The EOS-1D X Mark III was Canon's last high-end DSLR, before the company switched entirely to mirrorless cameras.
The future of Canon cameras has just been shared by Fujio Mitarai, President and CEO of Canon, with a domestic news agency. Accordingly, the company plans to stop developing its most advanced camera line, the EOS-1D, to switch to products more suitable for the market.
"Market demand is rapidly shifting towards mirrorless cameras. So we're slowly moving in this direction as well," said Mr. Mitarai. The 1D X Mark III model will be the final product of the EOS 1D series and the company will cease development and production of this product "in the next few years", but has not specified a specific time..
However, the Canon representative left open the possibility that it could continue to produce other DSLR models but in the mid-range segment or for beginners.
The shift from DSLR to mirrorless has long been predicted in the camera market. The type of camera that uses a mirror viewfinder system makes the size and weight of the device large, causes vibration or noise when operating, and makes it difficult to apply new technology to photography. Meanwhile, mirrorless cameras are increasingly showing their power through the integration of new technologies, fast and accurate processing capabilities, and compact dimensions.
Although not officially announced, most current camera manufacturers such as Canon, Nikon, and Sony are focusing on developing mirrorless cameras instead of traditional mechanical cameras. With Canon, the 1D X Mark III model can be replaced by the EOS R3 - a new product launched in September 2021 for $ 6,000.
According to experts, although Canon plans to kill off the EOS-1D X Mark III - launched in January 2020 for $ 6.5 thousand, users can still rest assured to own because the life cycle of a camera has a up to decades.