sanveer

I saw the video too. Nothing appears earth shattering about it, for the moment. The hype was so high, that if it doesn't outperform a SonyRX100, it will be disappointing. Which it won't and can't, because it probably uses a sensor on the lines of the Note9 or the iPhone Max.

That's what everyone said about Panasonic's advent into Full Frame. If one doesn't take risks, there is no purpose for entering a business. I agree that Olympus needs atleast 1 strategic partner. Sony's earlier cameras were better on paper than in real world use (quite correctly pointed out Tony Northup). And I feel, it's only after the A7iii that they are poised for market domination, by having the perfect balance of features and price. Olympus needs to partner with someone, I guess, that is the common consensus. I guess if the Olympus EM1 Mark ii had some kickass video quality with atleast 8-bit 4-2-2 LOG pushing around 12 stops and good autofocus, the GH5 wouldn't have been as successful. The video on the Olympus isn't that bad, but it isn't great either. Actually Computational Photography needs at a more processing power than companies as other realise or want to admit. Also the algorithms are still in the very infancy stage. So that is going to take a while. Sigma won't make Olympus glass. They make equally good glass and both are extremely innovative. And sigma won't bring anything new to the table. A collaboration with Samsung would have been ideal. Their weakness is PDAF and Video Codec, and they could do with 14-bit in photo. Their body design, weather proofing, menu layout, IBIS, lens quality and design, photo quality etc are all pretty amazing the way they are. Except for the Sony Sensors, there seems nothing else adding to the Sony partnership. But the sensor division is a different company (wholly owned subsidiary of the parent company with different management teams), so it doesn't really matter there. PDAF could be a benefit of a collaboration between the two, but that too is unlikely. And the XAVC codec is hardly open source, so no benefit in the video department either. Plus if they made lenses for Sony Zeiss would throw a fit. I agree that Full Frame needs to down size literally. The bodies are way too large. If a Hasselblad X1D can stuff a Medium Format sensor in that body, there is no reason to carry such enormous bodies around, except perhaps for way longer video recording (battery size) and 10-bit internal (heat dissipation issues). Also the Nikon Z has opened up a Pandora's box, regarding the importance of choosing the right mount size and flange distance, since the majority of Full Frame sensors are just off the shelf products (with minor adjustments made either in-house or during the fabrication process) and exactly the same size in height and width. The GH5 was introduced one and a half years ago and ILCs are still stuck with Limited Recording Time and No 10-bit internal codecs. Plus the single SD Card slots in both the Nikon and the Canon is just criminal. As is the crop factor on the Canon. I believe M43 sensors and cameras are still very far from their full potential. Not importantly, this years Full Frame Mirrorless releases have shown that the Full Frame market had been mostly disappointing in everything except perhaps PDAF. Everything else is Only a minor or incremental improvement. There have also been regressions with removal of an SD slot and no limitless recording in yet another iteration. The FF market too has space for a new player and Olympus should find a partner to try and enter the market.

I noticed some very interesting developments in the last few months. From 43rumors.com https://www.43rumors.com/panasonic-says-olympus-did-not-share-their-same-full-frame-vision/ "Lesnumeriques interviewed Panasonic manager Yosuke Yamane and these are some of they info: • Eight years ago Panasonic had the idea to go Full Frame but at the time there were technical and commercial challenges • Two years ago they started to look for an alliance around a Full Frame platform. At the beginning of 2018 they approached Leica and Sigma. • Why is Olympus not on board with this? Yosuke said “we do not really have the same vision. Our directions ARE DIFFERENT NOW, 'ON THIS FORMAT' (Capital added)“ • The new AI autofocus system works on the question of “where to focus”. For example we use deep learning to track flying birds or human eyes • Panasonic has abandoned the smart phone project and there will be no follow-up of the CM1 (here on Amazon). • Panasonic does not think the smart phone market is a threat for MFT" And https://www.43rumors.com/the-seven-full-frame-lenses-patented-so-far-by-olympus/#disqus_thread "I went through all the most recent Olympus patents. Here I recap the seven Full Frame lens designs patented by Olympus in 2016-2017. • 17mm f/1.4 • 20mm f/1.4 • 24mm f/1.4 • 28mm f/1.4 • 28mm f/2.0 • 35mm f/1.4 • 50mm f/.4 It might be that Olympus is just playing with the idea to go Full Frame but never actually will do the step into making a real product." There appear to be too many things wrt to what roadmap Olympus is on. From the 2 posts above, from 43rumors above, it appears that: 1. Olympus has patented 7 Full Frame lenses upto 2017, meaning these were in development atleast 2-3 years before that. So it's almost 5 years since now, that the Olympus Full Frame project has been in effect. Since Olympus doesn't make lenses for other manufactureres outside the M43 system, these lenses were, therefore for its own FF system. One of those lens patents also mentioned various technical aspects like DRAM built into the lense (WHICH I thought wad pretty interesting). 2. "OUR DIRECTIONS ARE DIFFERENT NOW, ON THIS FORMAT", means Panasonic is Aware that Olympus has a Full Frame roadmap, and that they (Olynpus) were unconvinced about the new L Mount Partnership for whatever reasons (I am guessing it may have to do with mount issues). Panasonic would obviously not have asked for licence fee, and it may not have to do with only full frame sensors being outside consideration for Olympus. 3. If Olympus is indeed on a Full Frame Roadmap, it would have obviously consisted many things including mount size, plane distance etc etc. IBIS would be huge on their list of things to do among other design considerations. If Olympus is INDEED looking to launch a FF Camera system, I hope they get a few partners on board Before they go ahead. They already make some of the best lenses around, and they are the pioneers of IBIS, High Res Image Stitching etc. They would benefit Greatly from collaborating with someone for video. Maybe Blackmagic and they could explore BRAW to outsmart other FF competitors, since neither has anything to lose and a lot to gain from such a collaboration. There are already a plethora of Sony Sensors being used by anyone and everyone (except perhaps Canon), and if Olympus can just Skip 10-bit internal recording and move to well compressed 12-bit internal recording (12:1 BRAW), maybe they could be back with a bang. It's also sad that the 10-year M43 partnership of Panasonic and Olympus has ended before they could decide on a Full Frame Camera (mount) Format.

She said 'people would know by next Photokina in May'. That's a long roadmap for a lens.

And something like this: https://petapixel.com/2018/09/26/dear-panasonic-a-plea-from-a-photojournalist/ One of the things I love about the GX85 is that I can shoot video with it around my neck, with tethering via the Lumix app, and nobody has a damn idea. I have shot in places that definitely wouldn't allow you to shoot. Just think of something that does 26MP with a camera the size of the tiny GM series. You could take pictures from your phone and you don't even have to look at the EVF or Display.

@Andrew Reid Please ask Panasonic whose arse I have to kick for them to revive the GM line and put the Fuji XT3 sensor in it. I can see it as becoming one of the best travel cameras of all time. It just needs some superb marketing.

Exactly my thoughts. The size is because unlike the BMPCC4k, this doesn't HAVE fans for heat dissipation because it has go be weather sealed. It does this by having a Huge heat sink as well as way better processing. I also believe that Panasonic is keenly watching the A7Siii (as well as others before the specs are finalised) for what all specs to finalise. They may have the megapixel and video bit depth advantage over the Sony. Dynamic Range may be similar and the Sony may be better by 1-2 stops in low light video. If Panasonic can't bring autofocus to PDAF levels, that may be the biggest weakness on this. Also like on the Nikon Z Series (which I think I may agree with Tony Northup's about the Panasonic and Nikon sharing the same sensors), there will be 2 distinct models, one with a slightly greater emphasis on photo (S1R) and the other on video (S1). While Nikon has, like Canon handicapped the whole thing with emphasis on size and having a single SD Card (apart from smaller battery and no internal 4-2-2 codec), Panasonic is keeping the bulk for adding a lot of great features. There must be some politics of features in ILCs (like regarding the PDAF), wherein Panasonic is being barred from having PDAF on their cameras, and both Panasonic and Sony are mum about the real reasons for it.

Maybe you have them with Tiffany and LV badges and skins ???

The support for Adobe Lightroom ending is pretty bad I guess. I find it amazing that Blackmagic gives you the Resolve for life, including every update possible. Ridiculous argument. The S1 is based on the Panasonic G9 design language, with the chassis of the Leica SL. You obviously buy cameras based purely on looks.

Actually it wil be more like Panasonic's FZ1000 (at $899) vs the same camera rebadged as a Leica V-Lux (at $1,425). Similarly the original Panasonic LX100, (at $899) and then rebadged as a Leica D-Lux (at $1,300). Almost no difference in hardware, albeit a minor colour science difference, and maybe longer warranties. Which btw was what Hasselblad did with the Solar (with the A7 rebadged), albeit increasing the price Many TIMES instead. If that be the case, the difference between Panasonic and Leica in the S1 Series too could be between 50% and 60% (I didn't calculate the exact %). Maybe more.

Give it a try. You have nothing to lose. I guess, most often, people are just waiting to be asked.

Ask Blackmagic whether they will licence the BRAW to ZCam if they ask them?

I guess a Huge Part of the GH5's 2k asking price was 10-bit INTERNAL (with practically Limitless Recording Capabilities), Class Leading Weather Sealing and Superb IBIS.

I see it like this. Some M43 users, and many Full Frame Freaks rant some sh!t about M43 cameras lacking the full frame look, and some rubbish about why Full Frame is better without being able to articulate why exactly. I personally think all full frame sensors and lenses have a noticeable amount of vignetting, and the majority of Full Frame videos, especially those before PDAF were terribly out of focus (I believe entire seasons of food and travel shows, shots have been shot of focus). After PDAF, things have improved substantially, and Canon and Sony seem to be really hitting it out of the park with their versions of it. Panasonic could have created the FF for 3 major reasons: 1. To create the promised 8k sensor in their Varicam (and EVA 2?), which would require a FF or larger sized sensor. 2. It was already making cameras for Leica since 2014 (released in 2015), so it has more than enough experience in that field. Also Leica's pricing ensured that it was a niche product and unable to challenge Canon, Nikon and Sony. Plus until Now (before the Mirrorless party was gate-crashed by Canon and Nikon), nobody had 10-bit video in a Full Frame Camera (internally or externally). With video features alone, Panasonic could have affected sales of everyone else. Add 14-bit RAW, good autofocus and a good line-up of lenses, and Panasonic could capture a large part of the market. 3. The FF move was, in many ways, to protect the M43 market and ensure that people have 2 distinct systems to chose from, instead of constantly whining about not having a larger sensor and a certain kind of film look. The more I read the press releases and see all the interviews of Panasonic personnel online, the more I am certain that this is going to have a way better screen and EVF, have a new codec (Blackmagic RAW 12:1) or much improved codec, way better low light, much faster burst speeds, have a leaf shuttwr or a hybrid shutter of some sort, and PDAF hidden under an alias name (AI/ Neural Engine or some other rubbish name). Btw BOTH Nikon and Canon have shameless kept Only a single SD Card Slow in their Mirrorless Full Frame Cameras. That may be the biggest reason not to get either for serious professional work. In many ways, that is as important as PDAF. Maybe more. I hope they fix that articulation on the screen, and PDAF. Those two seem to the only issues right now.

There seems to be something terribly curious about the Panasonic S Range. Like someone pointed here, or somewhere else, Panasonic disclosed very few feature of the GH5, when it first announced its development. This appears to be the case with the S Series too. Except the Megapixel count and the other usual Panasonic features (IBIS, 4k, DFD etc), everything else seems to be suspect (including dynamic range, fps etc). I guess we will have to wait about 6 months to get the entire feature set. On video alone, I am getting it will lead the FF wolf pack. Though the guys incharge of continuous autofocus and its feature set (DFD), should be thrown out. Right away, before he and his team do more harm.

I have been shouting for a fast f2 Zoom for the longest. This is like 1/2 a stop faster than that. Seriously wow. Though they should have avoided that L badge on it. It adds like $500 (maybe more) only for that Red Dot and Badge. Sigma is probably making the lens (they probably designed it too). Their catchline for this lens is worthy of a double take. It was definitely coined by a Chinese Ad Agency: "Taking full advantage of Micro Four Thirds" ???

Panasonic is still terribly secretive about the exact details, much like on the GH5, which is probably good news.

This is turning out to be quite EXCITING

They've already started and the Official Panasonic Linux YouTube channel is asking people to wait for another 30 mins ???

Great review. And I suspected that they forced Hasselblad to concentrate on the size/ form factor way more than image quality. I was hoping it as good, if not better than the Phantom 4 Pro. Except the image quality (which is not bad, though not in the same league I guess), most other things seem so perfect.

From l-rumors.com: "– The Entry level “Panasonic S” has 24MP – The High End”Panasonic S” has 48MP" So Paanasonic does a Nikon with 2 variants. I am guessing, that Nikon, the 24MP Sensor version would be better at video too (better low light, less rolling shutter and though I believe they may not keep the AA filter unlike on the Nikon Z6). Plus the price difference between the 2 models be noticeable, I am guessing. I could be wrong, but I realised that there appears to be no video (or photo samples), from the Nikon Z6, whereas the Z7 seems to have been tested by quite a few people. Maybe they're making a monster camera with that one.

Panasonic is apparently as excited as everyone else ?

True. The major issue appears to be mount related. The Z mount seems to be an extremely well thought out development. Thanks for sharing this link. Very interesting information by this guy.

I read somewhere (or was it that briefing by Grant Petty), that the BRAW actually even improves the motion cadence. That sounded surprising, but I guess it have to do with things like capture and processing, so very likely. Would love to see the BMPCC4K with the BRAD.

My short wish list: 1. Atleast a stop more Dynamic Range than the GH5 (so 14 stops or more). 2. Better VLog (with atleast 1 stop more dynamic range on it). 3. Usable Low light upto ISO12800 4. PDAF (which I feel may be a 50:50 and Panasonic may not wanna ditch DFD so soon). 5. The new Mount should add something. Not really sure what, apart from short flange distance. 6. Colour science seems pretty spot on with the GH5s, so that colour science. 7. Have the option for a Proxy Recording at 720p or lower for reference and faster turn around. Some extras. 8. 14-bit RAW with codec that can be really pushed in post. 9. Dual articulation screen like on the Fuji ( @Andrew Reid and. @Mattias Burling know the model no ?). I would want a larger screen, but it would be a buyer drain on battery. 10. The fps for photos would solely depend on what the resolution of the sensor is. So it could be from 7 to 20 fps (with continuous autofocus). 11. The Hasselblad X1D is very similar in size to the GH5, so I don't think it could get much larger in size. But a lower power B&W top display like on the G9 would be nice. 12. Not sure they will be able to stuff an IBIS in that mount (if it's the Leica one), and if they Do, it could be as terrible as on the Sony cameras. That why I hope the mount is larger. Also a multi scan mode like on the JVC LS3000 though for adapting smaller lenses. 13. Maybe a Sony + Panasonic mix of ETC and FF and APS-C crop like the A7iii (and other cams), when one needs more reach for video or photo without changing lenses. 14. That new Sony EVF with 120fps OLED Viewfinder (ECX339A OLED). 15. Vastly improved electronic shutter. The new Fuji XT3 seem to have a really improved one.