Thirst thoughts Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1
I had mentioned it before that September 12 Panasonic would make an announcement. As expected, the announcement is all about the first Micro Four Thirds camera. It is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1, that ships with a 12.1 megapixel Live MOS sensor. The camera will come with a kit lens, a 14-45 mm f3.5-f5.6 lens (28-90 mm equivalent). Later this year there will also be a 45-200 mm f4.0-f5.6 lens. And according to the Panasonic roadmap they will introduce a 7-14 mm f4 lens next year, and a fast 20 f1.7 super-compact prime lens. When you are all interested in all the facts and figures of this new camera you might better check these links (here, here, and here).
My feelings are a bit of disappointment though. From my perspective as a serious user of compact cameras (or at least try to) I had hoped for a larger version of a compact camera (and I think many more did so too). Instead they shrinked a dSLR design into the G1. It is just a mini-SLR, period. Panasonic claims they could make the camera even smaller, but were afraid the US market didn’t want a smaller camera (yep, size matters). Now we can only hope they will still produce that “rangefinder style” camera next year to do justice to the naming of this camera, the G1. Something I hope many street shooters are hoping for.
In the meantime lets wait for the Olympus announcement prior to Photokina. Leica press announcement will probably be next Monday, September 15.
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I couldn’t agree more with your comment, Wouter!
In principle, the idea of the M4/3 is great and is very promising. But what we have now seen from Panasonic is disappointing. To build the cameras in the same style as the in the old 4/3 way or mini-slr is not very creative. In fact, I think it will fail. I think their reasoning for the design and marketing is, however, that they do not want to come too close to the the style of the new Lumix Lx3. They want to keep two separate segments.
A rangefinder camera would be great….preferably in cooperation with Leica (who seemed to be less interested in the G1 concept!) and a M-mount. In this way, they would open a nische which was, so far, only captured by the Leica M8 (which is outside most of peoples budgetline). I think, however, that Leica will try to do exactly this next year. They will create a smaller/cheaper Leica CL-D based on the new M4/3 together with Panasonice ()or alone) and then boost a full-frame M9 in the following year.
-aphotoaday-
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