Will There Be A GH4s Now?

[MFiftysomething]

Sony and Panasonic are keen competitors in a lot of markets; we see them compete with RX10 and FZ1000 and we have the GH4 shooting 4k video and 16mp stills but some will say still it is not that great for low light or focus tracking especially in 4k.

It is clear for the electronics companies (more than camera companies) the 4k race is now on, I expect Sony to next produce an RX20 with 1" 4k video and an A6000 replacement lets guess the A7000 might also go that route (though 24mp might be too much) or at least the XAVC 50mb codec.

Sony now have their A7s in some ways a game changer halting the mega pixel race (probably as they already have that covered anyway). There is a lot of excitement about the full frame 12 mp sensor but it does not shoot 4k internally for heat reasons, though I am sure Sony are working on that. It is also quite a bit more expensive.

The Lumix LX8 shooting 4k is expected to be announced this month.

I would now like to see Panasonic now develop a 12mp GH4s with faster frame rates, better focus (less data to process) and higher bit rates and low light sensitivity.

I think this would be a great "spoiler" camera for Panasonic and would not cost that much more to produce, same body EVF etc. Keep the GH4 in production of course.

What do you think?

 

[Fredrik Glckner]

I don't think so. Panasonic don't usually make specialized versions like that.

A 12MP sensor would create less data to process. But Panasonic is already doing this in 4K mode: It crops out an 8MP region of the sensor, and uses that. Still, the AF performance is very poor in 4K mode. Using a 12MP native sensor would not fix that.

See a test of the 4K AF performance here:

http://m43photo.blogspot.fi/2014/05/recent-micro-four-thirds-cameras-have.html

A 12MP sensor would give you a wider field of view without the crop.

Panasonic has a small market share to begin with, so thay can't chop up the market further with specialized versions for different needs.

The A6000, and Nikon 1 V3, have a very good AF performance due to using on sensor PDAF, unlike Panasonic's strategy.

http://m43photo.blogspot.com

 

[Dheorl]

I don't see it happening. The GH4 already does a 1:1 readout in 4k without much of a crop. I don't think 12mp would be enough of an improvement (and for true 4k would actually be a bit small unless they reintroduced a multi aspect sensor).

 

[MFiftysomething]

I don't have the Gh4 yet only G6 but also Nikon V2 and A6000 and have to agree they both have very good video autofocus, better than the G6. Of course autofocus for video is not such a concern for many who want 4k, but I think the mass market would want it.

Thanks, your answer does make a lot of sense, maybe they will just keep going as they are and the GH5 will be still be 16mp, it is still the best value 4k camera out there after all.

 

[s_grins]

Sony and Panasonic are keen competitors in a lot of markets; we see them compete with RX10 and FZ1000 and we have the GH4 shooting 4k video and 16mp stills but some will say still it is not that great for low light or focus tracking especially in 4k.

It is clear for the electronics companies (more than camera companies) the 4k race is now on, I expect Sony to next produce an RX20 with 1" 4k video and an A6000 replacement lets guess the A7000 might also go that route (though 24mp might be too much) or at least the XAVC 50mb codec.

Sony now have their A7s in some ways a game changer halting the mega pixel race (probably as they already have that covered anyway). There is a lot of excitement about the full frame 12 mp sensor but it does not shoot 4k internally for heat reasons, though I am sure Sony are working on that. It is also quite a bit more expensive.

The Lumix LX8 shooting 4k is expected to be announced this month.

I would now like to see Panasonic now develop a 12mp GH4s with faster frame rates, better focus (less data to process) and higher bit rates and low light sensitivity.

I think this would be a great "spoiler" camera for Panasonic and would not cost that much more to produce, same body EVF etc. Keep the GH4 in production of course.

What do you think?

I can't get it. All your introductory part that mentions RX10, FZ1000, A6000... all other stuff, witnesses that new generations of cameras have sensors with increases Pxls count.

When you ask whether Panasonic is going to build generation of GH4s, for me it is hard to fathom for features you see as a key for this new generations - if you meant 4K video, I'd say probably; if you meant reduced pxls count (12mpx in your case), I'd like to ask you - why 12mpx? why don't you want 10mpx, or better say 6mpx?

Anyway, you wish will never come true. Expect 20 and 24 mpx instead. Read your introductory part again

 

[MFiftysomething]

I have no wish, I only ask a question. If 12mpix will not come true why has Sony done this?

 

[Fredrik Glckner]

I have no wish, I only ask a question. If 12mpix will not come true why has Sony done this?

I guess they have a bigger market share. Not only for the A7s, but they will also sell the chip to Nikon for use in their premium DSLR cameras.

The GH4 has 4K video as the unique selling point. Panasonic don't need a high ISO camera today.

The A7s has high ISO as a unique selling point, and it can record 4K video with an external recorder (a very expensive total package).

http://m43photo.blogspot.fi/

 

[s_grins]

I have no wish, I only ask a question. If 12mpix will not come true why has Sony done this?

What SONY camera came with 12 Mpx?

 

[Lab D]

I am sorry, but 12MP is not enough these days. We are on the verge of 4K monitors and TV and 12MP after changing to 16:9 leaves no room to crop. Not everyone takes perfect pictures 100% of the time.

I think 16-20MP is the sweet spot but not 12MP.

 

[FrankS009]

If Panasonic is going to offer anything new, I would prefer it to be a camera between the GX7 and the GH4 that will handle longer and heavier lenses better than the former and is more stills oriented than the latter. I would say the G7, but Panasonic may have something different in mind.

F.

 

[amtberg]

I doubt it. It would require a whole new sensor that would most likely only be used for one camera. Also, I'm not sure how much noise/DR improvement you'd get going from 16mp to 12mp. Certainly not nearly as much as Sony gets going from 36mp to 12mp.

 

[Lab D]

I doubt it. It would require a whole new sensor that would most likely only be used for one camera. Also, I'm not sure how much noise/DR improvement you'd get going from 16mp to 12mp. Certainly not nearly as much as Sony gets going from 36mp to 12mp.

In two years we will see a new sensor technology that vastly improves low light performance for all sensors.

That is my prediction.

 

[Abaregi]

If a m43 for lowlight was possible I think it would have been made by now.
Sensor is just not a FF.

 

[bluelemmy]

and is more stills oriented than the latter

In what way is the GH4 not stills oriented? It does everything in stills as well as any other M43 camera but just happens to shoot video better than most.

Obviously you own one, so what doesn't it do you that you are missing?

 

[Klarno]

I doubt it. It would require a whole new sensor that would most likely only be used for one camera. Also, I'm not sure how much noise/DR improvement you'd get going from 16mp to 12mp. Certainly not nearly as much as Sony gets going from 36mp to 12mp.

In two years we will see a new sensor technology that vastly improves low light performance for all sensors.

That is my prediction.

Well, it's about time for BSI to trickle up to larger sensor sizes. It started in compact and cell phone sensors and has so far worked its way into 1" class sensors.

 

[FrankS009]

No, I don't own one and yes I do acknowledge that it is a good stills camera. But since I am not likely to utilize all or perhaps any of the video features that it has, I am looking forward to a camera that puts relatively more emphasis on stills vis a vis video than the GH4 does with a lower weight than 560g and slightly smaller size but still a good grip for balancing longer and heavier lenses. DFD would be great.

F.

 

[Pete Berry]

[No message]

 

[Klarno]

I have no wish, I only ask a question. If 12mpix will not come true why has Sony done this?

What SONY camera came with 12 Mpx?

The 4k-capable Sony A7s, kind of the core thing mentioned in the OP's post.

 

[G Sciorio]

Sony and Panasonic are keen competitors in a lot of markets; we see them compete with RX10 and FZ1000 and we have the GH4 shooting 4k video and 16mp stills but some will say still it is not that great for low light or focus tracking especially in 4k.

It is clear for the electronics companies (more than camera companies) the 4k race is now on, I expect Sony to next produce an RX20 with 1" 4k video and an A6000 replacement lets guess the A7000 might also go that route (though 24mp might be too much) or at least the XAVC 50mb codec.

Sony now have their A7s in some ways a game changer halting the mega pixel race (probably as they already have that covered anyway). There is a lot of excitement about the full frame 12 mp sensor but it does not shoot 4k internally for heat reasons, though I am sure Sony are working on that. It is also quite a bit more expensive.

The Lumix LX8 shooting 4k is expected to be announced this month.

I would now like to see Panasonic now develop a 12mp GH4s with faster frame rates, better focus (less data to process) and higher bit rates and low light sensitivity.

I think this would be a great "spoiler" camera for Panasonic and would not cost that much more to produce, same body EVF etc. Keep the GH4 in production of course.

What do you think?

There will not be a GH4s.

 

[Klarno]

Sony has corporate-level ADHD; one year they're focusing apparently entirely on A-mount DSLR, then SLTs, and now it's E-mount all the way. Who knows what they're going to be supporting next year? Their speciality is consumer electronics, and unfortunately the needs of photographers does not line up with corporate expectations for consumer electronics. There's almost no point to anyone trying to compete with Sony on Sony's terms. Companies like Panasonic and Olympus should instead innovate more and force Sony into competing with everyone else on everyone else's terms.