It’s thought that coronavirus may have an impact on the release dates of both the Canon EOS R5 and R6 as a result of systems dropping to less than a quarter of their regular capacity at the Japanese manufacturer.
Canon Rumors reports that a source has said that Canon is faced with a choice between releasing the cameras as planned and struggling to match demand, or pushing the releases back by a few months. Canon is yet to make an official statement.
At present, the R6 was thought to be ready to hit the shelves in June with the R5 following close behind in July. If Canon decides to postpone the launch, it's thought that the cameras may not be launched until October.
Supply chains for many manufacturers are dependent on Chinese factories, many of which have been temporarily closed as part of efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus. It’s noted that rates of infection across China are now falling so it’s possible that the disruption will be temporary.
Nikon has already informed customers that the recently announced D6 will now be available in May, rather than March as originally planned, having postponed the launch due to disruptions to its supply chain.
It remains to be seen whether coronavirus will have deeper impacts on the camera industry. With global economic uncertainty and an industry that is already reeling from a collapse in sales, this crisis may prove to have significant consequences. Many manufacturers were already restructuring in order to try and save costs, and this new disruption to sales could be catastrophic.
Sounds like the R6 is a real thing now.
Fair enough :)