The guys over at DSLRmagazine (translation here) posted a report about the Panasonic event in Vienna.
Panasonic first showed some very interesting market analysis. The image on top shows the growing mirrorless system cameras market share. Asia is leading the innovation with over 40% of all system cameras being mirrorless. Europe follows with 20% and North America with 14% only. And Panasonic camera “owns” 17% of that mirrorless pie. And the strategy is also very clear with the GF and GX cameras goal to be to “Create New Demand” while the GH and G camera will aggress the DSLR market and focus on “Hybrid Photography”
And on that image above you see that it’s Panasonic goal to expand the “affordable priced lenses to lead additional purchases“. That could explain why it will take one more year until the amazing 42.5mm f/1.2 lens hits the market 🙁
All images and full report via DSLRmagazine.
119 Responses
Well known developments for us.
Is that a first foto of the new G6?? 🙂
Fine, the GX and G lines will carry on.
If they don’t convert either the G or the GX to a RF styled camera with integrated EVF, they’re going to keep losing market share to Fuji and Sony. Putting aside all issues of IQ (which is “good enough” across the board for most users), and AF speed (also “good enough”)…..a decent segment of the market wants a VF, and prefers the RF style.
If they don’t offer that, they will lose that segment.
I’ve been managing OK with my E-PL1 and VF-2 since it was launched. Ready for something that looks a bit less “steampunk”. Don’t send me down the road to Fuji!
Admin has already said it is coming. FT5. Just wait a few days for all of these new releases to settle down and I’m sure he will begin to talk about it.
Massive rumor time to start soon 🙂
@ DonTom, From my point of view the best way to lose a segment is to be RETRO. YMMV. Who will be the firts camera company to put Inovative Design at the toop of their list of priorities??
I do agree about the need for a built-in EVF. I also like real Hot Shoes.
Retro/ Innovative design, whatever tickles. I bought into m423 for the EVF and “WYSIWYG”. I bought the E-PL1 because it was the first to make an EVF possible and also be compact- the rectangular shape is easier to stow than a DSLR style.
Having used both DSLR shaped and RF shaped cameras with EVF, I find I prefer the EVF in the RF position. But I understand that others like other shapes.
The great thing about m43 is it offers a great variety in the one format. But so far, it hasn’t offered an RF styled body with built in EVF!
Good point, this seems pretty clear confirmation (if you needed it) that GX2 is coming “someday.”
Gladly welcome the affordable lens as long as it expand the focal length choice and came with fast enough speed.
Optical quality can be cheapen out with software, after all, you can’t get everything with affordable price.
Still have much to learn about composition and lighting before I can make use of all those optical quality of expensive lenses.
WFT are your pancakes, Panny?
10/2.8 and 40/2.8. Make these and GF5 sales will go up automagically 🙂
At least make 10/2.8 pancake before Samyang 10/2.8DX hits shelves.
10 mm:
1) affordable
2) 2.8f
3) pancake
Take two, but you won’t get all three. 3.5 or 4.0 is okay too, especially since ISO is becoming usable up to 3200.
That and… a consumer UWA zoom, preferably in the $250 range. Oly selling 9-18s doesn’t help them here. As far as I can tell, the 8mm FE is the only Panasonic lens under $1000 that goes wider than 14mm.
jeah, a ultra wa pancake!
that would be amazing!
i wont care if its a “slow” pancake, just cheap and sharp, and suitable for IR!
In a couple of days I should receive my new Pana7-14mm. I realized that there are already a couple of options (Pana7-14 and Oly 9-18), so I think there won’t be any new UWA lens in the short period. I know it’s “big”, compared to Oly 12mm, but it’s still light and portable.
Concerning the above wishes of a pancake 10mm f2.8: I don’t think it will ever be cheap.
I found a deal of Pana7-14 f4.0 for 800 euros brand new, while the average price is still above 1000€.
Oly 9-18 f4.0-5.6 is cheaper (500€ more or less), but also quality is (less sharp, more CA)
Now think of an f2.8 prime. Speaking of a UWA, a cheap version would have awful chroma aberrations and distortions, while a good one (let’s say similar to Pana7-14) would be expensive, over 1000€.
“so I think there won’t be any new UWA lens in the short period”
It has been four years since the 7-14. Panasonic all but abandoned the lower end to Olympus, which now mostly doesn’t exist thanks to the rising prices on the 9-18 (the 12-50 is the only AF-ing m43 lens <$600 wider than 14mm). Market is wide open for an "affordable" option. It could be a prime, but as most of their targeted market of non-enthusiasts wants a zoom…
It doesn’t have to be a zoom – a 7-8mm non-fisheye prime that can take a filter would be a very welcome addition.
“affordable lenses” is a euphemism for slow crappy zooms…
To me the Oly 45/1.8 would fit into this category. Or the Sigma lenses…
For a 45mm 1,8 it is expansive, for a 90 1,8 its cheap. Nikon and Canon 50mm 1,8 are much cheaper.
+1
If I remember correctly, and I do, Panasonic announced some time ago they were going to focus on the more affluent clientele. How’s that “panning” out?
Well in the past year they have brought the GH3 ,12-35 and 35-100 to us , there are fast primes on the road map {42.5mm F1.2 and 150mm F2.8},Nikon make the $6000 D4 they also make the $700 D5200. I guess companies can work on both. Anyway how is that E-7 coming along lol
oh good,where is the place of a new kind ?
Affordable lenses means luxuries or top optics lenses in reasonable prices , not crazy prices .
I think this is what Pana trying to do .
But I still prefer Pana to have lenses such as the 75mm build quality standard .
I know the presentation was nothing more than marketing blurb, but Panasonic seems somewhat confused. It is a difficult task to convince the unwashed masses who might buy a GF6 of the importance of additional lenses, regardless of how affordable they are. Those consumers typically buy a (heavily reduced) camera with kit zoom and don’t give it another thought. This would change only if Panasonic threw in the box a fast prime such as the 20/1.7 and let buyers experience the difference for themselves.
Panasonic (and Olympus) would do better if they prioritized high performance glass, which increases the perceived value of the system and actually gets bought.
New first time m43 buyers at the lower end are not interested in prime lenses. They want something that fits the “bring the building closer” or ” just the kids face” mentality. People coming here to this web site and talking about prime lenses need to understand that a prime lens is of no real interest or value to the vast majority of first time buyers.
We, here, can talk as much as we want about primes but putting a prime and a zoom into a kit will not create a “flashing lights’ and “near ejaculatory experiences” when the prime is used. It will get mounted. It will be seen that the child is to far away and small in the frame and never get used again.
“near ejaculatory experiences”?!?!?!
I think you are on the wrong website. There are plenty of adult sites that shoud meet your needs- so they tell me…..
You know what he meant. I think they are good points.
very positive to see Panny do analyze and have a strategy
nice they listen the voice affordable non-kit lenses are needed …
wish Oly would follow and do analyze and have a strategy and present it to the audience
So after all the wild claims and exaggerations the bottom line is that 80% of Europeans buy DSLR’s, 86% of Americans, and even 60% of Asians. In America Sony seem to do at least as well as mFT, Nikon, Fuji, Canon all have models in the top 20. When the 14% share is divided out maybe 40% of it will be mFT which boils down to 5.6% divide this between the two companies and you get roughly 3% to Olympus and 2.6% overall market to Panasonic.
These numbers for America are actually lower than previous data has suggested. Europe is pretty static and even in its most successful market Japan it is now less than half the market . I am not so sure that these numbers are as good for mFT as some would have us believe
The DSLR market seems to be continuing to grow though at a slower pace I am surprised at this.
It’s a < 5 yo platform. And furthermore, people who can drop this kind of money on photography (who aren't pro) tend to be older, and they have their established habits.
Toyota & other japanese carmakers (also VW) get their share of the world automarket by selling basic, affordable cars to young adults in the 1970s. Older people kept buying more expensive GM rear wheel drive boats on wheels. Took more than a generation for that to change, but seems to me that strategy worked for Toyota.
To be successful in a business requires a longer term focus than you seem to have, and which japanese companies are good at.
P&S small mirrorless strategy hasn’t yet won anything even in long term.
Most of newcomers to system cameras still buy that Canikon legacy DSLR because of seeing Canikon DSLRs everywhere, especially enthusiast and pros using higher end models.
And once they do that and especially if they buy any lenses beyond kit lens then probability for them changing to mirrorless 4/3 is small.
CIPA statistics have all the time shown how small share of all mirrorless system cameras is.
http://www.cipa.jp/english/data/dizital.html
(nice typo they have in URL)
Olympus basically killing their 4/3 DSLRs with their Pens only strategy and not offering even mirrorless which could at least offer ergonomics comparable even to lowly E-4/500 serie was total hole in long term plan. Because of that they basically had to start sales from near zero outside Japan.
Also until GH3 Panasonic’s system lacked body with ergonomics to challenge Canikon systems.
“”To be successful in a business requires a longer term focus than you seem to have, and which japanese companies are good at.”””
Considering the finances of the respective imaging divisions Olympus,Panasonic and Sony better do something very soon. I am happy ( very) with my mFT kit and it works along side my FF gear very well. When you consider that due to the sales of DSLRs holding on , neither Nikon or Canon, have made a serious attempt at mirror less with their models being basically place holders to appeal to the P&S up graders. The market penetration needs to be much much higher to survive a future NIkon or Canon serious mirror less outfit, as clearly the hold a far higher market awareness than either Olympus or especially Panasonic.
@finn ghu or whatever
“neither Nikon or Canon, have made a serious attempt at mirror less with their models being basically place holders to appeal to the P&S up graders. The market penetration needs to be much much higher to survive a future NIkon or Canon serious mirror less outfit, as clearly the hold a far higher market awareness than either Olympus or especially Panasonic.”
balderdash the Nikon 1 and EOS M are very expensive fails. Nikon are on record as saying how surprised the 1 system has done in North America amongst the enthusiasts market.
Market awareness these days changes very quickly, just ask Nokia!!
@David, I’m over 70 years old and HATE Big, Heavy Bulky DSLRs. I enjoy shooting Surfing, but a 300mm f/2.6 plus DSLR is too damned heavy to schlep around. Where in the hell is the Long Promissed Panasonic 150mm f/2.8?? This 150mm lens and a 1.4x and 2.0x converters will allow me to start shooting Surfing again.
BTW the same thing applies to older BIF shooters
BTW2 I’d be first in line to buy a 200-300mm lens, if the weight is kept low.
Putting a 2x tele convertor on a 150mm FF F2.8 lens will do the exact same as a mFT body with a 150mm F2.8 lens same AOV ,same DOF same total light { assuming you need to up the iso to get a useable shutter speed which is often not the case }. Peolpe seem smart enough to figure out the consequences of a 2x crop mode regards effective AOV while failing miserably to understand the same 2 stop difference in total light
@anonymous. “Putting a 2x tele convertor on a 150mm FF F2.8 lens will do the exact same as a mFT body with a 150mm F2.8 lens same AOV …” __And will WEIGH a lot MORE. Why is it so hard to understand that I want LIGHT WEIGHT?__?
@anonymous, “Peolpe seem smart enough to figure out the consequences of a 2x crop mode regards effective AOV while failing miserably to understand the same 2 stop difference in total light” __F2.8 is always f/2.8. Never changes!! If I have a meter reading of f/2.8 for ISO 100, I can set proper exposure on any camera set at an ISO of 100. Or even a 4×5 film camera using ISO 100 film.__
So, if we take a d800 with 50/1.4, take a picture, and then make an 1/4 size (area, so 1/2 diagonal) crop, that 50/1.4 magically turns into a 100/2.8?
If I use a light meter, set it up for iso200 and f2.8, I’ll have to adjust the reading based on sensor size?
What you simply fail to understand is that things like focal length and relative aperture are properties of a lens that do not at all depend on the sensor.
Total amount of light? Where in the definition of iso and f-stop does that play a role?
We already know what the next “outstanding” lenses are-i just hope that the new “affordable” Lenses are like the Sigma & the Oly 45mm & the 14mm… i think the best would be an updatet 20mm -same optic, but new AF motor.
I’d love to see a 20mm f/1.7 II with:
– latest silent fast AF
– weatherproofing
– customizable barrel ring + fn button
– sexy black metal barrel.. Ooh la laa!
Hmm, I just got a little excited at that prospect. We’ve got 2 weather sealed m43 bodies now, but very few weather sealed lenses. I’d like to see some of the existing good quality lenses get weather sealing, they can re-release it and add ‘II’ at the end of the name if they’d like, just don’t charge me hundreds more for it.
Nice to see a different composition of world map where Europe is on left and North America on right, from a big company like Panasonic. I understand that Japan must be in the center here 🙂
+1
nice observation.
Yep. Have you ever been to Australia? Their globes are “upside down” there 🙂
Not true. You could find some, but definitely not common.
Yes, that explains why N. Americans are not getting m4/3 even if they buy a mirrorless camera. They are so used to big DSLR that they have the ‘not invented here’ syndrome.
Note that the SLR was invented in Germany 🙂
Yay!! More crappy zooms !!
Why not, panasonic for the beginners and Olympus for the experts !
Bullshit.
Panasonic is more pro then Olympus:
GH3, 7-14mm F4, 12-35mm f2.8, 35-100mm f2.8, 25mm f1.4….. and the coming 42.5mm f/1.2, 150mm f2.8
Good affordable lenses like the Panasonic 20mm f1.7 or m.Zuiko 45mm f1.8 are very nice.
What what do you think of 12-40mm f2.8-f4 or 300mm f4?
What about the FT5 rangefinder camera rumor?
more 14-42 lenses
lol.
Seriously though, hopefully the latest kit zoom just coming out is “good enough,” at least for a while. Though I can see the business sense/appeal of tweaking the PZ to make it a little better (and more “X” than just in name only).
I hope the 42.4 f/1.2 will come in plastic barrel for max. 500 euros….if more expensive, t should be sealed too.
+1000
the 45mm does have the L-word on it though…
…in reply to sneye.
Keep dreaming (me too).
It will be plastic, but cost 800 at the very least. Look at the 45 macro for a cue.
I bet it will come at a 1000€..
It should be sealed regardless. Now that there are weather sealed bodies, all the premium lenses should be sealed too.
The 85 mm f1.2 is about 2200$, half that is 1100$. Thats what panasonic has heen doing for their premium lenses for a while, half of what a ff cost
The Canon is a FF lens designed to cover a sensor four times larger with the same DOF and AOV as a 42.5mm f0.6 mFT lens I wonder what that would cost { native full AF etc}. The Nikon 85mm F1.8g delivers excellent results from wide open even on FF and gives the same DOF control as an F0.9 mFT lens it costs $400 less than the 75mm and even comes with a hood. In fact the new D7100 { best ever APS sensor} combined with the 85mm F1.8G delivers spectacular results, the Nikon combination is cheaper with a better AOV 127mm equiv than the 75mm 150mm equiv is getting a bit long.
mFT is a great choice only if size/weight is your number one concern , as there are better alternatives some far better alternatives if image quality is your criteria
D7100 { same sensor as D5200} sensor better in every area
http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Cameras/Compare-Camera-Sensors/Compare-cameras-side-by-side/%28appareil1%29/850|0/%28brand%29/Nikon/%28appareil2%29/793|0/%28brand2%29/Olympus
The Canon is a FF lens designed to cover a sensor four times larger with the same DOF and AOV as a 42.5mm f0.6 mFT lens I wonder what that would cost { native full AF etc}. The Nikon 85mm F1.8g delivers excellent results from wide open even on FF and gives the same DOF control as an F0.9 mFT lens it costs $400 less than the 75mm and even comes with a hood. In fact the new D7100 { best ever APS sensor} combined with the 85mm F1.8G delivers spectacular results, the Nikon combination is cheaper with a better AOV 127mm equiv than the 75mm 150mm equiv is getting a bit long.
mFT is a great choice only if size/weight is your number one concern , as there are better alternatives some far better alternatives if image quality is your criteria
D7100 { same sensor as D5200} sensor better in every area
http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Cameras/Compare-Camera-Sensors/Compare-cameras-side-by-side/%28appareil1%29/850|0/%28brand%29/Nikon/%28appareil2%29/793|0/%28brand2%29/Olympus
when you look at lenses mounted on their respective cameras even on the old D7000 sensor the cheaper 85 performs just as well as the 75mm. The Nikon also has aprox .75 stop DOF advanatge meaning you need to use an F1.4 mFT to match it.
http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Lenses/Compare-Camera-Lenses/Compare-lenses/%28lens1%29/898/%28lens2%29/823/%28brand1%29/Olympus/%28camera1%29/0/%28brand2%29/Nikkor/%28camera2%29/680
Lets go at your post point by point;
First of all, i dont care about the idiotic discussion about DOF equivalencies. It was brought up ONLY after mft was created so the insecure people had something to argue about. it was never brought up with APS C, despite there being “a stop” of dof difference. I care for what matters, what matters is what shutter speed an aperture number will let me use. And the equivalent AOV my photo will have. f1.8 is f1.8
Second, the longer and faster a lens is, the rarer and more expensive. Find me an 150mm f1.8 lens in ff or an equivalent in APS C. You wont be able to.
Third, linking DxOmark these days is a joke, everybody knows by now theyll give anything nikon a huge score (and suspiciously days after release), despite the real world not agreeing. Ill even take the dpreview crops first, theyre actual photos after all (where it matters) and in those real photos the D7100 actually looks noisier at ISO 3200 than the OMD. Commenters over there also agree. in fact the D3200 files look better.
Want proof theyre huge nikon fans over there?
on the lens link you posted there the lenses both resolve the same, same transmission, the 75 has a negligible .1% more of distortion and vignetting, and then the 85 has a very noticeable 2um more of chromatic aberration and what does that translate to? the nikon gets a 25 and the oly gets a 23
“”Second, the longer and faster a lens is, the rarer and more expensive. Find me an 150mm f1.8 lens in ff or an equivalent in APS C. You wont be able to.””
That is the classic have equation that seems to be all folk around here can manage , a 100mm f2.4 lens on a Nikon APS body will give the exact same DOF, AOV and total light as a75mm F1.8.This is the simplest rule of optics you get and it is baffling how so many seem to grasp multiplying the focal length will convineintly ignoring the effect on aperture.
Its funny how people like you simply fail to understand that DOF and aperture are not the same thing.
Aperture is one of 3 ways to manage exposure, it is something you can set or display on an exposure meter, just like iso, and changing field of view changes exactly zero for that. Exposure and flash meters do not have a ‘sensor size’ setting either, guess why.
Does aperture affect DOF? yes it does, as does subject distance, and magnification of the presented image. That however is something completely different from what you are claiming.
Should people also apply ‘equivalence’ to DOF? sometimes yes, sometimes no, it totally depends on if your priority is DOF or exposure. For someone doing studio portraiture, f1.8 is f1.8 is f1.8 is f1.8 because that is what is being set on the flash meter, and since they typically have a good backdrop, shallow DOF is not a consideration, but having enough of it is. I suppose I don’t have to explain the cases where DOF might be the priority, as it seems to be your only priority.
“Hybrid photography” Talking about marketing BS 😀
Hybrid means stills and video.
Hint: ‘Nottroll’
To be honest digital cameras have had video modes for a very long time , even on DSLR,s it has been there since 2008. So they are reinventing the wheel lol. Now, if they said the first interchangeable cameras with excellent ergonomics and kick ass performance that would be better
Seriously, how many people do “serious” stills AND video? Most do neither. Some do one or the other plus basic snaps/video. Eg. I enjoy stills and just need the camera to do basic videos of family- all cameras do this now (including GF, GX, iPhone etc-everything is a hybrid). I recognise there are a few who do high quality stills AND video, but I am guessing many of these will have a dedicated stills and video cameras. Are Panasonic going in the right direction?
Possibly, if you look at long term.
I recall not too many years ago when many questioned the idea/wisdom of combining cell phone & computer, and thinking that would not ever catch on, the idea of miniaturizing the laptop to a “netbook” instead was born.
It’s a niche market but also a reliable one for Panasonic, providing they continue to improve and innovate the GH camera. And they ought to bring the price back down to $1000 and restore the multi aspect sensor.
How about a cheap 22.5mm F/2.0 pancake panny?
Good grief, if Panasonic really wants to sell more cameras, all they have to do is produce and distribute the models they’ve got! Why is it that they seem utterly unable to get their products into the sales chain and into the hands of consumers effectively? People in the U.S. still cannot get a GH3 without waiting!
Honestly, I think that the demand and profit margins are so low in the USA that Panasonic make the logical choice of prioritising supplying the high demand high profit markets such as the EU .With Panasonic’s own figures suggesting that the entire mirror less market in the USA is only 14% ,with Canon,NIkon,Sony,Fuji all having models in the Amazon top selling iLC list ,Panasonic will have a tiny part of the market . Considering the vast bulk of mFT models are low end low price models the sales numbers of the GH3 simply do not justify making a big sales drive.
they should make categories like this:
cheap lens = lumix line
quality lens = panaleica line
borrows from canon L and non L
The Lumix X lenses were supposed to be the premium lenses..
Yeah, and pay the useless Leica for branding every time?
Agdress DSLR market? I’m so glad the cameras are more usable!
Now I am confused… I thought they meant “aggressive” but maybe they actually meant “address.” Bottom line, they need a translator in a full time position. Embarrassing to say the least.
Yep.. whats with the word Aggress?
Well, he said the conference was in Vienna. According to Google Translate, “aggres” is German for aggressive.
The German word for “aggressive” is “aggressiv.”
It’s English, just as everything else in the presentation:
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/aggress
I’d do some basic research before pointing out errors, especially if experts are at work (or do you seriously believe panasonic employs amateurs for their presentation?). Else, you might find yourself in mildly embarrassing situations.
“I’d do some basic research before pointing out errors”
Too bad you didn’t.
It takes years of dedicated research to suss out the above frame:
“For Everybody’s Delight in Shooting” – From Engrish 101
“Lumix G lens utilizes advanced performance of digital technology” – ONE lens? THE lens?
“Variety of outstanding lens bring out…” – come on…
“Expansion of affordable price lenses to lead additional purchase” – machine translation
Clearly, “aggress” was not a mistake… oh wait, why is spell-check throwing a fit?
Yes, this presentation worries me. It tells us nothing new. Panny need to take mft in new directions what building on the existing recognised lines. Eg:
-Super compact & high quality, second camera design
– Full range of pancakes
– solve the tracking focus issue
– gl@%*l sh€*#@r
– an f0.95 AF lens
Just one if the above would be a real step forward.
Olympus/Panasonic need to address the USA market. I was in Orlando, Florida in January, and wanted to buy the 45mm f1.8 lens. Hardly any shop carried any m43 equipment. I found one store that had E-M5 and few kit lenses in stock, but that’s about it.
Sony NEX and Nikon 1 were everywhere, though.
20mm 1.7 MkII
Fix the AF on the 20mm and you could glue it to a camera and I would still by it.
Agree, the Panny 20mm f1.7 Version II with fast focus would be a great move, it’s the best pancake for M43 already, that would make it perfect.
It’s a shame they don’t look at South America, specially Brazil’s market, which is HUGE!!
What kind of word is “Aggress”? Sounds like some Japanese guy didnt
get a good translator.. do they mean “Address”?
Bahahahaha! Have you not heard the words Aggressive? Aggression? Aggressor? Yeah just work back from that 😉
Yes. I think they meant address. This happens more often then you would think.
So does this mean the G6 will focus more on video?
I like the words “High Amateurs” in their presentation. Only really, really high amateurs would prefer GF6 over E-PL5. 😉
Yeah man- out there. What a crazy trip!
LOL! 😀
At least they didn’t say, “amateurs with loose wallets.”
That is until the ep4 comes out, then high amateurs can get the 1000 $ pen!
Me, I’d like to see a 10mm f2.8, 40mm and 70mm pancakes like those in the Pentax Limited Series.
Of course lenses like that would not appeal to people the GF is targeting, just we in the rarefied air of enthusiast and pro market. Still, lenses like that would be an incredible boon for the M4/3 system.
An updated 20mm would be nice, if only to shut up the whiners who incessantly complain about the current 20mm. 😉
Right on!
I’m in China right now and for the majority of the time being here, I was using my L-1’s Leica 14-50 2.8-3.5 lens. And as much as I love the lens, it is S-L-O-W.
Most of the time I focus manually with the lens, but just today, I put on the 20mm and I just get pissed with the speed complaints. The 20mm wi be my go-to lens until I retire it when I get the 25mm.
But man! -Would I LOVE a 20mm weather sealed with O.I.S. to keep the Olympus fanboys away!
But NAH, just give me weather sealing, and I’m good. I’m sure my next pick up from Panasonic will be weather sealed anyways.
Aggress – Clearly a translation problem. Unless someone wanted to make two words with one for “slogan speak” If so it doesn’t work.
Hmmm… I bet Panasonic could make some of their existing lenses more affordable if they simply priced them right in the first place. The difference between retail and ebay prices for new 14/2.5 units displays the huge mark-up Panasonic make on one of their most popular lenses. The presence of the two Sigma primes also shows that cheap MFT glass need not be particularly bad either.
It is also saddening that Panasonic’s claim to “create new demand” in the area of Mirrorless-specific body form factors has become quite a bit worn-off to put it mildly, as both Sony and Fuji have been clearly showing some very solid leadership in that regard for many months now.
I’d like to see them finish the X-zoom range with a 100-300X F4, or better, constant and a 7-14X F2.
Then mk2 versions of the 14 and 20 for faster focus. A newer version of the 25 with the X metal body would be nice too. Stay on track with the 42.5mm f/1.2, 150mm f2.8
That would be good for now. I guess they could throw in a fast medium tele like the Oly 75 but I’m not that interested in that length much as I have it covered with the 35-100. It is a hole in their lineup though and it might be good to have a fast med. tele with Power O.I.S
Pretty much what a number of us have been posting in comments in recent weeks, in response to the people bashing the GF6. Essentially “it’s not made for you, so it doesn’t matter that you don’t want it.” I think just yesterday I posted in reply to someone “no, this is not a great camera, but it may be a great business plan and marketing.”
But these people who do that complaining about the GF6 never seem to (want to?) acknowledge the reasoning, and they probably will (intentionally?) pass over this article too, so they feel they can keep whining how personally let down they are that the GF6 is not The Best m4/3 Camera On Earth.
Affordable system?
Does Panny mean it will keep rolling out kit zoom after the kit zoom?
(How many do we have now? and is one not enough?)
What about some decent UWA primes and long telephoto primes?
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/aggress
Still waiting for a zoom like 14-54 from Olympus for the same price. Or something like the 12-60, a little bit more expensive then the 14-54.
I see this a lot the 12-60 was a very good lens , a bit wonky ( distortion) at the wide end and it closes down from F2.8 quite quickly in its range . The 12-60 , costs £880 in the Uk a full £100 more than the 12-35 though the 12-60 has a longer range it is a lot heavier, considerably longer and slower.. The sensor in the best mFT bodies is noticeably better than the FT alternative making the slower but far smaller and cheaper kit lenses like the 14-45 more attractive for many.
I see this a lot the 12-60 was a very good lens , a bit wonky ( distortion) at the wide end and it closes down from F2.8 quite quickly in its range . The 12-60 , costs £880 in the Uk a full £100 more than the 12-35 though the 12-60 has a longer range it is a lot heavier, considerably longer and slower.. The sensor in the best mFT bodies is noticeably better than the FT alternative making the slower but far smaller and cheaper kit lenses like the 14-45 more attractive for many.
Affordable lenses from Panasonic? Besides the half dozen or so kit lenses they’ve developed, I can’t think of any Panasonic lenses that can be considered affordable. Affordable prime lenses would attract attention as would an affordable constant aperture zoom of ANY focal length range. Sigma has made some affordable prime lenses. Nikon has made some great affordable primes for APS-C and their Nikon 1 system. Olympus has a great 45mm f1.8. What can Panasonic offer? Let’s hope their current lens development strategy is more effective than past efforts. Consumers will make other choices and shoot with cameras other than Panasonic if they can’t make their product available and affordable in a timely fashion. How long has the Panasonic 42.5mm f1.2 been in development? Panasonic started with micro 4/3 cameras in 2008 and they still don’t have a prime lens faster than 1.4. It will be more than 5 years of development time before we see a super-fast prime lens from Panasonic. The Nikon 1 system debuted in October 2011 and they are on the verge of releasing their 32mm f1.2 any day now–less than 2 years of development time. If Panasonic want to increase market share with “affordable lenses” they better be on the fast track. They have not demonstrated the ability to deliver affordable lenses on any timetable thus far. Let’s hope their lenses are not gathering dust in development while other manufacturer’s products are in consumers hands.
I Consider the 14mm f2.5 and the 20mm f1.7 Pancake Lenses as affordable- and really good. So there is some hope 😉
What is Hybrid Photography?? Are we talikg about the combination of a stills and video camera pioneered by the Nikon D90 and turned into a hot selling segment by Canon’s 5D2?? If this is what we are talking about, then the Canon 4Ti is the best selling Hybrid Camera.
“Panasonic wants to expand the “affordable” lens range.”
This is the worst camera news I heard this year.
Throw in a free 20mm f/1.7 with any sub-$500 camera, and I will buy that camera. 🙂
So, Panasonic states that they will produce another fistfull of 14-42 lenses, and there are more than 100 (mostly positive) posts commenting on it.
I wonder what will happen when Panasonic announces a new “exciting” line of mirrorless cameras for compact camera upgraders…
so, does this mean they will be making lens in China.
Alas, China is not as inexpensive as it used to be.
I would currently produce in Vietnam / Thailand…
Chez Wimpy, I understand your point, but what I mean is that (also given the lens road map Panasonic showed time ago) there are no signs of an (affordable) UWA. I don’t think 7-14 is a “milking” lens: it’s well built and has a high quality performance. My doubts are: a brighter lens is usually more expensive. If not, then its performance is likely to be poor. Some distortion and fringing could be corrected in camera (panasonic body only), but shooting RAW would be quite a pain.
I know many amateurs don’t shoot RAW, but if I were Panasonic I would not “waste” R&D for a lens like that, given the already existing options and wide converters.