Panasonic updates five Lumix G lenses with Dual IS support

If you only shoot in bright daylight, a simple point and shoot digital camera will be enough for 100% of your shots.

Image stabilization is essential. It doesnt cost a thing (manufacturers charge the same regardless of IS ir not) so there are literally no benefits to not having it.

Dec 17, 2015permalink

Bob Meyer

Seriously? Did I even imply there were no benefits? READ. Then learn something about the relationship between focal length and handholdable shutter speeds. I wonder how photographers EVER got sharp images before IS. No, actually, I don't. They understood technique.

My statement is accurate. ALL the current IS systems work very well, and there are far more important differences in cameras than the IS system.

Dec 17, 2015permalink

Pretty sure photographers had to use a tripod to handhold 1 sec exposure without any sort of IS. IS is convenience and an extremely useful tool in all situations when the light drops. What youre saying is a false dichotomy. IS is seperate from other features. Its not an option of not having IS, but having other features. You can clearly have BOTH.

Dec 17, 2015permalink

Lassoni

tripod.. yuck

Dec 17, 2015permalink

Bob Meyer

Not sure if you're being deliberately obtuse or what, but pretty sure than most photographs aren't shot at shutter speeds of 1 second. Most of my shots are at easily handholdable speeds. Even with long lenses shooting sports, I'm typically shooting at shutter speeds high enough that IS isn't really an issue.

You're taking the edge case and attributing the needs of that special case to all photography.

Let me repeat, since you seem unable to comprehend: I never said IS was never useful. I said that in typical shooting situations it doesn't make all that much difference, and that ALL modern IS systems, whether OIS or IBIS are very effective.

Neither of those statements is inaccurate, or even debateable, except by those who have an [Oly] axe to grind.

Dec 18, 2015permalink

@Bob -"OIS works just fine, and I don't miss Oly's IBIS even a little bit.". Here is my take from limited number of cams/lens I own:

- IBIS has zero advantage for long zoom while zoom in
- Pana's OIS is very respectable, and better than SONY
- IBIS's PRO is to IS all lens while most of (MFT) lens have no OIS

Can you see the difference in 14mm between OIS and Dual IS? I think you may.

Dec 18, 2015permalink

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fegami.blog.so-net.ne.jp%2F2015-08-19&edit-text=&act=url

One day Pana will catch up Olympus's IBIS, but for stay ahead, Oly also submitted "Patent of Olympus Dual IS" months ago, and you can see it by English translation from Japanese.

IMO, MFT sensor is kind of small for low-light, but APSC only has less than a STOP advantage. So a STOP better IS advantage means a lot between different MFT cams.

Dec 16, 2015*permalink

Lassoni

I'm curious how olympus is planning to make dual IS viable. They'd have to release bunch of new lenses, and they would have to be good for people to buy them (for people to replace their old zooms/primes with newer ones). Maybe it will happen, but is going to take time.

So far the 300 f4 is only lens announced to have it. As someone who values good video sometimes, the lack of OIS on oly's 12-40 is leading me towards (eventual) panny's 12-35 purchase

Dec 17, 2015*permalink

"I'm curious how olympus is planning to make dual IS viable"

Right now, Olympus IBISed cams only have two choice for OIS lens, using IBIS or using OIS, not both.

Dec 17, 2015permalink

Lassoni

Will the olympus dual IS work with panasonic lens's ois though?

Dec 17, 2015permalink

I think so if Oly wants to as Oly body can (?) read Panasonic lens's data.

Dec 17, 2015permalink

xlynx9

Yes it can read the data. There is a setting on newer OM-D to use Panasonic O.I.S. This works better than IBIS for long lenses.

Dec 30, 2015permalink

Old Cameras

I've wondered if cameras with sensor based IS could use this together with lens based IS, and what level of effective stabilization can be achieved. Stabilization is typically expressed in number of stops but I'm sure that depends on how you conduct a test. At what frequency is IS most effective? Or from another perspective, over what range of shutter speeds is IS effective? Are there effective hand holding techniques to best utilize IS? And when are you better off turning it off? Understanding how the various systems work and their strengths and weaknesses would be very instructive.

Dec 16, 2015permalink

A quick Google search will answer all of those questions. Ugh.

Dec 17, 2015permalink

"when are you better off turning it off?"

Users should turn off the IS while cam is on tripod as the Feedback loop may:

- cause blurriness
- IS system can be damaged permanently in the worst cases.

Dec 17, 2015*permalink

Aaron801

Does this somehow make the IS work better than on the Olympus bodies? What does this "dual IS" accomplish exactly? How many stops better is it that the lens only IS that panasonic used before?

Dec 16, 2015permalink

http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Panasonic_Lumix_GX8/

>>>"Does this somehow make the IS work better than on the Olympus bodies? "

No as seem from limited testing from others below:

"...the GX8's Dual IS system.. proving it's about one stop more effective than the optical stabilisation alone (as tested on the EM1). But the EM1's body-based stabilisation alone alone could match and slightly beat it."

"...I should also add that the GX8 goes up against the newer OMD EM5 Mark II, which in my tests enjoys roughly one stop more compensation than the EM1, further extending the lead over the Lumix."

>>> "How many stops better is it that the lens only IS that panasonic used before?"

" GX8's body-based stabilisation seems to perform a little better than its predecessor for unstabilised lenses,"

Dec 16, 2015permalink

...

Again, EM5 and EM1's IBIS have the same performance, but EM5.MK2's IBIS is better than EM1/5 as seem from above.

BTW, I bought EM5.MK2 very recently after bought EM5 not too long ago b/c EM5.MK2 has better IBIS than EM5.

I would buy EM1, but the IBIS is as same as EM5.

Oh, one stop advantage is a LOT once in the low light, such as f1.4 lens and f2 lens is only one stop. So does f2.8 vs f4 lens, or double the ISO may make IQ unacceptable in high ISO.

Dec 16, 2015*permalink

Fri13

@MikeFL

E-M1 IBIS effectiveness is 5 stops by Olympus rating. And E-M5 has 4 stops. The E-M10 has 3-3.5 stops. And newer E-M5 II has 5-stops but it is more accurate for macro work than E-M1 is when camera is extremely still handhold. E-M10 II has 4-4.5 stops effectiveness, slightly lower than E-M1 and E-M5 II.

Dec 16, 2015permalink

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympus-om-d-e-m5-ii

E-M1 and M5 are 4 stop by CIPA

Both EM10s are step down modes from EM1/5s while E-M1 is still the flagship of OMD line.

I really like to buy EM1, but I need one more stop IS from my EM5 after I used EM5 for one trip, so I bought EM5.M2 instead.

You are right on the EM5s' grip, both are as bad as you can get while EM1 is very good.

Dec 16, 2015*permalink

Fri13

CIPA values has no accuracy for those. E-M1 is 5 stops like E-M5 II, the E-M5 II just has improved gyros that make it more accurate for very small movements that benefits like I said, when the camera is so still that it is almost stationary and then older gyros in E-M1 can't detect the motion accurately so they can go crazy, while E-M5 II does detect correctly and doesn't go crazy. To keep E-M1 from shaking you need to shake the camera to keep it steady in same situation.

The E-M1 has lot improved IBIS from the E-M5 and not at all same as you say.

And I didn't say anything about grip. OM-D grips are better than most what Canon, Nikon, Samsung produce for the asymmetric design.

Dec 17, 2015permalink

The way that I look these CIPA testing results, IS, Battery life, are:

- 5-stop by CIPA is better than 4-stop
- 400 battery life is longer than 300.

Dec 17, 2015permalink

I hope they update the 45-200 old but still.

Dec 16, 2015permalink

clickNsave

The GX8 update (2.0) worked fine, but the 35-100mm firmware 1.1 was not recognized by my GX8. Chatted with the Panasonic support person ("Janice W.") who was less helpful than asking my deceased grandmother. Anyone else having issues with that firmware?

Dec 15, 2015*permalink

Pandimonium

Dual IS, that must be ISIS-support. Very questionable marketing by Panasonic...

Dec 15, 2015permalink

tkbslc

You are giving me IBS.

Dec 15, 2015permalink

WTF?

Dec 15, 2015permalink

tkbslc

BBQ

Dec 16, 2015permalink

agentul

KYM

Dec 16, 2015permalink

mcshan

ABC

Dec 16, 2015permalink

Dec 16, 2015permalink

mcshan

LOL

Dec 18, 2015permalink

Ben Herrmann

The firmware update for the very old PZ 14-42 is incorrect. That is NOT one of the lenses that is being updated. I just verified this with Panasonic.

Dec 15, 2015permalink

steve_hoge

Right, that's a typo. H-HS043 is being updated, which is the 42.5mm/f1.7. It's NOT the PZ 14-42 f3.5/5.6 mentioned in this article, which is model number H-PS13042

Dec 16, 2015permalink

Voyager03

Sadly. I wonder if they will upgrade some of the older lenes in the future?

Dec 16, 2015permalink

Nomoreheroes

Where is the firmware for my GX7?

Dec 15, 2015permalink

Impulses

Your GX7 doesn't have dual IS...

Dec 15, 2015permalink

Zerblatt

That is the problem, GX7 has "IBIS" as GX8 also have and these lenses has IS = where is the firmware for GX7

Dec 15, 2015permalink

tkbslc

If they updated old cameras, why would you buy a new one?

Or it may require a processor or sensor feature that the GX7 can't handle.

Dec 15, 2015permalink

Nomoreheroes

Or new software code

Dec 15, 2015permalink

steve_hoge

Like he said, "Where's the firmware for my GX7"? Unless they're perceived as high-end, Panny seems to drop old bodies like they were hot potatoes.

Dec 16, 2015permalink

martinib

Think the IBIS in the GX8 is a development over that in the GX7 - it's not the same.

Dec 16, 2015permalink

Are you all new to technology? Have you been living under a rock? You have to pay for a new body with those features. Panasonic even charged people for a fw uodate in the past, why do you think theyre going to give stuff away for free??

Dec 17, 2015permalink

steve_hoge

I got genuine new features - not just bug fixes - for free from Olympus in the latest firmware update to my EM-5 MkII the other day. The only updates Panasonic ever did to the GX-7 were bug fixes and a trivial flash customization.

Dec 23, 2015permalink

lvpmft

There's the wrong description for the last lens H-HS043: 42,5mm f/1.7 has been updated now, PZ 14-42 not yet. That's supposed to follow later.

Dec 15, 2015permalink

alffastar

The fact that 12-32 and 35-100 are updated means that GM7 will have IS!

Dec 15, 2015permalink

Impulses

Or that people with those lenses might like to use them on the GX8...

Dec 15, 2015permalink

Jerome NL

Are the Lumix Vario 12-35/2.8 and 35-100/2.8 also supported for double IS? Will that work for my old E-M5?

Dec 15, 2015permalink

When will Panasonic is able to make IBIS is on par with old Olympus OMD-EM5?

GX9? or may be GX10?

Dec 15, 2015*permalink

Mike Ronesia

Who cares? Oly fan boys will never buy a Panasonic camera and what would you bash if Panny improved the only thing it doesn't do as well as Oly?

Dec 15, 2015permalink

Mike Ronesia;

I really do not care if you are an Olympus hater or Pana lover.

Dec 15, 2015permalink

I think the question more people want answered is when will Olympus 'is' able to make video, AF, NFC, 4K video, hi-res sensor, bigger RAW and JPEG buffer, touch-screen that works on all menus, larger EVF... on par with the GX8?

EM5III? or maybe EM5IV?

Dec 15, 2015permalink