My GX7 MkIV (GX10) Wishlist

Henry Richardson wrote:

Cafe Racer wrote:

Henry Richardson wrote:

MrALLCAPS wrote:

-Go back to the proper naming of the camera. In Japan it's the GX7 series, which has done well for Panasonic. So call it by it's rightful name, the GX7 MkIV.

Yes, the Panasonic naming is insane. My GX7II (here in Japan) is named GX85, GX80, etc. in other parts of the world. My TX1 (here in Japan) is named ZS100, TZ100, etc. in other parts of the world. Sony, Olympus, Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Ricoh, Fuji, Sigma, etc. don't do this.

I suspect Panasonic does this so that grey market consumer cameras are easily identified.

It is amusing that Sony, Olympus, Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Ricoh, Fuji, Sigma, etc. don't seem to be so concerned about this. Or maybe they have found another non-insane way?

If not through model number, it's done through serial number tracing, but that requires a lot more effort from the manufacturer and there is no easy way for consumer to tell. When the camera model is different it becomes blatantly obvious. That said, it's not like other manufacturers don't do similar, Canon uses the x00D, Rebel Txi, Kiss names depending on which region the camera is sold in.

There is one difference however that is real in Panasonic cameras and that is NTSC vs PAL video support, as well as region based video recording time limits (before EU lifted its related tariff).

And sometimes there is some marketing logic to it. For example GX7 was popular in Japan so they kept that name. GX85 had a good reputation in USA while GF line was not as well received so they named the GF9 the GX850 as its sibling. They kept the GF name in the Asia regions because that line was popular there.