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Replacement for FZ50 NOT in the works?

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shaundai

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I sent a question to Panasonic through their messaging system yesterday asking about the future of the FZ50 and here's what came back:

As of right now there is no planned replacement for the unit but the line is
definitely not being discontinued. New models may come out to replace the
DMCFZ50 but at this time there is no specific model in the works.

Sincerely,
Panasonic Canada Inc.
Customer Care Centre

So, unless the customer service representative was simply not informed of the upcoming future of the FZ50 (or not allowed to say), it appears that the unit will still be sold for awhile.

It looks like I might be purchasing the Fuji S100fs after all! :)

Cheers,

Shaun
 
If they say that a new model is coming, it will result in sales for the
current model taking a halt whilst everyone awaits the new one instead,
which they definitely don't want. That's why they generally want to keep
their plans secret.

That said, I think the reply you got is needlessly definitive in its wording,
so maybe there is something to it. It's clear that the trends make the FZ50
type of camera a harder sell now than when the FZ50 or the FZ30 before it
was launched. But that doesn't mean that I think those who say DSLRs
have obsoleted the FZ50 are right.

Just my two oere
Erik from Sweden
 
I read that response as a great big MAYBE. As long as they have FZ50's to sell and the new model is not ready for market, they're gonna keep selling the 40's.

As I see it, each line of cameras seem to come out on a more-or-less yearly cycle. The big FZ's: 10, 20, 30, 50, ?? The small FZ's: 7, 8, 18, ?? The TZ's: 1, 3, 5, ?? I've not been following the other Pana lines.

Where there's a market, there's a new model in the works. Judging by the 100+ posts about a proposed FZ60, there must be some interest in the idea of a new model.

Personally, I'm into the smaller models, now. But, for those of you who want a full-size FZ-type, I suspect that someone back at Panasonic is working on it. If not this year, maybe next.....

**** Stevens, FZ18, TZ3, TZ5, assorted other FZ's
 
Thanks for the VERY sad news. Based on your finding rather than continuing to wait for a FZ50 replacement I might buy a Canon A650 as an interim camera. The sensor and optics are exactly like a Canon G9 but it is $150 cheaper than a G9 and it has a hinged LCD (the G9 does not). I have not found a sharper non-DSLR camera.

I will for sure miss features my heart was set on such as an EVF with live histogram (extremely important for me), the longer zoom, and two dedicated thumb wheels. But with the A650 I will get a focus distance scale, a camera that is only 26 cubic inches compared to 104 cubic inches for the FZ50, and images that are even sharper than those of the FZ50. Sharper you ask? I know those are fighting words for some of you FZ50 fans but pixel peep these comparisons:

Canon A650: "



"

compared to Panasonic FZ50 "



"

The A650 has more noise in the blue sky (cleans nicely with Noiseware) but has sharper text on the boats.

Now look at these two:

Canon A650 "



"

compared to FZ50 "



"

The power pole and its electrical devices in the upper left corner are much sharper in the A650, as is the blue street sign and the number on the green garbage bin. Also, the roof shingles and bricks are more detailed.

Corner sharpness of the A650/G9 are very good. Purple fringing and chromatic aberation are very slight. DPREVIEW shows the G9 to be sharper per their resolution test figures:

FZ50
1800 vertical
1850 horizontal
= 1825 average

G9 / A650
1900 vertical
1950 horizontal
= 1925 average

I really hate to do this but I am reluctant to spend over $400 on a reconditioned or used FZ50 that I can't manually set to infinity for my day and night landscapes and that has 3 year old technology.
 
Betarover said:
I really hate to do this but I am reluctant to spend over $400 on a
reconditioned or used FZ50 that I can't manually set to infinity for
my day and night landscapes and that has 3 year old technology.
Click to expand...
Seems like the A650 is a great camera and excellent value but I can't understand why you would even be remotely interested in an FZ50 if you are happy with the Canon. There is little similarity between the cameras. As for the 3 year old technology You are absouletly right but for some of our needs the other manufactureres are taking a heck of a time to catch up. At leat Fuji seem to be giving it a go.

--



eFZed50, Oly TeeCON17, RaynoxDCR150 DCR250
My Galleries are at
http://picasaweb.google.com/trevorfcarpenter
 
And there appears to be a hack available for raw, which the g9ers insist on. Only takes sd card so 2gb is your limit. I'd still take a card over to do a personal trial between the two and check out the handling as well. My fz18 throws up a distance scale in the evf when using the manual focus joystick. Simple to set to infinity. It's cheaper and may work as a temporary alternative. Goesfrom 28-504 in case you want something more than 35-210.
Good luck.
 
**** Stevens said:
I read that response as a great big MAYBE. As long as they have
FZ50's to sell and the new model is not ready for market, they're
gonna keep selling the 40's.

As I see it, each line of cameras seem to come out on a more-or-less
yearly cycle. The big FZ's: 10, 20, 30, 50, ??
Click to expand...
Yes, yearly, but the 50 was summer 2006 so there's a delay now. Of
course there has not been much competition. The FZ50 takes the concept
quite far so it's not so easy to make a big update. Venus 4, "intelligent"
modes could be added. A raw buffer, and they should replace or
bypass the amplifiers for high ISO.
**** Stevens said:
The small FZ's:
7, 8, 18, ?? The TZ's: 1, 3, 5, ?? I've not been following the
other Pana lines.
Click to expand...
The FZ5, 7, 8 have come yearly at PMA. The 18 was the odd one out since
it came only half a year after the 8. So maybe that's why there was no 9
at PMA this year.

The FZ3 was only half a year before the FZ5 but 3Mp was not so competitive
at the time so they needed a quick upgrade to 5Mp.

The TZs are yearly so far, but it's a younger line.

Seems Panasonic are concentrating their efforts more to the P&S crowd
not wanting PASM modes or raw, which is a shame since their lenses are
leading edge and would make many enthusiasts happy in an LX2 type of
camera.

Just my two oere
Erik from Sweden
 
I'd still take a
danbarry said:
card over to do a personal trial between the two and check out the
handling as well.
Click to expand...
I would love to do that but no stores in Seattle area have the FZ50. As a result I have never held one in my hand but know I would love its dual wheels, live histogram, and EVF. I have posted several times my need to be able to focus the camera on infinity under foggy conditions at sea or for cloud formations. These are conditions under which the FZ50 auto focus will not work reliably so having an infinity mark would be a huge help. Someone suggested simply using the focus ring to drive the lens as far as it will go in the infinity direction. That sounds like a convenient solution but this may actually pass infinity by a small amount and result in blur as is the case with my Tamron and Sigma zoom lenses for film cameras. It would be nice if someone would post a comparison of auto focus vs. the "drive the lens to the end" method.
 
Betarover said:
But with the A650 I will get a focus
distance scale, a camera that is only 26 cubic inches compared to 104
cubic inches for the FZ50, and images that are even sharper than
those of the FZ50.
Click to expand...
I think you may get higher resolution if you shoot raw, which you'd probably
want to anyway in those cases where the last bit of IQ counts.

The A650 has a smaller sensor though, hasn't it? If shot raw, the FZ50
sensor is on par with the G9.

I can appreciate the articulating LCD in a pocketable format though.
Betarover said:
I really hate to do this but I am reluctant to spend over $400 on a
reconditioned or used FZ50 that I can't manually set to infinity for
my day and night landscapes and that has 3 year old technology.
Click to expand...
The FZ50 is 1 year and 9 months old. :-)

Just my two oere
Erik from Sweden
 
I certainly hope you are right! I would hate to purchase a camera, such as the Fuji I was talking about, only to see the FZ50's replacement model on the market only weeks/months after.

I suspect that there are hundreds more, just like me, with an older FZ10 or FZ20 wanting to upgrade, but will not make the jump to the FZ50 by fear that the newer model is about to come out. As stated by an earlier post, the FZ50 is almost two years old and although it is FAR from being obsolete, but I will never purchase one because of its age on the market.

With that said, I don't want to take anything away from the FZ50. It is a GREAT camera... much better than my FZ20, but I'm looking for a little better though.

For me, I'd like to see (above of the current features available on the FZ50):
  • a better and larger sensor (2/3" or better). Still at 10M Pixels though.
  • wider angle lens, with at least 400mm of zoom (28mm x15 would be acceptable, 28mm x18 would be even better!!)
  • improved usability at 800 ISO
  • higher definition LCD
  • revert back to F/2.8 (or better) throughout the zoom like the FZ20
  • Hot shoe communication with external flash units to use their low light focus assist illuminators
If the FZ60/FZ70 would come out tomorrow with most of the above enhancements, I would be the first in line to purchase it (unless it would be ridiculously priced).

Shaun
 
I would find it really hard to believe that Panasonic would not keep at least one top-of-the-line model with a hot shoe? I don't think any other current models have one?? (Apart from DSLR's)

Having just come to grips with the Raynox on my FZ20, I know just what a world of difference bounced flash makes. And for all those families wanting to take snaps of graduations, weddings, birthdays etc., the extra reach of an external flash can make all the difference!
shaundai said:
I suspect that there are hundreds more, just like me, with an older
FZ10 or FZ20 wanting to upgrade, but will not make the jump to the
FZ50 by fear that the newer model is about to come out. As stated by
an earlier post, the FZ50 is almost two years old and although it is
FAR from being obsolete, but I will never purchase one because of its
age on the market.

With that said, I don't want to take anything away from the FZ50. It
is a GREAT camera... much better than my FZ20, but I'm looking for a
little better though.
Click to expand...
--



Fluzie20, C*n*n Es70, El One
 
Betarover said:
Betarover said:
Interesting to note that it seems like (recently) you can no longer
buy the FZ50 on the panasonic site.
http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/shop/Cameras-
Click to expand...
I just checked and they do have it, the FZ50K. Anyone know what the
"K" is for? $549.95 in black.
Click to expand...
K means Black...

Too bad you can't get together with one of the few Seattle residents we have here to fondle their FZ30 or 50...
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1033&message=27534660

With the 50 you gain a function button, that gives quicker access to a few settings & the ability to assign ±EV to either of the dials & TTL flash but for the things you're questioning a 30's just as good as the 50 for a test-drive....

Why not the S100fs?? That's really the only other FZ30/50 competition... Unless you consider the Casio & Oly with their faux zoom ring comparable.... But I bet the Oly doesn;t focus to infinity even with a scale.. My 8080 doesn't....
--
Betarover said:
Betarover said:
The Amateur Formerly Known as 'UZ'pShoot'ERS' 'Happy Shootin' Comments, Critique, Ridicule, Limericks, Jokes, Hi-jackings, EnthUZIastically, Encouraged... I Insist!



* [email protected] * http://www.pbase.com/rrawzz *
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Rossuziers said:
Why not the S100fs?? That's really the only other FZ30/50
competition...
Click to expand...
Because it costs nearly double the price of a FZ50 and it is bigger (116 cubic inches vs 105 cubic inches). I may just give up on Panasonic and buy a Canon A650 (same image as with the highly aclaimed Canon G9). Compared to the FZ50 this is a totally different animal but it sure makes needle sharp images corner to corner, sharper than the FZ50. But sadly no double thumb wheels, no EVF, no live histogram (but it is available with hack software).

Unless you consider the Casio & Oly with their faux
Rossuziers said:
zoom ring comparable.... But I bet the Oly doesn;t focus to infinity
even with a scale.. My 8080 doesn't....
--
Rossuziers said:
Rossuziers said:
The Amateur Formerly Known as 'UZ'pShoot'ERS' 'Happy Shootin' Comments, Critique, Ridicule, Limericks, Jokes, Hi-jackings, EnthUZIastically, Encouraged... I Insist!



* [email protected] * http://www.pbase.com/rrawzz *
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
shaundai said:
For me, I'd like to see (above of the current features available on
the FZ50):
  • a better and larger sensor (2/3" or better). Still at 10M Pixels
though.
Click to expand...
Everything I have ever read seems to indicate that there is simply no way to go to a larger sensor within the current body and lens geometry, so it's not likely. Though it would be nice.
 
Ehrik said:
.... The A650 has a smaller sensor though, hasn't it? If shot raw, the FZ50
sensor is on par with the G9.
Click to expand...
Erik,

the Canon A650IS has a 1/1.7" sensor. The predecessors were 1/1.8", same as the FZ50.
Ehrik said:
I can appreciate the articulating LCD in a pocketable format though ...
Click to expand...
That is a very useful feature for the Canon A6xx - line!

Regards, Guenter
 
Betarover said:
I really hate to do this but I am reluctant to spend over $400 on a
reconditioned or used FZ50 that I can't manually set to infinity for
my day and night landscapes and that has 3 year old technology.
Click to expand...
Personally, I'll take my FZ50 or the FZ30 over any other non-dSLR that's out there, Canons included.

I want to be sure about what you're saying: you've actually spent time shooting with the A650, G9 and FZ50? Or are your conclusions based on looking at somebody else's images?

So far, nobody can really say the FZ50 is dead...that they've stopped making the cam and there won't be a follow-up. Credibility seems to be a problem here.

BTW, you can set the FZ50 to infinity very quickly. Just put it in the...ah, yes..."landscape" mode.

mike

Pass on the FZ50 (still easy to find in the Toronto area) and you'll miss out on a hell of a camera.
 
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