Featured Forum Post: 'Dear Panasonic, what are you going to do?'

[micz87]

I think panasonic will make some refresh in their lines as they have grown to too many numbers (G, GH, GF, GX) - I hope it won't be vice versa and they add new line ;-) I believe that GH3 will be strong response to E-M5 and remeber that Panasonic kicks Oly in case of movie recording, especially with cracked soft (hacking is next reason for me to buy Panas). For now OMD is the best camera in u43 but remeber what was before it was realsed. GH3 is coming...

[pjohngren]

Originally Posted by micz87

For now OMD is the best camera in u43 but remeber what was before it was realsed. GH3 is coming...

Was just wondering on what you base the notion that OMD is the best? The best in retro styling? The best in evoking nostalgia? The best for whom?

For me, the best is the G3, but it wouldn't be the best for everyone. Unless I have missed something, I though OMD just caught up to the GH2.

[EddyKilowatt]

As a camera guy, I'd ask Panasonic to leapfrog Olympus back in sensor performance. And the two different camps of IS within M4/3, in the early days something that could sort of be papered over, is now threatening to become a yawning gap. Too many Oly lenses don't work well on Panny bodies -- not sure about vice versa -- but the manful thing at this point would be for Panny to go over to IBIS.

As a gadget guy, and with an eye toward what will get blog mentions on non-photographer sites, both Panasonic and Olympus need to sit down with a modern smartphone, and give us a modern level of gadget functionality: WiFi offload and USB recharge via standard cable at a minimum, with maybe auto-upload to cloud storage (if selected) as a trendy feature. It boggles me that in this day and age, camera makers expect users to carry around a dedicated charger and charge cable, practically for each camera. (Note I am NOT asking for social site integration... that's for phone cameras... but no reason photographers shouldn't skim the good ideas that have come out of camera phone progress.)

[dixeyk]

Originally Posted by pjohngren

Was just wondering on what you base the notion that OMD is the best? The best in retro styling? The best in evoking nostalgia? The best for whom?

For me, the best is the G3, but it wouldn't be the best for everyone. Unless I have missed something, I though OMD just caught up to the GH2.

I think you're splitting hairs there...as much as I like my GH2 (and would still choose to buy it over the OMD) I think its fair to say the OMD has a bit better sensor performance, superior AWB and better metering (AWB and metering have been an Olympus strength for a while). Essentially the OMD has a bit better IQ and in digital cameras that does seem to be the benchmark by which cameras are judged. I wouldn't say the IQ differences between the OMD, GH2 and G3 are particularly big and there is certainly more to making a camera desirable (and many of us make those choices based on a good deal more than simply IQ) but for the sake of the conversation I think its a fair assessment that the OMD is currently the top-end m43 body.

What I would like to see Panasonic do with future models is improve the AWB and metering.

[GaryAyala]

Originally Posted by dixeyk

I think you're splitting hairs there...as much as I like my GH2 (and would still choose to buy it over the OMD) I think its fair to say the OMD has a bit better sensor performance, superior AWB and better metering (AWB and metering have been an Olympus strength for a while). Essentially the OMD has a bit better IQ and in digital cameras that does seem to be the benchmark by which cameras are judged. Of course there is more to making a camera desirable and many of us make those choices based on a good deal more than simply IQ but for the sake of the conversation I think its a fair assessment that the OMD is currently the top end m43 body.

... and AF, AF Tracking, FPS, just to add a few more.

[dixeyk]

Originally Posted by GaryAyala

... and AF, AF Tracking, FPS, just to add a few more.

Agreed...although the AF on the GH2 is still pretty darned fast. The OMD represents a lot of little enhancements and a few big ones (the 5 axis IS in particular). Of course the GH2 also came out 2 years ago so I would fully expect the newest camera on the block to be better and in that light the GH2 is still pretty impressive. Considering the time they have had to work on it I would think the GH3 might even have a few improvements over the OMD as Olympus and Panasonic play their game of leapfrog.

[BobBill]

I have lurked here and read the posts...

Too me, and I am a lightweight digital guy, still working on the transition from film and my Nikon F3s, the best testament is when one acquires a second model of a camera...not just because one gets used to it, but because it functions as a tool, not a novelty.

I am in the process of acquiring the bits and pieces of another EP-2, body, EVF, lens. I am still not comfy with the controls, but the camera does what I want it to do...

I have a Panasonic point/shoot waterproof camera and I love it. Easy to use, great controls.

I have absolutely no doubt the GX series are as easy to use and produce what they should produce.

What this camera has and that camera has seems irrelevant, save special needs, generally.

It is nifty, that corps, like people, differ in what is perceived to be needed and produced...else all would be so banal.

Down, the road, I may acquire a Pan camera etc, now that they have produced a great EVF, but it will be only when what I have needs a minor tweak, or when I want to play with something else...

Fun to watch, however, as the tweaks come and the product improves. The micro thingy, to me, has changed the realms of high end amateur and non studio pro pic taking...P-shop notwithstanding...

In that sense, life is good, it seems...

[bunguar]

Panasonic, the e-m5 comes with a detachable flash and an evf built in + a hot shoe, your camera comes with a built in flash and no hot shoe... Take the hint: include a detachable evf in every box and include a hot-shoe and you got an even game

[AnttiV]

Originally Posted by bunguar

Panasonic, the e-m5 comes with a detachable flash and an evf built in + a hot shoe, your camera comes with a built in flash and no hot shoe... Take the hint: include a detachable evf in every box and include a hot-shoe and you got an even game

Err.. Every Panasonic G & GH -series camera comes with a built-in EVF and a hotshoe.. What are you talking about?

[bunguar]

Originally Posted by AnttiV

Err.. Every Panasonic G & GH -series camera comes with a built-in EVF and a hotshoe.. What are you talking about?

I am referring to the pocketable gf ones. They dont have a built in evf while they do have a built in flash, to level that field a detachable evf should come with them, the e-m5 comes with a built in evf and a detachable flash, so a cheap evf could help level the playing field if it came in the box as well