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Camera rumors, precedents and possibilities
We can't tell you for certain what 2015 holds in store for new cameras, but we can give you our best guess – and we think we've nailed a few key stories already.
We've gathered together rumours, tip-offs and speculation from a number of respected sources and combined this with our own research and experience to produce a list of cameras we think we could see in 2015.
Some of these are fairly predictable updates to existing cameras. Most cameras have a fixed shelf life within a manufacturer's range and we've spent some time analysing past launches to work out what's coming next.
But we also know what technology the camera makers use, the cameras they use it in and how it could be adapted for new models. Even where we don't know for sure what the makers are going to do, we know what they ought to do… and there are plenty of possibilities for new cameras which you may not have thought of.
Finally, there are some crazy, wild rumours which might just be true. We've done our own research to see whether these things are technically possible, whether they've been done before or just how they might be implemented.
So sit sit down, buckle up and hold tight as we take a wild ride through the cameras we think may be coming in 2015…
Canon rumors
There's a feeling that Canon's been treading water over the past few years with its DSLRs, and the EOS-M compact system camera has failed to make any significant impact. But 2015 looks like the year when all this could change.
Canon PowerShot G3 X
Can we expect another big-sensor PowerShot from Canon? Apparently so. Canon has just revealed that a PowerShot camera with a 25x zoom and 1-inch sensor is to appear later this year. It's to be called the G3 X and this is a third large-sensor PowerShot, in addition to the G1 X Mark II and G7 X. It will be a direct rival to the Sony RX10 and Panasonic FZ1000, but with a longer zoom range than both.
Regular bridge cameras have extra-long zoom ranges which are only made possible by the use of very small 1/2.3-inch sensors. Sony and Panasonic, however, have gambled on users valuing better image quality over massive zoom ranges, and Canon is about to follow suit.
Canon EOS 150D/Rebel ES2
Canon's pint-sized EOS 100D DSLR has now been out for almost two years, and it uses the venerable 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor that Canon's been using in its amateur DSLRs almost as far back as we can remember.
We did think the Hybrid CMOS AF II system used in the EOS 100D was just a stepping stone to the Dual Pixel CMOS AF system in the newer EOS 70D and that the new sensor holds the future for Canon's beginner SLR range, but Canon's launch of the EOS 750D and 760D suggests a new version of the 100D's existing hybrid AF is more likely and perhaps the new 24-megapixel sensor.
Our prediction, then, is that there will be a new EOS 150D/Rebel ES2 (assuming Canon follows its usual model numbering scheme) with the 24-megapixel Hybrid CMOS AF III sensor used in the new 750D and 760D. That's a big enough jump in itself – Canon won't need to do much more except perhaps increase the continuous shooting speed slightly and improve the rather basic 9-point AF system.
Canon EOS M3 [Mostly right]
Our Canon EOS M3 rumor was half right! We predicted that Canon would launch a new version of its EOS M compact system camera, but we also hoped it would include an electronic viewfinder and rival D-SLR style compact system cameras like the the Fuji X-T1 and Olympus OM-D series.
Instead, Canon launched a viewfinder-less update of the existing EOS M, with a new 24-megapixel sensor and Hybrid CMOS AF III.
We did think Canon would use the 20.2-megapixel Dual Pixel CMOS AF sensor from the 70D, and we didn't know that a new 24-megapixel sensor was in the pipeline.
We still hope that Canon will consider a compact system camera with built-in viewfinder in the future, but that's now looking rather remote.
Canon EOS 750D/Rebel T6i [Correct!]
The rumors about a replacement for the Canon EOS 700D were true – we were sure another model was coming, simply because of the length of time since the 700D came out.
We also thought Canon would use the superior 20-megapixel Dual Pixel AF sensor from the 70D, but it turns out Canon had a new 24-megapixel sensor in development which has gone into the 750D, 760D (below) and the new EOS M3. Sure enough, Canon has announced the 750D, but that's only half the story.
Canon EOS 760D/Rebel T6s [Unexpected!]
At the same time, Canon also launched a slightly more advanced 760D model aimed at more serious users. Inside, the EOS 750D and 760D are identical, and the differences are in the external controls. The 760D has a mono status panel on the top plate and a second control dial on the rear.
We thought Canon would pension off its old 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor and swap to the 20.2-megapixel Dual Pixel CMOS AF sensor currently in the 70D, but we were only half right here because Canon had a new 24-megapixel CMOS sensor waiting in the wings. This seems to have caught everyone by surprise.
Canon EOS 6D Mark II
Next on the list for replacement is Canon's entry-level full-frame camera, the EOS 6D, which was launched in 2012. The EOS 6D Mark II seems the most likely name, since '7D' is already taken and Canon has a history off adding 'Mark' numbers to new cameras which replace well-established originals.
Canon Rumors has posted a tip that the new camera will be pitched slightly higher, and there is quite a price and feature gap between the current 6D and 5D Mark III which it could slot into. The 6D's specs are pretty basic, so Canon could choose to replace the sensor with the 22.3-megapixel imaging unit from the 5D Mark III. Swapping over to the 5D Mark III's sophisticated 61-point AF system, though, would perhaps be a step too far.
Or Canon could take a different approach entirely, follow Nikon's lead with the D750, and introduce a more versatile, swivel-screen do-it-all enthusiasts D-SLR between the 6D and the 5D Mark III. With Wi-Fi and maybe even GPS built in, it could be like a full-frame version of the 70D – and that really could shake up the market.
Canon EOS-1D x Mark II
Canon has indicated higher resolutions are imminent (see the DP Review interview with Canon), and the EOS-1D x, launched way back at the end of 2011, would seem to be the obvious candidate. Nikon has had the high-resolution full-frame market to itself ever since the launch of the 36-megapixel D800, and surely Canon can't let this continue much longer?
Well, we've yet to see whether Canon will launch a higher-resolution version of the EOS-1D x, but the rumors about a higher resolution sensor were certainly true, and the proof is the brand new EOS 5DS and 5DS R models announced in early February.
Canon EOS 5DS and EOS 5DR [Unexpected!]
Canon did indeed have a high-resolution full-frame sensor ready, but chose to fit it to the EOS 5D Mark III body instead of the EOS-1D X.
In fact, Canon has done what Nikon did with the original D800 and D800E, by making one version with the anti-aliasing filter in front of the sensor cancelled out (the 5DS R). This increases the sharpness of ultra-fine detail but with the potential risk of moiré patterns in fine textures and patterns.
This will almost certainly be the defining camera launch of 2015. The price puts the 5DS and 5DS R somewhat out of reach for most amateurs, but it's actually not that expensive for a professional user. What it will do, though, is restore some real glamor and prestige to the whole Canon DSLR range and the brand itself.
Fuji rumors
We have no clear indications just yet of any new sensor technology or camera designs from Fuji, but we do have our eye on a couple of models that have been on our camera timeline for quite a while now and could be prime candidates for an update some time in 2015.
Fuji X-M2
The Fuji X-A1 has now been replaced with the X-A2, but Fuji's other low-cost CSC, the X-M1, is now being heavily discounted – a sign (though not proof) that another model might be on the way.
Fuji has achieved most success with its high-end X-series cameras, including the X100 series, X-Pro 1 and X-T1, but it's surely keen to attract less well-heeled buyers too, if only to tempt them into the X-series system.
Interestingly, the next model up in the range, the X-E2 is also being discounted. This uses Fuji's more advanced X-Trans CMOS II sensor and has an electronic viewfinder built in. It replaced the X-E1 after a year, and it's now a year old itself.
Fuji could replace both models with updated cameras, or it could replace both with a single, entry-level model. Our money would be on a Fuji X-M2 aimed at first-time buyers, an opinion shared by the Fuji Rumors website. We reckond it would have the X-Trans CMOS II sensor but no electronic viewfinder – a logical but cost-conscious development of the X-M1.
Fuji Rumors has also run a fascinating interview with Fuji translated from the original Japanese. Fuji makes some interesting observations about image quality and sensor size, pointing out that larger sensors (e.g. full frame) also mean larger lenses and cameras and slower autofocus. Fuji will continue to develop its X-Trans sensor technology and thinks that 25 megapixels is the worthwhile maximum for the APS-C format.
Fuji X-Pro 2
The Fuji X-Pro 1 was launched way back in January 2012, and while it might be tempting to assume it's been supplanted by the newer X-T1, that's not how Fuji sees it – which makes the prospect of an X-Pro 2 a tantalising possibility.
The X-Pro 1 and X-T1 are very different cameras. The X-T1 is a D-SLR style compact system camera with an EVF in the 'pentaprism' shape on the top of the camera. The X-Pro 1, however, is more like a traditional interchangeable lens 'rangefinder' camera.
It doesn't actually use a rangefinder focusing system, but in other respects it is reminiscent of the Leica design, with a viewfinder that has a fixed magnification and displays different sized frames to match the focal length of the lens fitted.
It's a complex but highly-rated hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder system designed to combine the brightness of an OVF with the precision of an EVF.
With no new sensor on the horizon, though, what could Fuji do to bring the design up to date? For a start, Fuji could upgrade the LCD display used in the hybrid viewfinder, replacing the original 1,440,000-dot LCD with the much sharper 2,360,000-dot display from the hybrid viewfinder of the X100T.
And although the resolution of Fuji's latest X-series cameras is the same, at 16-megapixels, the newer models use Fuji's X-Trans CMOS II sensor with built-in phase detection autofocus and 14-bit raw data capture. This would give the X-Pro 2 faster autofocus and, potentially, smoother tonal gradations for better overall image quality.
We'd really like to see an X-Pro 2 because its unique viewing system makes it quite unlike an SLR design. It has the key advantages of a classic 'rangefinder' camera – a bright optical viewfinder and the ability to see what's happening around and outside the frame, not just what's within it.
Nikon rumors
Nikon has enjoyed two or three really good years in the DSLR market, but has it used up all its good ideas – and, for that matter, all its new tech? Maybe so, but we still think there's more to come from Nikon in 2015, and not necessarily just in the DSLR market.
Nikon CoolPix A II
This is an interesting situation for Nikon. Its first and only big-sensor compact, the CoolPix A, is now two years old. It's a good camera (if a little slow) but expensive, and no-one's paid it much attention. If Nikon does decide to replace it, we can probably expect a new version with the 24-megapixel non-anti-aliased APS-C sensor used in the D3300, D5300 and D7100.
Nikon P8000
But Nikon's other high-end compact, the P7800, is also due for an update – the P7800 arrived in 2013, the P7700 before it came out in 2012, just a year earlier. Here, Nikon surely faces a dilemma. Other makers (Sony, Canon, Panasonic) have launched high-end compact cameras with big sensors, while the P7800 has a much smaller 1/1.7-inch sensor. Should Nikon persist with the smaller sensor size and risk losing ground, or take the plunge with a new, big-sensor compact?
It has two choices. One is to produce a 'zoom' version of the CoolPix A, though lens size is proportional to sensor size, and even a modest 3x zoom would almost certainly be too big for a compact camera.
The second is to swap to a 1-inch sensor.
Why not? Nikon has used 1-inch sensors extensively in the Nikon 1 range, and has already made a power-zoom kit lens to go with it. So our shot-in-the-dark tip for 2015 is a Nikon CoolPix 8000 with a 1-inch 18-megapixel sensor from the Nikon 1, with a retracting lens, 20fps burst mode and built-in Wi-Fi.
Nikon D5500 [correct]
Our Nikon D5500 rumors proved pretty much correct. The Nikon Rumors website said it would have an APS-C sensor, like the existing D5300/D5200 cameras, and a touch-screen display – a first for a Nikon D-SLR – and that was spot on.
We highlighted a couple of weaknesses – a limited buffer capacity and slow live view AF – and Nikon has addressed both issues to a degree. The D5500 can shoot unlimited JPEGs and its live view contrast AF system is, according to Nikon, 20% faster.
• Read our Nikon D5500 news story.
Nikon D7200 [correct]
We were expecting the D7100 to be replaced with a new D7200. The rumors suggested a series of modest improvements rather than a new camera, however, and this has proved to be true.
The D7200 is not the long-awaited replacement for Nikon's pro-spec D300s. This leaves Nikon in a bit of a hole. With the release of the EOS 7D Mark II, Canon now has an affordable amateur APC-format camera that can shoot at professional speeds – 10 frames per second. Nikon does not.
Nikon D400 (again!)
This revives a long-running Nikon rumor. The D300s was the company's last professional APS-C format SLR and many photographers lament its passing. Would Nikon replace it? The D7000 and D7100 turned out to be well-specified amateur cameras, not the pro model that D300s fans wanted. And now, if the D7200 turns out to be a modest development of the D7100, the clamour is likely to start all over again.
Interestingly, DP Review carried out an interview with a senior Nikon spokesperson at Photokina 2014 and asked that very same question – to be told that Nikon is 'studying demand'.
In the absence of any information whatsoever, we can only speculate. The obvious name for any D300s replacement would be the D400, and apart from the same strengths as the D300s – all-metal body, pro controls, Nikon's pro-level 51-point AF system – it would need high-speed continuous shooting capability.
Sensor-wise, Nikon has a choice. Its last-generation 16-megapixel APS-C sensor (D7000) might not be the most modern, but Nikon uses a non-anti-aliased version in the CoolPix A to good effect, and it might ease the pressure on the camera's processor and buffer and allow the high-speed continuous shooting that this camera would need.
The alternative is the 24-megapixel sensor currently used by the D7100 and other models, but the limited buffer capacity and shooting speed of the D7100 suggests that getting similar speeds to the EOS 7D Mark II may be no easy matter for Nikon. The D7200 does have an increased buffer capacity, but still only shoots at 6fps at full resolution.
We're dubious. We really do hope there will be a D400, but right now we're not that optimistic.
Olympus rumors
Olympus has been so busy reinventing its camera range that its easy to forget that most of its high-end cameras are actually quite new. All, that is, bar one…
Olympus OM-D E-M5 II [Correct!]
We thought talk of a high-resolution 'sensor-shift' mode was crazy, but the new Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II can indeed generate 'real' (not interpolated) 40-megapixel images from its 16-megapixel sensor.
In fact, this trick has been pulled off already. Hasselblad uses it for the Multi-Shot system in its H5D 200c MS medium format camera.
Olympus's system is much faster, though, capturing eight different images at different pixel positions in around 1 second – and processing takes a further 2.5 seconds.
Pentax rumors
Pentax has started showing 'reference' products at major shows, but with little or no hard information. Its first reference camera, an APS-C format DSLR, quickly turned into the brand new Pentax K-S2, so maybe these 'reference' cameras are further advanced than the name suggests. Let's hope so, because this next announcement is rather exciting...
Pentax full-frame DSLR
Pentax has announced a second 'reference' camera, this time with a full-frame sensor and scheduled for release in late 2015.
There's no information yet on its specifications, or even its name, but the mock-up Pentax is displaying really looks the business.
Sigma rumors
Our camera timeline planner breaks down somewhat with Sigma, which follows its own development path in its own sweet time. Nevertheless, the arrival of three 'Quattro' compact cameras is a sure sign that one more cameras with the same multi-layer sensor could follow.
Sigma SD1 Quattro
In an interview published on the Photo Yodobashi website, a Sigma spokesperson acknowledged that a DSLR version was in the pipeline.
The new Sigma SD1 Quattro (our name – we don't know Sigma's) would replace the current SD1 Merrill DSLR, offering improved resolution and other as yet unknown enhancements.
The SD1 Merrill is fascinating technically, but has had little or no real impact on the camera market. As a test bed for new and experimental sensor technology, however, it's very interesting.
The Foveon sensor captures full colour data at each photosite and does not need an anti-aliasing filter. It produces images with relatively modest resolution (in megapixels) but much better clarity and definition at a pixel level than regular single-layer sensors.
Sony rumors
Like Olympus, Sony has been very busy, constantly innovating and developing new products in a bid to muscle in on the high-end camera market dominated for so long by Canon and Nikon. Sony is so good at springing surprises that it's hard to predict what might come next.
We have one fascinating sensor rumour at the very top end of the market, but most camera sales are made lower down the range, and we think we've identified some strategically important cameras that are due for replacement.
Sony a59
At the press briefing for the Sony a7 II, Sony told us that it was still committed to the alpha SLT range and alpha lenses. If so, there's one camera that's certainly due for an update in 2015. It might not be Sony's most glamorous camera, but the Sony a58 is great value for beginners and is now coming up to two years old. It's also being heavily discounted – Jessops in the UK is offering a triple-lens kit for just £399.
We wouldn't expect any cutting edge new technology on an entry-level camera, but if Sony were to launch an a58 replacement there are a number of areas where it could make useful improvements.
For example, Sony could use a higher-resolution 24-megapixel sensor, boost the continuous shooting speed to 10fps and add a higher-resolution, tilting screen. All these features were found on the Sony a65, so there would be no technical or marketing barriers, now that the a65 is no longer listed.
Sony a3100
There is another vacancy at the entry-level end of the Sony camera range which we would hope to see filled at some point in 2015. Sony's cheapest entry-level compact system camera used to be the NEX-3 and its subsequent variations, ending with the Sony NEX-3N.
At that point, Sony swapped its CSC naming system from 'NEX' to 'alpha', and released the Sony a3000, which was a mistake. It looked like an Sony SLT but wasn't, so you got the bulky body without the translucent mirror and fast phase-detection AF.
It's rather telling that the a3000 has now disappeared from the Sony website (in the UK, at least) but the NEX-3N is still listed, so the smart thing for Sony to do would be to launch a modernised replacement which returns to the super-compact body style of the NEX-3N.
Currently, the Sony a5000 is on sale at heavily discounted prices compared to its replacement, the Sony a5100 – this is a sure sign that it's about to disappear altogether. So, in principle, Sony could take the a5000 technology – its 20-megapixel APS-C sensor and basic but effective 25-point contrast AF focusing – put it in a cheap, entry level CSC called the a3100 and fill a rather large and obvious gap in its camera range.
Sony a9
Sony sensor rumors are creating lots of speculation right now, and our information comes from Sony Alpha Rumors. It's believed that Sony has developed a 46-megapixel full-frame sensor and that it's going to debut in a new a9 mirrorless model which will sit above the A7 series in the Sony range.
There's also talk, possibly unrelated to the a9 rumor, that Sony is working on a multi-layer sensor which can capture full red, green and blue colour information at each photosite, in a similar manner to Sigma's Foveon X3 sensor.
At the same time, Sony has patented an APCS (Active-Pixel Color Sampling) sensor design that shifts the coloured filters above the sensor's photosites during the exposure to capture full-colour data at each photosite.
This is an interesting parallel with the sensor-shift rumor surrounding the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II and the Multi-Shot system developed by Hasselblad.
The net result would be the same as a multi-layer sensor's, so it's possible the two rumors are describing the same technology.
Sony a99 II
But let's not forget Sony has another full-frame product line. The Sony a99 SLT camera has been out since 2012 without an update, and if Sony is indeed serious about maintaining this Alpha line, an a99 II is the obvious next step – Sony has committed heavily to a-mount lenses, don't forget, and although you can use them on mirrorless alphas bodies with an adaptor, it's not the ideal solution.
If Sony were to launch an a99 II it wouldn't be too hard to guess at the specs. The obvious sensor choice would be the 36-megapixel full-frame sensor from the a7R, though this might have a negative impact on the maximum continuous shooting speed. Or, if Sony does indeed have a 46-megapixel sensor waiting in the wings, it could use it here too – though it might prefer to reserve it for the a9 alone.
The other obvious area for improvement is the a99's relatively basic 19-point AF system. The fast, accurate and sensitive new 79-point AF system in the Sony a77 II was a major step forward, so if Sony could scale this technology up for a full-frame Sony a99 II, it could breath new life into Sony's SLT range and keep the pressure on Canon's and Nikon's full-frame D-SLRs.
Is that it?
Almost certainly not. There are bound to be stories and launches we didn't predict, but you can count on Techradar to report on every new camera announcement as soon as it happens on our camera reviews and news home page.
We'll also update this article throughout the year, revising predictions which turn out to be wide of the mark and adding new ones as they filter down through the grapevine.
So stay tuned, and get ready for some surprises!
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