Nikon vs Canon: Is a Camera Market Battle in May Imminent?

05/15 2024 507

There are indeed many new products in May.

May can be said to be the month with the largest number of new product launches since 2024. In addition to the most familiar mobile phones, the professional camera market has also welcomed a large batch of "new members." Based on the aggregated leaks on the internet, it is currently confirmed that Nikon Z6iii, Panasonic S9, and Canon R5ii will all be officially released this month, meaning that in the next half month, we will see the release of three new cameras, which is the first time I have seen such a dense launch period.

Alright, let's get straight to the main content.

Nikon Z6iii: Finally, after four years of waiting

The Nikon Z6 series is a highly cost-effective product line from Nikon that is very suitable for beginners. However, Nikon has focused on the high-end professional field and the more affordable market in recent years, leaving Nikon with a blank in the mid-range camera market for a long time.

This has made many Nikon users eagerly await an update to the Z6 series. Fortunately, insiders have revealed that the Nikon Z6iii will be officially released before June, but the price may increase significantly compared to the Z6ii, which suggests that the Nikon Z6iii will receive a significant upgrade in terms of configuration, and some even say it is a mini "Z8".

(Image source: Twitter)

So, what configurations are attractive enough in Nikon's mini Z8?

First, the Nikon Z6iii will be equipped with a brand-new 24.5-megapixel sensor. Although this pixel count appears to be the same as the Z6ii at first glance, it can bring higher tolerance and image quality performance with the support of new processes and the EXPEED 7 processor.

(Image source: Nikon JD Self-operated Flagship Store)

Secondly, in terms of the focusing system, the Z6iii is likely to carry the same new focusing system as the Z8. Moreover, because the Z6iii only has 24.5 million pixels, compared to the Nikon Z8 with 45.71 million pixels, the focusing speed will actually be faster. This has already been proven on Nikon's ZF released last year.

However, the biggest upgrade of the Z6iii is not photography but video. According to leaks, the Z6iii supports 6K resolution full-size 12-bit N-RAW recording and 240fps 1080p video shooting. It should be noted that 6K uncompressed video specifications generally only appear on some professional video cameras and top-end flagship cameras, which means that the Z6iii may be Nikon's first camera focused on video, and subsequent Z6 series cameras are also expected to be positioned as video-oriented series by Nikon.

This is actually not difficult to understand. Today's cameras are not just about static photography; video performance is also crucial. Sony has been dominating the camera market solely based on its excellent video recording capabilities, and Canon is also vigorously developing its video business. As one of the three major camera brands, Nikon naturally cannot sit idly by and it makes sense for Nikon to categorize the Z6 series as a video-oriented product line.

(Image source: Nikon JD Self-operated Flagship Store)

As for the final price, I personally guess that its domestic price will be around 16,000 yuan, about 2,800 yuan higher than the previous generation. But if the configurations announced above are true, then this 2,800 yuan price increase is acceptable.

Canon R5ii: The top flagship is finally here

Canon, another one of the three major camera brands, has a similar experience to Nikon, but Canon has focused on the mid-range and entry-level camera markets in the past few years, seemingly not too interested in the high-end camera market. While Sony has introduced the α1, α9, α7m5, and Nikon has released top flagships like the Z9 and Z8, Canon seems oblivious to the outside world, still using the four-year-old R5 to compete.

(Image source: Canon official)

Although the Canon R5 is still a very powerful top-end mirrorless camera, it is a product from four years ago and is far inferior to Nikon and Sony in terms of focusing and system. However, it is good news that the Canon R5ii is confirmed to be officially released at the end of May, with a predicted price of around 30,000 yuan.

In terms of configuration, the Canon R5ii will be equipped with a 45-megapixel stacked sensor. Compared to mainstream back-illuminated sensors, stacked sensors can bring faster burst speed, faster image processing speed, and better low-light shooting capabilities, as well as more significant advantages in dynamic range and color reproduction.

The focusing system is naturally one of the important upgrades of the R5ii. With the ultra-high-speed data reading ability of the stacked sensor and the AI dual-pixel autofocus technology brought by the dual DIGIC X series image processors, the R5ii's performance in eye focusing and various object tracking will reach a truly professional level.

(Image source: Canon official)

Of course, as Canon's highest-end series, the R5ii will also have epic upgrades in video. It is reported to support ultra-high-specification video recording at 8K60p/4K120p. But will this generation of R5ii be able to do better in heat dissipation? After all, the first generation of R5 had frequent overheating issues that caused quite a few "jokes".

In addition, the Canon R5ii also supports a 400-megapixel pixel shift mode, 8-stop image stabilization, 60fps burst shooting at 1 second, and adds more physical buttons to the body.

(Image source: Canon official)

There is no need to worry about the performance of the R5ii. Although Canon has not made much progress in the high-end market in recent years, its experience in the mid-range and entry-level markets has given them enough knowledge to understand what kind of camera the market needs. Moreover, Canon's own research and development strength is not to be underestimated, and the release of the R5ii is bound to shake up Sony and Nikon.

Panasonic S9: I want a piece of the cake of high-value cameras too

Unlike the previous two, Panasonic's upcoming Lumix S9 is positioned as a portable full-frame camera. The word "portable" determines that its specifications are far inferior to products like the Z6iii and R5ii. However, the advantages of portable cameras are also obvious, as their small size can greatly increase the probability of users taking them out, and they can also be designed more delicately in terms of appearance, unlike flagship models that tend to be bulky.

(Image source: Twitter)

It is reported that the Lumix S9 has canceled the EVF electronic viewfinder on top of the camera, significantly reducing the size of the body. Some insiders even revealed that its size is even smaller than the Fujifilm X100VI, making it one of the smallest full-frame cameras currently available on the market.

(Image source: Twitter)

In terms of configuration, the Panasonic Lumix S9 is equipped with the same 24-megapixel sensor as the S5M2. Thanks to the new focusing system and new processor, Panasonic's focusing difficulties have become a thing of the past. In addition, the Lumix S9 will also come with an adjustable LUT dial, allowing users to save relevant parameters set in the early stage and quickly switch LUT parameters by rotating the dial during shooting, which is undoubtedly good news for users who enjoy shooting videos.

In terms of price, foreign websites have revealed that its price will be 300 dollars cheaper than the Panasonic S5M2 (equivalent to 2,170 yuan). Combining with the official price of the Panasonic S5M2, which is 10,998 yuan, the Lumix S9's price is likely to be around 8,000-8,500 yuan. This price is competitive even in the full-frame camera market, let alone in the APS-C camera market.

(Image source: Panasonic official)

However, Panasonic's current shortcomings are also obvious. Compared to the three major brands and Fujifilm, Panasonic's lens lineup is much weaker, which is one of the important reasons why many users have been reluctant to choose Panasonic cameras. After all, can we expect a camera brand with an incomplete lens lineup to bring more good lenses in the future?

Professional Camera Market: Rise or Fall?

Perhaps most readers did not expect that the popularity of expensive professional cameras in recent years has far exceeded market expectations. According to data from the Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) of Japan, the total global shipment of digital cameras in 2023 was 7.72 million units, a year-on-year decrease of 3.6%. However, the total shipment value in yuan was about 35 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 4.9%, achieving positive growth for three consecutive years. At the same time, the global digital camera industry shipped 1.565 million units to China, with a year-on-year increase of 24.7%, and the total sales amount in yuan was about 9 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 24.6%.

However, it is worth mentioning that the average price of the camera market is constantly rising, which is related to manufacturers adopting price increases to offset declining shipments. Simply put, to maintain their profits, camera manufacturers are trying to launch more high-end and mid-range cameras, while the update frequency of entry-level cameras has significantly decreased compared to the previous two years. But don't forget, the pricing of cameras is not consumer-friendly, and most consumers are reluctant to spend more than 10,000 yuan or tens of thousands of yuan on a professional camera.

(Image source: JD.com)

The camera market is becoming more and more high-end and less focused on consumers' spending power, which is not a good thing. If the camera market continues to focus on high-end and mid-range cameras in 2024, many consumers may choose "affordable" second-hand cameras, and the camera market's shipments will definitely see a decline.

Source: Leitech

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