Comments on: (FT4) Panasonic could unveil a new FourThirds camera in 2010 (in January?).

By: Fredex

Fredex — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:14:28 +0000

Its the L1 doohhhhhhh!!!!!!

By: Liza

Liza — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 04:52:41 +0000

You missed a very important piece of information. The date on that patent is 2006, with an original filing in 2005. This is an old patent that was only recently granted. (The patent office often takes 3-4 years to grant a patent, but the patent has to be filed right before the product is released) thus this is for a previous 4/3 camera, maybe the L1 or L10.

Panasonic and Olympus are likely going to be producing ONLY micro-four thirds (and point and shoots) going forward— because MF/T is a technology that they can use to differentiate. Hard for them to differentiate with DSLRs.

By: admin

admin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:45:35 +0000

Hi Peter! Of course every patent does not become a camera! It is Photography Bay which speculates with a January release! You know what’s interesting with the patent? That they are talking about a camera with a mirror. I believe that’s important to say because it is a proove that they are still developing “classic” FourThirds models.

By: Peter K Burian

Peter K Burian — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:55:30 +0000

That is a HUGE leap of logic.

…You found a patent. That means Panasonic may introduce a new camera, one month from now. …

Does every patent become a product?? Well, maybe 1% of patents become a product … sometimes years later.

And I think Photography Bay is dreaming when they suggest there will be a new Lumix DSLR.

Peter

By: Panasonic prepping Four Thirds camera for CES? | Greenbid News

Panasonic prepping Four Thirds camera for CES? | Greenbid News — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:39:55 +0000

[...] Out TBC | £TBC | Panasonic (Via 43rumors) [...]

By: Sony and Panasonic patents | Photo Rumors

Sony and Panasonic patents | Photo Rumors — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:51:46 +0000

[...] 43rumors found a new Panasonic patent application, which has a detailed drawings of a new camera that looks like a Four Thirds DSLR. Brief summary of the main features: “Live-View, Optical Viewfinder, mirror and prism, of course interchangeable FourThirds lens mount, CMOS sensor, supersonic vibration generator, No Video recording, No in body stabilization.” [...]

By: Panasonic prepping Four Thirds camera for CES? | Electricpig

Panasonic prepping Four Thirds camera for CES? | Electricpig — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:06:48 +0000

[...] TBC | £TBC | Panasonic (Via 43rumors) Google Nexus One: Secrets of the Google phone The Google Nexus One is yet to be officially [...]

By: Panasonic Four Thirds camera with intelligent Live View tipped by patent, coming to CES 2010? - SlashGear

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 09:53:47 +0000

[...] Electronista and via [...]

By: Rumor: Is Panasonic working on a sucessor to the GF1? | Products & Tech News

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 03:10:08 +0000

[...] [via 4/3rumors] [...]

By: R types - what do you make of this.? - Leica User Forum

R types - what do you make of this.? - Leica User Forum — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 05:32:11 +0000

[...] I just missed something. But Im not entirely sure this rumor really belongs in the 43 bucket. (FT4) Panasonic could unveil a new FourThirds camera in 2010 (in January?). . __________________ Bo Some of my pictures M lens coder [...]

By: Ranger 9

Ranger 9 — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:33:17 +0000

I don’t think there’s as much here as some of the other posters seem to be interpreting. The diagrams and the verbal descriptions of “related art” all seem to be standard DSLR fare.

Specifically what Panasonic is patenting (the three points in the “Claims” section) seems to be nothing more than a method of switching automatically between regular SLR view and “live view” when:

– Power is turned off
– The camera goes into “sleep mode”
– The battery is removed or low on power

The flowcharts also describe other conditions that would cause the camera to switch automatically between live view and SLR view, such as attaching the camera to a tripod, unfolding the LCD, or attaching a cable to the data terminal.

Although these features certainly would make using live view a lot more convenient, none of them seem to suggest any design breakthroughs. In fact, since Panasonic doesn’t have any current cameras with conventional mirror SLR systems, and since this is a very crowded competitive space, I can’t see much sense in them introducing one. My guess is that their primary use of this patent will be to license it to other manufacturers who DO make mirror-reflex cameras.