Sony is killing it, what's the next move from Panasonic/Olympus?

I think Panasonic's LX100 and FZ1000 are more impressive in terms of the "bridge" camera concept. Okay they don't do 960fps, but the LX100 actually has DOF control (and first with 4K) and the FZ1000 has 4K and double the zoom for half the cost of the new RX10

 

Does all that tech make anyone take better pictures? Probably not. Just means I can get last gen tech for clearance prices!  

 

If the rolling shutter thing actually provides a meaningful difference, then that is outstanding for video. But what typical consumer would make use of 960fps? I can't think of a reason I would want to turn 1 second of action into 32 seconds of video.

I am interested to read more about the IBIS on the new A7. I wonder if they use digital stabilization for the 4K video. Since they are doing 2x oversampling, it seems like they would have a lot of data to work with to make that happen. Is there a crop factor for the 4K?

I wonder if it is really that Panasonic cannot do it, or if they can't do it and keep the camera cheap. Sony has a $3000+ price tag to work with here where Panasonic is in the $700-1500 range.

 

GH4 knocked out all of Sonys then current cameras, A7rII has everything the GH4 lacked (except a low price), GH5 will up the ante, A7rmk3 will be unbelievable, GH6... OMG why shoot anything else etc etc etc.

 

What I'm hoping for is that some of that cool Sony sensor tech ends up in an Olympus camera!  

 

We can tell!

 

Yes, the A7RII seems a remarkable camera, but it's full frame and, looking at it from the perspective of a m4/3 user, you just can't defeat the physics of FF lenses: they're big, they're heavy and they're expensive, compared to these teeny-tiny things we stick on the front of our cameras.

 

Olympus yes, Panasonic no. Olympus is effectively a Sony division so why wouldn't they share the technology with them? Panasonic on the otherhand, is a true competitor. Also, Panasonic tends to make it's own sensors. I don't recall them ever using 3rd party sensors in their M43 cameras. Sony's stacked sensors are "5 years ahead of anyone else" according to them. So they probably have a patent lock on it.

 

Not really that expensive anymore. Sony has changed that. Before Sony got into FF, full frame was a $2000-$3000+ affair just for the body. The FF Sony cameras pushed all that down. Now $1000 will get you a FF camera body. Just 5 years ago, that would have been unheard of.

As for lenses, there are so many cheap and wonderful legacy lenses. They really aren't that big compared to M43 glass at all.

 

the sony is a very fine camera... full of some great tech.. I might even buy one if I felt it offered something I could use.....think maybe 40 plus megapixels is way more than I need, and maybe the non r version might make a better fit as a platform my legacy non AF lenses but it is playing in a market that oly and panasonic don't play in... its a 3000 dollar plus body... thats not a territory that m43 attempt to compete in. The A7 is going after canon and nikon.

if you are happy with bigger and slower native lenses or really need that extra resolution then go for it

K

 

960 fps is at a reduced resolution, not even 720p, only VGA'ish.

 

Of course there are small and relatively lightweight legacy lenses which are manual focus, manual aperture, but comparing equal for equal, a 50mm f1.4 Leica Summilux is much larger and heavier than my 25mm Panny/Leica Summilux and, remembering back, my 28-75 Tamron SP 2.8 zoom was huge, maybe 3 times the size and many times the weight of my current Panny 14-42 II, and the Tamron only covered an APS-C sensor. I don't want to belabor the point, but I really think equal for equal, the FF lenses are going to be bigger, heavier and more costly than m4/3rds.

 

If I could get a bunch of compact primes and zooms for the A7 that are razor sharp at all apertures and cost under $600 each, I'd already have picked Sony over Panasonic. But you can't get those for FE mount. And the camera is only half the system.

 

the price I am seeing for the a72r is that it is still a 3000 dollar body..

legacy lenses on an A7 are still way bigger than their equivalents on m43... if you are saying otherwise you are kidding yourself.. I have a fine selection of legacy lenses.. and while they can produce some interesting looks..the user experience compared to native m43 is chalk and cheese

K

 

The A7 series is pretty cool. If money was no object , I would probably get one with a couple of the smaller primes like the 35mm/55mm, and maybe try some of the legacy lenses.
Rx100 is always impressive. I wonder how much better the image quality improvement of the sensor is. I think for an average person, it's all the camera they need. Price is pretty high though.