FULL STEAM AHEAD, LUMIX

With the recent news, It's kind of strange that Panasonic releases a small vlogging camera. But now its time for them to step on the gas.

Pansonic really needs to focus on M43 strengths and that is Size. They need to make smaller premium bodies and lenses at the right price.

We need a GM premium body, or at least a GX7 sized body, weather sealed with their latest tech, we need a G9 successor in a smaller form factor. This is what M43 needs to compete and not only survive, but thrive.

They can't compete with sensor size, but the actual physical size of their cameras, stuffed with features would definitely lure users.

They also have to try and lure Olympus users to their brand, instead of them leaving to say, a Fujifilm or Sony.

This is a perfect time to strike and double down on M43. It's theirs for the taking.

The EM10 is actually quite a small camera, and coupled with a trio of 1.8 lenses, makes for a very competent and compact system. The key for me is SYSTEM!

So, not just a camera body, but lenses and accessories also.  When you build the system out, that's when you really see the size advantage, especially with lenses.

But I don't think size is the issue here. It's image accessibility. How quick and easy is it to get an image from your smartphone onto social media? It can be instantaneous. How quick and easy is it to get an image from your camera onto social media? Camera manufacturers (all of them) have failed to grasp what the majority of customers wants to do with photography today, and have not guided their ships away from the icebergs.

Must admit, I'd have loved to see Apple buy Olympus imaging.

It will be interesting, hopefully they will keep m4/3 alive. I have mixed gear the 25mm f1.4 and would like to add Lumix Leica 8-18mm f2.8-4. The ILC camera market is dying...

jalywol wrote:

Everything you say is completely correct. But, you left out one really huge factor: SENSOR tech.

I have a GX8. I have had zero reason to upgrade it as the sensors that M43 uses now are an iteration of the same one the GX8 has.

What they need to do is introduce an updated sensor with better DR, better noise performance, and PDAF on ALL of them (their competition has outrun them at every turn in all of their bodies at this point on this feature).

Then, go with your suggestions: Keep body size and price down, offer value, not bloat. Emphasize the strengths of the medium, don't try and mimic FF in size and price...not going to work with how cheap some FF bodies are now out there....and even the worst FF mirrorless crushes the best M43 sensor output once you get even one click above base ISO....(Trust me on this, I have an RP...) . Publicize how exceptional the lens choices are...which is why I am using M43 again along with the RP. It's a big deal.

Frustrating, frustrating....I wish they would listen to M43 users, not their marketing departments...

-J

In my opinion, Sensor Tech will always be an issue with M43. And I don't think they need to play in the race for more megapixels.

I got some amazing pics from my 12mp GF2/20mm combo. And I will stick to my guns that compactness is going to be thier strength.

Size and feature rich is the way to move forward.

MrALLCAPS wrote:

With the recent news, It's kind of strange that Panasonic releases a small vlogging camera. But now its time for them to step on the gas.

Pansonic really needs to focus on M43 strengths and that is Size. They need to make smaller premium bodies and lenses at the right price.

We need a GM premium body, or at least a GX7 sized body, weather sealed with their latest tech, we need a G9 successor in a smaller form factor. This is what M43 needs to compete and not only survive, but thrive.

They can't compete with sensor size, but the actual physical size of their cameras, stuffed with features would definitely lure users.

They also have to try and lure Olympus users to their brand, instead of them leaving to say, a Fujifilm or Sony.

This is a perfect time to strike and double down on M43. It's theirs for the taking.

What I think they should do is develop an adapter to use current m43 lenses to their FF bodies and then develop smaller and cheaper FF bodies, so that people gradually revert to FF only. Unfortunately m43 seems to be eaten by smaller sensors phones as well. Who knows...maybe APSC will be next...

Yannis1976 wrote:

MrALLCAPS wrote:

With the recent news, It's kind of strange that Panasonic releases a small vlogging camera. But now its time for them to step on the gas.

Pansonic really needs to focus on M43 strengths and that is Size. They need to make smaller premium bodies and lenses at the right price.

We need a GM premium body, or at least a GX7 sized body, weather sealed with their latest tech, we need a G9 successor in a smaller form factor. This is what M43 needs to compete and not only survive, but thrive.

They can't compete with sensor size, but the actual physical size of their cameras, stuffed with features would definitely lure users.

They also have to try and lure Olympus users to their brand, instead of them leaving to say, a Fujifilm or Sony.

This is a perfect time to strike and double down on M43. It's theirs for the taking.

What I think they should do is develop an adapter to use current m43 lenses to their FF bodies and then develop smaller and cheaper FF bodies, so that people gradually revert to FF only. Unfortunately m43 seems to be eaten by smaller sensors phones as well. Who knows...maybe APSC will be next...

I have no desire to migrate to FF now or ever.  That would end my relationship with Panasonic although at the moment I have nowhere to go.

Trevor Carpenter wrote:

Yannis1976 wrote:

MrALLCAPS wrote:

With the recent news, It's kind of strange that Panasonic releases a small vlogging camera. But now its time for them to step on the gas.

Pansonic really needs to focus on M43 strengths and that is Size. They need to make smaller premium bodies and lenses at the right price.

We need a GM premium body, or at least a GX7 sized body, weather sealed with their latest tech, we need a G9 successor in a smaller form factor. This is what M43 needs to compete and not only survive, but thrive.

They can't compete with sensor size, but the actual physical size of their cameras, stuffed with features would definitely lure users.

They also have to try and lure Olympus users to their brand, instead of them leaving to say, a Fujifilm or Sony.

This is a perfect time to strike and double down on M43. It's theirs for the taking.

What I think they should do is develop an adapter to use current m43 lenses to their FF bodies and then develop smaller and cheaper FF bodies, so that people gradually revert to FF only. Unfortunately m43 seems to be eaten by smaller sensors phones as well. Who knows...maybe APSC will be next...

I have no desire to migrate to FF now or ever. That would end my relationship with Panasonic although at the moment I have nowhere to go.

Me neither, but as market shrinks to professional use only and most people are satisfied with their smartphones, camera manufacturers will focus on that very small market segment focusing on less, more expensive products, probably FF. This is what they have been doing for the last 2 years with the exception of Olympus...

For me, the only company that has managed to somewhat differentiate is Fuji. They have adapted a certain interface for most of their cameras (the manual dials) and invested in the MF instead of FF.

Yannis1976 wrote:

What I think they should do is develop an adapter to use current m43 lenses to their FF bodies ...

Is that even possible?

(not that enthusiasm for a lot of wish list items in this forum has ever been dampened by impossibility  )

MrALLCAPS wrote:

jalywol wrote:

Everything you say is completely correct. But, you left out one really huge factor: SENSOR tech.

In my opinion, Sensor Tech will always be an issue with M43. And I don't think they need to play in the race for more megapixels.

Size and feature rich is the way to move forward.

The common mis-perception is that a new sensor will give you just more MP.  Keep in mind a new sensor will come with a new processor, which could broadly improve image processing efficiency to impact how well the AF works, frame rates, video (e.g., 4k with much smaller crop), image processing to improve noise, DR, color ...

m4/3 cannot survive long if a new sensor does not come soon.  The 4k crop in G100 is not acceptable or competitive in today's market.  Apparently Panasonic is limited by what this sensor can deliver and cannot milk it any more.  A new sensor alone is also a great marketing tool.

The images from my GX9 which has the 20 MP sensor is just better all around than those from EM10-II which as the 16 MP.

What Panasonic, Olympus and every other camer brand need to do is improve the technology inside their cameras.

The smartphone industry has been eating their lunch for many years by moving into the camera space yet the camera makers have not responded by introducing better technology in cameras to match what can be done in smartphones.

The existing Panasonic wifi and bluetooth connectivity is difficult to use and poor by comparison and their companion smartphone app is only just ok, nothing special. The latest cameras should be way better at connecting to networks, to camera websites, and in processing with computational features.

Camera companies need to start fighting back!

Those of us that have been using the G9 for a while know only too well that you can get results from that camera to please the fussiest of photographers. OK, if they improve on it in the future then fine but the answer has been in the dealers for a while, try one and be surprised.

Old Timer63 wrote:

Those of us that have been using the G9 for a while know only too well that you can get results from that camera to please the fussiest of photographers. OK, if they improve on it in the future then fine but the answer has been in the dealers for a while, try one and be surprised.

It’s stupidly large.  Larger than my Z7.  Panasonic has always made some really excellently featured cameras and the G line started out blessedly compact.  I loved my G1 and GH2.  Now the G line is monstrous in size and is of zero interest for those of us who moved to m43 for size.

Olympus provided more fully featured cameras in more compact packages after Panasonic decided to overdose the G series on growth hormone.  The G series has had some smoking price deals but I abandoned the line at any price when it got so big.

Panasonic hasn’t made an “enthusiast” compact m43 body in ages.  Despite leading with the G1, GF1, GX1 and GM1 each following model followed one of two paths - it either got bigger and bigger or dumber and dumber.

MrALLCAPS wrote:

With the recent news, It's kind of strange that Panasonic releases a small vlogging camera. But now its time for them to step on the gas.

Pansonic really needs to focus on M43 strengths and that is Size. They need to make smaller premium bodies and lenses at the right price.

We need a GM premium body, or at least a GX7 sized body, weather sealed with their latest tech, we need a G9 successor in a smaller form factor. This is what M43 needs to compete and not only survive, but thrive.

They can't compete with sensor size, but the actual physical size of their cameras, stuffed with features would definitely lure users.

200% agreed.

They also have to try and lure Olympus users to their brand, instead of them leaving to say, a Fujifilm or Sony.

Sadly not every Olympus shooter sees a Panasonic is a camera... ☹️

This is a perfect time to strike and double down on M43. It's theirs for the taking.