The Panasonic non-interchangeable FourThirds compact camera is going to be unveiled by late July (between 19 and 25 July).
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23 Responses
I bet Panasonic is going to charge a premium for compactness. And if a Leica version is really forthcoming as rumored it will be even more expensive, and fit strangely in price next to the X1.
Pictures, I want pictures!
Where is the first leak?
There must be more out there if the camera really will be announced in a few weeks. Panasonic is not Apple! Damn … 😉
Turner
If you consider that Pany is possibly building this new camera inside the body of the LX3 that may have something to do with why we are not seeing any new images as would look the same after all is rumored to be just a bit larger?
The rumor is it is a 3X 24-72mm F2 lens. That translates in a pupil size varying from 6 to 12mm for f2-f3 compared to 2.5 to 4.5mm in existing LX3 so the overall lens may be only 1/3″ larger diameter which could fit within the existing body height dimensions. Alternatively if Pany will be using a similar lens design and size to the EX1 the new compact would be a f3.5-f5.6. It is possible that the LX5 will expanded to 24-140 f2-3.3.
Wish we could get a TZ/ZS with a M4/3 sensor. That would be my almost perfect camera!
I hope they throw in good ergonomics.
For comparison:
— Panasonic G2 + lens, 4 dials, 14 direct access buttons, 3 wheels.
— Canon G11, 3 dials, 12 direct access buttons, 2 wheels.
— Samsung EX1, 2 dials, 12 direct access buttons, 3 wheels.
— Leica X1, 3 dials, 11 direct access buttons, 2 wheels.
Please, please, please, Panasonic, competition has caught up, so you have to do better than LX3 now… if you go with copying your G-series, copy the G2, not the G10 !!!
This is the first camera to really get my attention in a long, long time… I hope it lives to my expectations (BTW, I’m expecting it to be well over $1000).
Canon G11 is the target, has a flip 2.8″ LCD and 28-140mm f2.8-4.5 lens, suggested retail was $884 (LOL!) and current Amazon price is $450, still steep now that you can get an E-PL1 w/14-42mm at $530, NEX3 for $550 or G10 for $600.
This is a Panasonic, not a Leica, and won’t be able to command Leica prices. LX3 listed at $500, can now be had for $390. My guess, the LX5 will start out at SRP $550-600, actually sell for $500 within a month or two of intro after the first adopter feeding frenzy passes, then settle in at $425-450. Why pay more than that for an inflexible fixed lens camera now that Sony’s shown the way to small body IL cameras?
I’m hoping Olympus responds to the NEX 5 with a similarly compact body still featuring IBIS and using their smaller lenses. Fixed lens would then be irrelevant for me other than as a decent quality economy priced point and shoot to keep in my glove box for work.
We’ll see.
@Steve: it has been said many times, that this is NOT the LX5 but a separate camera. And I’m quite sure that Panasonic can demand a price over 1000$ for this baby and they will. This camera just does not make any sense for Panasonic if it isn’t placed in the premium sector as it will be a technological masterpiece if they get such a fast lens with big sensor in that small body.
Steve, I really hope you’re right that it settles into a $425-450 price range before too long. I think that would be a fair price and the cameras would sell well. But given the way Panasonic has priced their micro 4/3 gear I’m guessing Antonio is correct- this camera will sell for around $1,000 at launch and eventually settle into a $800-850 price point.
I’m really excited to see what this camera looks like.
Steve, unlike the G11 and LX3 this new camera has a BIG sensor. This alone will demand a way better (read expensive) lens. Being a F/2 lens will just add to the price.
I feel this is going to be “the premium Micro Four Thirds”. A Leica version will be just even more premium.
That said, of course I wish you are right and I’m wrong. 😉
don says: “The rumor is it is a 3X 24-72mm F2 lens.”
No, the rumor just said it’s a 3x fixed lens. Speculation says it’s an f/2 lens, or that it’s a 24-72mm lens. Do you have a link to any credible rumor that actually says that, or is it just speculation?
If this rumor about the specs of the lens are indeed true, than this camera can be a proper replacement for many GF1 users who have the 14-45 kit lens and the 20mm pancake, which is from my understanding quite a common setup for the GF1 (I have that two), especially for people that want something in addition to their DSLR setup. Now you do the maths – this GF1 setup costs roughly 1200$!!. So why on earth should Panasonic bring a camera on the market for less than half of that? Because it has a fixed lens?? Well, I guess many of the people using the GF1 in the above combination would find that an advantage!
This thing will sell for more than 1000$.
I have a GF1 with a 20mm lens. Since I bought it I have never used my D300 any more. However I feel a bit limited sometime because I cannot go wider for landscapes and longer for portraits.
If this new camera has
1) 24 – 75mm f2-3 leice quality, sharp wide open
2) flash hot-shoe
3) swivel lcd
in a very compact body, I will surely change
spanky says: “No, the rumor just said it’s a 3x fixed lens. Speculation says it’s an f/2 lens, or that it’s a 24-72mm lens. Do you have a link to any credible rumor that actually says that, or is it just speculation?”
Right on this site, with an FT4 rating (highly probable) it says starts at 24mm f2, so with a 3x lens, that means 24-72mm f2 – fx (still to be determined).
http://43rumors.com/ft4-more-small-news-about-the-next-panasonic-camera-with-fourthirds-sensor/
Completely in agreement with those expecting this to cost around $1,000, and likewise hoping to be proven wrong.
Fast lens, big sensor, small form factor, “innovative” Leica-designed rangefinder-like OVF — I just can’t see Panasonic wanting or needing to set an aggressive price, because even at $1,000 it will capture huge numbers of SLR shooters who want a good carry-anywhere camera without investing in a second mount/system.
It will probably also capture many who want the best possible compact as their only camera.
You’re all in for a disappointment if you think it has all of the speculated features. It might, but then it won’t be small by any standards.
according to the specs that are discussed so far, this is gonna be an awesome camera. Well Pana, add some outstanding (as for a digital still camera) video features (such as 1080p25/30/60; 1080i50) and this tool is gonna be A BLAST.
I#m really looking forward…..
if only it were an lens-interchangeable m43 camera. I hv long been lookinf forward to a renewed version of gf1
Didn’t Leica recently say they won’t be contributing to micro 4/3rds because the quality wasnt there? Lets hope they continue to do a back flip and release more objectives aswell.
Whatever makes this camera so compact I hope it translates to compact fast objectives for the G series.
It has to be the GLC?
anonymous says: “if only it were an lens-interchangeable m43 camera. I hv long been lookinf forward to a renewed version of gf1”
That would pretty much defeat the purpose of a compact fixed lens camera I would think. In any event, I’m guessing this would be essentially a GF1 with a fixed lens. I suspect there’s a GF2 out there soon enough.
Good news indeed.
If the information turns out to be correct it could well be a worthy successor to the Digilux-2.
Hope it has the bouncy flash and ….. not the dodgy sensor that plagued the above and LC-1.
I might even sell of the heavy DSLR lenses to fund this (lightweight ?) baby.
Cause as they say the best camera is the one you have with you.
Time to start saving up….?
Yes !. I have been waiting for your coming mostly one year now.
I wish it has F2.0 lens with 24mm as LX-3 and more stylish body design as Leica version.
Even, I live in Osaka city, which is home town of PANASONIC company, we not yet get the leak photo of it.
Now, time for count down !!