Ab Latchin
Senior Member
Here are some initial thoughts. I think it is very likely they will use the SL mount, it immediately opens up a lens suite that ISNT very expensive for the video crowd, and with a high end video centric body they are off the ground running with a good selection.
This is beneficial to Leica as their bodies don't do great video, but they do make great lenses.
However the flange back distance is only 1/4mm different, so the Leica lenses wouldn;t be adaptable to the GH5 etc. This would mean a complete departure from the m43rds mount.
Having said that Panasonic's issue with video is actually very little to do with sensor size, and much more to do with their lack of a well developed PDAF like Sony or Canon for video (there are much lower expectations for video AF on Olympus bodies). So with Canon bringing DPAF to their mirrorless FF and Sony with a well developed OS-PDAF Panasonic should have something ready there to answer what will be some very pointed first questions about their FF body.
Now where does this leave Olympus? Could they produce a FF OM that works with Sony's mount? Designed like an OMD, they already have lenses lined up as Patents but they would be entering a well established mount and competing with Sigma, Sony and Zeiss to sell lenses. So not really a great move.
However there are far more users of cropped sensors than FF sensors in the world. Olympus has a well developed lens line-up. Could this mean Olympus produces a no-holds barred body with their next swing.
Using the full potential of the processing and IBIS to have
• superb Log video off sensor with some scopes feature
• a version of a hand held high res (possibly more software driven).
• Their OS-PDAF taken to a competing level for both stills and video
• MP could be more at the 30-40MP mark
• 14bit RAW file availability
So in other words, Panasonic goes head to head with the FF format, while Olympus then attacks the crop format makers (panasonic included). In a diminishing market that is a very good move as you are more likely to scoop up buyers from other brands than any other growth strategy, and the perception Panasonic is leaving the mount would need to be countered by a strong statement from Olympus.
As a finishing note, there will be a lot of hand-wringing on the forums about the demise of the format. I am a working photographer and produce work for multinationals in all fields. This format is a choice for me thanks to the diverse technology available for my lenses (GH and black magic for video, Olympus high res for product, food, architecture and interior etc.) Panasonic having a FF body doesn't even make me blink, if I choose to move formats in the future (Say Olympus decides to fo FF as well) I will have earned more money with my current gear and by the time I move formats pricing will be that much more competitive.
Exciting times ahead. I am very very curious to see what Olympus produces to respond to these market shifts.
This is beneficial to Leica as their bodies don't do great video, but they do make great lenses.
However the flange back distance is only 1/4mm different, so the Leica lenses wouldn;t be adaptable to the GH5 etc. This would mean a complete departure from the m43rds mount.
Having said that Panasonic's issue with video is actually very little to do with sensor size, and much more to do with their lack of a well developed PDAF like Sony or Canon for video (there are much lower expectations for video AF on Olympus bodies). So with Canon bringing DPAF to their mirrorless FF and Sony with a well developed OS-PDAF Panasonic should have something ready there to answer what will be some very pointed first questions about their FF body.
Now where does this leave Olympus? Could they produce a FF OM that works with Sony's mount? Designed like an OMD, they already have lenses lined up as Patents but they would be entering a well established mount and competing with Sigma, Sony and Zeiss to sell lenses. So not really a great move.
However there are far more users of cropped sensors than FF sensors in the world. Olympus has a well developed lens line-up. Could this mean Olympus produces a no-holds barred body with their next swing.
Using the full potential of the processing and IBIS to have
• superb Log video off sensor with some scopes feature
• a version of a hand held high res (possibly more software driven).
• Their OS-PDAF taken to a competing level for both stills and video
• MP could be more at the 30-40MP mark
• 14bit RAW file availability
So in other words, Panasonic goes head to head with the FF format, while Olympus then attacks the crop format makers (panasonic included). In a diminishing market that is a very good move as you are more likely to scoop up buyers from other brands than any other growth strategy, and the perception Panasonic is leaving the mount would need to be countered by a strong statement from Olympus.
As a finishing note, there will be a lot of hand-wringing on the forums about the demise of the format. I am a working photographer and produce work for multinationals in all fields. This format is a choice for me thanks to the diverse technology available for my lenses (GH and black magic for video, Olympus high res for product, food, architecture and interior etc.) Panasonic having a FF body doesn't even make me blink, if I choose to move formats in the future (Say Olympus decides to fo FF as well) I will have earned more money with my current gear and by the time I move formats pricing will be that much more competitive.
Exciting times ahead. I am very very curious to see what Olympus produces to respond to these market shifts.
