X

Canon and Nikon are finally doing something about Sony's mirrorless cameras

Two full-frame mirrorless cameras. Each. Or so goes the rumor.

Sean Hollister Senior Editor / Reviews
When his parents denied him a Super NES, he got mad. When they traded a prize Sega Genesis for a 2400 baud modem, he got even. Years of Internet shareware, eBay'd possessions and video game testing jobs after that, he joined Engadget. He helped found The Verge, and later served as Gizmodo's reviews editor. When he's not madly testing laptops, apps, virtual reality experiences, and whatever new gadget will supposedly change the world, he likes to kick back with some games, a good Nerf blaster, and a bottle of Tejava.
Sean Hollister
2 min read
a73-24105-right-us

Sony's A7 III

Sony

The Sony A7 III may be the worst nightmare Canon and Nikon have faced in years: a full-fat, full-frame camera for just $2,000. This could cut into their bread and butter -- professional/prosumer cameras -- at a time when smartphones have already devastated the traditional consumer point-and-shoot. 

But apparently Canon and Nikon are just about ready to fight fire with fire by announcing their own full-frame mirrorless cameras.

Nikon Rumors reported this week that Nikon will announce not one, but two full-frame mirrorless cameras by the end of this month, shipping in August, with a 25-megapixel model rumored to cost under $3,000 complete with a lens. (A separate 45-megapixel model may cost around $4,000 with lens.) 

They'll reportedly have a relatively compact form factor (like the Sony A7) and 5-axis stabilization (ditto), plus a new mirrorless lens mount. 

Nikon had previously said it would bring a high-end mirrorless camera to market by spring 2019.

Not to be outdone, Canon Rumors reported Thursday that Canon will also have two full-frame mirrorless cameras coming "before the middle of 2019," including a 30.4-megapixel model and perhaps a 24-megapixel model, each of which shoots 4K video.

As a Canon DSLR fan, I'm just hoping a new Canon camera might be compatible with my existing lenses. "One trusted source told us that the full frame mirrorless camera and EF mount problem has a "sexy" solution," writes Canon Rumors, but it's not clear what that means yet.

Nikon declined to comment. Canon didn't immediately reply to a request for comment.