New Rumor: No mirrorless (or DSLR's) before Photokina

The latest rumor from Canon Rumors seems to suggest that Canon is going to pause before releasing any new cameras, at least until after Photokina.

Historically Canon has released EF-M cameras in November and December in the past when they were Japan only models, but usually to catch the black Friday and Christmas season on a more global basis, cameras have to be released sooner.

We continue to see and receive reports about a Canon full frame mirrorless camera being announced on or around September 4, 2018. We’re pretty confident that no ILC cameras with or without a mirror will be announced ahead of Photokina next month. We expect to see some lenses announced, but no camera bodies.

In a way we can understand this, especially for DSLRs.  DIGIC 8 with it's ability to finally do 4K with h.264 with a 133mb/sec bitrate is needed throughout the Canon lineup.  In DSLR's with their fairly longer development timeline, it's usually a year or more since we first see a DIGIC chip appear to when it appears out in the wild in a DSLR.  So for this reason, it would make alot of sense for Canon to wait until they can roll out DIGIC 8 into the upcoming 90D, 7D Mark II and other DSLR camera bodies.

As for any full frame mirrorless cameras, this Photokina is turning into the "Year of the Z" with Nikon going full out with their marketing blitz over their impressive new mirrorless releases and what is a fundamental shift a long storied history of the F mount.  Skipping Photokina and announcing new products at other times, may allow Canon to have a better marketing message and exposure.

The only puzzlement is a M5 Mark II and what is happening with the upper end of the M lineup.  Clearly there are lenses missing from the ecosystem if Canon continues to move the EOS-M lineup to a higher end system, because no EF-M lenses are weather-sealed and none are really strong enthusiast lenses sans the 11-22 and 22mm.  More lenses are needed (the 32mm 1.4 is expected to come out for Photokina).  With Sony rumored to be coming out with a A7000 and Fuji rumored to be coming out soon with a X-T3, Canon needs to think about how they want to tackle the higher end of the APS-C market.  A weather-sealed M7 and EF-M "L" F/4 lenses anyone?  It's anyone's guess at this point.  At the very least the M5 is due for an upgrade with the latest AF improvements, DIGIC 8, and improved upon 4K from the M50.  Maybe that is what the hold up is, as developing the M5's 4K may be taking Canon a considerable amount of development.  We of course have no idea, only surmisings, but we're still holding out hope for a new M5 before the end of the year.  With the increased sales and thus importance of the EF-M lineup, it will be curious of Canon accelerates it's development of the EF-M ecosystem.

As we mentioned earlier, we won't hear from Canon until around the middle of September.  That is when they will do their announcements before Photokina.  If there is a last minute change of plans, we should be hearing credible rumors in the next week.  Instead we have heard essentially nothing concrete.  Without any concrete rumors and specifications out in the wild, it's hard to fathom that Canon has managed to keep everything so tightly controlled for what will be a major new product line.