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We will soon see the new Panasonic GM1 MFT camera and a new 12-32mm lens. I am still unsure about the exact announcement date. The camera biggest feature is actually….the size! It’s said to be very thin and small and still very useable…not a toy like the Sony QX š
Sources told me that this will be Panasonic’s answer to the high-end compact camera and fixed lens camera market. It’s smaller than most of them (around the size of an RX100) but has a mount for interchangeable lenses. And the new 12-32mm lens is incredibly small. The finish of both camera and lenses is of very high quality and the camera uses a new kind of shutter. This will be the first MFT camera that really easily(!) fits in your pocket with a zoom lens.
I am not sure yet about the sensor but I think it should be the same of the GX7 camera (updated: It’s GX7 and not G6 sensor). But like I said… specs here do not matter a lot. It’s all about size! So please…watch out for leaks! Can’t wait to see it!
P.S.: MU43 (part one and part two) has seen the GM1 and is excited about the new camera
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99 Responses
One guy says GM-1 plus 20/1.7 looks like E-M5 with 14-35!
Perhaps the mount is also collapsible, like many compact cameras. That would allow the lens to be partially accommodated inside the body.
Unless Panasonic comes up with a solution for collapsible mount, this solution will be noticeable thicker than the RX100 or GR.
I’d love this camera if it has an EVF and no LCD, that could help reduce body depth!
The fixed mount is what is forcing a minimum depth. I still think a fixed lens will allow a more compact design.
Using the G6 sensor is probably to keep price low. But these fixed lens big sensor compacts aren’t cheap, so why compromise there?
Agree.
Excellent idea, but then it looks quite much compromised on features. Small size is cool, but if you have no decent manual controls (the RX100 does) and the sensor does not match other 43 cameras… why not go for the rx100 directly?
I have the RX-100 and am interested in this camera mainly for the idea of pairing it with the internal zooming Panny 45-175 and the 12-32 kit. That will make a great hiking camera. I hope the small lens is at least as good as the Oly 14-42 collapsible, which I quite like. If not I may still be interested in just the body to pair with the Oly kit and the Panny tele zoom.
The one thing you don’t get with the RX-100 is the option to add a long zoom
Yes, sure, the RX100 is a great little camera, but a fixed-lens compact after all. I actually miss a wide-angle option much more than the long zoom. This is the reason why I am investigating this new GM1. I guess I maaay do without immediate accessibility of manual controls, with a wide lens such as the Panny 7-14. But on the other hand I really can’t see why we have to compromise on sensor quality. I don’t know how this old Panny sensor is, but I thought we could have the new GX7 sensor. Considering how many other options are being released on the market at the moment (esp. by Oly), this could be a kind of a deal-breaker for me. Let’s see how low the price is, but AFAIK I would have preferred higher price and better IQ
Why don’t you guys get a phone? You get to keep those menu-based UIs and you can also make phone calls with it.
You may as well get a life.
And maybe even try to understand better what a camera actually is
Amazing that there are no leaks. I guess it’s because the camera is somewhat of a wildcard, not like the GX7 which was long anticipated.
I suppose it won’t feature an EVF, right? would be a dream of mineā¦
Keep on dreaming … A similar size as the RX100 and an EVF does not really match.
LF1 has an EVF, so this could have one too, and I seriously hope for it.
Exactly my thoughts. If they can put one in the LF1 they should be able to put one in this too? Hopefully? Anyways, no EVF no buy ;D. Sometimes they make it easy for you!
Sounds like it is being marketed as a lux product…if so it could have a provision for an LVF. …even at that, it sounds too small for me.
It would be nice if it had a port that supported the LVF2.
It could be fun with the 14mm, 20mm or the 15mm Body Cap.
Orā¦ there’ll finally be a camera I can hang on my 100-300mm š
LOL!
Id rather have a smaller inbuilt EVF(no need for it to be great even as long as its inbuilt) than a hotshoe mounted one. I just want a very small camera with EVF and decent-good quality. It would be awesome for everyone whos into outdoor-life and stuff like that :).
Based on most of the rumors mentioning how SMALL this camera will be…I think you can pretty much rule out a in-body VF.
….but hey…ya never know!
I know but hope is the last thing… š Let me dream for a little longer ok? š Im just thinking since they can fit one into the LF1 the could probably do the same with this one.
Even when it will be released.. They can always add it in a firmware update..
Or Sigma 200-500 f/2.8, with adapter. Hey, the adapter might be bigger than the camera!
A gift camera for me to buy .
Hopefully it will cheaper than RX100 MII & capable to compete against EM2 .
My guess is Pana is trying to turn things around , the next GF7 will have size of current GX1 , more class & the GX7 definitely retain it’s premier class of Lumix .
speculative design? +100 on that lens =)
http://www.dailycameranews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/panasonic_mft_camera.jpg.pagespeed.ce.ph6x3TN2dq.jpg
Too fat
That mockup is 4 1/2 years old and is a fan-made speculation on how an MFT LX4 would look.
i just want the pancake summilux lens
E-e-excellent.
I wonder why Pana Launch Same quality & design of Black Magic Pocket Cinema! concept just only Change logo. No new Idea just only copy.
Should be yourself with new special Pancake Super Zoom of 20-1200mm with 18-20 Mega Pixels Sensor or good with 4K Video instead of McDonald toy Grade lens.Hope in soon it will good answer why most people still buy DSLR more thant MFT. while most DSLR 18-24 Mega Pixels most MFT launch 12-16 Mega Pixels Sensor and say that just enough no GPS include must wait for next Serie. that piece of cake to add on more than wifi remote & Flip Screen. with more Range of lens same to DSLR in durable Material than cheap of plastic by pretense of light weight.It so Strong through the Economic Crisis & Easy become like Nokia that change when pass out of chance.
Wait for the real one
I can’t decide if you are serious or joking. I sure hope you’re joking, because otherwise your post is ludicrous.
It was obvious that GM1 got fixed lens š
no, it’s MFT mount camera!!!
I’m confused, what does mean fixed lens?
Ohhh! i understand n ow, sorry to waste your time, it’s still an MFT mount cam. i did not read very well the title. thank you!
KIki you are on the wrong forum. Sorry sir!
I feel good in this forum and with my three GF1 š
Can’t wait what does this GM1 look
I hope you are not serious. š”
It’s a smartphone-coupled mount.
What a silly and foolish answer is that from panasonic against Ricoh GR, Nikon Coolpix A Fuji X100 Sony RX100.
Who on earth will buy this little camera with big and in case expensive lenses,horror maneuverability
Lame Panasonic
No, this is a silly and foolish answer to VGA-resolution mobile phone cameras, hardly think Panasonic would be able to get better IQ from a camera.
Ultimately Panasonic is a vacuum cleaner maker, isnāt it?
Yes, you are absolutely right! A Panasonic MFT camera with it’s larger sensor and lens mount couldn’t possibly provide better quality than 99% of the camera/smart-phones out there with their more compact sensors and thin fixed lenses. Absolutely no way!
Yes, not having used the camera at all, you can definitely speak for its handling. Also the price that hasn’t been announced is defintely too high.
Alex..we don’t know what the camera is yet!!!!! LOL!
I’m curious, but probably not going to be interested in such a tiny thing. The compromises in control layout (heavily biased towards touch screen operation?), optical quality of the pancake kit lens and stability while holding would make it mostly a gimmick. I had the chance to play with a Ricoh GR recently and despite being very likeable it’s just too small for me.
The interesting part is the reported slimness of the design. Does it have the normal m4/3 register distance or will other lenses require some sort of extension ring in order to be mounted on this camera?
Go buy a GX7 or OM-D then
So excited, and yet so disappointed it’s using the old sensor. How much money does pana really save by recycling these 1st-generation sensors? It can’t be that much, otherwise oly, which puts the same sensor in every camera, would be bankrupt (well even MORE than they already are).
“1st-generation”? So you mean the same sensor as in the G1? I don’t think so.
Using a “new generation” sensor bears a cost. They will use a sensor in line with the target price of the camera. Don’t expect to find a GH3’s or a GX7’s sensor in it if it is priced anything like a GF3 or GF5 (the other diminutive models in the lineup).
Funny how people can’t count and manage to forget all the basic principles of reality at the same time…
the G3 sensor. 2.5 years old.
Obviously there are costs, but what are they? oly puts the e-m1 sensor in the e-pm2, and they’ve survived, more or less.
Huh? It’s rumored to have the G6 sensor, not the G3’s.
same
If Panasonic is marketing it as a premium product (which is being hinted at), then they certainly could put the GX7 sensor in it.
Make it great.
No, it’s not the same. And you’re not sane.
As noted, what alternative sensor would Panasonic put in it? The GH3 sensor? The GX7 sensor? It would be nice if it was the GH3 sensor to match the EMP2, but apparently not. I guess it partly depends on the capacity of the 12-32mm- the first low cost Panasonic 12mm lens. But the G6 sensor is not bad, it is just not up to the IQ level of the GX7 or GH3. A camera for non- enthusiasts that might not be horrible for them too.
Very exciting, this for your walkabout and travelling light. And Sony NEX-FF for serious stuff, planned photography. BRING IT ON!
But the question is, how small and will it be feature-rich? Then of course, price will also play a factor.
Panasonic needs to meet all of these questions and please everyone with the answers.
The camera will be small, like your brain.
Diaper needs changing? Nub-Nub fell out your mouth??
They said it will be cheap!
Within m4/3rds,the competition might be the discounted GX1 (with the G3 sensor) and the EPM2 with the Sony sensor. My guess is that the GM1 will have the EVF from the LF1, and maybe IBIS if that does not take up too much space.The lens sounds fascinating.
Heck yeah, I’m all over this lens if it is decent. I really wanted to like the 14-42 PZ, but I did not like the power zoom at all, and no manual focus. This could be the answer, camera will just be a bonus.
please donĀ“t spread nonsense ā OF COURSE it has manual focus!
itĀ“s the nob on the lower side of the pancake zoom, look at the picture:
http://m43blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/panasonic_14-42x_06.jpg
you should have checked yours a little bit more carefully before giving up on itā¦ š mine has pretty decent image quality as well, sharp to the corners, versatile and small. and with the pana wide converter a true 11-33 mm wonder.
Sorry, I was not clear. It lacks traditional manual focus ring. Both of the levers were too imprecise for me. Too far out, then too far in, then too far out….. Very small adjustments were not possible with either lever. I guess I’m just too used to real manual focus lenses. I found it too frustrating so I got rid of it.
That lens has to have OIS if GM1 is to compete with RX100 and the like.
Old sensor once again? Not interested.
What would be the Key Success Facts of such a camera?
– It should be small enough to fit in a pocket, and this is extremely difficult even with the 20mm and 14mm pancakes
– It should include an EVF or at least the possibility to attach an external VF
– It should have many direct access controls and dials
– It should include last generation sensors in order to compete APS-C cameras like the Ricoh GR or the Fuji X100
– It should have a snap focus feature, like the Ricoh GR
– Construction should be solid, this would be a camera meant to carry every day, no matter the weather conditions.
Such a camera would be a killer, no doubt, and I would buy it right now. But given that Panasonic has needed more than 5 or 6 years to launch the GX7 I am quite reluctant that they will succeed on this first attempt…
And the price should be under 100 euro!!!
-My GX1 with the 20mm fits in my denim jacket pocket. In my jeans? Not happening. If its smaller than that, wow.
-I wouldn’t include a evf, but wiuld have a hot shoe for the ext.VF.
-direct access to controls can all be done on the touchscreen. Adding dials will only make the camera bigger.
-build quality should match or be better than the GX1. Making it weather resistant, will only raise the price. You’re better off buying a waterproof point and shoot.
In my opinion, all the need to do is make a smaller GX1, because thats what its sounding like to me.
People still wear jean jackets??
Perhaps you should stick to polar-fleece vests and zip-off leg cargo pants…
Cool!
Being in the fashion industry I guess I don’t need to tell you that jean jackets were a 2012 fad. If you are still wearing yours in 2013 you must have forgot to hop on the fashion train because you’ve already been left behind. That’s what happens when you shop for clothes at K-Mart. Trickle down trends are about a year behind.
Wow, such interesting comments today!.. Is it the reason why Admin is posting more rumors? To let peple miss these helpful pearls of knowledge? Admin, I will pay to read a clean forum.
Maybe it’s a scheme of Admin to move us to pay to clean up the forum out of desperation. Nah these are a few, real psychopaths!
No it should shrink to fingernail size to put in your pocket, and then expand to Nikon D4 size when shooting, to keep your fat fingers happy
It’s the Doctor Who camera š
PANASONIC had better make something with a big sensor in it = the GM1 or it will fail. Simple as… there are too many small cameras appearing now to risk using a small sensor in it. Let`s hope they calibrate it properly before its release unlike BLACKMAGICPOCKET.
I like this idea very much. I am disappointed with the quality of my P & S with small 1/2.3″ sensor (might as well use my smartphone nowadays) but I don’t really want to lug around a big camera most of time, not even on holidays.
A camera like this + small zoom lens will allow me to carry it with me in my pocket, yet also allows me to mount high quality MTF glass like the Olympus 45/1.8 when needed.
Bigger sensor compacts (like 1″ RX100) are needed to compete with smartphones on the P & S and P & S stepup-up market anyway so I think Panasonic is on the right track here.
I just hope the price will be reasonable.
Here we go :
Old sensor, plastics, poor lens quality, poor jpegs… This is WHY we love panashit!!
High end cameras with fixed lenses tend to have better controls than GF6. I so hope for a mode dial, function dial and a handful of buttons, but wouldn’t bet on it.
EVF should be external. Those internal EVFs on ‘higher’ compacts and bridge cameras are really awful.
Have you tried the one on the LF1? Because that would be the likely one.
Man, some of the folks here seem to have lost their connection to reality. Let’s think about this. The camera will, apparently, compete against high-end P&S cameras. What does that tell us:
1. It won’t be super cheap. High end P&S cameras aren’t cheap, so this doesn’t need to be.
2. It WILL have an LCD. P&S buyers are conditioned to expect an LCD, and wouldn’t take it seriously without one. Heck, pretty much everyone except Leica buyers are conditioned to expect an LCD. The idea that any mainstream manufacturer would try to sell a fairly expensive digital camera without one is just silly.
3. I doesn’t NEED to have an EVF. Those same camera buyers are conditioned to frame and control the camera via an LCD. It could have one, either built-in (I doubt it, due to size), or as an add-in, but it doesn’t need one to compete.
4. It won’t have a bunch of direct access controls. It’s supposed to be TINY. Where is Panasonic going to fit a bunch of physical controls? Get real: most of the functions will be controlled by Panasonic’s very good touch screen, customizable quick menu, and customizable on-screen function buttons.
5. The G6 sensor would still be better than most high-end P&S cameras in every respect, but nonetheless I don’t expect to see that sensor. Why? Because it’s BIG. It’s an oversize 18MP sensor originally designed for the GH2. If this camera is as tiny as claimed, Panasonic won’t want to use a bigger component than necessary.
I have been told it’s surprisingly cheap. But I don’t have the price in $$$ yet so let’s see if the source was just overenthusiastic or not.
How is this different from the Oly EPM2 which is already as small as the RX100?
“[…] and a new 12-32mm lens.”
Crossing fingers for something more reliable than the infamous 14-42X.
Having shot extensively with the Pentax Q7, currently the world’s smallest interchangeable lens camera (okay, the Q and Q10 are millimeters smaller), I am really excited to see this camera arrive. Here’s my take YouTube video review of the Q7:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_DC-NmfFTA
Despite the tiny size of the camera, Pentax managed to cover the body in some excellent direct access controls — something that is very important to me. I’m old school — I love buttons and dials. I like touch screens too, but not at the expense of controls that let me shoot without removing the camera from my eye.
The small size and weight is indeed the key here, I think. Not needing a neck strap or camera bag is incredibly liberating. And if this rumor is true, the GM1 will have a much bigger and better sensor than the Q7’s enthusiast compact 1/1.7 and will even beat the RX100ii by a wide margin.
I spent a week shooting the RX100ii and was impressed with the image quality, but not wild about the handling. Maybe I just needed more time with it, but had lots of accidental button presses, and found the handling to be more like a compact than an enthusiast camera. It just felt slower, in general. Or maybe I was slower.
But if Panasonic gets this “right” and makes an interchangeable lens M4/3 camera with good, “retro” handling (buttons and dials), I think they’ll have a real game changer here. And I’m definitely with those here who are “hoping” for an EVF, no matter how small. That would be perfect.
Until the 17th, WHAT IS THE BEST and TINIEST M4/3 TODAY? I’m still searching for my perfect camera!
Olympus E-PM2 is great for me. But Oly does not have any decent small enough lens.
Panny GF5 and GF6 are great too. I’d like the GF5 more, but I believe you’ll like the GF6 more because of its dial. Both with any of the 14, 20 or 14-42X pancake are very compact.
If the GM1 is smaller than the GF5 and with better image quality, I’ll buy it (regardless of EVF or dials). If the 12-35 pancake has decent image quality (hope it’s great, but I’m ok with decent), isn’t too much slow (as f-stops are concerned) and no larger than the 20 prime, I’ll buy that too. The 12mm wide end is much more important for me than the 42mm tele.
I’m very excited about this camera, probably as much as I was with the original GF1+20mm!
Thanks for the pointer to the GF6. Will use that as comparison to the GM1.
Panasonic’s answer to the high end compact camera class, does that include the emerging APSC fixed lens compacts? or are we talking the “traditional” high end compacts like the Canon S120 or Nikon P330?? I’m just wondering as, depending on its price point and placement in the market, it may be outshone by those large-sensored compacts. It is a strong proposition though, to have a small, compact camera sized ILC out there, and because of this, have no doubt this will sell well. Just refrain from sticking any zooms on this small body and you’d truly have a compact that offers the flexibility of changing out the lens depending on need.
Agreed, Ben. The APSC compacts are pretty amazing at the moment. My current favorite is the Ricoh GR, with its 28mm equivalent 2.8 fixed lens. It as great features for shooting on the street, like “snap focus” and hyperfocal info display, along with excellent image quality and the most customizable UI I’ve ever seen. And while the APSC sensor will likely almost always out perform the M43 in low light, high ISO settings (if noise matters to you), I find that M43 is more than good enough for most types of shooting that I do. I’d love an interchangeable tiny camera, but if this GM1 doesn’t pan out, I’m buying a Ricoh GR.
please donĀ“t spread nonsense – OF COURSE it has manual focus!
itĀ“s the nob on the lower side of the pancake zoom, look at the picture:
http://m43blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/panasonic_14-42x_06.jpg
you should have checked yours a little bit more carefully before giving up on it… š mine has pretty decent image quality as well, sharp to the corners, versatile and small. and with the pana wide converter a true 11-33 mm wonder.
If that GM1 has all manual controls hidden not too deep, it could be an interesting camera.
This could be really interesting. I’m hoping the video capabilities of this little camera are closer to the G6 than the GF6 – i.e. 50P/60P as opposed to 50i/60i.
Thats their answer?
Thats the wring answer, Panasonic
Is it reaaally so wring? š
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
What was the past? Miniaturization of P&S cameras. What happened to P&S cameras? They became obsolete because of smartphones. What was left? Much larger DSLR cameras.
What’s the present? Miniaturization of m4/3. What’s going to happen to m4/3 cameras? They are going to become obsolete because of smartphones. What’s going to be left? Much larger DSLR/DSLM cameras.
I’d say it’s funny, but as a 4/3 user, I’m empathic towards people who are throwing money away by investing into m4/3.
So we are going to see 4/3 sensors inside mobile phones… Come on don’t be ridiculous… -.-