43 Rumors

Seem like a bad joke

- New backlit 12.1mp sensor
Backlit mean small sensor

- Built-in epson evf
Why would Pansonic use the Epson EVF?

- Lumix lens (not leica; not sure about specs, but I am hearing 1.7/20mm)
They’ll never make a fixed focal length LX3-replacement, and a 20mm imply a mFT-sized sensor while all the other specs imply small sensor

- new B&W high-sensitivity mode (almost no-noise in iso 3200)
B&W isn’t better at high Iso unless they have a removeable filter. A mFT-sensor should be pretty good at Iso 3200 anyway

Sounds like someone needs money and want to sell their Panasonic shares asap…

I also don’t think this is real because panasonic wouldn’t use the epson evf, but the specs sound awesome. THIS is the camera I want. someone please make it.

@ AndersN :EVF always means largish compact, try to think of examples to the contrary, you won’t find any, especially if you insist on quality EVF, there is just a coolpix nikon with EVF that has relatively a compact form factor (i think it was P80 or P90 or something like, don’t remember exactly), but the evf was criticised in reviews as too small and nonsense one.

personally, i’d love future hi end compacts like LX5 to have interchangeable lenses, with a fully open mind that manufacturers do NOT have to stick to the same mount and maintain compatibility endlessly in the same way they do in SLR’s, RF’s or EVIL’s. but rather in the same way as accessories for compacts occaisionally stay compatible for a few iterations within the same series and occaisionally introduce new standards, (for example if you buy teleconverters for a Canon G camera, you’ll find that its only compatible with few other G’s before or after your model). i think its the fear of endless commitment that makes mfr’s invariably prefer fixed lens in the compact (tiny-sensor) world.

sorry Andres but i don’t think what you want is easily doable, a good evf (with good magnification & res) must be big and will make the camera big if it is built in, good magnification evf means that it’ll have upward hump as in G1/Gh1 and backward protrusion for good ergonimcs so that your nose won’t be pushed against the LCD…., (left side EVF may solve this but most manufacturers have always opted for the traditional middle posiion, so seems to be an issue with the left). Looking at digital cameras of 4 or 5 years ago when 2″ LCD was maximum, EVF cams were not small then and as you say even P80/90 aren’t really samll, so i don’t think compromising on the LCD size would allow a small camera with built in evf, note also that almost all current cameras have 3″ fixed LCD or 2.8/2.7″ swivel, anything less and the mfr is in for a lot of complaints.

best evf solution IMO is an optional external EVF that looks better integrated into the body when attached, more so than what Oly/Ricoh have offered recently. that way the size/weight/price of the camera is unaffected by the EVF, even EVF users themselves do not normally use the EVF all the time.

I said that i was not sure that it was P80 or 90 or whatever, so i didn’t give misinfo here, and the main point relevent to the discussion is that it’s about the only P&S with built-in EVF + a relatively compact form factor.

The above proposal of a Panasonic LX4 is very interesting. But I would prefer a built-in OPTICAL view finder instead of an electronic one (EVF), since the OVF may be SMALLER and clearer and not show flicker or tearsing with moving subjects; a good example is found in the Leica CM (not Minilux).

The other vaguely proposed features can be accepted. With an OVF of course the objective should not be interchangeable; it could be a 1.7/20 mm(eq.40mm) together with an “extra optical zoom” (as known from most Panasonic cameras) with an equivalent focal length of ca. 70 mm. The image sensor would be large (m4/3-sized like that in the Panasonic G1/GH1/GF1).

Note that I do not oppose to an EVF in a camera with interchangeable objectives.

feb has passed. fail.