Image on top shows the current G6.
A couple of weeks ago I told you the GF7 will NOT be released this year. Well, here I have the next surprising news I got this from two sources: Panasonic decided to not release any G6 successor this year neither! They will discount the GH3 instead. The reason why there will be no G7 is due the poor sales of the G6.
Panasonic will focus on the GH, GM and GX line! You tell me if that’s a smart move…
—
For sources: Sources can send me anonymous info at 43rumors@gmail.com (create a fake gmail account) or via contact form you see on the right sidebar. Thanks!
For readers: Don’t miss any news. Join our group on facebook and follow our tweets.
Rumors classification explained (FT= FourThirds):
FT1=1-20% chance the rumor is correct
FT2=21-40% chance the rumor is correct
FT3=41-60% chance the rumor is correct
FT4=61-80% chance the rumor is correct
FT5=81-99% chance the rumor is correct
169 Responses
Maybe poor sales due to the rather crappy OLED EVF? 😉
I personally like the G6 viewfinder better than the one on the GX7. The G6 unfortunately is probably the most underappreciated recent Panasonic release, maybe a question of poor timing of the release. Dpreview and others never even bothered reviewing it … Again, a very underappreciated camera. Were it not for the in-body stabilization, I personally preferred the G6 to the GX7.
As a happy owner of a G6 I agree with you Charlie.
I think the reason of its poor selling besides timing of release is the plastic touch of it. It doesn’t transmit quality for this piece of technology. Anyway it makes it very light. For me this is a plus.
I think we see a transition similar to the one that happened in watch industry, however far-fetched such comparison might seem. People no longer buy or need “ordinary” watches in massive quantities. They buy luxury items or solid, built-to-purpose products such as sports watch. It seems that camera manufacturers begin to understand this too.
There are two “problems”: one is the body feel you mentioned and then it also has the older GH2 sensor…. If one or the other would have been fixed would have been all over it, especially with the 14-140 II.
and maybe also because of the ‘old’ sensor on it. Maybe if the current generation of panny sensors were used on the G6. It might have sold even better
Have you ever actually used a G6?i guess not. The Ellis excellent, better than the GH3 and EM-5.
Very smart move, Gh4, Gh3, gx1, Gm1.. all fantastic camera, different specification, different price…
Smart move; I never liked G series
Both GM and GX series give us the true spirit of m43 – portability!
GM – max portability
GX – full features (EVF/IBIS/etc.) in a portable body
and the video features of GH series gives us another good aspect of m43
Perfect move!
We just need more portable lens like the 12-32, 20, etc..
Yes I used to think that way, but one day I handheld a GX7.
Terrible ergonomics and no tilt screen means impaired video.
I’m in for a camera that gives me a balanced tool for both video/photo.
The GX7 isn’t it and the GH3 is too big, trails every other line in IQ and has no IBIS.
I think they will loose customers.
I agree. Unlike many mirrorless cameras, the GX7 actually feels much WORSE in reality than it looks in the internet. Compared to something like the E-M10 which isn’t even a premium camera, the GX7 feels really cheap.
The GX7 is a good camera but it just came too late and offered to little for what it costs.
I’m the complete opposite. I find the G-line doesn’t fit my hands well at all, but I feel very comfortable holding the GX-7. All the controls are in the right places and easy to reach. Had similar feelings about the GF1 compared to the G-series cameras at the time, but ended up buying an E-PL1 to get IBIS and a better kit deal.
Except the EM10 is too small, has lousy ergonomics, uncomfortable square corners, small, fiddly buttons. It even has the power switch in the same horrible spot as the EM5!
Obviously, Olympus is pulling an EM5 which demands that users buy expensive add-on grips to give the EM10 reasonable handling.
The GX7 has an excellent grip, surprisingly complete set of external and customizable controls. The only real quibble I have is I wish the grip were a bit beefier and taller, with the shutter shifted forward on top of it… sorta like the Sony A6000.
The GX7 feels solid and handles better than the E5 or EM10 for me. Don’t find it has bad ergonomics at all. A very good camera.
A G7 with the new sensor and a grip like the G1 (or EM1) for longer lenses would also suit me fine.
Brilliant move, let’s take out the rest in some even better moves, and stick to hoovers.
LOL it’s also typical that the cheaper articles are made to die. M43 moving upmarket, yeah! Pathetic…
It wants to give the impression that it is upmarket. Surely, the G6 breaks that impression because it’s ugly, and too cheap.
No way I am touching these products myself, either.
I think it is the right move
+1
Would not surprise me if the G and GF lines are never updated especially if sales are much stronger with their GH, GX AND GM lines.. doesn’t make any sense to have 5 variations, I wouldnt have thought!
Maybe Panasonic should focus on their LX line and trying to compete with the RX100 and who knows even finally update the FZ50 line with the larger sensor and provide an all in one to compete with the RX10!
As mentioned in my comment previously , Pana’s customers are limited & by cutting underachieved products save a lot for R&D .
I understand why some of the readers like the G series , SLR in small / compact body but unfortunately Pana don’t have intention to put the G as another premier products such as GX / GM / GH .
Forgot about the G series , just take GH
Yeah, only problem is, GH is way too big for me. I think G is just perfect in every way, size, slr style etc….and I’m not excited rangerfinder style as GX series..
I think they simply delayed the release since they have too much older models in stock and it would eat out of their new releases such as GH4 (and to some extent GX7). The market is getting crowded and from the marketing point of view it’s their GH/GX/GM lines that have unique stand-out features and could be marketed as such.
Oh what a suprise! Another company dropping their cheaper lines in favour of overpriced equipment laden with features most photographers don’t need.
[sarcasm]I was out shooting at the weekend and the amount of shots I missed because my camera does not have 4K video, WiFi, NFC, a trillion dot screen, a magnesium body and a constant f0.1 aperture lens was ridiculous![/sarcasm]
Well that’s why they sell-out their old stock I guess 😉
What’s old stock got to do with unnecessary features?
The next time you buy the latest model just pause to think about how much cheaper it would be if the shop were not loosing so much money trying to get rid of last year’s model.
My point is, if you’re not after the latest features an older model will fit just perfectly. But from the manufacturer’s point of view they can’t hope to sell enough cheap models with low profit margins to sustain the company. And if they want premium prices, they must also offer premium products (however “useless” they might be).
Well…this means Hello Olympus after my G6 is getting old. No G-line -> No Panasonic cameras for me. Instead of decide to focus only GH GX and GM, they should have try to create G line more interesting as Olympus has done to OMD EM10! Now Panasonic has nothing to offer to EM10, Samsung NX30, Sony A6000 range…GX7 is very expensive camera.
According the GX7 is too expensive -> I got a brand new GX7 for under 600€ (incl. VAT). And the M10 is actually available at the same price point (so it´s a direct competitor price wise).
Btw.: The problem with the “G-line” is, that it´s WAY too close at the GH line (feature wise). And even the GH3 is already available quite cheap – So what´s the use of a G7 body (now). Btw.: I also tried the M10 (around three weeks) – And it also has it´s pros and cons (compared to the GX7).
Well i guess it depends where you live. In Finland body only is 899-999€ against EM10 599 and A6000 699
true…in EU the gx7 is in range 900-1000eur …not les ..thats why EM10 is better option now …G7 with GX7 sensor for 599 would be rival to EM10 with better video so bad move from pana
Hmm. Weird. The GX7 is priced everywhere (here in Austria and Germany) around 770€ (body only). And the kits are around 900€ (incl. 20mm 1.7 – The new one). But you can find the kits (20mm one) even for ~850€ (or even lower) from local Ebay dealers. So you´re paying just 600 to 650€ (as the 20mm is worth at least around 240 to 260€). So not THAT much difference inbetween the M10 and GX7 …
Just saying.
Btw.: I had the M10 too (mentioned already somewhere here). But I didn´t like the bad video features, the low amount of freely assignable FN buttons (altough other buttons are assignable – That´s ture), the “stuttering” peaking (altough it´s better than the Panasonic peaking) and the fact, that I would also need the ECG-1 grip (as the standard grip is also not THAT good and “grippy”). And I also missed the Custom Setting Positions on the mode dial – But that´s normal for Olympus bodies. ^^
The GH3 sensor is trailing the GX7 in IQ, be it photo or video. The GH3 doesn’t have a one button silent mode nor IBIS. The GH3 is too big. They can discount it all they want, I’m not buying it…
The GX7 is perfect but has terrible ergonomics. The lack of tilt (EDITED and swivel) screen seriously impairs video shooting.
Panasonic really didn’t need to make an effort, all they had to do was to put the GX7 chip inside a G6 body. How hard/expensive could that be???
You clearly don’t know what you are talking about.
The GH3 sensor is essentially identical to the E-M5 sensor, which is excellent.
The GX7 has terrible ergonomics? Another idiotic statement. Do you own one? No? Well, I do, Great ergonomics. Excellent grip built-in.
Was the GX7 sensor even ready when Panasonic launched the G6? How do you know? Three mindless comments in a row from you. Congratulations.
Oh, and the GX7 does have a tilt-screen. Clearly you know nothing about these cameras.
Sorry for that, of course it tilts, I meant to write tilt and swivel!
And yes, I know the cameras in question. I’ve had the GH2 since 2010 and I went as far as designing a hack for it, tailored to timelapses: http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/2135/gh2-2.5fps-avchd-24h-timebustertimehbuster-2.0-settings-the-day-is-not-over#Item_310
I’ve tried a GX7 in-store, that’s how I found out I was allergic to it’s ergonomics. It’s a marvelous camera indeed but I cannot operate it proficiently.
This: http://www.43rumors.com/ft5-there-will-be-no-new-panasonic-g7-this-year/#comment-1361043810
this: http://www.43rumors.com/ft5-there-will-be-no-new-panasonic-g7-this-year/#comment-1361043810
Hmm. That the ergonomic of the GX7 isn´t perfect is true. Especially with heavier lenses it´s getting worse. I like the GX7 – don´t get me wrong (using it by myself) – But it´s not perfect. That´s true.
Btw.: The problem is with the G-series: No HDMI live view, worse codecs and let´s be honest – The price stability was also quite bad – The price dropped THAT rapidly. Beside that I think, the G-series bodies are not selling that well, because Canon and Nikon also offers cheap kits in the same price range – And they get WAY more pushed in nearly every store I was til now (so it´s not surprising, that Panasonic continues to sell the more advanced GH3 – Maybe even continue to produce the GH3 in the next few months – Also, because they can use parts in both cameras – GH3 and GH4 ^^.)
AND also don´t forget: It´s no use, to get now a G7 – And then Panasonic is going out of the photo / video business by 2015 (because they are still not profitable) …
“The GH3 sensor is trailing the GX7 in IQ”
Other way around.
“The GX7 is perfect but has terrible ergonomics. The lack of tilt screen seriousçly impairs video shooting.”
It DOES have tilt screen. It does not have fully articulated screen of G and GH series, but you don’t shoot 16:9 video in vertical orientation anyway, right?
base on name I gues you live in Austria…can you post a link with gx7 for 600e
Yes. You´re right (about Austria). But I bought it in Germany (Ebay dealer) as a kit with a 20mm 1.7 2nd edition (for just 850€ incl. shipment). As the lens isn´t my favorite I sold it for 260€ – So I got the body for just 590€. Well – It´s not the “body only” price. That´s ture. But still: At this price point a direct competitor to the M10.
So very sad 🙁 As the Panasonic G6 was an awesome camera!
Maybe they’d have sold more if they hadn’t crippled it in some basic ways when compared to the GH3, such as lacking being PAL/NTSC switchable and it had no live HDMI out.
I very nearly bought one myself….. was a very close decision, but purchased a Nikon D5200 last week, *because* the Nikon D5200 has live HDMI out and is PAL/NTSC switchable, even though it is cheaper than the Panasonic G6. Unfortunate, I’ve purchased 4 Panasonic m4/3 bodies beforehand, and very regularly use them on paid work.
Yes it is a smart move for Panasonic to focus on GH, GM and GX series!
The G6 is a real sleeper and certainly the best bang for the buck M4/3 camera. Unfortunately, the industrial design is rather uninspired. Hopefully the prices will drop and they’ll sell a ton of them! Had it been more like the GH2, it would have been better.
A friend’s daughter asked me for advice for her first “real” camera on a budget, so we went to B&H so she could handle a bunch of cameras I picked in her price range… after she decided against too-big/bulky Nikon/Canon/Pentax/Sony DSLRs, I figured the G6 would be perfect. She disliked it and the EM10, bit the bullet, bumped her budget and got a GX7.
Not surprised. G6 lacks the style of the GX7. Smart move to focus on the gx, gm, and gh lines and quit making models that aren’t selling. G6 is a fantastic camera by the way.
You proposed a G6 after proper DSLRs were too bulky? You were not giving good advice.
A G6 is waaaaaaaaaay smaller and lighter than DSLRs are.
No, that’s a lie. It is a little smaller, and the 14-42 is smaller than the DSLR compet because it’s not equivalent – it is equiv to a one stop darker lens.
No free lunches, as usual.
Meh, I find my m4/3 cameras punch above their weight when it comes to low light.
And the difference in size is more than “a little”. Do you even own a G series and a DSLR? I do.
I don’t own any M43 gear because I tested it and did not like it. Particularly, the G series was too huge.
You can’t really truly comment then if you’ve never owned it… and if the G series is “too huge”, you can’t then be talking about DSLRs instead!
DSLRs are just a little larger but perform waaaaaay better. I can live with them. M43 are just a little smaller, cost a hell more and perform meh.
I cannot comment? Kiddo, maybe you cannot.
You seem to have all the answers… Do you work for O or P? What are you going to do when M43 shuts down?
DSLRs are just a little larger but perform waaaaaay better. I can live
with them. M43 are just a little smaller, cost a hell more and perform
meh.
I cannot comment? Kiddo, if you can, everybody can. I don’t expect thanks from fanboys, but at least no over-the-top bollocks.
“too huge for the quality” then. Happy now? Are you really so thick you could not figure that out yourself? No, don’t answer: this is a rhetorical question.
BS, you forgot to say that this G toy has a kit lens, which is smaller than a crop DSLR lens. Why? Because it is not equivalent. A crop 18-55 F3.6-5.6 equates to a 14-44 F 2.6-4.
Such a lens, in the M43 world, would be sold as a PRO lens for crazy prices. And the usual marketing liars would be all over it.
….this website is PERFECT for you then
Having owned a G6, I agree with David, it’s waaaaaaaay smaller than a DSLR.
Put a G6 and D5200 next to each other and try again.
I had a list of cameras in her price range from every company I could think of… DSLR, mirrorless, whatever. I pointed them out, let her handle them and explained technical stuff like sensor sizes, lenses, viewfinders, LCDs, etc..
The rest I left it entirely up to her.
The only advice I gave her was a question:
Do you really want to carry something like a DSLR around with you all the time?
One thing she really wanted to do was to carry a good camera around with her. The slim profile of the GX7 is extremely compelling in that regard.
Ever hold a D3300 w/ 18-55mm and a G6 w/ 14-42mm II side by side?
Or a GX7?
It’s a revelation! Pictures don’t even come close to the physical differences.
http://camerasize.com/compact/#455.374,509.36,472.374,ha,t
BS, you’ve obviously never held a g6. It’s tiny, much smaller and lighter than an entry level DSLR.
I think it was excellent advice. The G6 is smaller & lighter than any DSLR, especially with kit lens mounted. I have one and appreciate the difference.
So what will Panasonic release this year?
It’s a shitty move if you ask me. 🙁
I need the silent shutter, I want the new sensor and improved IQ in both video and photo, I need IBIS, I need the dslr form factor and the tilt screen, I don’t want the weight of the GH3 and I sure don’t have any use for a weather sealed body.
I really don’t understand this, all they had to do was to put the GX7 chip inside a G6 body, how hard can that be??? Was the R&D bill bigger than a few hundred sales?
Well, no new body for me this year…
Maybe Panasonic could combine the GF and the G line to create something that will compete better with the entry level DSLR’ s from Canikon.
I think it’s actually a very stupid move.
All they had to do was to update the G6 body with the GX7 chip. R&D costs would amount to fitting the new IBIS and little else.
I’m sure a G6 with the GX7 innards would be a solid sales performer and a very balanced camera for both photo and video.
Only Panasonic must think it’s smart because now they feature IBIS on just one of the lines…
R&D costs are the least of their problems, and R&D costs need to be considered on a per-model-sold basis, too.
The problem is the same as all the camera makers have: it’s more difficult to sell new models that are just incremental when you have older generation models still in the marketplace. The expenses they’re looking at are manufacturing, inventory, and SG&A buyback expenses, which almost certainly are going to be higher for G7 with G5’s still available new.
It’s as if the auto makers came out with the new model year cars but still had inventory on dealer’s lots of not just last year’s cars, but the year before that, and sometimes three year old cars. The problem is that if you discount those older models to get them off the lots, you not only incur significant marketing/sales expense, but you also reduce the price expectations of the customer.
Thank you Thom, that’s a very enlightening perspective.
A brilliant move! The low-end market has been devoured by smartphones. Everyone today is an amateur photographer carrying a high-quality imaging device that far surpasses any point-and-shoot from 10 years ago. Thus, as a result, dedicated devices are now a niche market. Panasonic and any other camera maker must focus to either the pro or enthusiast crowd. Panasonic has now wisely trimmed down its line to carry only refined, magnesium-bodied products. This will help increase their profit margins and focus development on their remaining critical areas. I hope to see improved and trickle-down technologies in all of their next-gen devices.
I think it’s a good decision.
There are too many camera lines right now. It’s no use if the IQ from the G7 and G6 are similar and also similar to GX7, GM1, GH3 and GH4. People will not buy it.
In stead of buying a G7 with the same sensor in the previous camera, I’m waiting for a new camera with a new developed sensor.
I don’t know as the G line are ergonomically quite nice but if the GH3 is dropping down in price then perhaps it pushes the G line out. Though what about the GH3 replacement will that be the rebirth of the G with a different set of letters? say GVx with 1080p video and the GH line from here on in being all 4k, that I could se happening. Video does not interest me though, but I want a body with an EVF so the G line was perfect for me.
I predict Panasonic releasing one or two new lines, a low cost version and a new video line non 4k (GH3 replacement) Hopefully both will have an EVF.
This is perfectly in line with the reports about Panasonic’s drop in market share in the mirrorless sector. Opposite to Olympus OM-D and Fuji’s offerings, the Panasonic cameras don’t sell well, which also includes the GH line, the initial demand of Gh4 notwithstanding. With its design, the G and GH lines don’t appeal. Important features for stills photography, such as IBIS are missing. The view finders were not top notch, albeit the GH4 finder has corrected this apparently.
The GH line is for the taste of many typical m4/3 buyers simply too fat. The competitor, E-M1, has a much slimmer design. To leave the fat GH3 as the only alternative for those, who want a DSLR shaped body, is probably the worst strategy.
To me, the reincarnation of the GH2 concept with a nicer design and a more quality alike body is required. The GH line is now too large and the G6 lacked the dedicated controls of the GH2 and did not have a high quality view finder.
I hope that the delay of a G class successor will indicate that Panasonic is in learning mode right now.
actually the G6 has a GREAT view finder.
I choose it on top of the GH3, because it is smaller and the GH3 does not even have focus peaking.
A G7 with GH3 sensor and built-in stabilizer would have killed sales of and GH3 and GX7. that is simply why they are not releasing it.
Too bad for them, I’ll start considering a refurbished EM1
I think the continued availability of the G5 at bargain basement prices plus the availability of cheap GH2s hurt the G6. By waiting maybe they can drop the price some and get more sales out of the G6. Their replacement cycle was really too fast.
G6 w 14-140 II, 680€ . That’s affordable I think ☺
As a die-hard Panasonic devotee, ( rather than an anti-m43 flamer ), I think that the G6 is in a cosmetic sense the ugliest camera I have seen. I bypassed this Panasonic offering because it’s looks were so unappealing . . . now that the GH4 is released I am glad that I waited.
I think it’s rather handsome, much more so than the G3 or G5.
It’s the handsomest Micro 4/3 camera in my opinion, though.
The quarterly camera sales numbers for the last two years go like this (values are billions of yen):
2013: 33.2, 26.7, 20.2, 12.9 total 93
2014: 16.4, 19.4, 22.5, 11.2 total 69.5
How do you know 2014 sales to the 4th quarter when only 1st has ended? Is it fiscal quarters of some particular company?
All Japanese camera companies except Canon use a fiscal year that ends March 31st. I’m using Panasonic’s naming of the years (most use the year that the last quarter ends in for their naming). The 11.2b in sales quarter was Jan-Mar 2014.
Thom – you’re including compact cameras in the tallies. Remove those cameras and what do we have?
I’m referring to compact point-and-shoots.
As he said, Panasonic doesn’t break out compacts and m4/3 separately in their sales numbers. So no way of knowing how large part they play.
Unknown, as Panasonic hasn’t disclosed further information that I know of. I’m currently scouring the Japanese business press to see if they said something about m4/3 in interviews. But 11.2b yen would have been about 110m in US dollars. At an average selling price of US$300, which is being generous, that’s only 367k units for everything during the past quarter. I’d bet that Panasonic is selling significantly less than 500k m4/3 cameras a year.
We a more competitive sensor, improved JPEG engine and PDP AF tech I’m guessing those numbers would increase if they released an entire lineup with this tech. They are ramping up GH4 production so that should tell them there’s a market for a mini-GH4 G series. Hello Panasonic you are almost there – don’t drop the ball now keep pushing camera tech along.
whoops – I meant ‘With a more competitive sensor…’
By the way, you are running a very impressive site, Thom. I very much enjoy reading your articles. Thank you very much.
Without fast reliable C-AF with tracking and reasonable price, they are not going to sell many GH3s either.
Since the GH3 will continue to sell, can we expect to see a firmware update with some missing features that are in the GX7/GH4
I found this so funny.
“The reason why there will be no G7 is due the poor sales of the G6.”
First Panasonic decided to put the old GH2’s sensor in a new camera called G5. That camera got discounted quickly as consumers were not impressed. Then Panasonic decided to replace the G5 quickly with a newer G6 because the G5 did not sell well. However, they again used that GH2 sensor in the G6. Now, they blame the poor sales of the G6 for not updating it and bring a G7 out. There is clearly not much interest in making good cameras in the Gx line. It seems to be a model line designed by Panasonic to dump left over sensors.
Why not release a G7 with the same GH2 sensor again? Maybe there are still some dumb consumers there whose intelligence can be insulted.
Wait, did not G5 use the sensor from G3/GX1, and Pana actually switched to GH2’s sensor in G6?
No, they used the GH2 sensor already in G5. The G3/GX1 sensor was reused in GF6, though.
The G5 and G6 both have 18 million photo sites on the sensor, just like the GH2. It’s a shame they didn’t take advantage of all those pixels to provide MAR as the GH2 did.
You forgot also that the G’s were often intentionally crippled, to make them different enough from the GH’s.
Dumping tech from GH2 wasn’t such a bad decision. Crippling it – was.
That might work for Canon and Nikon. But Panasonic is neither.
If they kill the G, then I want GX8 with vari angle lcd.
+1
+1
I was about to buy the G6 last year when there were some crazy black friday deals! less than $650 for g6 with kit lens and 45-150mm zoom lens. But I decided to wait on a possible G7. Was hoping for basically a g6 with the gx7’s in body OIS. Now I don’t know what i’ll do. I like the fact that there is no recording cap on the panasonics. The olympics have the 30 minute cap for video.
Maybe with the supposed drop in price of the gh3, the g6 will also drop down.
I wanted to do the same exact thing as you, but then I couldn’t wait any longer and bought the G6 with the 14-140 for 800€ (the MSRP here is 1099€).
I LOVE IT. It is the perfect camera for my individual needs – a DSLR-like camera, but better features and most importantly much lighter than the entry-level DSLRs.
I needed the G6 for “Top Marques Monaco” and ran around for a whole week taking a total of 15.000 pictures (!!!) – and with a camera double the weight of the G6 or even more I would have DIED from exhaustion.
I would LOVE to get the camera with the 14-140!!! BUT…they don’t sell that here in the US! totally lame! So I’ll just sit around and wait for a bundle deal with the 14-42 and 45-150. 🙁
A side note on sales of these panasonic cameras…I CANNOT find a single store within an hour drive of me that even carries ANY panasonic M43 cameras. Maybe if they were in more stores, people would buy more of them? there’s a thought!
I agree, couldn’t find any Panasonic micro 4/3 cameras in Kansas City, Atlanta, or Denver ! That’s crazy, can’t sell cameras that people can’t touch !
I think a number of people who were waiting for the G7 as a body with a beefier grip for longer lenses and greater relative emphasis on stills that the GH3/GH4 will be disappointed. For me, the G1-GH2 line had the best ergonomics of all the G cameras, but it was the old G6 sensor that did it in for me. It seemed at the time that they were rushing the new model out.
Bad move from Panasonic. I started with the GH1 and now own a G6. I think the G6 is a fantastic camera, the only con is the not so good viewfinder and missing IBIS. I like a camera with a big viewfinder so GM and GX are no option. And the GH4 is very expensive, almost 2x as much as the GH1/GH2 !
The G6 might have sold better if it had a modern sensor. I’d kill for a G7 with the GH4 sensor, shutter and DFD AF. I don’t care about 4K video, and would prefer something lighter than the GH2.
Damn auto correct. I meant GH4, not GH2.
Exactly what I was thinking. I was waiting for the G7’s launch and was going to preorder. I think PDP AF technology could be the best mirrorless cam AF tech to date and the one we’ve all been waiting for. I am not happy to hear the G7 isn’t coming. Time to pick up something else, maybe a sony a6000, unfortunately.
This PDP AF will only work with Pana lenses – not with Oly, not with Sigma, not with Kodak and any future ones, even Panasonic’s after Pana stops supporting this particular lens.
Pana is the only photo company left without OSPDAF and it’s a real shame. Oh, wait, Pentax with its joke of a Q also does not have it.
Very few people care about the minuscule differences between sensors. G6 might have sold better only if it distributed and promoted better. Pana and Oly really miss their chance to cooperate in that regard and promote m43 as a system. Also, in the US at least, the right kit lenses for it are 14-140 and 12-35/2.8, not diminutive 14-42 II – but at the right prices and not the jokes Panasonic uses for their lenses (12-35/2.8 should sell for WELL BELOW $600 Sony sells their 16-50/2.8 DT, for $400-500 in a kit, not for the insane $1300).
I sold my gh2 and gh1 and got two g6. The hacked cameras were a pain with constantly overloading the sd cards etc and noise issues with both. The g6 however, Excellent camera! I use them primarily for video but with that silent shutter I find myself taking more photographs than ever. I’m pretty happy with it. I’ve also started experimenting with time lapse. The only thing I would love would be maybe a headphone jack and a better codec. I chose it over the gh3 because it has peaking and a sharper image. The quality of the video is pretty much on par unless you need to do some heavy grading, however it still holds up really well in post, rivaling the fs100 and 1080p50fps is really well implemented. The only thing I miss from the gh1/2 is not having a time limit. Ergonomically it’s really snug and if you tape over the logos etc it’s a nifty little street shooter.
oh yeah I totally forgot they didn’t put focus peaking in the GH3. That’s a no-no for me then. I guess I’ll either get a G6 or wait… no way I’m using Olympus. Camera’s nice and quality’s great but I NEED THE SWIVEL SCREEN.
Very good move Panasonic! GH, GX and GM line a definitely something special! Focus an those line!
I’m really impressed by Panasonic. I own models from the GM, GX, and GH lines. The G and GF were never really relevant to my needs. Hope this focus on three lines instead of 5 let’s Panasonic continue to build incredible bodies.
Well then, I guess my G3 upgrade will be an EM-10.
I was using my G3 and looking at the G6 and GX7. G6 had sort of odd look with sloped shoulders and GX7 tilting EVF didn’t move me. So when a better looking updated G5 came along with rock bottom pricing with 14-42pz, I snatched it. The pz goes perfect on the smaller G3. The G5 for my other lenses. Only pixel peaking differences on these cameras, so will wait for maybe a GX8.
This makes sense to me and fits my preferences as a consumer.
I own a couple GH3s which are great for interviews and small video productions and I own both a GX7 and GM1 which are my favorite b-roll and artistic video cameras. I use all of them in a hybrid photo and video role. Personally I never looked at the G or GF lines.
Panasonic is my favorite camera maker because their photo performance is very solid and their video performance offers the best value by far at least for the way I use them. They have great ergonomics and features for manual shooting and their auto modes are amazing. Nobody else in this price range gets all the small details right the way Panasonic does for video.
No G7? That’s a shame. Makes me wonder what is REALLY going on. Panasonic has a history of poor hearing, mainly that the JPEG engine left something to be desired and that excellent sensor response out to 3200 ISO was not optional. The Sony sensor in the OM-D cameras is a marvel and demonstrates the veracity of the original choice of FourThirds sensor proportions. The GH3 sensor was quite good, but still measurably inferior to the Sony sensor in the Nikon D5000, for example. The G6 sensor was obsolete. I THINK THE REAL PROBLEM is that Panasonic only has three sensors, and only one of them is super competitive. They’ve been in a big hurry to disgorge their CMOS semiconductor business and did not put together a plan for two NEW sensors in 2014. Looks like manufacturing constraint to me. They don’t have the right parts in quantity. It is interesting. Panasonic has the best PEN camera, and Olympus has the DSLM’s. The GH4 is so awesome for video, at its price point, that still photography is not why people shell out for it. Fact is, Olympus lost its DSLR business because Panasonic sensors were comparatively good, only to 800 ISO.
GH3 uses the same Sony sensor as E-M5 and E-M10. Pana sensor in E-M1, GH4 etc etc is essentially the same in terms of performance.
Panasonic and Sony are business adversaries. Neither ever buys parts from the other. You are correct, however, about the GH4, whose Panasonic sensor is stellar. It might actually be better than the Sony part, by a hair. Both are as good or better than the Sony APS-C sensor in the Nikon D5100, for example.
Panasonic does use a Sony sensor in the GH3, and they have used Sony sensors in some compacts as well. At both Sony and Panasonic, the semiconductor businesses are separate from the imaging businesses. Nothing out of the ordinary that the imaging divisions shop around for sensors from different vendors, even outside their own corporation. Canon and Samsung makes their own sensors, but both companies have also used Sony sensors.
All of this “forum” intrigue is interesting, including the “no comment” reaction about the GH3 sensor. There is also a photo of a part number. So what? Here is the question. The supposition is that Panasonic is crying uncle. Why would Olympus use a Panasonic sensor as suspected in the E-M1 if Panasonic m43 cameras have Sony sensors in them?
Honestly, what are people expecting from a G7 that the G6 doesn’t already have?
1-stop effective IBIS? 2/3rds of a stop of dynamic range? 1/6th of a stop of ISO performance? Are we so obsessed with incrementalism that we have to upgrade our bodies every single year?
Why don’t we wait until there’s something that could make some tangibly significant difference to our images before screaming that the sky is falling. Panasonic has the right idea – there’s no need to stuff the channel with new inventory that is already clogged with bodies that are 2 or 3 years old and selling at fire-sale prices.
Sure, a G7 would be nice. But wouldn’t it be that much nicer if it gave you a legitimate reason to be excited for it?
DFD focussing from GH4, better EVF from GH4, 1440 video (between 1080 and 2100). GX7/GH4 still IQ. IBIS is not even necessary. Combined it makes a lot of sense.
In RAW my EPL5 is visibly better than my GH2 and that one is on par with the G6. Colours, DR etc: much better.
The difference between the 2010 GH2 and the 2013 G6 is much smaller than the cam I mention above that they could make. Gh2 vs G6 is mainly a somewhat different (uglyier) design and some software specs. And that is it. Not so with the G7 I propose.
Can’t say they arte dumm, I have no clue how well that cam would sell. At 900 euro body only I would buy it.
I suspect the biggest problem for possible G7 is E-M10. What possibly Panasonic can put into G7 which would beat E-M10 at this price point while not cannibalizing GH4? Well, maybe 14-140 as a kit at $800, while having IBIS working in video (or they could have just fixed the blunder in GX7).
PDP AF tech
Is EM10 cannibalising the EM1? To some extend may be.
G7! Easy: Put in DFD, put in GX7 sensor with GX7 video IQ and IBIS. G6 imput/output. Somewhat smaller than G6 would be nice. 9 FPS without and 6 FPS with C-AF/focus tracking. G6 EVF with faster refresh rates.
Leave out 4K. Leave out weathersealing. Leave out GH4-size and of course the YAGH.
Make it 700 €/800$ body only.
Panasonic has more worries than to compete with their own cam as EM10 shows. As NEx6000 shows and their DSLR-like line up shows.
EM10 lacks video and PDAF or DFD for focustracking to my mind. No swiveling screen is another disadvantage to the dreamike g7 above.
If Olympus had a swivel screen on any of their top OMD cameras I’d switch brands right away. But sadly so few people realize just how versatile and handy that somewhat simple feature is. If anyone thinks it’s for selfies they’ve obviously never tried it – without a wide-angle lens you’ll need very long arms and very strong, flexible fingers. However, for low-level/high-level shooting, any difficult angle, vertical orientation on tripods etc. it’s just so amazingly practical I would never be content to go without it on a camera as pricy as Oly’s top of the line.
Superior ergonomics, fully articulating screen, better video options. The ergonomics of the G-series is vastly better than the ergonomics of the OM-D series. If the feature set and price of the G7 are similar to the E-M10, the G7 would be a vastly superior camera for many users.
“The ergonomics of the G-series is vastly better than the ergonomics of the OM-D series.”
That’s entirely subjective. I strongly disagree; the OM-D sits perfectly in my hands, whereas the G series cameras feel awkward to me.
“..because of the poor sales of the G6” ?! At some other place I heard that the G6 is the most sold MFT camera ever! Which would make sense, due to its excellent value for the price, can be used like a compact camera but also in DSLR style, very good image quality, fully articulating touch screen, nice video quality, very good customization of buttons, etc…
Well, then on the other hand this news is not so bad anyway, as I won’t have any problem to keep my excellent G6 for another year or longer.
It’s a stupid move. The fact is, the GH series is not small enough nor light enough to serve the same market – I would agree that the GF series was unnecessary slotted between the GM and the G. But the lack of a G with a competitive sensor leaves a gaping hole in the Panasonic product portfolio – and it will force them to actually get more aggressive faster in the GX7 pricing.
The G series has been stagnant sales-wise for at least a couple years now. It fills a weird hole in their lineup, but it’s a small strange hole: good (but not their best) photo and video in a cheap (both price and feel) body that’s kind of small, but not really. There’s no clear target customer.
In addition, with the rest of their lineup moving toward a more premium look and feel, the G series is out of place. Shooting with the GX7, GM1, GH4, and some of their better glass (42.5mm, 15mm, 12-35mm, 35-100mm) I regularly have people on the street compliment their looks and ask what they are. The GM1 & 15mm combo especially gets a lot of attention. They’re handsome cameras and lenses, and I think Panasonic is smart to keep pushing their image in that direction even if it means no jack-of-all-trades-but-master-of-none G series.
But that’s just, like, my opinion, man.
You know, it’s not about attention.
True, it isn’t to you and me, but Panasonic is trying to sell cameras and that’s almost as much about attention as it is about image quality and features. I’m not asking for the attention, but people notice the cameras. That’s a good thing for Panasonic.
There’s certainly a clear target customer. A G series camera is basically a Panasonic Rebel. It’s made to appeal to the same customers who buy Canon/Nikon entry-level DSLRs.
You’re right, I actually wrote a few sentences about that and deleted it without remembering to change my wording. It competes with Rebels and D3X00s, but without the brand recognition and very little in terms of marketing dollars. There’s also not a lot of reason for a salesperson to go out of their way to present it to that customer, especially if they come in looking for a Canon or Nikon (which they know is good because “my professional photographer friend uses one”). Trying to switch that customer is a good way to lose his/her money altogether by confusing them – and it’s probably of no advantage to you or your store to switch them anyway.
So better wording would have been that there’s not a niche customer for it that would learn about it on their own like the GH, GX, and GM lines. Those each have some very specific selling points, unlike the G cameras. They also look and feel good and well made, again unlike the G6.
I think Panasonic realized that it’s futile to compete with Canon and Nikon without their budget or a clear product advantage. They feel (accurately in my opinion) that GH, GX, and GM have that product advantage, so they can sell them without as much of an uphill battle.
If they need to make a 5%+ profit in a year or two to avoid getting cut, focusing on what’s actually selling itself is probably smart.
the weird hole it fills is serious MFT photographers who don’t need all the bells and whistles video in the GH line. They seriously screwed up by not putting their best sensors in them though.
GM, GX and GH are clearly defined lines of product. Should focus on those. Right decision Panny
G6 looks gorgeous. Pity it wasn’t selling well.
Considering Panasonic’s marketing of G series cameras, it’s not surprising. I bought a G6 a couple of months ago but had to buy it sight unseen. It’s an excellent camera, but no dealers in Georgia carry or stock Panasonic G series.. You walk into a camera store or big box store filled with Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fuji and occasionally Olympus, but Panasonic cameras are absent. Why?
It cost $$ MONEY $$ to get your product on the STORE SHELF. Walmart, Best Buy, charge a large sum of money to have your product display in their store. Costco is just as bad, smaller players with limited resource simply get FROZEN OUT. These giant store control all the major distribution in America. That is why we get so few camera choices in the giant retail store vs a smaller camera/electronic stores. Where the smaller player have a chance to display their product with minimal cost. But smaller store also = smaller presence. Either way, Giant Retailer store are the gate keeper to American consumer, and they leverage their advantage at the cost to manufactures.
Let’s not forget they may still release a G7 and GF7 next year. I think the release cycle was too fast anyway. If you weren’t in a hurry to buy a particular model, by the time you were ready to buy they already had a replacement out. Slow down and let old stock sell… Plus good designs such as GX7 and GM1 should last longer.
Here in my country in Europe the G6 is on a fire sale, now selling for half the original price.
With the here obligatory sales tax deducted to compare it to B&H price in USA a G6 is now selling for the equivalent of $305,- at one of the two biggest photographic mail order sellers.
In kit with the new 14-140 price is $770,- and with the PZ 14-42 $488,-.
Compare that to $748,- for G6 with 14-42 II and $630,- for the 14-140 at B&H.
Basically the Olympus E-M10 with IBIS and better sensor at not much higher price ($72,- more) killed the G6 that already from its introduction was hampered by not using the best sensor available.
The E-M10 on the other hand is temporary sold out in all versions at the same warehouse that are selling out the G6.
As Panasonic made the same mistake with some GFx cameras one can hope they learned and make the G7, whenever it will be released, seriously competitive.
Of course these G? cameras are not selling well. If you keep re-hashing old stuff and just add a tiny bit off improvement here and there, that’s no way to sell cameras. See what Olympus is doing with every release, get new features out and give people a reason to buy the camera. The E-M5 is revolutionary for mirrorless in its weatherproofing, 5-axis IBIS, and IQ. The E-PM2 and E-PL5 were later released with the same high IQ set by the E-M5, a new level in IQ for such small cameras(while Panasonic continued to re-use old sensors in the G5 and G6, uncompetitive sensors with clearly less DR). The E-M1 has PDAF and a huge EVF. The E-M10 has everything in the E-M5 at a low cost, except weatherproofing and the fancier IBIS, and includes some extras that are not even in the E-M5. In short, these models add more value and give more to the buyers.
Panasonic is not Canon and so it cannot pull wool over people’s eyes by just re-using old sensors and add tiny little improvements to sell “new” models. There are many entry to mid level Canon buyers who just buy on faith and brand but mirrorless buyers are more discerning, and, smarter. There is no need for a G7, unless Panasonic can give some real value. Another attempt at one of those slightly updated model will only see the camera quickly thrown into the clearance bin, just like the G5, G6, GX1, and G-whatever.
Mirrorless buyers are smarter? LOL This forum does not give that impression.
I own a G3, and didn’t find the upgrades for the G5 and G6 compelling enough to upgrade the body. (However, I keep on acquiring lenses though.)
I was waiting for the G7 to be released with the GX7’s sensor and hi-res viewfinder to upgrade… I guess now maybe I’ll get an E-M10.
The G series just fit in my hand a lot better than any of the smaller Panasonic bodies, and I’m not willing to lug around a GH body, nor spend the $$$ on video features I’ll never use.
The G series was “just” right for me. Especially with the flip around main screen. I could just through that camera in my backpack with the 14mm lens and not worry about scratching the rear screen.
I agree with other commenters that said that a yearly release schedule for the G series was just too frequent since the improvements between models was quite minor.
Grab a G6 and GM1 and you get the best of both worlds. Or a G6 and E-PM2 to get the better sensor at a lower price point. I have all three and traveling like this is Nirvana …
I own a GM1 and a G2, and I was expecting to still use my G2 most, but the GM1 is just a very superior camera despite it’s lack of manual knobs, wheels, button, EVF and swivel screen. It’s my main camera now, and the G2 is only used when I need a backup, which is a shame since it has superior ergonomics and controls. That’s why I was waiting for a G7.
The G2 uses the old 12mp generation of sensors and has none of the new features like WiFi and focus peaking. The G6 has a very recent derivative of the GH2 sensor and that is a very good sensor. Still behind the GM1 in image quality, but not as far as people think. Mostly in shadow noise and clarity. It also has all the modern features and great ergonomics. So waiting for the G7 makes sense as I am doing that too, but I would not shoot the olderst sensor in the meantime … the G6 gives more than 1.5 stops of improvement over the G2 and that is enough for me until we get the new sensor in this body, which is apparently at least a year away, if not hopeless.
agreed! The G series was for photographers who have little need for video features and do not want to pay for it.
Shame. I was waiting on this to see if I would upgrade my G5. I don’t like the GM or GH and the GX screen isn’t flexible enough for my needs. So what will I do now ? Oly doesn’t have anything I like either so maybe this is the end of m43 for me.
I shot the G5 for 18 months, and I got my G6 yesterday. it is a very credible upgrade. Many features and excellent image quality (basically the same as the G5.)
The end of the G line does not necessary mean the end of the form factor. The G7 may just fall under the GH line the way Olympus has the OMD. As already mentioned, this just streamlines the marketing.
I have a GX7 and personally I am looking forward to seeing what the GX line will offer. Hopefully something like the Fuji T1 with weather sealing and more manual dials
I just can’t get past that grip. If they would remove the baseball bat and put a grip that fits the fingers properly, they would go a long way to making the camera pleasant to hold for everyone. The GX1 and GF3 and of course G and GH series all have it right.
Lack of Marketing killed the G series. Bang for Buck, the G6 is one of the best cameras out there.
Hopefully, they’ll pull a GX series and come correct with the next “G”, but I think they’re done, I think the focus will shift to this new APS-C camera like Leica.
That’s why I just bought a G6. Extremely nice cam, shoots credibly to 6400 ISO (grain does not frighten me) and has modern features like focus peaking. Has the GH3 processing engine too, so not slow. Video is amazing. Price is very low for the kit … what’s not to love. It is unfortunate, however, that the only way to get a modern dSLR body from Panasonic is to pony up 2 grand. What a mistake!
The poor sales of the G6 are because of image quality – it’s not bad but it’s the GH2 sensor and it’s really getting old at this point. This is a shame, I was hoping to upgrade from my G2 to a G7 but now I reckon I’ll have to wait a whole year. Can’t deny I will consider a discounted GH3 but I have little need for the video features that have taken up so much focus on the GH3’s development and encompass a large portion of its feature set.
It’s Panasonic trying to differentiate too similar cameras. They should just put their best best sensor in all like Olympus do. No wonder if the G6 struggled, it had to compete against the discontinued GH2 clearing sales, the GX7 with IBIS and a better sensor and the Olympus models. I believe a G7 would sell well if Panasonic would make it competitive with IBIS and the GH4 sensor, but without the build quality/size and the most advanced vide features. Of course if they have lots of GH3s in stock then it might be better to just lower the price on that and let GX7 be the only smaller model with EVF.
I would have been interested in the GH3 had they offered a firmware fix to enable focus peaking. Or even the “line art filter” hack that Olympus has on the E-PM2. E-M5 and later cameras. But that does not seem to be coming, so every camera in the Panasonic lineup has compromises. I chose the G6 because it has few compromises and is priced very well. The GH3 has more compromises where modern features are concerned and is priced really poorly. And we know that it is not going to be discounted to where the G6 is … so I can’t get excited about owning one. Too big and too few of the features I want. Even the image quality is not where I want it as my GM1 is superior there too. Sigh … Panasonic product management should be fired for incompetence in road map planning. They have some of the very best cameras, but the line as a whole is a mess.
Does anyone know if the G6 is discontinued in a short while or will it still be produced and sold this year? It’s still number one on my list to replace my Nikon D90 combined as an upgrade to my older Panasonic DV-cam. That way I could have a smaller camera that replaces two bigger camera’s.
Oh while we are bitching about Pana releases.
They choices of kits and kit lenses were often stupid. Some cameras have only kits with the original 14-42, but not 14-42 II or 14-42 PZ. GH3 has kit with 14-140, but no 14-42 kit. No more kits with 20mm or 14mm pancakes, even for premium cameras like GX7. No GM1 kit with 15mm. Retailers bundle them on their own, but the price incentives for buying new gear is gone, since one pays almost full price.
And the camera body colors too. I might have had snapped the white G5 – impulse buy before xmas. Lolicious gay color. But for whatever reason, Panasonic decided that there would be no white G5 for Germany. (Oh and the kit is only with the original 14-42, not the 14-42 II.) If you offer choices, then offer them everywhere. Times of isolated geographical markets are long gone. (Same applies to the video frame rates.)
THIS IS A CLEAR LOGICAL STATEMENT OF PANASONIC….
G7 with gh-4 specs is like a BITTBULLTERRIER that piss in the exclusive gh-4-dogs-ground-show… ans so WE WILL BE HAPPY at 32.12.2014….when the umoooors sayyyyyyyyyy
nad nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow the incretible G7
smaler BODIES smaler Fingers frodo run+gun beuteline
pore sales? because of if you set it for 399,- it runns from first day-because everybody
waits till it is 399,-
AND THE SHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW GOES ON..
and if you film and have nomoney the litte 10bit bmc poket spit ( in all of the major companies
glasses)= sony rx 100 mk3 sooooooooo close to do it right but papa sony says-it could
cause a intern-hirachy-damage if we sell a 10 bit rx-100-3 with this good specs for about
499,- this would kill much aspire up to new fs-800-cam what ever… so waht new storie
can we tell the forks out? 4k is the new full-hd? a funny show at all cheers
obviously the G6 is selling poorly because its direct predecessor is better and cheaper… they should have scrapped the 6 and go straight to 7
Glad I didn’t wait for it and bought an E-M10 instead. It is just about the prefect size for me and the ergonomics are just fine. Love the twin dials. I will admit that the power switch is in an odd location, but that is the only thing I would say I am not terribly happy with. The IBS makes my unstabilized lenses much more useful in low light than they were on the G5. Much better EVF than the G5 as well. I would like a fully articulated back screen, but I can live without it. I doubt that a G7 would have made me any happier than the E-M10.
That really unfortunate. The G6 is my first camera and I have learned a lot using it this yea blown away by the quality of the stills and video (even if they arent quite as good as other mo. I love the form factor and the features and while the gx7 is tempting I will definitely miss the miniature dslr Style… They should just update the g6 internals with a better sensor and make the g line like the pen line for olympus. A miniature version of the gh line. I’d pay for that. Heck make them 1,000 usd and I’ll buy 3!
I have the G5 and I love it. All camera’s should have the touch sensitive full swivel screen that is on my G5, it is superb. But I want Panasonic to produce a G7 with a APS sensor and 24mp. I would buy it straight away! Sony’s A6000 is so good I am tempted there but I would rather stay with Panasonic so please produce the G7 with something different like the APS sensor and more mega pixels….please Panasonic? forget the G6 now…make the G7 for photographers and the GH5 for videographers….Thank you. I am waiting 🙂
Oh and in body stabilization too please! That would be a Panasonic winner!
G7 with APS sensor, 24mp in body stabilization and full swivel touch sensitive screen as is on my G5… that would be the perfect G7….thanks…I have placed my order 🙂 WAITING 🙂