Weeks ago a very good source wrote me a text: “stay tuned for the upcoming surprises by panasonic 😉”
I asked him if he was talking about the GH2 and the answer was: “No, we will definitly see a demonstration of a new technology, but I won’t tell you ,-)”
It doesn’t sound like he is talking about the 3D technology and it is certainly related to photography. I tried to get some more information (also from other sources) but I didn’t find anything. That’s why I ask you here if you heard something about the “mysterious” new tecnology. I am sure there is something because that source always gave me correct informations in the past!
So please help us 😉
P.S.: Dear readers, feel free to start your own speculation 🙂
63 Responses
If they indeed have the confidence to go to 18MP with their top camera model, then it must be sensor related. They need to even improve on the sensor in the GH1, and they know that. They won’t release a higher MP sensor with worse performance, so some advances in sensor tech must have been made.
got a feeling it’s something really big…
It’s official. The suspense is absolutely bloody killing me. And I’m not even in the market for a GHx.
I’m hoping for a new Olympus MFT. Aaaaargh!
+1!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What kind of talk is that really; “we got something exciting here but we will not tell you anything about it and will not tell you when we’ll show it, but stay tuned at all times!”
I hate it when sources tell me something is coming without telling me what 🙂
hi admin, i think your avatar looks a bit angry. Couldn’t you use a happy face 🙂
Well I am definitely saving the pennies. I was going to get one of those £399 red GH1s and wait for the GH2 but I think I quite fancy waiting to see what all the fuss is about now 😛
Why dont they just tell us NOW! *Stomps feet like a spoilt brat*
Global shutter – fits with what we know already. It will transform how a camera works in ways people don’t seem to have considered. Dynamic range will be much less of an issue- hence pixel density will not be a problem.
I hope so…. that would be a “FINALLY!” moment. 1/8000 flash syncs, 20fps…. *homerdrool*
If Global shutter can shut down exposure of areas in strong light and extend exposure of dark areas it would really be a revolution in DR!
Looking forward to a setting a shutter speed that varies from 1/8000 to 1/200 sec. 🙂
Yes, absolute. Olaf
Can you explain to me why global shutter improves dynamic range and so makes pixel density a non issue? I like to think I am fairly upto speed but I am only recently getting into all this techno stuff
Tri-layer sensor? I’m hoping for that 🙂
Maybe for early, but the is a chance for the is rhigt.
A couple of months ago a Panasonic engineer told Valentín Sama (from the Spanish DSLRMagazine) that if they were going to present soon (July) a video camera, a 3D camera, an update to a high-end compact (LX5) and some other compacts, those were just trifles compared to what they had for Photokina. So obviously there is much more coming from Panasonic than “just” and update to the GH1.
I have no idea what it might be, but I can’t wait to find out!
Here in Switzerland, the E-PL1 (with zoom) have dopped down constantly for 1 week. The red E-PL1 is now selled at 480$. It is suspicious, and good. In 3 weeks we could have the kit for nothing. I am not an expert, but the market is probably preparing something. Waiting for Photokina, or buying one mFT, as I need a good small camera?
I hope for a more professional GF1, the GF2. With, for example, a tilt/swivel LCD, much better manual focus control, 1 stop better high ISO noise (I am easily satisfied) and without this childish Art Filters.
Cameras up to now have to expose all pixels for the same length of time. This means pixels have to be able of capturing the whole range of brightness in an image from highlights to shadows – hence why DR matters. With a global/electronic shutter pixels only need to be exposed for the length of time appropriate to the part of the image they relate to. Ie a pixel reading the light from a shadow can now be exposed for longer than one covering a bright part of the image. There is therefore no need for a pixel to ‘clip’ a highlight or underexpose a shadow. This is a revolutionary change.
I hope it three-layor sensor; like foveon.
If it is, 16MP means 5.2~5.4MP on each layor.
5.2~5.4MP is not increased too much.
Hi Tom! It is an information from a very good source but no other source could confirm the rumor. That’s why it is FT3 only. If another soruce will confirm the rumor it will become FT4. If one sends me a proove fot that (like an image or document) than it will receive an FT5 value.
Hi Admin!
Can you put the “Reply” button at the bottom of the posts?
Everyone gets confused. Those who reply to comments by the fact that they replied to the wrong one. Those who read comments can’t understand what the heck the guy is talking about – because he replied to the wrong comment.
Wow – For me at least that dwarves the rolling shutter advantages. The implications of it are pretty staggering.
Shutterless = HDR in one shot!!!!
Now you get it!! It will require some clever electronics and high speed processing. But it really makes sense in a smaller sensor and could allow m4/3 to compete with full frame unless you insist on paper thin DOF. This is on a par with colour photography
What about when full frame gets the same tech though?
I am thinking that it would take a helluva lot of processing power to process 4 times the sensor size… either that or some nifty compression (which defys the point?)
Thats a thought – Imagine how big are raw files will become if this is the case! 16MP with a huge dynamic range. My poor poor Powerbook G4.
4 times the sensor size? Size doesn’t make the difference, it’s the amount of data (pixel count).
new HDR tec – i see it same way..
crossing my fingers 🙂
panasonic please!
😛
The only uncertainty is that panasonic said global shutter will not be ready until 2011. Maybe they will just demonstrate it? They also suggested an intermediate technology- maybe an LCD shutter capable of exposing different parts of the image to different extents?
Lets hope that is simple misdirection to make the surprise all the much better now ;P If note – well it is more time to save for pretty glassware!
I think what you’re describing is more than what is normally meant by “global shutter”. I think global shutter just means that all pixels in the frame are captured at the same instant (as opposed to line by line with a rolling shutter).
I can see that a pixel level “shutter” (or exposure control) will enable what you describe, but I don’t know what a good name for it would be… pixel level variable exposure?
How about: Dynamic Exposure Technology (Does this count as a Trademark claim?)
I’m guessing a hybrid image+af sensor like the one from fuji. That would make a super fast evil camera.
I pretty much solely use manual focus so I pray this isn’t the case!
I agree. Both Fuji and Sony have come up with new AF technology this year. I’ thinking Panny may as well.
Hi Admin,
You hate it when a source tells you something is coming but not what?
So do we. 😉
It’s probably related to the shortcomings of mirrorless cameras as opposed to DSLR cameras:
* MFT autofocus is too slow compared to DSLR
* FT sensor size limits high ISO quality
* low resolution electronic viewfinders suck
If Panasonic and Olympus invest into research, it’s probably in those three areas. So if they announce some new technology it hopefully addresses these issues.
Whatever happened to that rumor about a Panasonic rangefinder like MFT body? Couldn’t that be the mysterious new technology? It would take away some of the pain of using an EVF if they’ve done it right.
> * FT sensor size limits high ISO quality
ISO quality is already good enough. Low-light AF is more of a problem. But that’s no brainer: to make photos one needs light.
Dynamic range, related to the sensor size, is what I think is handicapped on the actual FT sensors and I personally wish to be improved.
@ Tobias W
Very clever view indeed… I would cross these 3 with GF1 price drop announcement, pen’s observed price drop and new GH standing alone expectation :
* MFT autofocus improvement : does not sound likely since GF / pen do not compete with DSLR like GH
* FT sensor size limits high ISO quality : This should fit with both GH and GF limits
* Higher resolution electronic viewfinders : unlikely, GH already ok in that area
Conclusion : Would you be right… then it could likely be such a major sensor processing improvement as global shutter (as far as I have understood this very interestig amount of comments ?
Shutterless camera?
Yes, the i think also.
Higher quality HD video to use with those new high bandwidth SD cards, maybe pro res 4:2:2. 4:4:4 Raw video might even be possible with the new storage.
how about a poll when you get enough suggestions, I’ll be voting for a global shutter demonstration and announcement…
Global shutter seems worthy of being ‘the next big thing’ that it is hyping up to be. Faster focusing, high iso quality and higher res viewfinders are all to be expected in the march of technology in my opinion and whilst nice – are definitely not worth much more than a ‘oh cool’
I think it can be the voice control for the camera that is rumored somewhere in the web.
br.
Does a hot shoe flash ever electrically connect to the camera…? What I’m saying is that if it were possible to have a smaller flash (not powered by batteries, but by the camera battery) then you could have a very compact flash to use in situations where it was needed
This is a new art?
The art of telling by no telling nothing?
The site need better content admin, no more padding, creating false expectations or smoke
Comments like this always surprise me. This is a rumors site, and is nothing else, we know that Panasonic likes to control the release of information. I have been as frustrated as the next guy the by shortage of information leading up to Photokina, but Photokina likely explains the blackout. We already are in a phase when Panasonic and other manufacturers seem to have the upper hand in terms of preventing leaks, but on the eve of Photokina, we just have to expect that those efforts will be redoubled. Just at the time we want information the most, they are working the hardest to keep it from us. Most sources are dancing around NDAs, and their sensitivity increases at moments when leaks are most likely to be tracked down.
Add to that the fact that design and feature decisions are being made up to the last second in response to the competitors’ announcements and the increased use of countermeasures such as false leaks, and it becomes pretty obvious that we are being played.
That said, all of this is what makes rumors fun. In addition, no matter what people may think, companies like Panasonic do follow and care about sites like this, and at some level we do affect product decisions, even if only very slightly.
Global shutter. That’s a guess.
HI Alberto! I posted that because I need some help to understand what’s going on. I do not create false expectetions. Did I create false expectations by telling you that the E-5 has 12 megapixels only, that there will be no new GF camera? 🙁
The Olympus announcement is very close (sept 14), still no better rumors on the expected release/ technology/ sensor of the next 4/3rds camera?
Olympus deserves a compliment for keeping their announcement so tight! all we know is 12 mp but this doesn’t say anything what to expect from them.
I whould say something on senzor side…..
maybe a fast reading of senzor => lots of fps 10++, build in HDR function, reducing of noise with many expositures (and correcting the moving objects with SW)
AF relative -> sony, fuji technologi?
senzor efficient -> trinity? or a 3 CCD, cmos camera, don’t forget panasonic is huge producer of Cameras and has lots of experiences with 3CCD senzors and m4/3 is joining camera word too with thayer products + zeis lenses ;).
There are many options what to do…. lets stay turned :-P.
Invisible camera…definitely…or a chip that you put inside your body and you can take photos just blinking you eyes……lol
I think it might be something to do with those teleconverter patents.
Sorry, but new technology is coming all the time from most of the companies
your post don´t tell us nothing, we only can speculate about “nada” and create false expectations as global shutter, etc
If the sorce told me that than ot will not just be a small news…
Maybe a new technology to avoid line skipping in their new AG-AF101E video cam ?
I belive Panasonic will be the first with a digital shutter.
A camera can only be thrue digital, if all is digital,
the shutter is what ist still missing!
You must be new to digital cameras. Nikon had this earlier in the decade and moved away from it during the switch to CMOS.
Hate to be the one sowing doubt, but could it be that Panasonic saw the reaction to the “leaked” GH-2 specs, and decided they needed to show off some “future” tech to keep people on board? Seriously, when has Panasonic ever created a class leading sensor? All of their sensors have been run of the mill. The thing is I really wanted to get a GH camera soon. All they had to do was improve DR and high ISO. I wasn’t looking for Nikon, Canon, Sony capabilities. I was just looking for an improvement over traditional Panasonic/Olympus standards.
New photo format (for the brand), APS-C or 4/3 aspect ratio options.
Silent (shutterless) camera
Has it got to do with this patent that Panny filed a while back? YOu reported this on 22 July this year
http://www.43rumors.com/panasonic-3-layer-patent-like-the-sigma-foveon-sensor/
3-layer BSI sensor?