Rumor Mill - D60 Discontinued

People trying to order the D60 in some places are being told that they have been discontinued:

www.dpreview.com

For more details. It's pretty wild speculation that they will release a new camera at PMA - but why discontinue a camera that is selling well???

Cheers

James

One possibility would be that someone figured out that they can fit a full frame CMOS sensor like the one in the 1Ds into the D60 body. If that's the case, they could price it around $3000-$4000, or even keep it the same price. Then they might stop producing the D60 now, re-tool the assembly lines, and start producing the new version so that they can meet the huge demand that would almost certainly exist.

That would also be a more "long term" solution to handle the Nikon crop-corrected lense competition.

Of course, I could just be fantasizing. More than likely it's a completely new camera that won't fit the housing that I just ordered for my D60...

Further more the D60 resale value will get hit hard as all the yahoo's hustle for it's successor, probably based around the EOS 3. It's a vendor's market. It's not really bad news the D60 is a good product.

Nikon used to play this trick every 10 months with 35mm cameras until they shot themselves in the foot.

Good news for housing manufacturers: a new button replacing a discontinued one half inch to the right - $600 more!

However, it's good enough not to worry about rumours concerning its longevity in the shop - as long has it doesn't go wrong. Use it until it dies then consider a replacent if you're not too old by then. That is unless you are a yahoo driven by spec and not personal creativity and ability.

For James and Eric and anyone else with a dSLR (other than a D100), this answers the frustrating issue of why it can be so difficult to get housings designed for the S2 and D60. By the time the housing comes to market, the camera is discontinued - in this case a month has gone by and there hasn't been an announced replacement. Frustrating!!!

All we can hope for is that the replacement uses the same body, so housings may still be compatible.

Bob - as much as you have criticized the ability of digital to render blues and wide angle, I would think you'd understand our wish to remain on the cutting edge of digital technology. Quite contrarily, however, you seem to pick up new toys long before the old ones die.

Sincerely,

a yahoo lacking in personal creativity

I did a search on Google for Canon D80 and came upon this link:

http://www.akam.no/nyheter/2003_01/canon_s...eilrefleks.html

I don't understand Norwegian but there is obviously some mention on the Canon EOS D40 and D80 digital cameras. If I understand this correctly there is also a mention of a price in USD.

Can anyone here translate the page?

Interesting Laz! It's really hard to say - but I have heard this D40 D80 rumor too.

The problem is that there are so many fakes going around. People take photos of other cameras and slap the text on them...

This page "looks" legit though - I'll ask my officemate for a translation (Norweigan) - Google doesn't do Norweigan.

Cheers

James

OK, this is the important paragraph:

Nå ser det dessverre ut til at det ikke blir noe av D90. Imidlertid vil Canon i stedet lansere en D80. Som navnet tilsier, vil oppløsningen bli på 8 Megapiksler, trolig 3480x2320 piksler. Kameraet vil ikke bli basert på D30/D60, men vil være bygd på det halvprofesjonelle kamerahuset EOS 3.

Unfortunately, the new camera will not be the D90. Instead Canon tells of 8 megapixel resolution. The new camera will not be based on the D30/60, but rather on the EOS3 case.

HTH

James

Certainly an interesting concept, going with an 8 MP based on what looks like the Eos 3. Doesn't really make me want to upgrade from a D60. The difference in the body makes all the D30 / D60 housings sort of useless for upgrade, and there's just not enough increase in resolution to justify re-investing in all the pieces. The only thing that would be compelling would be if they have improved the AF. Might have done so if appearances are to be believed, because the built-in flash looks to be gone, which would give them some more room for AF electronics.

interesting...

Unfortunately, the new camera will not be the D90.  Instead Canon tells of 8 megapixel resolution.  The new camera will not be based on the D30/60, but rather on the EOS3 case.

I love it when I'm right!!!

I mentioned it may be based on the EOS3 in a previous post!

How's the viewfinder and the AF on that EOS3 Bob? Is it better than the D60?

Cheers

James

I think it comes in at around 97% and the AF, if it's the same is comparable to the 1D types, whether it will have the same level of environmental protection I couldn't say.

Regarding wanting to stay on the cutting edge of technology - I can understand that, so can the marketing crews, but only the yahoo's can afford to, especially if it entails buying all the gizmo's that go with it.

Every tourist going away in 2001 HAD to have a F100 - Because.

In that instance I was getting across the point that the D60 is a very impressive camera, turning out some remarkable imagery, and that there is no real benifit in changing it just yet, if at all. The only downer I can see is the inability to freeze faster marinelife... but is that a big deal 99% of the time?

Kasey: I cannot remember telling anyone on this site, especially you, that you have no talent - You have every bit as much as me and much more time to improve upon it, and I am upset that you might imply that.

I have to admit I am thrilled with the idea of Canon replacing the D60 with two more options. It just guarantees that I'll have an upgrade path when I am ready. The biggest investment with Canon has to be the lenses, really do you know of any L class lens under $1000? I'll stick the D60 for another year maybe more, but when I do make the move I'll already have then lenses and enough experience to better understand what I need rather than the perception of what I need. I have yet feel as if I have exceeded the capabilities of the D60 but some day I may feel differently. The two (maybe 3) really valid complaints I have with the camera really don't effect underwater photography.

1) 4 minute + exposures have hot pixels

2) Auto focus indoors without a flash and a 2.8 lens are less than desirable.

3) dust on the CMOS

Really how often do I shoot 6 minute exposures? (once since Nov) To fix the focus issue I have purchased a flash and bought some really fast lenses. I just ignore canon's warnings about cleaning the CMOS.

I'm happy with my D60, and I am really happy Canon keeps improving. =) Below are some shots since taken since Jan 1. The only other thing I would ask canon to do is improve the marine forecast as it is greatly effecting my diving this year.

Some D60 sample (non Marine sorry)

http://www.pbase.com/image/8124405

http://www.pbase.com/image/8124435

http://www3.photosig.com/viewphoto.php?id=560508

http://www3.photosig.com/viewphoto.php?id=590037

http://www3.photosig.com/viewphoto.php?id=684887

Bob -

I really wasn't offended by your statement. No doubt about it, though, I'm a self-admitted techno-junkie. I will be tempted to upgrade every 2nd generation or so. Not to "blame my tools," just to have better ones. I think that the D60 was a great camera, but Canon, like any other manufacturer, has a job to stay ahead of the pack. As they research and develop, they must bring upgrades to the market, and convince us all that the enhancements justify an upgrade. There is also the challenge of creating the camera that will bring pros from the film realm en masse.

As expensive as these cameras are, I dive frequently, don't ever get a vacation, so i justify these HUGE expenditures as my primary recreation. As an owner of an E-20, I am watching the market closely, as 2 generations have now passed. I need true wide angle and fisheye ability, and I need sunballs and sunrays. Now that I've become a competent UW photographer, I've actually been considering the move to film to acheive these goals. It is just a difficult thing to consider, knowing that the "light" is now visible at the end of the tunnel.

No (additional) hard feelings

Kasey

I don't speak norwegian, but german and norwegian are close enough to understand some fact:

First of all i think the caption under the pic states, that the image is manipulated. (no real D80 camera)

D80:

Not Much Info

8 Megapixel

3480x2320 Maximum picture format

Based don Eos 3 Housing

Im not sure about the last sentence

Canon EOS D80 har trolig en større bildebrikke enn D30/D60, slik at man får bedre utnyttelse av vidvinkelobjektiver. Imidlertid blir ikke bildebrikken like stor som på analog film, slik som på 1Ds.

But it sounds to me like a fullformat sensor.

D40:

Plastic Body

7 AF-Focus Points

35 exposer Measurement sensors

2496x1664 Pixels Maximal Output

2.0 factor on focal length

1499 US$ price

8D:

Metall Body

1380g weight

8 Megapixel

45 AF-measurement Point

21 Exposer Measurement sensors

3480x2320 Maximum picture format

1.5 factor on focal length

2899 US$ Price

Simon Ks translation is correct. The last sentence says "It is impossible to take

really wide angle shots because of the 2x factor"

2x crop factor seems odd. You would almost have to have specially designed lenses al la the Nikon DX lenses. This would imply that Cannon is planning on keeping a 2x camera around as their inexpensive DSLR through a number of models. All the reasons that some people complain about the 1.5x crop lenses and Nikons alleged unwillingness to intro a FF DSLR; would be magnified compared with an inexpensive Nikon DSLR using the 1.5x CCD and the DX lenses.

I would hold off on buying a D80 for 2900$. When Nikon comes out with a similar speced DSLR I bet the cost drops to the 2000$ of the current generation DSLRs

This news has confused me also as I expected the D80/90 (whatever it will be) to be a $3500 full frame CMOS and the 40 well not sure at all about this except as a replacement for a camera superceded by the 60, and in that case why replace it? I too cannot understand the sense of a 2 x except for screwing on a telescope.

Its all rumors and therefore none of it is probably true. I really like the rumor about Nikon coming out with a digital Range finder camera. Though if true I would imagine a camera more like a contax g2 using DX lenses.

I agree all rumors, I expect the camera will be a D60 type camera with a better focus system, same crop factor and the same CMOS. The change will be the price, much cheaper!

My guess

Chris

I still think Canon would be stupid to have a bunch of different crop factors. Better to standardize on a full frame sensor and let the additional features be the differentiator.

We should start a pool to see who can guess what the new models look like. One of us is bound to be right.