Rumours that Panasonic is slowing/postponing Micro Four Thirds gear
- Thread starter L0n3Gr3yW0lf
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If you have Canon lenses already this one takes both EF-S and EF lenses, So if you have any old S- mid frame lenses, you can trade in both full frame and mid frame bodies. That's what I did. You just have to get an inexpensive adapter to use both EF and EF-S lenses. Also uses Tamron lenses. In the long run the lenses cost more.
There's no problem at all with Panasonic AF in single point/single shot mode. It's as quick and as accurate as anyones, imo. It's the continuous settings where a problem may exist. Even then, it's more a video problem than stills. The view in the EVF can look weird for fast stills bursts, but it's often surprisingly good in terms of hit rate. As good as Sony? No. Good enough for most use? That's up to the users needs, i guess.
I thought I would mention Dennis Mook's article discussing his three cameras, Olympus, Fuji, and Nikon. All three have their pros and cons. None are perfect for everything, but the differences are minor. They all take great photos.
https://www.thewanderinglensman.com/2021/01/some-things-i-like-and-dislike-about-my.html
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Armand Di Meo
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If this is true, or if Panasonic exits Micro 4/3 altogether, this can only help the new Olympus company. Maybe the Micro 4/3 market will support only one manufacturer.
It makes no sense for them to quit altogether in my opinion. GH-series has been great and popular from what I know. The smaller sensor has some benefits.
They have mostly everything needed done already, so just need to update some cameras once in a while. They can get new tech from the FF development too.
On the contrary, I don't think M4/3 would survive on only one manufacturer. Certainly it's the lenses, not the sensors or anything else I can think of, keeping it going right now, and the stable wouldn't be nearly as full without the competition and compatibility across manufacturers.
The problem is the severe loss of market. ILC sales have crashed to only 5 million units per year. Panasonic and JIP have to make a go of it on only 5% of that total combined, supporting all body, lens, and software development, sales, warranty. If this industry didn't have so much sunk cost tech (mech. shutters, optics) and standalone history it would be concatenated and absorbed into 1 or 2 entities, one of which being Canon. m43 as a format is fine because its a popular and versatile video aspect ratio, but for stills camera and consumer grade product lines, that's the challenge in a market that has cratered. It doesn't surprise me that there are rumours about large scale slowdowns, which is what we can expect from JIP as well. These markets have become so small with no growth potential they are on a knife edge of viability.
This would be true if there is a fixed size Micro 4/3 camera market which does not face any competition from other mount systems.
In this case the last supplier would not only get 100% of the market but could even raise prices because they get a monopoly in Micro 4/3 cameras.
Unfortuntely customers have plenty of alternatives from five major players: Canon, Nikon, Sony, Panasonic and Fuji. These offer ILC cameras in four APS-C and five FF mount systems. On top of that there are few small players like Pentax, Leica and Sigma who serve their own niche markets.
Should both major M4/3 backers: Olympus and Panasonic exit, size of this market would shrink dramatically but JIP would indeed get a monopoly in hybrid/still camera bodies. M4/3 video and cine cameras would still be produced by other players. Maybe even Panny would move their BGH1 and GH5S models under Broadcast Systems BU and continue producing these.
Apparently cine- and videographers have great confidence in MFT. Otherwise Tokina would not have released a brand new $7500 cine lens for this system.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1616834-REG/tokina_kpc_3009mft_65mm_t1_5_cinema_vista.html
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m4/3 will last for a while yet, even if all the manufacturers go bust. There are hundreds of thousands of active, working m4/3 cameras out there (perhaps millions) and a slew of glass to go with them. The bodies are not all going to stop working immediately, some may go on for years, decades even. Likewise the glass - unless a lens breaks it's good for ever. Batteries will be made by third party manufacturers for as long as there is demand, and the second-hand market will be active for yonks. I doubt if anyone on this board will still be alive when the last m4/3 body fails - the system will outlast us all for longitivtiy. We just need to buy backups of what we like...
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Given the similarities in the Gh5 and G9, I would bet as an old business owner that the COG for the G9, especially the software, is almost nothing. You produce your Gh camera for the video folks and the G series is produced at a significantly less R&D cost. Without Olympus (I Don't know if JIP will actually be in the game) and Panasonic able to sell the G9 at or near the $1K level (I think they were only priced higher in the beginning due to the OM1 pricing) versus the $2K level of the pro level Gh hybrid video cameras and you have a very good mix of products that use your lens lineup. If JIP just sells the inventory and/or reduces markets, Pany is in a good position in the crop sensor business. IMHO if someone bails on M43 it will be JIP and not Panasonic.
Something like the Gx9/Gx85 say priced at the $700/800 dollar level, a G9 around a $1k, and the Gh6 (probably at least $2K) to take advantage of the current lens system seems like a good strategy IMHO to take advantage of what ever Olympus business they get as well as keeping the market share or grow it that they currently have in the M43 market.
As people age size (especially of lenses) is important. Older folks tend to have more disposable income. Video in the field benefits from the smaller system. I think Panasonic is in good shape for now (very large company). JIP, don't know. If Olympus couldn't pull it off, I don't see JIP doing it. The reason M43 works in the video world is because producers/videographers know the quality of the Panasonic video products and the Gh line is a proven and mature product line. If I were betting I would say M43 due to its video benefits and the fact that G9 has proven they can make a great stills camera is clearly in a much better market position than JIP not even considering the problems involved in trying to make an acquisition work given the current market and health issues today.
Something like the Gx9/Gx85 say priced at the $700/800 dollar level, a G9 around a $1k, and the Gh6 (probably at least $2K) to take advantage of the current lens system seems like a good strategy IMHO to take advantage of what ever Olympus business they get as well as keeping the market share or grow it that they currently have in the M43 market.
As people age size (especially of lenses) is important. Older folks tend to have more disposable income. Video in the field benefits from the smaller system. I think Panasonic is in good shape for now (very large company). JIP, don't know. If Olympus couldn't pull it off, I don't see JIP doing it. The reason M43 works in the video world is because producers/videographers know the quality of the Panasonic video products and the Gh line is a proven and mature product line. If I were betting I would say M43 due to its video benefits and the fact that G9 has proven they can make a great stills camera is clearly in a much better market position than JIP not even considering the problems involved in trying to make an acquisition work given the current market and health issues today.
All products and systems have a life cycle. M43 won't be around forever. My guess it has five years left.
There will come a point where your lenses and bodies stop working. It's the price you pay for more features (which many here demand on a regular basis).
Film cameras seem to last forever because of their simplicity. That ship has sailed.
Learn to draw.
There will come a point where your lenses and bodies stop working. It's the price you pay for more features (which many here demand on a regular basis).
Film cameras seem to last forever because of their simplicity. That ship has sailed.
Learn to draw.
Secondhand market of 4/3 products would of course exist forever *) but M4/3 as a "new camera" ecosystem would still be dead as a dodo the very moment both remaining backers decide to discontinue their MFT product lines. 3rd party lens manufacturers would likely keep their existing m4/3 models in production as long as there's still demand even if panny and OMDS shut down their kilns.
M4/3 would become Sony Elcaset or Philips Video 2000 - it makes sense to buy even a new unit and a "lifetime supply" of lenses, batteries and other accessories if they are sold at fire-sale prices and use them untill they break down. Luckily images and videos taken with m4/3 cameras would be usable till Kingdom Come so users would not end up in a situation where childs first steps or first words were recorded on Elcaset/Video 2000 with no way to play them back in 20 years or so.
In any case there will be no new models, no FW updates, no upgrade path and no new lenses or other goodies other systems will introduce every year. After few years spare parts or repair services will either be not available or the price will be so high that it's better to buy a working unit form ebay instead. After 10-15 years collectors will pay high premium for absolutely mint units, though.
https://www.ebay.com/p/54923074?iid=363017503305
Maybe Techmoan will move to obsolete camera systems in 2030 after he has gone through all video and audio recording systems in existence and pump up MFT prices overnight.
*) Digital cameras and AF lenses are not only consumer electronic devices but contain a lot of *very* fine electromechanical components which are notoriously difficult to repair. Even if nothing else breaks, cameras must be eventually recapped, lubrication on sliding/rotating parts will dry out and in worst case even destroy plastic used in gearwheels and so on. Modern lenses are not similar to those pre-1980's all-metal all-manual 35mm ones which have indefinite lifetime.
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To me one of my concerns with a possible shrinking market for Mu-43 overall is the possible exit of some third party manufactures of accessories that most enthusiasts want. Third party flashes etc
This could reduce the overall attractiveness of the system. EG Godox flashes seem to be in short supply in Sydney at the moment. At Christmas I wanted a second 350o but all I could get was a 685o, importer could not tell when any more 350o's would be coming in.
This could reduce the overall attractiveness of the system. EG Godox flashes seem to be in short supply in Sydney at the moment. At Christmas I wanted a second 350o but all I could get was a 685o, importer could not tell when any more 350o's would be coming in.
In case anybody didn't notice, the new Disney+ Marvel series WandaVision is filmed in 43 ratio for nostalgic authenticity:
https://www.disneyplus.com/en-ca/we...dDdbssxkHUZu4Rs-YdhoCDB8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
https://www.disneyplus.com/en-ca/we...dDdbssxkHUZu4Rs-YdhoCDB8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Bushboy
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Exactly why I have just bought a spare M5 mkii body. A very fine camera indeed.
Any time I consider a different format, I see the size and weight of the long lenses and I go no further. It’s not that I couldn’t carry it, it’s that, as just a hobbyest, I don’t really want to. What would something like the G9+PL100-400 weigh in APS-C or FF, and then I can worry about how much would something like that cost?
John M Flores
Super Moderator
For what it's worth, I have cameras that are ten years old. They work fine.
How many more holes are really still left in the m4/3 system for Olympus/JIP and Panasonic to fill? I don't think fewer new bodies and lenses would be an indication that the system is struggling or that it isn't good enough.
I used C-7070 for 15 years and got into m4/3 with E-M1 mk2 and 12-100mm a year ago, and I'm just waiting for 8-25mm F4 and the Pro macro. After that, what should I get? How many more megapixels or lenses do I really need? Of course, new bodies are needed, because the E-M1 mk2 won't last forever (e.g. dead pixels, shutter), not because it isn't good enough.
Digital photography has matured. It's all incremental improvements from now on. I think that's really what has been driving the full frame fad. But what's next? Medium format? Then large format? Extra-large format? Eventually people will have to accept that their current camera is good enough.
I used C-7070 for 15 years and got into m4/3 with E-M1 mk2 and 12-100mm a year ago, and I'm just waiting for 8-25mm F4 and the Pro macro. After that, what should I get? How many more megapixels or lenses do I really need? Of course, new bodies are needed, because the E-M1 mk2 won't last forever (e.g. dead pixels, shutter), not because it isn't good enough.
Digital photography has matured. It's all incremental improvements from now on. I think that's really what has been driving the full frame fad. But what's next? Medium format? Then large format? Extra-large format? Eventually people will have to accept that their current camera is good enough.
Surely time to go small again? Differentiate yourself truly from the FF newbies....
The EM10ii is about the same size as the G100, so my challenge to Panasonic would be to make a G120, with no vlogging bits, but WITH some IBIS - the EM10ii has shown it can be done in a body that size. I don't need the fancy features, just a stills camera that can make the most of that 20MP sensor and EVF. CDAF will be fine, too. You have all the bits, so must be a possibility, no? Surely? SURELY? HELLO?
(I know, hopeful suggestions never get replies,
I also know vlogging is where it's at and that Panasonic will never do anything like this.....just treat my ramblings as the drivel of an old man...sigh)
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