New Rumors: APS-C camera body is coming for the RF mount

A new rumor has cropped up regarding the existent of an APS-C EOS RF camera body.  While there have been some claims about the fact that Canon won't do an APS-C camera body, there is certainly nothing stopping Canon from doing so.

However there are problems with this, it's not just a matter of creating the APS-C camera body, it's also creating an APS-C camera body with the necessary ecosystem to actually be useful.  An APS-C camera body in a full frame lens world, with no APS-C lenses, isn't that. 

Right now, with the EOS RF mount going through its birthings, and even full frame lenses going to take years in the making before a credible RF ecosystem exists, adding APS-C to the mix just creates even more problems for Canon.  Canon would have to come out new RF APS-C lenses tailored to the APS-C RF Camera, nearly upon release, and that's on top of their existing rollout of full frame RF lenses.  Of course, there's one option that Canon has, is that they quickly take all the EOS-M lenses they like, and rapidly mount convert them to EOS RF-S.  Canon could quickly take the 11-22, 18-150, 22, 28, 32 over from the EOS-M system and provide a starting point for the EOS RF-S system since there is only a difference in mount diameter and only 2mm in registration distance, this is highly possible.  Make a 17-55 2.8 RF-S lens, and essentially the ecosystem is "good enough" to start off with.

We highlighted the problem that Canon created with the RF mount when the EOS R was first announced.  A Canon EOS R 7D camera body doesn't fit into either an EOS-M mount or an EOS-RF mount.  It simply doesn't play nice with either mount because there's no crossover support.

Part of the reason the Canon 7D has been a popular camera is that APS-C users have upgraded to it over time and simply used their existing lens collection on that camera.  With the EOS-M and EOS-RF mounts, this is an impossibility as EOS-M users that over time will look to upgrade to more professional APS-C mirrorless will be stuck in the EOS-M mount, with no ability to use those lenses on a future APS-C EOS R camera.   In short, creating a 7D camera on it's own in the RF mount doesn't make sense.  Canon will most likely if this is the case, take the entire APS-C lineup to the RF mount.

This rumor could very well be true, part of the reason why I think it's credible is that the next generation of Canon sensors is due to come out soon, and Canon may very well want to try this on the RF mount.  It's much easier to fabricate an APS-C sensor than it is a full frame sensor.   Also, Canon has made it quite clear in presentations that they feel this moment is the same as the moment of the FD to EF migration.  The odds are that the entire lineup over time will be made to be EOS RF, and that includes APS-C.

We will see, there's alot of rumors, and they are just that rumors at this point in time.  Don't start selling off your EF lens collection or EOS-M collection for pennies on the dollar, but what Canon has in store for APS-C is certainly a debatable subject where there's no real one right answer.

Addendum:

I see some suggesting that Canon needs a APS-C 7D for FPS speed. While that may have been the case for DSLR's because the off sensor PDAF sensor spread is easier with APS-C, and it's easier to make a high speed mirror assembly for APS-C than it is for full frame.  However, for a mirrorless camera, whether or not it's full frame makes little difference for FPS.  A 24MP full frame sensor can run just as nearly as fast as it's APS-C brethren.  The only tangible difference is cost of the sensor itself.

I see the 7D necessary because it's necessary for the ecosystem that gets developed for APS-C for the EOS RF system IF and ONLY IF Canon is going to remake their entire EOS EF lineup into RF mount cameras, otherwise, its need is pretty pointless.  Make a fast 20MP full frame camera and be done with it.

• via Canon Rumors