Is Canon readying a 32MP DSLR?

Is the Canon EOS 7D Mark III on the way? Canon hasn't updated its EOS 7D line for over four years, but now it appears that a successor to the respected but aging EOS 7D Mark II may well be on the way.

Japanese camera rumors site Nokishita has spotted registration information for a new camera codenamed DS126801, which has the figures 6960 and 4640 among its details.

These relate to the 3:2 aspect ratio of the sensors inside the company's DSLRs and mirrorless cameras – and multiplying the two figures gives us a total of 32.29 million, which is a perfectly logical figure for a sensor inside a new mid-range or high-end body.

Long overdue

Other details include the presence of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, together with the mention of a 7.2V 1800mAh battery. This matches Canon's longstanding LP-E6 and LP-E6N batteries, which are compatible with many of its models, from the EOS 7D Mark II and EOS 5D Mark IV through to the recent EOS R mirrorless camera.

Canon has stated that, despite the launch of its EOS R mirrorless stable, it plans to continue to support its DSLR line; but while the recent arrival of the Rebel SL3 / EOS 250D appears to back this up, the company hasn't made any changes to its mid-range and professional DSLR lineup since the EOS 6D Mark II two years ago, and its EOS 5D Mark IV and EOS 7D Mark II are both showing their age.

An upgrade to the EOS 5D Mark IV is also expected, although this is more likely to sport a sensor with a far higher resolution than the 30MP inside that camera. It's also entirely possible that such a sensor could be used inside an EOS R-series mirrorless body, but with the 30MP EOS R only having been announced in September of last year that seems less likely.