Samsung has announced a super-compact APS-C camera, the 28-megapixel NX500, that shoots 4K video and costs $800 with a kit lens.
Meanwhile, Canon has announced the full-frame 5DS (and a variant without an OLPF called the 5DS R). Their big feature is 50.6 megapixel resolution, but not only do they max out at 1080p video, they’ve been stripped of the 5D Mark III’s perfunctory microphone headphone port and HDMI output.
No pre-order yet, but B&H has prices already. The 5DS is set at $3,699, and the 5DS R will be $3,899.
So, just to be clear, Canon charges you ¼ the cost of a 4K video camera to remove a thin plastic film from the sensor of your 1080p camera that’s all about resolution.
I know there are a few people who need crazy high resolution (and far more who think they do), but I’m not one of them. I’ve been having a blast shooting stills with my 12.2MP full-frame Sony a7S, having picked up a razor-sharp, if rather unsexy, 35mm F2.8 lens for it. Here’s an example—click through to see it at full-res, along with a few more shots.
So, just to be clear again, while Samsung has an interesting new 28MP camera and Canon has new 50.6MP cameras, I’m currently being distracted from shooting stills with my 22.3MP DSLR by my 12.2MP mirrorless that I bought for video.
Comparative image sizes of the cameras mentioned in this post. From outside to in, 5DS at 50.6MP, NX500 at 28MP, 5D Mark III at 22.3MP, and Sony s7S at 12.2MP.
NAB is two months away. It’s a terrible time to buy a camera.
But that new Canon 11–24 F4 looks pretty cool.
Update 2015-02-06
Thanks to Gordon Lang of Camera Labs for pointing out that DP Review had it wrong about the microphone port being removed—it's actually the headphone port. He also clarified this:
Also the 5DS R adds a low pass cancelling filter, rather than removing the existing OLPF. It's like the D800 and D800e. 3yrs ago!
As always, if you want an actual, thoughful camera review, check out the Camera Labs write-up on the mega megapixel duo.