Factual Information ONLY 5D Upgrade

[dwdallam]

I haven't seen or read the Chuck interview, but I imagine he meant that the 5D had no competition at that price point. If Nikon were to reduce the price of the D3 closer to the level of the 5D, then of course the 5D would have very stiff competition.

The 5D has been a very popular camera. I imagine the R&D and initial set-up costs have been well and truly amortised by now. It would be interesting to know what the actual productions costs are. Maybe less than $500 per unit   .
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This is why Canon is keeping the 5D for now. It has no competition at that price point. New buyers not into canon nor Nikon are probably flocking to the 5D over the D3. I know two of my friends shooting with a 20D just put in their orders for the 5D, and they were thinking about Nikon. This price is probably cutting into Nikon profits horribly. About the time Nikon wakes up to Canon's 5D dumping, Canon will offer the new 5D, with over 16MPs for 3K US, making it hard for Nikon again.

[Josh-H]

This is why Canon is keeping the 5D for now. It has no competition at that price point. New buyers not into canon nor Nikon are probably flocking to the 5D over the D3. I know two of my friends shooting with a 20D just put in their orders for the 5D, and they were thinking about Nikon. This price is probably cutting into Nikon profits horribly. About the time Nikon wakes up to Canon's 5D dumping, Canon will offer the new 5D, with over 16MPs for 3K US, making it hard for Nikon again.
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Likewise I know of two people who just bought 5D's because at the current pricing it has no competition whatsoever.

[httivals]

I'm planning on buying a 2nd -- because I like to have two bodies when I travel or go to unique locations.  I was waiting for the 5D II, but at this price, I'll buy a second 5D, and wait until the 5D II has been out and tested for a few months (and hopefully drops a few hundred dollars in price) before I sell one of my 5Ds and get the II.

[Wayne Fox]

I just saw an interview here with chuck westfall at the PMA show and he stated very clearly that the 5d has no direct competition so has no reason to be updated.  Canon is in coast mode when it comes to new models at this point and seems unwilling to spend the R&D till absolutely necessary for new equipment.  Plus he mentioned that because there is no replacement they´re able to drop the price significantly to 2200usd.
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I was actually told this same thing by my group when meeting in the back room ... at this point there is no direct competitor to the 5D, and so R&D has to go where they think that exposure is greatest.

So true or not, internally this appears to be their position.  They may actually feel the new 1DsMark3 needs more attention, with fear that both Nikon and Sony are about to knock them off the top end pedestal later this year, or at least climb up there with them.

[daethon]

The problem with this approach is that they have always been the market leader.  And one of the reasons for their success is that they are first to market.  

If they don't release before (or at least at the same time) as the Sony equivalent that is expected, then they'll have to play catch up and lose market share.  


Also...if they have fully paid for R&D and now the only costs are Production, Maintenance, Distribution, and those come to say, 1000, or 1200 dollars.  there is no reason why they couldn't sell the 5D at 1750, or 1800.  And start selling a 6D, at the 3000 dollar price point.  




All this said.  My guess.  They're clearing Stock.  They built a Ton of these, and have stopped producing more (or started slowing production immensely) and are now trying to get stock down to the 10-15% range (1-2 months of stock) to make way for the 5D II.  

I think that by the end of the year, we'll see a 5D mkII, probably announced at Photokina (hopefully sooner, but more likely then).  Regardless...for me at least...i'll have to wait till the end of the year now, I spent the money I'd saved up for the 5D to refinance my mortgage.  

I haven't *quite* reached "shit or get off the pot."  but if Canon doesn't release a 5D replacement at Photokina...they'll have lost a customer for life...

[dwdallam]

Regardless...for me at least...i'll have to wait till the end of the year now, I spent the money I'd saved up for the 5D to refinance my mortgage. 

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You're not thinking clearly here DA. Of course you have the money. It comes from what you will save from refinancing. See!  You just have get a low interest bank loan and pay that loan with what you saved on refinancing each month. We gotta stick together man. Cameras before homes, or food.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

You're not thinking clearly here DA. Of course you have the money. It comes from what you will save from refinancing. See!  You just have get a low interest bank loan and pay that loan with what you saved on refinancing each month. We gotta stick together man. Cameras before homes, or food.
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Michael hinted at another possibility in his review of the Epson 11880. There he says that

The box that the 11880 is delivered in could house a family of four.

So if you just sell your house, use the proceeds to buy an 11880 (for about $15,000), and then sell the printer (without the box) for, let's say, $12,000, then you've taken care of the mortgage and you've got enough left over to get some serious camera gear.  

And if you're not too greedy, you may even have enough left over for a little bit of food, too.    

See? Photoeconomics beats Voodooeconomics any day.