When Canon unveiled the EOS-1D X Mark III in January 2020, everyone believed that the DSLR "isn't dead yet," but this camera will mark the end of the line for a camera that some professional photographers have used to capture everything from sporting events to wildlife.
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CanonRumors highlights an interview Canon President and CEO Fujio Mitarai gave this week to Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun . The interview highlights how leading mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras have gained market share over the previously dominant digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras.
In it, the CEO is quoted as saying, “The market needs are moving rapidly towards mirrorless cameras. So we are increasingly moving people in that direction.” The article states that the Mark III is “effectively” the last model in EOS-1 , and that in a few years Canon will stop developing and producing its flagship DSLR cameras in favor of mirrorless cameras.
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However, despite what some headlines say, this doesn't mean this is the end of Canon DSLRs. While the article makes it clear that mirrorless cameras, like Canon's EOS R3, represent the future of the category, it also says that due to strong demand overseas, the company plans to continue making mid-range DSLR cameras for the time being.
As for the Mark III itself, while a new model is not on the horizon, its estimated lifespan as an active product is still measured in years.
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In a statement, a Canon spokesperson in the US confirmed: “The general details of Mr. Mitarai’s interview as described in the article are true. However, while it is estimated that the transition will take place “within a few years,” no exact dates for the completion of development/end of production of DSLR cameras are confirmed.”
