actionfrank Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Panasonic is doing some really cool things, but I feel like their lineup isn't fully realized. The GH series is awesome, obviously. And the new Varicam has features that have simply never existed before, like a sensor with 2 native ISO ratings. All the technology is there. All they need to do is fill out the middle of their line-up.This is what I'd love to see from Panasonic:Tier 1 - DSLR style B Camera - GH4 - It already exists. It's awesome. It's the only DSLR that I don't actively hate shooting with. It's got 4k internal, a super versatile mount/sensor combo, v-log, it can fill the memory card without stopping the recording (I can't believe that's a feature nowadays), and don't forget my favorite feature, the insane battery life.Tier 2a - The "News" Camera - DVX200 - It already exists. From what I can tell, they ripped the guts out of a DVX100 and replaced them with a GH4. That's a great idea. The m43 sensor size is perfect for this style of camcorder. It's big enough to get a nice looking image, but not so big to be constantly searching for focus. The DVX form factor is battle tested with XLRs, ND filters, timecode I/O, AC power options, you know, everything video cameras used to have. It's not going to be adopted by the "micro-budget film" crowd, but plenty of people shoot news, docs, and events. If I shot more of that stuff, I'd buy a couple of these in a second.Tier 2b - The "Pro" GH4 - AF200 - Everyone was bummed out by the DVX200's fixed lens. I have to imagine Panasonic is going to release an AF200 which is basically the DVX with the lens ripped off. Sell it for under $4,000, and I'll buy 2. Rigs suck. Recording audio to a zoom recorder sucks. No timecode I/O sucks. No ND filters suck. Please Panasonic, just release this camera and take my money.Tier 3 - The "Shoulder" Camera - Varicam35 Mini - I would love to see this camera. It would be Panasonic's answer to the FS7. I imagine a shrunk down Varicam35, designed for a single operator. It would have a similar 35mm sensor, but with a m43 mount (like that JVC camera), 2 native ISO's, 4k, high frame rates in HD, ND's, XLR's, V-lock batteries, ENG style viewfinder, v-log, and great LUT integration. They can keep the RAW capabilities. As far as I'm concerned, if clients are asking for RAW, they've got budget for a rental. Give me a solid 10-bit 422 codec, and I'll be happy. Price it anywhere from 10-15 thousand, and it'll give the C300/FS7 crowd another great option.Tier 4 - The Rental - Varicam35 - It exists. It's an extremely well thought out camera. Panasonic may have been a couple years late with it, but they didn't cut any corners. Rent one. The LUT integration is really awesome. And let me repeat, 2 native ISO's!?!?! The traditional thinking would say my proposed Varicam Mini would cannibalize sales, but as long as they hold back that one high-end feature (RAW maybe?), it won't cannibalize the high-end projects that the Varicam is aimed at anyway.GET TO WORK PANASONIC sudopera, Chrad, IronFilm and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinegain Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Agreed. Makes sense.And then personally I'd love to see something for the minimalistic run-n-gunner. What could Panasonic do with a concept like the Olympus E-M5II. Highlights should therefor include: sensor stabilization during video recording, high bitrate recordings with 24, 25, 30, 50 and 60p options, a vari-angle touchscreen, audio I/O (or mic-in on the body and a battery grip headphone jack) and a nicely layed out double dial (thumb/index). (Yes, 4K would be awesome, but not a must. I'd rather take 1080p and V-LOG than 4K and then having to lose features in order to still being able to sell the G and GH lines) And please, for the love of god, do not co-locate the SD-slot at the battery compartment. Anyways. The GX8 has already been put through Wi-Fi certification, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actionfrank Posted May 21, 2015 Author Share Posted May 21, 2015 Yeah, I'd like to see how small can they make the GH4. My only issue with cameras like that is the battery life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xavier Plagaro Mussard Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 Yeah, I'd like to see how small can they make the GH4. My only issue with cameras like that is the battery life.Plus they get too warm and stop recording after several minutes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 Wouldn't surprise me to see a next generation GM camera with 4K, maybe next year? Panasonic goes all out with 4K: FZ1000, LX100, G7. They're not holding back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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