I think it's a tough position, they don't want to have that gap in their lineup, but it's probably a small segment of Panasonic users that would buy such a camera. I think if it does come, it will be the last of the S1 and S1H replacements, as those would have a wider appeal to their audience.
Personally, I think if they came out with a Z9/A1 competitor (and undercut them on price) that would be the smartest move. They'd have an entry level model and a flagship model, and then they can start filling in the gaps. But perhaps they don't feel their AF is mature enough to put it in a flagship.
IMO a high res sensor camera doesn't need a top notch AF.
To shoot landscapes or merchandising there is not even need for AF.
I'd sadly surprised if Pana wouldn't go after the Sony A7R line. The S1R was superior in resolution than the Sony 42mpx sensor, would be great if Pana was repeating the shot against the Sony 62mpx sensor.
It doesn't need to be fast but it needs to be accurate, which I think it is enough now. I think the 47mp sensor was great, to be honest I think it's more of a brand perception problem. People think Panasonic = video so they disregard their stills features. They're wrong to do this, but I think Panasonic is facing the question of whether to try and win these people over, or admit defeat and just lean into video. I just don't think the S1R is high on their priority list right now. I never saw any sales figures on the S1R, but I'm guessing the S1H and S1 crushed it. I do hope they update it though (albeit a slightly smaller body if I'm being honest).
One of the S1R’s problems was the price at system launch. a brand new mount system by a company known for leaning on video spec, with a small lens stable? would have been quite a risk to commit to, very little chance of someone “switching” into it.
However… today its a bit of a different story, there are far more lenses available, they have continued to develop (slowly), they have shown they can do a killer AF system like everyone else. They have not abandoned the design philosophy of high build quality, ergonomics, and user controls. I think it would be a much better sales story if they released an S5R or S1RM2. Particularly with the stream of bored pentax users, and frustrated canon customers looking for alternatives.
Yes I completely agree.
And, if they do create a high-resolution body, it should absolutely have the new AF system. While fast AF is strictly not needed for landscape, high-res bodies are also very useful for sports, wildlife, and even street photography (where cropping can be super valuable), all of which benefit from good AF-C. And while I do not think Panasonic will go after the pro sports market, plenty of us amateurs enjoy a good BIF shot (or video!), and it would be a missed opportunity if they did not provide a body capable of that.
My prediction, for what that is worth, is that the hi-resolution body will be in the form-factor of the S5II, not the S1R. As a landscape photographer, I'm certainly hoping for that.
petapixel.com
