On your marks, get set, camera rumors are ready to go!
Just in time for the Olympic Games Canon finally revealed its new flagship camera, the Canon EOS R1, and dropped the long-awaited Canon EOS R5 Mark II, proving two of the longest-running camera rumors true.
In fact, there have been so many camera rumors that have come to fruition this year – from vlogging cameras like the Sony ZV-E10 II to compacts like the Leica D-Lux 8 and Fujifilm X100VI, instant cameras like the Instax Wide 400 and Instax Mini LiPlay to hybrid cameras like the Nikon Z6 III, and even new film cameras (yes, film cameras in 2024!) like the Pentax 17.
As always, camera rumors often sound too good to be true – and there's a lot of nonsense on the internet. However, more often than not, where there's smoke there tends to be fire. So take a few pinches of salt and see what's on the way this year…
Canon rumors 2024
Canon is always the subject of more camera rumors than any other manufacturer, in large part because it has been the most prolific photographic patenter for 38 consecutive years.
That said, it's been quite a quiet year for actual cameras so far. Canon has been pumping out new lenses, like the RF 35mm f/1.4 hybrid, but the only camera we've had so far is the incredible new Canon EOS C400 – the first ever camera with triple-base ISO.
With the EOS R1 announced (albeit in development form), what can we expect from the second half of 2024? With a big reveal set for July 17, we won't have long to wait…
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Canon EOS R5C Mark II
Does the launch of an R5 Mark II indicate the launch of an R5C Mark II? It's possible. Personally, I didn't realize that launch of the original R5 indicated the launch of the original R5C – but Canon insisted that both models were planned from the start (rather than, as some have suggested, the R5C being released to counter criticism about the R5's recording limitations).
It's fair to say that the R5 Mark II doesn't suffer nearly the same overheating / recording limitations as the original, even when shooting at 8K – especially with the new cooling fan grip that adds an active cooling system.
However, while the camera definitely has a lot of Cinema EOS DNA (including things like C-Log2, tally lamp and full-size HDMI, and XF-HEVC S / XF-AVC S delivery), Canon told me that if I want more shooting flexibility when it comes to recording limitations for dedicated video shooting, the R5C may still be a better choice. And so, theoretically, would an R5D Mark II.
If we do see it, I would expect it to have very similar specs to the R5 Mark II. However, it would be a given that it would have an integrated and superior active cooling system – and I would also like to see the in-body image stabilization carry over this time. ND filters would be good, too, especially for a Cinema EOS product.
Canon EOS R6 Mark III
In the wake of the rumors that the R1 has been delayed, guttersnipes started speculating that one of Canon's registered-but-unreleased cameras is in fact the Canon EOS R6 Mark III – though I'll be honest, I think this is a case of 2 + 2 = 22.
These rumors are based not on leaks or chatter about the camera, but by observing a series of price cuts to the R6 Mark II. The reasoning is that the R5 is being discounted, and we know that a successor is on the way (the R5 Mark II), and the R3 is being discounted (intended to be replaced by the R1), so if the R6 Mark II is being discounted then a Mark III must surely be coming!
Until I see it, I don't buy it. Sure, Canon peered to market pressure by slashing the period between the R6 and R6 Mark II, but there was a genuine need to do so (as the R6's specs didn't compare well to its direct rivals). But the R6 Mark II is a great camera with great specs for its category – it genuinely doesn't merit replacing yet.
Canon 3D VR Camera
I had a chance to talk to Canon about its prototype 360° / 180° 3D VR Camera. It's clear Canon is really doubling down on virtual reality, having introduced the Canon RF 5.2mm f/2.8L Dual Fisheye lens a couple of years ago and with a pair of APS-C 3D / VR stereoscopic lenses on the way as well.
This new camera, which physically looks like a mashup of the Dual FIsheye and the Canon PowerShot V10, combines all the tech in one: 360° / 180° 3D VR 8K capture, along with VR live streaming.
While this wasn't something Canon said to me, I've heard that the camera has a target price of under $1,000 (about £820 / AU$1,590). This is definitely something to keep an eye (or even a Dual Fisheye) on…
Canon Powershot V1, 10 Mark II, V100
Rumors of a Canon vlogging camera swirled for years until the Canon PowerShot V10 finally dropped. And with vlogging cameras being the hottest thing in the industry right now, it looks like Canon is following Sony's lead and producing a whole range of dedicated vlogging devices.
Canon PowerShot V1
An APS-C sensor will be the primary way that this flagship model differentiates itself from the mid-range V10 with its 1-inch sensor – though it is possible that the V1 will feature some flavor of Dual Pixel AF II. It has also been suggested to us that weather sealing (with new microphones, to accommodate the disrupted audio caused by water build-up) is on the agenda.
Canon PowerShot V10 Mark II
Improved autofocus, FullHD video up to 120p, along with a better solution to windshields and other accessories (compared to the slightly haphazard region-by-region products available for the current V10) are said to be coming to the Mark II.
Canon PowerShot V100
Following the naming convention of the mirrorless EOS R line, the V100 (like the Canon EOS R100) will be the entry-level model of the PowerShot vlogging family.
Canon Posture Fit
Back in 2021 Canon introduced us to Posture Fit: a concept camera that looks like a Pixar character and sits on your desk, where it keeps an eye on how you're sitting using a wide-angle lens and skeletal mapping. When it spots you starting to slouch, it flashes and wobbles and beeps on your desk to tell you to straighten up – and it'll even remind you to get up and move around, if you've been sitting too long.
After falling off the radar ever since, recently a patent was filed in Japan describing a Posture Fit that could monitor multiple subjects in its field of view – not just the person sat at the desk in front of it. Again, it's not a photographic camera (so it can't be used for spying or surveillance) but it's a very clever lifestyle device that anyone who sits in front of a computer will surely benefit from.
Canon EOS R7 Mark II
The original Canon EOS R7 is only two years old, but the manufacturer showed us with the Canon EOS R6 Mark II that it's more than willing to update a camera after two years if there's a big improvement to be made.
With the Canon EOS R7 Mark II, that big improvement could take the form of a new stacked APS-C sensor – which would push the OG R7's already impressive 30fps burst speed to even greater heights. With rumors that Canon is looking to update its fleet with stacked sensor in at least three cameras – and the potential of its newly designed triple-layer stacked sensor – this could be very exciting for sports and wildlife shooters.
Canon EOS R3 Mark II
With the impression being that the R1 won't use a global shutter sensor, could it be that the technology actually debuts in the next version of the EOS R3?
There may be some logic to this, depending on what Canon ultimately does with the R1. If it goes the Sony A1 route, making the R1 and speed and resolution powerhouse, then a stacked sensor would make most sense.
That would pave the way for the EOS R3 Mark II to host a global shutter sensor, focusing on pure speed without having to worry about the associated compromises to image quality and ISO sensitivity.
That said, it might also be the case that the R3 was just a glorified placeholder for the R1 so that Canon had a pro RF camera – and once the true flagship has launched, there will be no need for another R3.
Canon RE-1
Fujifilm and Olympus have been doing it for years. Nikon has done it with the Nikon Zf and Nikon Z fc. And Canon could be the next manufacturer to produce a vintage-styled mirrorless camera – possibly a modern version of the iconic Canon AE-1.
"I can't say yes or no, but as you say, some consumers are particularly fond of some of the best-selling models of the past, their design and appearance," said a Canon exec when asked if the company would produce a retro-style camera. "In addition, you can see that our EOS body, whether in appearance or operability, has been improved by listening to customer feedback and requests. We attach great importance to the fact that there is a consumer base that wants a retro body."
Such importance, in fact, that Canon conducted a market survey asking which of its film cameras customers would like to see made digital. Some posited options were the Canon P, Canon F-1, Canonet QL17… and the Canon AE-1. Fingers crossed!
Canonet
With the ongoing rollercoaster success of the Fujifilm X100VI, not to mention the Leica Q3 and Ricoh GR III, it's been proven that premium fixed-lens compact cameras are here to stay. And, given that all the above models are on perennial back-order, there's a massive gap in the market for someone to take advantage.
Enter Canon, which reportedly has an "active, even if just exploratory" ongoing project about launching its own fixed-lens APS-C camera – a description that seems a perfect fit to resurrect the iconic Canonet product line (which includes the Canonet G III QL17, pictured above).
Canon wearable neck camera
Wearable cameras are big business, and Canon has designed an intriguing one that's worn around the neck. Ostensibly for use in the manufacturing and maintenance industries, this adjustable camera features a laser indicator to show where the point of focus is and ensure that the right area is in frame – meaning that there are a wealth of consumer possibilities for the device as well.
This is one we're really intrigued by. As we've seen from the likes of the Canon PowerShot Zoom, Canon PowerShot Pick and Canon PowerShot V10, the manufacturer is increasingly bringing these intriguing concept cameras to market – and we really hope this new wearable follows suit.
Canon drone
In March 2022 Canon submitted an application for a patent for a product that is a drive device, an electronic device and an image pickup device with a mobile body.
From the illustrative diagrams included in the application, it looks like the design of the camera unit could be very similar to that of the Canon Powershot Pick – an AI-powered camera capable of recording both video and stills. It automatically detects movement, can track a subject and can be controlled using voice commands.
The Powershot Pick features an 11.7MP camera, has advanced face recognition, connects to a purpose-made app and is compact, lightweight and portable – all of which are features that would be desirable on a drone camera.
The Canon verdict
What we think: The flagship EOS R1 is finally coming, but Canon is being very cagey on telling us what it actually does. A new R5 is on the way, too, but you should also brace for more category-expanding PowerShot cameras like the V10 and Zoom, as Canon looks to broaden its appeal beyond the core camera crowd.
More camera rumors: Nikon rumors • Sony rumors • Olympus rumors • Fuji rumors • Panasonic rumors • Sigma rumors • Hasselblad rumors • Leica rumors • Ricoh rumors
