a rolling shutter from the equation. As per expectations, this camera will be able to shoot at a frame rate of 20 fps using the global shutter, matching the performance of the Nikon Z9. There are further reports that the camera will also be able to fire 21-MP cropped frames, and at that resolution, it would be able to fire more than 40 frames per second.
But the main USP of the EOS R1 will be that this camera will be a pixel behemoth, which means it will be a good choice for landscape and fashion photographers. Any photographer looking for high resolution and lots of details will find the R1 an exciting option. Considering, however, that this model will come with a hefty price tag.
How soon can we expect the R1 to be launched? There have been rumors that the R1 could be launched during the fourth quarter of 2022. However, that time has come and gone. The camera didn’t even launch during the CES 2023, so there is little chance that the first quarter of 2023 will be when the camera gets to see the light of day.
It’s also a reasonable possibility, having launched the EOS R3 recently, that Canon wants to slow down the launch of the EOS R1 to see what feedback the EOS R3 receives. The EOS R3 was launched with several new features, and Canon perhaps wants to see how photographers accept those features before deciding to incorporate/improve them in the EOS R1. Whatever might be the actual result, we’re waiting just like the rest of the Canon enthusiasts.
Nikon Z8
The Nikon Z8 will be the successor to the Nikon Z7 II. With a beefed-up sensor and refined feature list, the Nikon Z8 will become the new champion in the Nikon mirrorless segment. This camera will also beat the current flagship Z9 in sensor resolution.
Rumor mills suggest that this sensor will be a BSI CMOS unit and perform better in low-light situations. Speculation suggests that the camera has a high-resolution mode that can churn out 240-MP images. We assume that this will be done using the sensor-shift image stabilization system. A set of four images will be taken, and then the images will be combined to produce a high-resolution image.
The Z8 may become the high-resolution equivalent of the Sony a7R V and offer a lot of detail for shots that require this. The sensor’s resolution will be perfect for landscape photography and other high-resolution jobs, including fashion photography, product photography, and food photography.
Nikon Z6 III
Nikon Z6 and the Z7 have been game changers and have established Nikon in the mirrorless camera game. When the Z6 II and the Z7 II came in, they further established Nikon’s reputation created by the Mark I’s in this series. We hear rumors about the upcoming Nikon Z6 III.
Now, the Z6 has been losing out to the likes of the Sony a7 IV because of the smaller resolution sensor. There are rumors that Nikon is finally going to address this issue. The new sensor will be at least 30-MP or slightly more than that. This will be a newly designed sensor, as Nikon does not match this resolution.
The camera will inherit many of the features already in the Z9. We also expect that the Z6 III will get revamped subject tracking and a real-time eye-tracking mechanism.
One thing we would have loved to see on the Nikon Z6 III is 10-bit video recorded internally. To record a 10-bit video at this time, you have to use an external recorder. With the increased resolution, there would also be increased heat issues, which must be managed. But more than that, we would love to see the battery life of the Z6 III improve. The Z6 II does not have the best battery life for a mirrorless camera system.
Another area where we would like the Z6 III to make improvements is in the area of autofocus hunting. Especially when you’re making long adjustments, the Z6’s focus can be unreliable.
Nikon Z7 III
The third camera that has been rumored is the upgrade of the other Nikon mirrorless favorite, the Z7 II. We’re referring to the Nikon Z7 III. The Z7 II, despite being a fantastic camera, has some shortcomings. One of those shortcomings is autofocusing accuracy when shooting fast and erratically moving subjects like birds or soccer players. For all that’s good about the Z7 II, it still lacks in this area. There is nothing that can threaten the likes of Sony and even Canon (especially the likes of the Canon EOS R6) in this field, so Nikon needs to step up to catch up.
Another area where we would like to see some improvement in the Z7 III over the Z7 II is the buffer capacity. Between the Z7 II and the Z7 Mark I, the buffer size has improved. The Z7, with its buffer of 23 lossless compressed 12-bit RAW files, wasn’t going to impress anybody. The Z7 II improved that by a mile to 77. Even the JPEG figures were disappointing. The Z7 shot only 25, which has been improved to 200 by the Z7 II. But we would like to see some more improvements in this area.
One of the areas where the Z7 II has somewhat of an advantage is continuous shooting. The Z7 II has a continuous shooting speed of 10 fps. However, you’d have to read the fine print to understand the Z6 II’s advantage is only on paper. At that frame rate, it does not give you continuous autofocusing. Your AF point is fixed at one point, and you don’t get tracking with it. This kind of defeats the continuous autofocusing performance of the camera. If you have the full autofocusing performance, you will need to drop to a continuous shooting speed of 9 fps or less. So the 10 fps shooting speed isn’t going to matter when you’re shooting fast-moving subjects. We want this to change in the Z7 III. Maybe we’re nitpicking, but other brands offer better performance than the Nikon.
Sony A9 III
We love the A9 II and loved it even more when the A1 came out. The A1 offers better resolution than the A9 II and, at the same time, shoots 10 fps using the mechanical shutter. Though, the A9 II has a better buffer and, therefore, more flexibility when shooting wildlife photos. Though the A1 pretends to be a camera that can seemingly do everything, we feel the A9 II is a better choice for fast action, sports, and wildlife, while the A1 is better for high-resolution tasks such as fashion, landscapes, and products. So, what can you expect from the A9 III?
One thing I immediately feel that both the A9 II and the A1 lack, and that kind of limits their attractiveness among professional shooters, is that they don’t have a built-in vertical grip. This is especially notable for the A9 II, as this feature could make it more interesting for discerning action and sports photographers. You can still use a VG-C4EM with the A1, but there is no built-in option. So, we would like to see that feature in the A9 III.
Another thing that we would like to see improved is the video capabilities. Competition like the Nikon Z9 has much better video shooting options, including the option to record 4:2:2 10-bit internally using the H.265 encoding. The A9 II records 4:2:2 8-bit via HDMI, and there is no 10-bit recording option either. This isn’t a significant matter for those who are going to shoot stills with the A9 II. But for those who would be using this as their stills and video camera, the lack of video specs would be a deciding factor. We would like to see some improvements in this regard.
There are some significant limitations regarding the processors powering these two cameras. The BIONZ XR processor is eight times more powerful than the BIONZ X processor. This helps in movie frame processing along with a host of other advantages. Perhaps this is something that can be introduced into the Canon A9 III. But we must wait and see what Canon does with the new camera.
We also have complaints about the touch interface, which we would like to see improved in the new camera if Canon listens to its consumers.
Sony ZV-1 Mark II
The Sony ZV-1 has been a successful vlogging-oriented camera for Sony. With the boom in social media, cameras like the ZV-1 and the Canon EOS M50 have been received well. So an update of the ZV-1 is in line with the times, especially as we’re expecting an update of the EOS M50 (or a move out of the M line and into the RF line for that camera).
The ZV-1 has been a hit with vloggers who love the on-the-go benefits of the camera. There is a minimal learning curve, and that ensures that the camera has a solid fan following. But expectations have risen over the years. One area of anticipated improvement is the smallish battery life of the camera. It’s not unheard of for vloggers to pack 5 to 8 freshly charged batteries when on a trip (especially in cold weather where charged devices lose power faster).
Another important aspect of video recording we don’t see in the current ZV-1 and would like to see in the ZV-1 Mark II is the 4K 60p option. Currently, you can only shoot a maximum of 4K 30p. Many vloggers use this as a second camera, sometimes to shoot BTS time-lapses and for recording B-roll footage. But if this is your primary camera, you may want to have the 4K 60p option.
One more thing that’s probably more subjective than critical at this point is the lens’s focal length. Many vloggers would be happy with the reasonable 24-70mm focal length that the ZV-1 comes with. But others would want to have a slightly wider focal length. An 18mm wide focal length may give them some leverage as a traditional kit lens does for many entry-level cameras. A 24mm lens is sometimes more than enough for shooting selfies and vlogging. But if you’re going to shoot scenes of landscape, use the camera for shooting group shots, or use the ZV-1 as your primary camera for covering an event, a slightly wider focal length helps. At the same time, on the tele-end, the 70mm focal length is too short. For shooting selfies and vlogging, it’s enough. But 70mm is short of the optimum length for everything else. The inability to zoom too close means you must constantly depend on your feet to capture the right angle. We want a wider zoom with the ZV-1 Mark II, if not a slightly longer tele-end.
OM System OM-10
If looking at the trends and understanding them is concerned, we can expect a new OM System OM-10, which will be the rebirth of the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV. We have recently seen that the older Olympus OM-D EM-1 and the Olympus OM-D EM-5 were re-introduced as the OM System OM-1 and OM-5 by the new owners.
Currently, there is not much information about the OM System OM-10 in terms of rumors. But considering the feedback that we have received from our testing team and the lacunae that have been discussed for the OM-D E-M10 Mark IV, we can expect the following changes to be incorporated into the new camera.
Autofocusing is one of the significant aspects of any camera, and the OM-D E-M10 Mark IV has severe issues with shooting fast-action imagery; especially when working in low light or challenging lighting conditions. The issues are not as noticeable in good light, but the focus was routinely off in lousy light, backlit, or other challenging lighting situations. We hope when the OM System OM-10 is released, this aspect of the continuous autofocus and tracking will be taken care of by OM System.
We would also expect that, keeping in line with the recently released OM-1 and the OM-5, when the OM-10 releases OM System will incorporate phase detection autofocusing.
OM System / Olympus PEN F – II
The Olympus line of cameras took everybody by surprise when they rekindled the PEN lineup. This was surprising as the erstwhile Olympus had not launched a new camera in this lineup since 2013. The PEN E-P5 was the last camera launched in this series before this surprising announcement came.
With the PEN F – II announcement, we have speculated that the next in the race is an update of the very popular and highly rated Pen-F.
The PEN-F has been a crowd favorite and one of the best cameras in this lineup, as well as the entire Olympus range of cameras. Because OM System has retained a few mechanical elements, such as the Profile control switch of the PEN – F, we can assume that a PEN – F II is probably not wishful thinking.
Plus, the company already stated in 2021 that they’re not going to focus only on the OM-D lineup, which means the PEN-F II is a distinct possibility now that the PEN E-P7 is a reality. But the fact is also that the PEN E-P7 has been widely rated as a successor to the PEN-F. And if that is the case, then it would be interesting to see what features OM System will roll into the PEN-F II if and when that’s launched.
OM System Tough TG-7
One camera I would like to see updated is the Olympus Tough TG-6. It will probably be named OM System Tough TG-7 because the company has mentioned that they’re dropping the name Olympus from all models across the entire range of cameras. When the Tough TG-6 came out, I was disappointed because it was, at best, a modest improvement over the old Tough TG–5.
All the significant changes that the Tough TG-6 had were surrounding the camera’s underwater and macro photography capabilities. The Tough TG-6 features the same sensor, the exact resolution, the same image processor, and the same frame rate.
With OM System stating that they’re not going to limit themselves to the OM-D series and that they have already revived the PEN-L series cameras, we can only assume that the Tough TG series would also see an improvement very soon.
What would we like to see in the Tough TG-7? Most definitely a bump in the sensor. We haven’t seen the sensor resolution going up in the last few iterations of the camera. Even if they’re only to push it back to 16-MP, like the Tough TG-4 used to have, we feel that now is a good time to do that.
The current continuous shooting speed is limited to 14 frames when shooting 12-MP RAW. The frame rate is 20 fps, but that does not matter as the buffer is less. With an improved image processor, the new camera will be able to handle a higher frame rate or at least have a better buffer to shoot RAW images at 16 MP (which we’re hoping the camera would have at least).
Panasonic’s Rumored APS-C Camera Line is a No Show
This one isn’t a confirmation of a rumor but rather a disapproval of one. Panasonic had mentioned in an interview with DPReview that they’re not trying to get into the APS-C market segment. They’re firmly focused on the micro four-thirds and the full-frame camera segments, and the company has no reason to shift their focus to APS-C cameras.
They also believe that if they’re to shift their focus to APS-C cameras, they will have to do that at the peril of either the full-frame camera market they are trying to get into or the micro four-thirds market that they’ve already found success with. With their renewed interest in full-frame cameras with the S5 II and the S5 IIX and the launch of the GH6, which has already been received very well by the market, there is no need to put either of the segments in peril for the sake of marginal gains. Fair reason!
A Future 8k Camera from Panasonic?
One agenda that Panasonic has is to strengthen and expand its L-mount alliance with Leica and Sigma. And for that to happen, each member is trying to bring products that match this mount and improve the system’s attractiveness to users.
However, unlike Leica (Leica CL), Panasonic has no agenda for an APS-C camera for the time being (and even for the foreseeable future). What they should be looking for instead is to introduce a camera, ideally a full-frame one, that shoots 8K.
Sony is by far the leader in this area, with multiple options in several configurations. Canon and Nikon have also jumped on the bandwagon with their 8k launches. Even Fujifilm has the X-H2. Panasonic is one of the few major manufacturers that make mirrorless cameras that don’t have any 8K options currently in the market.
Panasonic has mentioned needing a bit more time before introducing 8K cameras. This could only mean one thing, a product must be in the works. But without any further information, it’s hard to tell what to expect and what specs the camera will have.
Sigma’s Foveon Sensor and the Endless Wait
Coming down to Sigma rumors and the endless wait for a Foveon sensor with a resolution of 61-MP. Sigma had started working on this sensor and collaborating with a third-party sensor partner.
However, in 2020, the entire program was scraped, and the contract with the sensor partner was also terminated. Sigma decided instead that they would work on a fresh design from scratch and use their in-house development team to work on the project. Everything got pushed back from a possible camera launch in 2020 to a much later date.
As of CP+ 2022, the project is in stage 2 and awaiting the results of the sensor evaluation and design. Based on the feedback from stage 2, the company will decide whether to move into stage 3 when the final testing and evaluation happen using a full-frame prototype. All this means is that although the sensor development is in progress, there is no assurance when the final sensor design will come through and we can finally see a camera based on that sensor.
At this stage, there is no guarantee that the sensor will go through stage 3 of testing and evaluation. We can wait until CP+ 2023 for any updates about the sensor and the camera technology that may be manufactured with this feature.