igorek7
Forum Enthusiast
- Messages
- 288
- Solutions
- 1
- Reaction score
- 105
-
Welcome to the new forums! Please read this first. For known issues we are working to resolve, click here.
Interview with Panasonic representatives on the future of the Micro Four Thirds, L-mount...
- Thread starter igorek7
- Start date
tenthwashfree
Well-known member
- Messages
- 189
- Reaction score
- 166
good interview, with some good questions - thanks for posting, looking positive for m43.
Got to say, i find the prospect of the l-Mount interesting with the possibility of diverse sensors for specific tasks and i'm sure different flavours in camera design between manufacturers....lenses from great optical companies and i'm sure some of the smaller companies may get involved like Cosina or Zenit etc.....could be an interesting option to the usual suspects.
Got to say, i find the prospect of the l-Mount interesting with the possibility of diverse sensors for specific tasks and i'm sure different flavours in camera design between manufacturers....lenses from great optical companies and i'm sure some of the smaller companies may get involved like Cosina or Zenit etc.....could be an interesting option to the usual suspects.
Grrr, so they worry only about the demise of the GX8 Behemoth, not about the death of the GM line:-x
Adielle
Senior Member
- Messages
- 1,754
- Solutions
- 1
- Reaction score
- 2,059
They don't sound worried at all, only the reviewer is. Their response, or more lack of, is disappinting. They provided no real answer regarding the fact that GX8 is so much better and different in so many ways than the "successor". I'd expect a similar disappointing response regarding the lack of a GM5 successor.
Those people are exactly how they look: they're mostly suits.
Those people are exactly how they look: they're mostly suits.
Last edited:
This is an interesting interview that was no help at all in learning about the future development of my favourites, the GX8 and GM5 models. Clearly, GX7 size is their focus, and perhaps the technical limitations (EVF, etc) that go with it.
F.
F.
igorek7
Forum Enthusiast
- Messages
- 288
- Solutions
- 1
- Reaction score
- 105
To be honest, I had no big expectations on the specific info about possible future MFT models. Panasonic is known for keeping this kind of information as wage as possible. The only useful info for me at this moment is that there are some MFT products in current development. For now the L-mount alliance is rather a test step for Panasonic to expand business to another category of products.
Kent Ekasak
Leading Member
- Messages
- 819
- Reaction score
- 990
Thanks for sharing this interesting interview..
Regarding GX9, its GX7 mark III, so really not GX8 counsin or successor.. The reason they stop making GX8 ii (and GM) are perhaps poor selling volume.. my2c, I would guess GX8 ii might be in the form of L-mount FF Rangefinder style (called SX?) than in m43 format..
Regarding GX9, its GX7 mark III, so really not GX8 counsin or successor.. The reason they stop making GX8 ii (and GM) are perhaps poor selling volume.. my2c, I would guess GX8 ii might be in the form of L-mount FF Rangefinder style (called SX?) than in m43 format..
Yep, the main reason I suspect is that the selling volume of GX8 simply was not as they expected. GX7 (and direct successors) seemed to have sold as expected. People have to keep in mind they are running a business, not just building cameras based on individual preferences and whims of a subsection of enthusiasts.
The main gist I got in terms of MFT is that L-mount does not mean they will drop the large body flagships in MFT as some have suggested in this forum, nor will it mean they will abandon the format.
Last edited:
SHood
Veteran Member
While the question regarding the CM1 was asked, I was hoping they had asked about implementing some of the Stacking/AI we are seeing in phones, especially in RAW. This is where I think m43 would show a big advantage over FF and the traditional camera companies.
Not a test step. It’s a major step with long term view.
Why? The substance of the interview is that they are very close to market with their new organic sensor technology. That will be used to launch high end bodies in M43 and FF.. The new sensor is also why they are willing to license the L mount - that distinctive sensor means they won’t be competing with Sigma’s Quattro sensor bodies, nor with Leicas or anyone else that Leica would license to.
Olympus btw is not part of that new sensor partnership. It’s Panasonic and Fuji, which itself is avoiding FF and therefore won’t be going head to head with Panasonic using that sensor either.
So the clues to Olympus taking a different path were already laid out in that history. Olympus has no appetite to expand so wide in product dev - they keep rehashing bodies - and are probably satisfied with what they will be able to offer on M43 - probably rehash those bodies again, now pimped with new step change sensor..
Kent Ekasak
Leading Member
- Messages
- 819
- Reaction score
- 990
Moving forward, as one past “rumour” posted, Panny wanted to streamline their product lines.. Only GH and GX.. If this true, 3 forms of bodies remained: compact no-EVF rangefinder (GX850, or GF series in Asia), mid-level street rangerfinder (GX9), and Hybrid DSLR-style (GH5 or G85).. Given an introduction of S series and the strength of m43 (small forms, IBIS and hybrid), this quite makes sense to me..
That's a different rumor. The big shocker in that rumor (if it is true) is that the G85 (and G9) may not have a successor if the G series is dropped.
I'm talking more about people that keep suggesting that Panasonic's FF S series means that Panasonic will discontinue the larger MFT cameras like the GH5 and G9 and focus only on small and medium sized cameras for MFT. There's a few people on this forum that feel that large body MFT cameras should not exist at all, especially with FF mirrorless on the rise.
This article suggests that's not the case. And looking at the prototypes, the S series cameras are significant bigger than the GH5 and G9 (like what I predicted a while back), so there is still a size advantage for MFT flagship bodies. Panasonic's not one to skimp on heat dissipation and is not as focused on targeting minimal size, so it makes sense their FF body is relatively large.
Last edited:
Kent Ekasak
Leading Member
- Messages
- 819
- Reaction score
- 990
Yeah, I think GH serie is here to stay, and GH6 is surely coming.. No other camera to do better job that GH5 can, especially for 4k60p IBIS VDO hybrid world..
But, it's also possible that the successor of G85 may or may not coming.. There is a good reason for that.. GH5 will be 2 years old in few months, and suppose Pana plans to introduce GH6 soon, GH5 would drop the price (say to $1,300-1,500 price range.. Note that GH4 is selling for $1,000 now) until it may not make sense to introduce another G middle camera (like G90, say at $1,200 price) with little price different while carrying another product lines and supports.. I think people may choose "older" GH5 than "newer" G90 with the same price range..
Similarly, I understand that GX9 is not selling well now, both in Asia and Amazon, but GX85 is selling like hot cake with lower price.. For GX85, It was hailed as the best value for money at $800-$900, now at $500-$600, it's really crazily bestest value now..
my2c, for G9, it may be "one-off" model.. Its quite close to GH5.. And S series is better for professional still.. The future of Panny m43 lies in small/compact model and professional VDO world..
But, it's also possible that the successor of G85 may or may not coming.. There is a good reason for that.. GH5 will be 2 years old in few months, and suppose Pana plans to introduce GH6 soon, GH5 would drop the price (say to $1,300-1,500 price range.. Note that GH4 is selling for $1,000 now) until it may not make sense to introduce another G middle camera (like G90, say at $1,200 price) with little price different while carrying another product lines and supports.. I think people may choose "older" GH5 than "newer" G90 with the same price range..
Similarly, I understand that GX9 is not selling well now, both in Asia and Amazon, but GX85 is selling like hot cake with lower price.. For GX85, It was hailed as the best value for money at $800-$900, now at $500-$600, it's really crazily bestest value now..
my2c, for G9, it may be "one-off" model.. Its quite close to GH5.. And S series is better for professional still.. The future of Panny m43 lies in small/compact model and professional VDO world..
Last edited:
But this is an early model, not even containing their long term sensor. Future models will certainly be evolved to be smaller, so GH series will come into risk of overlapping. G series probably stays.
Exactly, that's what I mean; because the subtle message is: bring back big size cameras, we do not care about size.
OK, I would be happier if Pansonic had used the EVF of the GH series for the
GX9, but otherwise what is it that the GX9 lacks, apart from weather sealing?
alas, yes
... suits that do not receive yet a strong enough negative customer response to start thinking and worrying.
igorek7
Forum Enthusiast
- Messages
- 288
- Solutions
- 1
- Reaction score
- 105
GX9 is a decent camera, just not as good as it can be
A few features that could be implemented without increasing the camera body size too much: OLED viewfinder, fully articulated display, or availability of external microphone port (in fact it can be done via usb port + adapter to 3.5mm mic like in GoPro).
In fact, the original GX7 ("Mark I") has a slightly larger grip size than GX9. This certainly would increase the cost of the camera though, but IMHO it will position the future "GX Mark-X" camera better in between the GH and smallest next generation GM/GF-classes of the micro 4/3 cameras.
The question about smallest possible micro 4/3 camera was implied in my question regarding the future of the CM1/CM10 type of products (including GM-series) . Unfortunately, the response was mostly focused on the mobile-/cell-phone connectivity features and the amount of efforts this would require for a single product. IMHO, most of the cameras has an awkward interfaces to share the media in real-time and it's one of the potentially valuable directions for the future development.
I am sure Panasonic has a 'Voice of the Customer' (VOC) product development team. Here is a comment I've seen not about Panasonic, but perhaps of relevance:
"...One challenge is getting the VOC team members to keep their biases of what the product must do or be to themselves, and actually listen to what the customer says. Most times, what the product development team member thinks is important and what the customer actually thinks is important (and why) are 180° apart. Then, of course, the biggest risk are business executives, who always have their own biases, may not listen to the VOC and just do what they originally wanted to do anyway...”
Keyboard shortcuts
- f
- Forum