What is Lumix thinking?!

[newfoundmass]

2 hours ago, IronFilm said:

Yes, would be nice if Panasonic released cheaper primes (don't have to be weather sealed, f1.4, or made out of carbon, or whatever. Just give us those cheap "nifty fifties" that other systems would have, such as Canon 50mm f1.8 EF lens that would sell for only a little more than a hundred bucks. Or similar for Nikon, you can even go for less than a hundred bucks from B&H if you don't mind buying a Nikon refurbished lens. Although it seems the switch from DSLR to Mirrorless means the cheapest first party lenses seem to be a bit pricey now, the cheapest Canon 50mm for RF is US$199 vs US$125 for EF mount)

I see also personally the issue of lack of third party support as an even bigger sticking point, normally if you pick any mount, then filter for only AF lenses then sort by price, you'll see a tonne of cheap lenses being offered. 

For example I have to go more than half way down this page of Z Mount AF lenses before I discover the first Nikon branded lens:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/products/Mirrorless-Camera-Lenses/ci/17912?sort=PRICE_LOW_TO_HIGH&filters=fct_a_focus-type_5738%3Aautofocus%2Cfct_lens-mount_3442%3Anikon-z-mount

Let's compare with the situation for L Mount:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/products/Mirrorless-Camera-Lenses/ci/17912/N/4196380428?sort=PRICE_LOW_TO_HIGH&filters=fct_a_focus-type_5738%3Aautofocus%2Cfct_lens-mount_3442%3Aleica-l-mount

They have between one and zero 3rd Party Lenses which are cheaper than the cheapest first party lens. ("one or zero" depending on if you count Sigma as third party lenses or not, as normally you would, but then again they do make L Mount cameras) 

I recently put together a very cheap Fujifilm lens kit (12mm f2 / 21mm f1.2 / 25mm f2 / 56mm f1.7), which if I'd tried to do the same for L Mount (to use with say a cheap S1 or S5 mk1) might have cost twice or even thrice as much. 

Yeah, the only affordable third party lenses are the manual primes that companies like TTArtisan have made for RF, E, and L mount. From what I've seen they are pretty good, too, but even those are a little pricey when you consider that the TTArtisan 50mm f/1.4 is only a hundred dollars less than the Lumix 50mm f1.8 when it's on sale. I think it's probably worth spending the extra $120 to get the Lumix with auto focus even though it's a little slower.

Hopefully Viltrox, Meike and others that released auto focusing lenses for E-mount start releasing them for L-mount. I think it'd be a kick in the arm.

[Thpriest]

Meike have released some for L mount. Josh Cameron reviewed one I think.

[newfoundmass]

1 hour ago, Thpriest said:

Meike have released some for L mount. Josh Cameron reviewed one I think.

I didn't see em at B&H. I see they sell them directly from their site though. Interesting. I think I will wait for B&H or Adorama though to carry them before I take the plunge, as it'll be easier to return them if necessary, etc.

[IronFilm]

8 hours ago, Thpriest said:

Meike have released some for L mount. Josh Cameron reviewed one I think.

ah I see, they've got now a 35mm, 50mm, and an 85mm that's cheaper than anything else at the moment for L Mount:

https://meikeglobal.com/collections/auto-focus-lenses/products/3520?variant=45550769307876

https://meikeglobal.com/collections/auto-focus-lenses/products/50mm-f1-8-auto-focus-lens-for-portrait-photography?variant=45396236108004

https://meikeglobal.com/collections/auto-focus-lenses/products/85mm-f1-8-full-frame-auto-focus-stm-lens-for-sony-e-mount-cameras?variant=45493148614884

Like @newfoundmass said, they're not on major sites such as B&H yet. 

But give it another 18 months, for the prices of a secondhand Panasonic S9 to come down then this (plus perhaps the kit zoom too) could be a very appealing everyday casual camera on the cheap. 

[ntblowz]

14 hours ago, IronFilm said:

 

But give it another 18 months, for the prices of a secondhand Panasonic S9 to come down then this (plus perhaps the kit zoom too) could be a very appealing everyday casual camera on the cheap. 

Just got the S9 from airport, that 15% discount on tax on top of promo discount is pretty good value, and given it is only NZ$100 more for the 20-60 kit so I got this combo instead of the 18-40 which cost $1000 more 😂 ( another ridiculous pricing from Pana)

I m thinking getting the Meike 35mm F2, should go well with 20-60mm. 

[John Matthews]

10 hours ago, ntblowz said:

Just got the S9 from airport, that 15% discount on tax on top of promo discount is pretty good value, and given it is only NZ$100 more for the 20-60 kit so I got this combo instead of the 18-40 which cost $1000 more 😂 ( another ridiculous pricing from Pana)

I m thinking getting the Meike 35mm F2, should go well with 20-60mm. 

I think you’ll like the 20-60. It’s wide enough, sharp, and still good for indoors at the wide end.

[Davide DB]

Are you ready for the announcement of a new class A+++++ air conditioner which will save the planet?
Save the date: January 7, 2025

 

[newfoundmass]

10 hours ago, John Matthews said:

I think you’ll like the 20-60. It’s wide enough, sharp, and still good for indoors at the wide end.

It really is an excellent lens. I use it for pro-wrestling around ringside, because if it gets damaged it's not a big loss since they are so affordable but I also don't feel like I am sacrificing image quality by using it.

[John Matthews]

On 12/27/2024 at 5:42 PM, Davide DB said:

Are you ready for the announcement of a new class A+++++ air conditioner which will save the planet?
Save the date: January 7, 2025

 

The real question is whether you'd rather be cool in summer (living in Italy) or a new camera? It can get pretty bad there. Also, if you don't make more money with a new camera, this air conditioner is likely to save you quite a bit- paying for a new camera, of course.

[documental]

I've been using the S1H for all my work since 2021 (mostly mid-to-high end TV documentaries and one feature doc to be screened in cinemas). I like that camera a lot, I saw its C4K Long-Gop V-LOG projected on a giant cinema screen and it was perfect. The camera has many little things that really make your life easier like the waveform, the luminance spot meter, excellent stabilization, TC in via flash interface, superb battery life, the OLPF, but also the way it displays all the camera info sent via HDMI in an elegant and minimal interface, except for the uselessly huge electronic level (Sony found a much better way to display a level since like... forever).

Recently I needed a 2nd Lumix body for shooting solo interviews so I had to buy a second hand S5IIx. I like the 4ch of audio, the image magnification while shooting in manual focus (100% of my shooting is MF - I miss that on the S1H!). I will play with autofocus a bit to see if it's reliable at least in a static interview situation but I like A LOT the fact that I can use the AF of my good old Canon EF glass via the Sigma adapter. That said, I am looking forward to a solid S1H successor that would improve the excellent S1H: 4K50P (at least) in FF, a faster rolling shutter, less HDMI lag and some improvement in ISO sensitivity would be enough for me. It would be a real shame if Panasonic would let its S line die!

[Davide DB]

Can an apple (S1RII) fall far from its tree (Leica SL3)?

[MrSMW]

2 hours ago, Davide DB said:

Can an apple (S1RII) fall far from its tree (Leica SL3)?

Well if comparing the S1R to the SL2, the SL2 had the arguably slightly better build by all accounts, (not that the S1R was shabby by any means), plus the badge and a nicer looking body, but otherwise, pretty much the same thing. Just half the price. And with a multi-angle rear screen vs the flat back of the camera which for my work is terrible.

I can't see any future S2R simply being a rebadged SL3 though, but I would be pretty stoked if it was as I'd love an SL3 other than on price.

It's probably the perfect camera for my needs as in:

Want, but can't afford a Hassie X2D, never mind the cost of the system with lenses.

Like the idea of a Fuji X100 but don't care for the lenses.

Like my A7RV and the lenses, but would rather have all 3 of my cameras within the same system for cross compatibility and my video needs are served with 2 LUMIX cameras and various lenses...so an S2R makes a whole load of sense to me!

 

[John Matthews]

Apparently, there were two more Lumix cameras registered. The speculation is S1H ii and S1R ii. Has anyone heard differently?

[MrSMW]

Well with zero anything officially from Panasonic, there's only going to be the usual rumour mills spouting the same old stuff.

Either it will have this year or not.

My opinion based on nothing more than pure speculation is I think it's more likely than not they will pop out at least one successor in the S1 line.

Whether that will be an S2, S2R or S2H, the most likely I would think is the S2R because of the existence of the Leica SL3.

Least likely IMO, an S2.

No idea really, just speculating but probably about as valid as if I'd made a 10 minute YouTube video on the same subject...

LUMIX has until the end of March to have it in existence and for sale otherwise won't be happening for me.

[eatstoomuchjam]

S1R II seems almost like a no-brainer since it seems to be accepted as fact, more or less, that Panasonic make the guts for the SL3.  Just take that, improve the video stuff a bit, and stick it in something that's hopefully more like the S5 II body and less like the S1R body and sell a ton of few cameras.

S1H II would involve actually doing some real work and if that's where they're going, I'd say it's pretty likely to be a combination of expensive and disappointing for people, mostly because the S5 II is really good.  What are they going to add to entice people away from it for another video-centric body?  Raw video?  12K?  Every one sold includes a golden ticket allowing the user a tour of the Lumix factory and a personal handshake from the CEO?

[Davide DB]

3 hours ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

What are they going to add to entice people away from it for another video-centric body?

60p or 120p Full Frame?

A competitive PDAF?

[KnightsFan]

3 hours ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

What are they going to add to entice people away from it for another video-centric body?

The obvious one is support for their 32 bit XLR module. But I agree that more features cost money, and people who expect a revolutionary step forward for $3k are going to be disappointed.

I tend to think that the S1H successor will have a different sensor with faster readout and higher frame rates. Either that, or they will need to add non-image features like NDs, SDI, builtin XLR--and while entirely possible, I don't think Panasonic will move in that direction again.

[eatstoomuchjam]

1 hour ago, Davide DB said:

60p or 120p Full Frame?

A competitive PDAF?

Doesn't the S5 II already have decent PDAF?  Would 60p or 120p full frame stand out in a big way against the competition?

54 minutes ago, KnightsFan said:

The obvious one is support for their 32 bit XLR module. But I agree that more features cost money, and people who expect a revolutionary step forward for $3k are going to be disappointed.

Would support for the XLR module peel away that many S5 II sales?  Seems like it would need to be more than that - or the vast majority of potential customers for a video-centric body will just buy the cheaper one.  

 

[ArashM]

8 hours ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

S1R II seems almost like a no-brainer since it seems to be accepted as fact, more or less, that Panasonic make the guts for the SL3.  Just take that, improve the video stuff a bit, and stick it in something that's hopefully more like the S5 II body and less like the S1R body and sell a ton of few cameras.

S1H II would involve actually doing some real work and if that's where they're going, I'd say it's pretty likely to be a combination of expensive and disappointing for people, mostly because the S5 II is really good.  What are they going to add to entice people away from it for another video-centric body?  Raw video?  12K?  Every one sold includes a golden ticket allowing the user a tour of the Lumix factory and a personal handshake from the CEO?

Personally for me, give me Full frame 4K 60p and I'm in, I preferred my S1H over the S5iiX that I use now!

[KnightsFan]

5 hours ago, eatstoomuchjam said:

Would support for the XLR module peel away that many S5 II sales?  Seems like it would need to be more than that - or the vast majority of potential customers for a video-centric body will just buy the cheaper one.

Agreed, that's why I don't think they'll update the S1H unless they have a new sensor. But it's always going to be the case that more specialized models will command a much higher price and have far fewer sales.