What is needed to redefine the Panasonic G series?
As you have read Panasonic is considering to make some serious changes in the future of the G camera series. Now I would like to you to come up with your suggestions for the future Panasonic camera and lens strategy. I just make some example of what could be done:
- GX series should have an integrated viewfinder…
- Launch a larger FF sensor system with new FF lenses that are compatible on MFT cameras too
- Get rid (or simplify) the G, GF, GH, GX definitions.
- Make entry level GH and high level GH cameras.
- Create fully and fast-af electronic adapters for Nikon and Canon lenses to allow Canon-Nikon pros to easily switch over to G cameras.
- Offer cameras with hybrid OVF and EVF viewfinders.
- Tighten the partnership with Leica and create a real Leica-Panasonic camera with a few real Leica lenses
- Follow Fuji’s route and create a “old style” designed camera.
- Create a pro service and network of pro photographers to advertise it.
- Focus effort on a partnership with Sigma to further develop the Foveon sensor
These are just examples. But please let me know your key strategy points and I will put the on vote in a poll I am going to post in a few days. Thanks!
fvanzela
4 months ago |GF: compact, pocketable, no hot shoe, no VF, 1 model per year
G: advanced features, good grip, 1 model each 2 years
GX: compact, weather sealed, no VF, 1 model each 2 years
GH: advanced features, including pro video and pro pictures, 1 model each 2 years
GFHX: for those who don’t liek the above models, 1 model each 6 months, only marketing!!!
Matt
4 months ago |I agree completely. Well summarized. However, one note is that the GX as you’ve defined it needs to be affordable. It can’t be a $800 camera in order to get volume.
tom
4 months ago |Something is weird in Panamarketing. The GX is targeted at enthusiasts, but it has no vf, and fixed screen. The G5 has articulated screen and viewfinder.
The G# series looks like one of the better value lines, but the GX series will be dead if it continues to provide less than its brandmate.
Lacunapratum
4 months ago |I just got a GH3. Very nice camera overall, but the viewfinder is simply unacceptable. How could they bring this camera on the market with such a badly designed finder? Also the jpg engine could be better. However, apart from these two details I really like the GH3 and especially the lenses.
Those lenses are right on the money: the 7-14mm is a great wide angle zoom, both the 25 and 45mm are two very sharp lenses, and the 100-300mm zoom is fairly sharp and compact. These lenses were in fact the reason I finally bought a Panasonic body (I had Olympus so far). I am very impressed with the GH3 overall feel and design, but I have a hard time getting over the low standard of the viewfinder.
peevee
4 months ago |And how do you live with 7-14, 25 and especially 45 without IS? Or you mean Pana 45/2.8?
amalric
4 months ago |It’s all very well to imagine new features, but it is also living in a separate world. Economic reailties might result in Panny slashing lines of product.
The main problem of Panasonic is low volume of sales. and that is because of continuing dominance of C&N in the ILS cameras. Mirrorless by comparison has only 10% of the pie, and Panny is only ONE of the ten companies trying to survive in it.
Here, Thom Hogan commenting on CP+:
http://www.sansmirror.com/newsviews/why-cp-was-so-grim.html
“Panasonic, meanwhile, reported that their cost reductions and restructuring has them back in the black for the last quarter of calendar 2013, but a bit disturbingly, cameras weren’t a big enough part of their remaining businesses to get any real direct mention in their financial conference (there were some minor comments made to the press afterwards, but nothing particularly revealing; basically that all their consumer digital products were in decline).
In looking deeper into the Panasonic financial information I noted something I hadn’t really paid a lot of attention to before: about half of Panasonic’s sales come in the Japanese market. That’s across all products. In looking more closely at Panasonic’s numbers it became clear to me that how their camera business is doing isn’t exactly the biggest problem on their plate. The fear amongst those of us who like the Panasonic m4/3 offerings is that, as Panasonic wields the ax and cuts entire sections from the company, the small money-losing camera bits might be one of the casualties.”
About Mirrorless in general:
“There is no other takeaway than this: only Canon and Nikon have a strong sales core that’s still well protected and has grown through 2012 (remember, they dominate the big DSLR piece, but also are leaders in the compact piece, plus both are now players in the mirrorless piece). The pie is getting smaller overall, but you have about 10 companies fighting hard to keep themselves fed in the smallest piece and the big declining piece. My problem is that I don’t see the mirrorless part of the pie growing fast enough to help all the folk fighting for it. I strongly suspect that we’ll see more than one of the competitors in mirrorless become what Steve Jobs called “a hobby business.” They’ll stubbornly stick around and keep trying to make a commercially strong product, but they’ll be low volume, with little or no profit in doing so”.
So please, get real. LOL.
Anonymous
4 months ago |Full Frame and Mirriorless can and is living and thriving together. If they wasn’t, Canon/Nikon wouldn’t be trying to enter it.
I have a GX1 and just recently picked up a 6D so your point is flawed. Many pros/semi pros carry a full frame with a Mirrorless companion.
I see APS-C cameras die and being replaced by APS-C Mirrorless cameras. That’s why I agree that Oanasinic should move to the larger sensor. Bigger, Faster but compact.
amalric
4 months ago |You are still looking at your belly button, not at the camera sector.
BTW I won’t answer anymore to anonymous people – they are not worth their electronic ink.
Anonymous
4 months ago |“BTW I won’t answer anymore to anonymous people – they are not worth their electronic ink.”
You’ve been saying that forever, yet you still do. Look, Just because you show your Mug (if that is yours), doesn’t make you holier than thou… Nor can you speak for the masses. It’s all comments and opinions, Don’t get butt hurt because someone didn’t leave a name.
Anonymous
4 months ago |1.Distance themselves from soon to be Sony owned Olympus.
2.GX2 -imagine a slot for the EVF2 to slide in and slightly stick out like the VF from the L1, but with the option to still rotate! Weatherproof, and the 2 position flash like the L1 as well.
3.Faster, weather sealed lenses.
4.more Leica collabs.
5.weather sealed 20-25mm lens.
6.no old fashion looking cameras. Stay away from Olympus.
7.GX2 with larger APS sensor.
Another Fantard
4 months ago |7. is daft. Why on earth would they release a camera that’s incompatible with all the existing m4/3 lenses? If people want an APS-C mirrorless, there’s plenty of choice from Sony, Fuji and Samsung.
Jason
4 months ago |1. Sony is not going to own olympus only a small part.
lk[p'
4 months ago |@ Jason sadly the part that Sony are involved in is the only part of Olympus that interest me, I am not likely to be buying a medical device
BdV
4 months ago |Panasonic, ideas for life. So just redefine the G’s into something hard to resist, something that people will remember after 5 or 10 years. To be a bit more specific: LX3, LX5, LX7, GX1, 7-14mm, 20mm 1.7, 25mm 1.4 and to name more I already need to think too hard. Now imagine what these products would be like in 2017 and release the GX2 in June 2013. With epson viewfinder and a 9mm 2.4.
timtim
4 months ago |Just bring back the 8-years-ahead-of-its-time LC1 with modern electronics. Instant win.
Anonymous
4 months ago |Don’t you mean the L1?
timtim
4 months ago |Nah, the LC-1. 2/3″ sensor, fast premium optics, and all-manual controls: shutter dial, aperture ring (!), focus ring, zoom ring. They’d sell 10 LC-2′s for every X100 that sold.
That’s not really a mass-market solution, but if they’re looking to sell lots more cameras, probably more TV commercials with famous actors in revealing clothing is the best way. That and IBIS.
peevee
4 months ago |1) Merge G and GH, really no need to have 2.
2) GF and GX don’t make sense, one of them better be a rangefinder-style with EVF.
3) Add IBIS, make it work in conjunction with OIS to double the inmage stabilization performance (translational and rotational moevments), and stabilize non-OIS lenses.
Anonymous
4 months ago |Doesn’t need IBIS, has IS on lens.
GF: Girl Friend camera.
I agree with the G-GH merger.
peevee
4 months ago |No, most m43 lenses dont have “IS on the lens”, and confining Pana camera owner’s choices to a few lenses that do is dumb. But because they know the inner details of those OIS-equipped lenses and can update their firmwares if necessary, they could one-up Oly (and have the best IS in the world) by offering the double-IS I am suggesting.
Anonymous
4 months ago |Doesn’t need IBIS, has IS on lens.
GF: Girl Friend camera.
I agree with the G-GH merger.
Gato
4 months ago |Have to disagree with almost all the original suggestions. At this point Panasonic has two levels each of cameras with and without in-body EVF. Probably they need to make the relative positions more clear and refine the feature sets first, then consider if there are holes in the line.
There might be room for a mid-range EVF camera between the G and GH series. There could be demand for a very low-end model, a niche filled pretty well by older models at closeout prices but there will always be those who want both the latest thing and cheap.
IMO they have been slow to react to the semi-pro and professional still photographers, but now seem to be moving in that direction. They seem to have done somewhat better with the video market.
Panasonic and Olympus seem to have underestimated their potential at first by aiming at the upgrade market with little attention to the more serious photographers, but now the both seem to be catching on.
Hendrik Mintarno 葉俊賢
4 months ago |1. Clear definition between models: GF for pocket upgraded (ultra compact size); GX for enthusiast (rangerfinder style with built in EVF with hotshoe) and last is GH for pro (weather seal, build in EVF, wireless flash control using internal flash, hotshoe, and tiltable LCD)
2. 2nd generation of pancake lenses (silent n faster AF, better coating?) such as 14mm f/2.5; 20mm f/1.7
3. Design new compact lens (10mm f/4; 40mm f/1.7) with same 46mm filter thread
Puka
4 months ago |+1
amalric
4 months ago |One of the points that is never made, is that Panny and Oly. make most of their mirrorless sales in Japan. So they think in terms of Japanese needs.
That I think is the real reason for them to make smallish cameras – they made them for women, and that is not probably going to change.
So one camera for women, and one for men – it’s really rather simple
I’d concur that a GX, and a GH line, a Pen line and an OM-D line, is really what is ever needed.
Consdering that at the two opposite extremes of the range there is a FF dSLR and a high tier compact.
Please consider that Sony’s and Fuji’s mirrorless sales might be equally disappointing.
Japan keeps them in the business, but no company can survive only with Japanese sales.
International sales for mirrorless, making a 10% of the whole global sales, mean little or no profit.
Therefore in Thom’s words, mirrorless is still a ‘hobby business’.
SiriNeos
4 months ago |I would like a Panasonic G line specialized for videographers.
Do you imagine a m43 Panasonic camcorder with everithing designed only for video (8mpx sensor, HDR, 4k)?
Do you imagine a Panasonic GX camcorder like the Canon EOS C100?
But I would not like Panasonic making the VG Sony mistake. Do not reuse other G line sensors, design a new sensor only for video (8mpx sensor,..)
My proposal of G lines:
– GF: Panasonic G Entry Line (no EVF)
– G: Panasonic G Advanced Line (EVF)
– GH: Panasocic G Pro Line (EVF, Weather Sealed, …)
– GX: Panasocic G Pro Cinema Line (8 megapixel sensor, camcorder grip,.)
Rinaldo
4 months ago |Nice
Pat
4 months ago |I wish I knew more about the numbers. The feature list is interesting, but not very practical. Panasonic needs to get their numbers solid and then start taking some risks like you mentioned.
Frankly What I think they are doing is stupidly leaving money on the table keeping their camera and pro video divisions so segregated. We’ve been waiting for an Af100 replacement for ever now and I think if they could bridge these two divisions financially and in tech (or at least in tech) they could be getting better video cameras that finally compete which drives lens demand which only sells more MFT cameras as the system becomes an even more dominant system in terms of mirror-less lens offerings.
We all know that when it comes to interchangeable lenses, a system of good lenses defines the success of the camera, not the other way around.
Film makers are finding out that even the best HDSLR’s suck as A cameras and people are in need of a great A camera system and then people will buy the GH line as a B camera. But again, more importantly, they will sell more lenses which means more or the mirror less market which means more camera sales.
Charles E Pike
4 months ago |I have been trying to connect my Nikon flash to the G3 body. Not so bad, except I have yet to figure out how to make the f stop stay sticky. I have set up C2-2 for flash photography, but when I turn off the camera and then turn it back on, the f stop has changed. I love everything about this camera but that. I liked it so much that I bought a second body a week ago. Put more information into your manual. Many of us are older, and it takes more information for us to understand what you are saying. Place more videos on You Tube showing how to use your cameras. I moved from Nikon to you, because the output from my GF1 was as good as from my D200. I picked Panasonic because I shoot raw, and wasn’t interested in jpeg. But in the future I could jump to Olympus.
Abraham
4 months ago |One of the bigger problems is the idea that traditional photographers know what today’s buyers are after.
Thom HOgan has said on a number of occasions to rethink the camera. While this may not be good for traditionalists it would be excellent for a new market. So keep the GH3/OMD and a pen / GF line, but lose the multitudes of mid tier cameras which are still simply stripped down versions of the same thing.
Look at Samsung, teaming with Google challenge incumbents, Panasonic/Olympus/Fuji should speak with Nintendo (dont laugh) or the Sony playstation division etc. They should produce a camera that is more of a multimedia device where one can create their own art filters, share images online effortlessly though wifi, it shoudl take a sim card and take advantage of the cheaper and cheaper data plans you can get… Keep the camera at 5-6mp, give it excellent low light capabilities, after all you are targeting the market that is happy with cellphone IQ and generally shares online… Let them store music on the device so they can listen to their tunes on the go while they shoot…
Now this doesnt have to be a ILC, this could be a point and shoot, The technology could grow up the food chain etc. But people here need to realize that the average age here is high, and that all camera companies need to try to target a yournger demographic and bring a new type of fun and expression to creating imagery.
I think art filters are one way of doing it, but the integration into the social sphere would be the killer moment. While your friends are posting up lousy cellphone images you could be posting up better, more unique shots for them all to see, and ask the question “what camera do you use”.
How difficult is this? I have no idea.
calxn
4 months ago |None of those suggestions are going to do it. The Leica partnership hasn’t worked well. Nobody will switch from canikon. Pana isn’t looked at as a pro camera. Their bodies style are unimaginative. They have a huge marketing problem with the “not so large” sensor. Right now, Panasonic has captured all the low hanging fruit they could. Now, the market is filled with other mirrorless competitors. The decision to go m43 is going to be painful now that fast growth in a two man show is no longer an option. With Sony, Samsung, Fuji, and canon all doing aps-c, Panasonic has a marketing problem. I’m not sure what Panasonic can do to right the ship. Their marketshare is still good, but I’m sure they’re looking at internal projections and industry trends.
Mirrorless is at a crossroad. All the easy early gains are gone. Canikon dslr is still a rock, and smartphones eating up marketshare from the low end. Mirrorless are still viewed as toys. Mirrorless needs a segment busting camera to change perception. This isn’t only Panasonic’s problem. It’s all the players’, but Panasonic small sensor makes it more acute for them. I think the Sony pro FF NEX is the segment’s hope of shattering the perception that mirrorless are nothing but toys. If I am right, this doesn’t help pana’s sensor marketing problem. M43 was a mistake they must live with. They can abandon m43, but that alienates all their current customers. If they had gone apsc at the start, they would have had first mover advantage. They could try FF, but they have no advantage there. They will stay m43, where olympus is making moves to eat more of the m43 pie. Sorry, I see no way out for Panasonic.
Christian G
4 months ago |Couldn’t disagree more.
I think m43 in many ways is the perfect compromise. Many low end pros are abandoning SLRs in favor of the GH3 for the great hybrid capability, and even for the portability of the OMD.
m43 is still ahead of all the other mirrorless competitors by a year or two in regards to lenses. No other manufacturer have pro constant aperture zooms, or any weather sealing or magnesium alloy bodies.
And no other manufacturer can achieve the tiny size and yet excellent quality of the epl5/omd+ e.g. 45mm.
No other manufacturer is even close to the versatility of the system in terms of different bodies.
calxn
4 months ago |I agree that m43 has a wider selection of lenses right now, but it’s not a 2 year lead. Sony is catching up very fast, esp when you add in the Zeiss and Sigma lenses. In about a year, Sony will actually have the more attractive lineup of fast primes, 24/1.8, 30/1.8, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, two Zeiss wide primes, 2 Sigma Art primes. Fuji also learned from m43 and NEX mistake and has set out to do high quality lenses from the very start. Their lineup is pretty compelling.
However, my point isn’t that m43 is dead. My point is the mirrorless market is crazy crowded right now. In the beginning, there was only m43, so Oly and Pana grew very fast. Now, that growth is going to slow because of the competition. The mirrorless market also isn’t growing fast enough for everyone’s piece of the pie to grow significantly. On top of that Pana no longer has the advantage in the m43 category of keeping their best sensor to themselves. With both using superior Sony sensor, Olympus and Pana must compete on body design. Olympus body design now makes Pana’s look stale and technically weaker. Panasonic is seeing pressure from the overall mirrorless market and from Olympus in the m43 market. They’re stuck.
My other point is the mirrorless market has been viewed as toy cameras overall. I know the OMD is very nice, but it’s still looked at as a toy. The closest anyone has gotten to being a believable pro camera is Fuji. Oly has promised a pro m43 for years, yet it’s all just words. This market needs to show the world it’s not a toy market but a true competitor to DSLRs. Its a perception problem. The FF NEX is rumored to be very high end. This might be the camera the mirrorless market has been waiting for.
Christian G
4 months ago |I doubt Sony will have a much more compelling line of primes in a year: “24/1.8, 30/1.8, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, two Zeiss wide primes, 2 Sigma Art primes.” m43 has better alternatives I think: 17.5mm 0.95, 25mm 1.4, 42.5mm 1.2,(the Sony 75mm eq. is compelling?)75 1.8, 150mm 2.8.
This is one year from now – at this time you will likely have a fast standard zoom from Oly as well, and possibly a ultrawide prime.
The m43 lineup is still far superior a year from now.
But my point was mainly in regards to weathers sealed lenses and constant aperture zooms, m43 is the ONLY viable alternative for the forseeable future for anyone seeing these capabilities.
“Fuji also learned from m43 and NEX mistake and has set out to do high quality lenses from the very start.”
Good point – I agree with this. Fuji is doing very well next to m43, but as a system, they’re still behind.
cosinaphile
4 months ago |allow me to cut thru the nonsense…. panny created the modern digital rf that the Sony nex and fuji s have had much success with in the L1 43 SLR with the corner position VF ….what a beautiful machine
and sadly the world wasn’t ready and didn’t know what they had…..time passes ……………………..
m43 grows…… panny and oly dont do an vf in a rf body..enthusiasts scream for 18 months but panny and oly do nothing new …..strangely fuji and sony listened and have mad enthusiest runaway success with nex 6\7 fuji x100\xe1\xpro
panny marketing , burned by this experence was put off corner vfs oly watches from the sidelines
panny will regroup and put a good evf in the corner position in a robust but small rf body like the gx type ,finally getting it , like the got it on the L1……………hughe sucess and buzz follows like the omdem5
bart
4 months ago |Hmm… talking about ‘nonsense’…
A RF camera has some defining and very specific bit of technology, its even named after that bit of technology. That bit of technology is called a range-finder.
Left corner eyepiece does *NOT* define a rangefinder, and I have a whole bunch of cameras with left corner eyepieces that are most definitely not range-finders, rather, they are SLRs and ‘brightline finder’ P&S cameras.
The ‘brick’ camera has seen many variations, including ones with a range-finder.
Anonymous
4 months ago |Lumix L1 was never considered a Range Finder, Just Range finder looking. It’s more a DSLR.
Endlos
4 months ago |I bought into Micro Four Thirds because of the Panasonic GH2. Read a lot about the Micro Four Thirds format to make sure I was making a good investment into the system. So what sold me was the camera and then the wide range of lenses available. And yes I bought into M43 for all the same reasons most of you have — great image quality and more compact lenses and weight (great for anybody who travels a lot).
The Panasonic GH2 is a great camera. And I don’t have the time to try to understand the entire range of Panasonic cameras GX, GF, G, whatever.
Panasonic needs to learn from Apple and focus on a few great products. Not a ton with confusing names.
1. (if possible) great and compact camera with a fixed zoom lens but using the micro four thirds sensor
2. one great Olympus Pen like camera typical benefits of all micro four thirds
3. one awesome M43 camera designed with photography in mind
4. continue producing the GH2 but lower the price. It’s a fantastic camera and I will continue to recommend it.
5. the GH3 (but a new edition with a better EVF would be nice)
Only after making those bodies as great as they can be should Panasonic contemplate not a full frame but an even more advanced M43 camera than the GH3.
In terms of lenses. I absolutely love the Panasonic/Leica 25mm 1.4 have a few other Olympus and Panasonic lenses (including the 12-35mm 2.8) and the 25mm 1.4 is just amazing. Would love to see a 17.5mm 1.x (the lower the better) from Panasonic.
And yes all higher end Panasonic cameras should have IBIS.
Anonymous
4 months ago |I would rather all Panasonic lenses had IS on the Lens. I dunno, for some reason, I think of IS on the lens better than in body. I think being that the Lens is viewing what you want the sensor to capture, wouldn’t you want the stabilization IN the lens, rather than the body? The lens is the part jutting out from the camera. Just my opinion..
Endlos
4 months ago |I like my IBIS in-camera. This is a major advantage of the OMD-EM5 that you can use a Pany 25mm 1.4 and stabilize it.
Same for a Nokton. So no I don’t think it should be on the lens.
Joel
4 months ago |Concur. I bought a Sony A55, with the decision weighted heavily for in body IS, and if I switched to something else, it would almost definitely be an Olympus OMD.
Panny-man
4 months ago |I’ve owned the GH1, GH2, the G3, the LX3, the LX7 for bodies and a bevy of lenses for these, not buying the GH3 and thinking of disowning all my M4/3rd gear. (Lesson learned, I like big sensors)
Despite what the CEO says (maybe they should get new one of those too)?
I say make the GX2 as an LX7 with a bigger sensor and a nicer design or with a foveon sensor.
If you make something fantastic they will buy. If you don’t you get the muddle we have now.
Björn Utpott
4 months ago |I used to shoot exclusively with Panasonic cameras, starting with the compact LX series and continuing with a succession of Lumix G bodies and lenses. For years they were at the cutting edge of developments, introducing image stabilization in compact cameras, superzooms with constant apertures, making compact camera lenses wider, using multi-aspect sensors and even launching the first mirrorless system camera in 2008. On top of that, the cameras were reliable and the handling let me believe that they were designed by people who had a passion for photography.
As far as I’m concerned, Panasonic has lost its edge lately. While there are undoubtedly good Panasonic lenses, their MFT bodies have been a little less than inspirational. There aren’t any stand-out features. I can’t even have a compact body with an integrated EVF and tilting screen. One of the features I found very useful, the multi-aspect sensor, has even been dropped in the latest GH body. There needs to be some unique feature that is a compelling argument for Lumix G cameras.
Otherwise, I’m sure I’m not the only one that’s reduced his arsenal of Panasonic gear down to a lone lens or two (7-14/4 + 20/1.7) and and aging body to shoot them with (GF2).
amalric
4 months ago |I quoted Thom Hogan because no firm can ignore being in the red or not making profits with that many years.
Most people are so crazy here that they think that it is a matter of features. However Panny is not a camera maker only, it is a much larger concern, so it is v. possible that they start a slimming routine for the camera division.
Olympus has a different tradition, but it might have going down as well if it hadn’t made the E-M5. Even so these companies are operating at the brink, even more so with the rise of the iPhone.
This is an interesting site, but I disapprove of the raising of false hopes for merely commercial reasons. Hogan does exactly the opposite: he doesn’t mince his words.
Perhaps truth is in the middle, but I suspect that there is not much investment money left in the smaller camera makers. And those who boast and claim the more are those who belong to the country which has the least market penetration of mirrorless. So they’d do well to moderate pretenses.
OneEyed
4 months ago |I don’t know or care much about the Panasonic line of cameras or their marketing conundrums, but if the still image quality and colour balances across the line are like my GH2s, then I’d suggest they concentrate on fixing that. It’s a difficult camera to recommend to a non-professional, for stills.
cnit
4 months ago |Skip the bs customization buttons and keep it simple.
Have dedicated external controls as in G1,G2,GH1,GH2 which make photography easy to execute and fun.
Better yet make a m4/3 L1 and a reasonably priced 25mm f2.0 lens that has good image quality. The L1 was the best camera Panasonic ever made in terms of external controls, on lens aperture rings, ease of use, beauty, style, intuitive , fast, easy, fun photography…It only lacked a bright big viewfinder.
Why abandon the perfect blueprint now that technology can perfect it with new sensor technology, superior IQ, fast AF, big bright EVF?
Daemonius
4 months ago |Agree absolutely.
timtim
4 months ago |Or use the LC-1 literally as a template, just stuffing new electronics inside, as it was pretty perfect, ergonomically speaking. I’m starting to realize very few people have used that camera.
Daemonius
4 months ago |“No cheating” lens.
Remember 14-50mm f2.8-3.5 from L1?
Build quality close to Olympus 12/2 or Zeiss lens. Could be MF, no problem with that if it would automatically engage enlarged AF area and focus peaking. But important part isnt that much from what its made (Samyang is good even when its plastic). Important part is lens itself.
Without software correction, some Panasonic lens sux terribly. So I would like great lens which actually is great, no software involved unless I choose to completely get rid of that tiny bit of CA or PF that lens have.
Panasonic is mistaking software correction for part of lens design. Software correction is here to help us to remove those tiny bits of problems that couldnt be taken care of during lens design cause it would cost too much, or it would hurt some other performance part of lens.
When someone pays around 1,2k USD for zoom lens and its 50% software correction, then its really really wrong. I will rather get some decent FF camera from lets say Canon (which even new can cost me about same as GH3) and buy maybe 70-200mm f2.8 L (which is like +200 USD more). And I will get camera with much better image quality and lens that really dont need software corrections to work at all (tho truth is it can take advantage of those correction, but thats pretty much every lens).
What I would like from Panasonic is something like L1. When you take camera and it just oozes with quality materials and its put well together and it performs great, then its that right camera.
No software gimmicks, no plasticky crap. Just pure good camera. Anyone is welcomed to make it. OM-D was quite close.. (too small, too retro causing bit stupid design choices).
Vitruvius
4 months ago |With rapid prototyping becoming more available I think that camera makers should be looking for direct input from the public via design competitions. This is very successful already for example with Tokyoflash watches.
http://blog.tokyoflash.com/
What is the cost to design and do market research for a company? That is what they save. Lots of talented kids designing for free from their parents basement means lots of ideas. The true democratic voting system means that the most popular design gets built, market research also done for free.
Then the camera maker can focus on developing the sensor, processor, and lens technology as “components” for the design competition “kits”.
Bottom line, alot of the new cameras perform very well, but they look horrific. And looks does matter.
gravy
4 months ago |I’ve got it! hear me out on this one.
license the x-trans sensor tech from Fuji and and make a m43 sensor with it.
(or just ask fuji to sell m43 sensors)
put it in a pany range finder shaped body with an EVF, I like the idea of left corner VF also beacuse I shoot with left eye and keep right eye open
put it in only one camera though. keep standard pany sensors in GF and GH for awesome video. fuji still has larger sensor and more traditional style bodies with high end aperture ring lenses for the real purists. pany with more compact modern style. win win win! pany-fuji-leica
pany already have m mount adapter and might even convince Leica to make m43 mount manual focus lenses with aperture ring for m43 system. I’m pushing the envelope with that last one I know
think about it, a m43 x-trans sensor and your choice of pany-leica, pany or oly 43 or m43 lenses, m mount with adapter. they already have r-mount adapter also. thats a lot of choises.
if only they (and Fuji) would do it. it would definetly be my next camera and I’m not even in the market since I have more than I can shoot already
sony is whoreing their sensors all over the place already <-oly.nikon
fuji should license the damn thing and and maybe help out with RAW converter to put the sensor on the leading edge instead of keeping it all to themselves. they could go FF with it eventually and keep that Fuji only.
pany is stuck with m43. it's a great format and should have a long life but needs a shot…..of X-Trans!
Daemonius
4 months ago |While its not a bad idea, X-trans is just regular sensor with different CFA. And that regular sensor under that X-trans CFA is just 16 mpix Sony.
And I dont think Panasonic would buy sensors from Sony. At least not now.
Plus current m4/3s are almost like AA free, you wont get much more detail from it and X-trans actually gives you LESS detail (and less accurate colors, albeit very pleasing). So probably not so good idea..
If they wanted to fight in resolution department, probably some variant of Foveon could help, but that thing is terribly limited for practical use. Yes you can capture insane amount of details with Foveon, but its really hardcore to use.
For now I think Panasonic should stick with regular Bayer. Unless they figure how to produce something like Foveon withou its inherited problems (noise, colors..).
NFT
4 months ago |No x-trans,No foveon .
they just develop MCS on last article.
http://www.43rumors.com/panasonic-announces-the-new-micro-color-splitters-sensor/
gravy
4 months ago |I didn’t know that it was Sony sensor, and I forgot aabout the splitter.
pana sensors are as good as everyone else AFAIK but the mount is a blessing(size) and a curse(noise). hope their new sensor arrives soon and in m43 and not just compacts
gravy
4 months ago |mfa needs to shoot the bayer or it will eat them
gravy
4 months ago |*m43*
AdriZ
4 months ago |Personnaly, I will buy a new body only if it embeds geotagging (inside or by iOS/Android connection) and mobile phone wifi or Bluetooth connection. (without the size and the price of the GH3)
I know some new mirrorless users who didn’t buy microFT because there was no wifi/GPS/BT.
Beduin
4 months ago |All suggestions seem like nonsence to me. They often contradict each other and some of them purely unrealistic.
I think the present lineup of Panasonic is clear enough. May be only GX-series need further distancing from the other lines, especially from GF, but if you add EVF to GX, why you need G-series then?
No, I think Pany is doing right things, though, still, I prefer Oly
Danonino
4 months ago |Panasonic should start buying sensors from Sony so they can deliver acceptable image quality. As at is now its even worse image quality than Canon, and THAT is embarrasing! Referens: http://www.dxomark.com
Chez Wimpy
4 months ago |Is this comment from a year ago? The GH3 is already on the market and the sensor is…
Paul Rattay
4 months ago |They lost me at how poorly they responded to customer support after my GX1 failed to startup after a small bump. Then the OM-D happened and I haven’t looked back since. I’m not sure I will ever buy a lumix mft ever again due to my experience with support and product durability / quality.
Matt
4 months ago |Simplify!
GF: compact, pocketable, no hot shoe, no VF
G: advanced features, hot shoe, VF, good grip
GH: advanced features, including pro video and pro pictures, GH3 larger format, custom button banks, at least 1.5x pixels as G
Everything should have: wireless VF wireless flash capable, wireless flash capable, Wi-Fi image transmission and remote trigger, GPS onboard or paired from smartphone. None of these features take significant space and could be shared between all models.