What is Lumix thinking?!

[newfoundmass]

You thought Lumix had left behind DfD behind? You're wrong! 

 

What a shame. 

[MurtlandPhoto]

It boggles the mind

[newfoundmass]

Seriously, who is going to buy that camera? Who is it for?!

[ArashM]

OMG PLEASE tell me this was not the big announcement !!!!!

[eatstoomuchjam]

42 minutes ago, ArashM said:

OMG PLEASE tell me this was not the big announcement !!!!!

Would it help to know they ALSO announced the TZ99?  🤣

https://www.dpreview.com/news/8943078360/panasonic-g97-zs99-tz99-refresh-usb-c

[ArashM]

Needless to say, like everyone else here I was hoping for an S1 or S1H replacement.

[IronFilm]

This seems like only a very modest update from the ancient Panasonic G85 that was released way back when the dinosaurs roamed the earth in 2016?

It's a tough spot they're in I suppose, because on one hand people are complaining about how expensive cameras are, and the lack of low end models. But then when a camera gets released which fits into this category (US$850 with the kit lens) then people hate upon it for being so boring and lacklustre.  I guess the big problem is you can too easily just get a second GH5 or G9 instead at this price point. But if Panasonic went any cheaper they'd be making a loss on the G97?! Why though can't Panasonic at least offer 10bit internal recording? As after all the old GH5 & G9 can do it, which are the main secondhand competitors vs buying a G97 new. 

[MrSMW]

I'm going to wait for the G97.5

[IronFilm]

1 hour ago, IronFilm said:

This seems like only a very modest update from the ancient Panasonic G85 that was released way back when the dinosaurs roamed the earth in 2016?

Maybe this was the real reason why the Panasonic G97 got released:

https://dslrbodies.com/newsviews-2/remember-this-date-december.html

"all [devices] sold in the EU will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C charging port." 

If Panasonic didn't add USB-C they could no longer sell their cameras. They could keep on selling the G9 mk2 / GH6 / GH7, as they're new enough to already include USB-C.

But the G95? It lacks USB-C. Thus Panasonic was faced with an issue: either they ditch completely the entry level models, and lack having a feeeder model to bring in new blood, or they do a minor update to include USB-C (and some other little stuff).

[IronFilm]

1 hour ago, IronFilm said:

It's a tough spot they're in I suppose, because on one hand people are complaining about how expensive cameras are, and the lack of low end models. But then when a camera gets released which fits into this category (US$850 with the kit lens) then people hate upon it for being so boring and lacklustre.  

I was just thinking, about how many cameras have been released in 2024. Most companies have released just one or two, as the rate of releases in this industry have massively released. 

Only two companies have released three cameras this year in 2024:

https://sansmirror.com/newsviews-2/a-slow-year-in-mirrorless.html

Fujifilm — X-T50, GFX 100S II, X-M5
Panasonic — GH7, S9, G97

So Panasonic ranks at the top in terms of bringing out new models, I guess we should be thankful they're at least doing something. 

[newfoundmass]

2 hours ago, IronFilm said:

It's a tough spot they're in I suppose, because on one hand people are complaining about how expensive cameras are, and the lack of low end models. But then when a camera gets released which fits into this category (US$850 with the kit lens) then people hate upon it for being so boring and lacklustre.

I loved my G85s. For a camera that was released in 2016 they were excellent value, probably amongst the best values of that era.

That was 8 years ago though and cameras have come a long, long way since then. I don't expect it to be as good as the GH7, but it should probably, at minimum, include the one feature that the marketplace has made clear they want: PDAF.

An entry level camera is supposed to be the entry way into a camera system. Something that entices the customer to choose that system over the others. I really don't see how on earth this accomplishes that. 

41 minutes ago, IronFilm said:

If Panasonic didn't add USB-C they could no longer sell their cameras. They could keep on selling the G9 mk2 / GH6 / GH7, as they're new enough to already include USB-C.

But the G95? It lacks USB-C. Thus Panasonic was faced with an issue: either they ditch completely the entry level models, and lack having a feeeder model to bring in new blood, or they do a minor update to include USB-C (and some other little stuff).

Even if that is the case, I'd have just quietly released it without any press because this release was never going to be met with anything but frustration and disbelief. It's just another example of how inept Panasonic is with their PR and marketing.

[IronFilm]

20 minutes ago, newfoundmass said:

I loved my G85s. For a camera that was released in 2016 they were excellent value, probably amongst the best values of that era.

That was 8 years ago though and cameras have come a long, long way since then. I don't expect it to be as good as the GH7, but it should probably, at minimum, include the one feature that the marketplace has made clear they want: PDAF.

It's impressive how well the Panasonic G85 has held up after 8yrs, I feel even today in late 2024 there is no better bargain buy (at this price point, sub US$300) than a secondhand G85 for filmmaking with. 

However will we still be saying that in 8yrs time about Panasonic's MFT? I don't think so at all, because the next 8yrs will not treat the G97 kindly.

Likely in 8yrs time we'll talk instead about the Fujifilm X-S10 or the Fujifilm X-H1 and what crazy dirt cheap bargains they are to buy. Or perhaps the Sony FX30. Or maybe about how cheap full frame cameras are by then, I'd imagine you could pick up a Nikon Z6 mk1 or a Panasonic S1 mk1 / S5 mk1 or Sony a7S mk2 for a song once another 8yrs has passed by.

20 minutes ago, newfoundmass said:

An entry level camera is supposed to be the entry way into a camera system. Something that entices the customer to choose that system over the others. I really don't see how on earth this accomplishes that.

Let's compare to the competition:

vs Fujifilm X-M5, you'll pick the G97 for the EVF or the IBIS (or being fifty bucks cheaper). On everything else the Fujifilm wins?

vs Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV, you'll go for Olympus for being $150 cheaper than the G97 kit, otherwise not sure why to choose Olympus?

vs Canon, they've got the R10, R50, or R100. The R100 ruthlessly wins by a large margin when it comes to price, and the R10 wins on features / capabilities (except for IBIS) at merely a $150 price premium (that's after a $100 discount though). Probably the R50 is closest to the G97? Lacks IBIS, but is $150 cheaper than the G97 kit. 

vs Nikon Z50 mk1 with a 16-50mm lens, again it seems just IBIS (and very marginally higher resolution sensor, plus is $50 cheaper) is the only reason to go for the G97? 

vs Sony ZV-E10 / a6400 , again just like with Nikon / Canon, why go with Panasonic when on paper the Sony ZV-E10 or a6400 seems like a better deal? Aside from their lack of IBIS, which seems like the only thing going for Panasonic now. (but it means giving up dearly in other areas, such as AF)

20 minutes ago, newfoundmass said:

Even if that is the case, I'd have just quietly released it without any press because this release was never going to be met with anything but frustration and disbelief. It's just another example of how inept Panasonic is with their PR and marketing.

All in all, it's quite a quiet release. Far quieter than any of their other camera releases this year. 

43rumors didn't even have it on their website yet when I checked!

 

[Andrew Reid]

Did the R&D budget get slashed by 90% or something?

Reasons not to panic:

• They brought out the GH7, new sensor and all
• Firmware team is going full pelt... In-camera LUTs, phase-detect AF, lots of new features
• S5 II and S9 were pretty decent for the price
• G9 II is a nice Micro Four Thirds swan-song
• New L-mount lenses have continued to be released

Other things give more pause for thought:

• The total lack of rumours or leaks about new serious cameras, such as the S1H II
• The big 5 year gap
• Leica SL3 - basically a Panasonic with a fancy badge - came out nearly 12 months ago and still no S1R II
• Unresponsive in face of major new products from rivals

So my conclusion is that Panasonic have partially quit the market.

They have quit the high-end camera market, and will leave that to Leica.

And in my opinion the affordable stuff... compacts, Micro Four Thirds, S9, etc. is going to be quite short-lived before they pull out entirely. I hope I'm wrong.

Either way, making people believe you're poorly committed to L-mount (and high-end cameras in general) is a very bad marketing strategy.

[Andrew Reid]

3 hours ago, IronFilm said:

This seems like only a very modest update from the ancient Panasonic G85 that was released way back when the dinosaurs roamed the earth in 2016?

It's an update to the G95, and they have given both these cameras USB C. That's necessary to comply with EU law and for them to continue to ship.

[ND64]

2 hours ago, IronFilm said:

If Panasonic didn't add USB-C they could no longer sell their cameras

For exactly the same reason Nikon will release the updated P1000 superzoom with no change but USB port. At this point they can't add more than a penny to the BoM of this kind of cameras. 

[sanveer]

Ignore it. Panasonic has done this (move the charging to USB-C) with some other model too, less than a year ago. They probably thought that if they announced it, some more people would buy it.

Panasonic should consciously discard every remnant of the DFD circus. Otherwise their 8 year old cameras are also reasonably impressive 

[Davide DB]

Lumix is doomed Full Stop

[MrSMW]

1 hour ago, Davide DB said:

Lumix is doomed Full Stop

Well I’m not one to throw the baby out with the bath water as they say, but it’s certainly looking that my time with L Mount peaked and will stop at some point with the S5ii.

That point will probably be when the ability to burn a lut into N-log happens.

Prior to that happening…and assuming it will, then it doesn’t stop my S5ii working.

Pretty sad if it’s the end of the road for full-frame. 

If…

[j_one]

Dfd? I hope they don’t consider pdaf a premium feature.

I’m going to wait till March before rethinking lens investment.

[FHDcrew]

13 hours ago, newfoundmass said:

You thought Lumix had left behind DfD behind? You're wrong! 

 

What a shame. 

Anyone who buys this over a used GH5 should be diagnosed as clinically insane.