New mount?

There's a lot of rumours about new mount floating around the web. Some say that the 20th anniversary of EOS system is the perfect time to announce it. On the other hand, most of the EF lens wouldn't be able to resolve the 22 mpix Canon 1Ds mkIII sensor (if those would be the actual specifications). Here's one of the posts from FM, about the new mount:

I think when you reach Canon's position you have to step back and look at clean design. Then the EOS product manager freaks out and you look at clean design with backward compatibility.

A new mount is an engineering decision. This would be a significant if the lens designers wanted a larger opening. If it's electrical only, they might be able to get away with not even calling it a new mount.

But I would expect EF lenses to mounts on EFX. EFX lenses do not mount on EF

A new lens line is a product positioning decision. This year or next I expect them to come out with primo lens line. Going high-end creates skilled Japanese jobs. The appetite for highest end glass is greater than it has ever been (I'm guessing).

The most expensive R&D is done anyways, whether of not they compete directly with MFDB. Going into this market segment takes jobs from western europe and the U.S. and moves them to Japan.

Why? High margins, prestige, right kind of jobs (offsets kicking other japanese company's around), and probably, most importantly, not leaving potential future competitors with the high-end reputation among top photographers. Annie Liebovitz shoots with a 1DsII, and then is handed a medium format camera. Ten years ago, Canon would be thrilled to be used by her. Today, they probably most want to knock that other camera out of her hand.

So this is how I reconcile the rumors of the last 18 months. This would be an all Japanese manufacturing effort, and would not involve certain other Asian countries. If it's announced, I expect it will be expensive, they will have announced a really good EF zooms and other lenses first (to show they are not abandoning EF), and announce one of more new EF cameras.

As I said before, a new high end does not necessarily replace the 1DsII. There could be a new 1DsIII and a new high end camera.

I've stopped worrying about when. I was sure of a 1DsII upgrade at photokina.If there's a new mount this year, little Erwin in an EF mount would come first. Little Erwin might look like Crappy Erwin if announce after an ubercamera.

So I expect Little Erwin at PMA, I guess. I would put 1Dv on its birth certificate. If Canon has improved sensor technology to the point of competing with MFDB using a 22mp 35mmish sensor, then some of that good mojo may make 12mp Little Erwin special too.