Canon Officially Developing 8K Recording Equipment and a 120-Megapixel DSLR

Canon Officially Developing 8K Recording Equipment and a 120-Megapixel DSLR

Camera manufacturers have been in a megapixel race for some time. Canon has its new 5DS and 5DS R bodies, Nikon has its D810 and even the D810A for astrophotography, and PhaseOne, Hasselblad, Pentax, and even Leica are competing for medium format, high-megapixel territory. While Canon's 120-megapixel APS-H sensor is actually not entirely new (it was announced some time ago), the announcement that Canon is actually working to get it into a DSLR body and not just using it for bragging rights (their 250 MP sensor now lifts that crown) is a huge development. Meanwhile, Canon is among the first to announce some serious commitment to 8K video.

Canon did release a few images for us to look over, but perhaps the most shocking (and pleasant) thing about these images is that nothing is too shocking. Images of a standard, Canon DSLR prototype, a C500-esque rig, and a plain, black monitor would all suggest that Canon expects the developments of the 120 MP DSLR, 8K cinema camera, and 8K reference monitor to go relatively mainstream. At the very least, it's a clear sign that Canon is taking these developments quite seriously.

On the shocking side of things, however, is that Canon threw out a frame rate of 60 fps for the 8K cinema camera. Capturing 36.6 million pixels (8,192 x 4,320) 60 times per second won't be easy, but what does that mean for 4K frame rates?

Do you see any commercial or creative applications for these technologies in your work, aside from that of scientific inquiry? What would you do with a 120 MP camera in your hands?

[via PhotoRumors]

Images courtesy of Canon

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Adam works mostly across California on all things photography and art. He can be found at the best local coffee shops, at home scanning film in for hours, or out and about shooting his next assignment. Want to talk about gear? Want to work on a project together? Have an idea for Fstoppers? Get in touch! And, check out FilmObjektiv.org film rentals!

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15 Comments

That's what I'm talkin about!!! I can't wait to have that 120mp dslr in my hands in 2018! =)

Sounds like a post nightmare.

Post, storage, memory, etc nightmare. I don't have use for 120MP... my storage doesn't compare to an NSA facility.

But mah dynamic range!!!

There, I said it, so nobody else has to.

And once you see the images with ISO 800 and above from that 120MP thing you will grab your D810 or D4s and start to smile again with happiness in your eyes :) DR is not everything yet for studio work it can be jaw dropping :)

I bet it does not even have in build image stabilizator and evf. Canon has been left behind when it gomes to creating something new in camera technology.

Yes, this is funny. Canon is developing something, but they do not have anything ready yet -> they are falling behind.
Canon is developing, developing, developing... Maybe they don't ever get anything finished?

lets not forget about how long they took to develop the C100 mark ii, which in 2015 began shipping costs 5grand and only shoots 1080 video at 60 fps. Canon innovation is laughable

That's an interesting point... Of course, that's likely because Canon is not as concerned with shoulder-mounted styles of shooting, but instead more with "rigged" setups (i.e. on popular MoVī-type units, on sticks/tripods/sliders of some kind, etc.). Whether or not that's a huge missed opportunity for a potential market...who knows? They seem to be okay with it for now at least...but of course that would be disappointing to anyone hoping otherwise.

8K? Looks like not only Red, Arri, soon to be Sony, and now Canon is going to give Imax a run for their money!

I just got a 645z and I honestly cannot imagine wanting more pixels.

How do you like it? Care to quickly discuss AF speed and/or what lenses you're using?

I love it. I've been shooting it with a 5D at the same time for wedding work. AF speed is fine. It's not "fast" but I haven't missed any shots and I'm not thinking "HURRY UP" while focusing. If it has to go all the way through the distance range, I'd say it's a few ticks faster than the 5D with the 85 1.2. Once you're ballpark, switching focus is negligible time.

So far I'm only using the old 75 2.8. I want the 55 2.8 and the 120 macro. I'm literally about to tweak with the AF microadjust for the 75 after I finish typing this. It's definitely soft wide open, which is something I've heard about most of the Pentax lenses, but I want to see if I can get it a little closer.

BUT, I'm also not a sharpness freak. The ability to resolve absurd detail is nice, and I can do that with proper shooting discipline. What I love about this camera is even with a kinda soft, higher ISO shot, I can push these files around like nothing else I've ever seen, and when you get it right, that "feel" that everyone talks about makes images that I just end up staring at. (Sorry, tried to post an image but it just displays too small for it to be worth looking at.)

EDIT: https://fstoppers.com/photo/85581

That's better.

Are there any lenses out there that can resolve 120MP?