A Tony Northrup click-bait video on YouTube entitled "Canon KILLED the DSLR. Big mistake!" (December 30, 2021) and an article at Canon Rumors website entitled "Canon exec confirms that the EOS-1D X Mark III is Canon’s last DSLR" (December 28, 2021) have cause a lot of confusion and reaction here on UHH and elsewhere online.

Northrup YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ7Mv39iQNc

Canon Rumors article: https://www.canonrumors.com/canon-exec-confirms-that-the-eos-1d-x-mark-iii-is-canons-last-dslr/

Both Northrup and Canon Rumors are incorrect (or maybe just fishin' for clicks). Or maybe they just didn't read the entire interview.

A Canon Watch website headline is much more accurate: "Canon EOS-1D X Mark III Company’s Last Flagship DSLR, Exec Says" (December 29, 2021).

Canon Watch article: https://www.canonwatch.com/canon-eos-1d-x-mark-iii-companys-last-flagship-dslr-exec-says/

Read the translated interview for yourself to see the info they're omitting to give the wrong impression.

What was said is simply that the 1DX Mark III model will be the last of the 1D-series, which have been Canon's premium line of DSLRs for 20+ years. They will not be developing a 1DX Mark IV. But the Canon exes also doesn't say they've stopped production of 1DX Mark III or predict exactly when it will be discontinued. Only that going forward from now there won't be another DSLR developed to replace that particular model.

Canon CEO Fujio Mitarai, "Canon will end the development and production of the flagship model of the digital SLR cameras a few years from now..."

Canon's mirrorless R3 that was just introduced actually represents an upgrade from the 1DX Mark III DSLR in almost every way. About the only place it's not superior is shots per battery charge and the R3 doesn't have illuminated buttons. By every other measure.... resolution, frame rate, AF tracking, IBIS, size, weight, etc., etc.... the R3 is the better camera. And it costs $500 less! A pro shooter such as might use these top-of-the-line cameras would have to be hard core committed to DSLR tech to stick with the 1DXIII instead of making the switch the mirrorless R3! https://cameradecision.com/compare/Canon-EOS-R3-vs-Canon-EOS-1D-X-Mark-III (Note: One item is incorrect at this link. Yes, the 1DXIII can autofocus lens/TC combos with effective f/8. But while it says "none", actually the R3 can too. In fact, it can AF combos with f/11 and even f/16 effective and can AF in much lower lighting conditions than the 1DXIII. Something else that's misleading is the 1DXIII frame rate. It's listed as 20 fps, but that's only in Live View, which no sports shooter is likely to use and is anomalous to the R3's "electronic shutter" where the R3 shoots at 30 fps. When using the viewfinder and mechanical shutter, 1DXIII shoots at up to 16 fps. Yes, this is faster than the R3's 12 fps with its mechanical shutter. But both the R3's mechanical and electronic shutters use the viewfinder. And with the R3's new BSI sensor, rolling shutter doesn't prevent sports photographers from freely using the electronic shutter. So in real world use the R3 has much faster frame rate.)

Mitarai explained, “It is natural that mirrorless cameras will become the mainstream of digital cameras… The market needs are acceleratingly shifting to mirrorless cameras. In line with this, we are steadily shifting manufacturing”.

But, Mitarai also said, "Demand for beginner and intermediate SLR cameras is strong overseas, so we plan to continue development and production for the time being." While he wasn't specific in that statement, we can assume this means the APS-C format Rebel/xxxD/xxxxD/Kiss models and 90D, and possibly the full frame 6D-series and perhaps the 5D-series as well. Also, what does "overseas" mean? Assuming he's speaking from Japan, "overseas" is pretty much the rest of the world!

There was no comment one way or the other about the M-series: Canon's APS-C mirrorless system with it's unique EF-M lens mount and limited lens selection. Many suspect Canon will eventually come out with an APS-C format R-series or two, marking a start phasing out the M-series and consolidating all their mirrorless R&D and production under the RF lens mount. That just makes sense from a manufacturing stand-point.

Tony Northrup made some good points about the camera industry in general and even went into some reasons DSLRs remain a very viable option or even the better choice for many people. But Northrup greatly distorted what was said by Canon's CEO. His video, the headline at Canon Rumors website and other YouTubers repeating those statements have confused a lot of people.

I moved from a 5D IV to a R5 4 months ago. Briefly, here's what I have found. The dynamic range is noticeably better. This isn't really important to me but is a big deal for some. The flexibility for the various controls is a big plus. Customize to what you find easiest for your style and you won't miss shots while you are fiddling with settings. I can make a lot more adjustments without going to quick control. The viewfinder seems bigger and brighter and can be customized for the features you find useful while taking shots. The extra mega pixels come in handy when you have to crop a lot. I shoot a lot of small birds and this is noticeable. For most shooting there wouldn't be much benefit. The R5 is about 5 ounces lighter though if you are using an adapter, it's about the same as the 5D. In camera stabilization helps my non stabilized lenses. By far the biggest improvement is the AF and tracking ability. If you shoot moving subjects, the AF will make you feel like you're cheating vs. the 5D IV. The eye detect is very precise. I get a lot more keepers. This could be important for those who like to use big apertures where getting precise focus is sometimes difficult. Is image quality better? Little, if any. But I get a lot more precisely focused images that certainly look better. For people who shoot in studios or mainly do landscapes, especially with a tripod, it's probably not worth switching. Hope this helps.