MrSMW

Going either the prime route or the variable focal length route, everything is covered out to 200mm. The lenses are modern, sharp, with appropriately consistent coatings. All the Lumix lenses are weather resistant, fairly light with bright options available. They also have breathing correction, unlike MANY more popular brands. Don't like the Lumix lenses, get the Sigma ones and they're native mount too being part of the L mount alliance. You want anamorphic? There's that too. By the way, Lumix can also stabalize those very lenses too along with appropriate desqueezing. If you think the problem is L-mount, it's not- it's you.

For that money, if I lived in the UK and could also get that 25% discount, I think I'd jump on one!
But they do not ship to France and I'd be stung for customs duty. Fcuk Brexit 👺

Agreed. L Mount is pretty good now especially this year with the Sigma 28-45mm f1.8 and Sigma 28-105mm f2.8 becoming available and probable purchases for me in 2025.
Pretty sure I am going to go for the 28-45 as I need something faster than f2.8 for low light work and though not as fast as the 50mm f1.2, has more practical real world use for me.
The 28-105 I am still on the fence over and depends on whether an S2R appears.
If it does, as a LUMIX version of the Leica SL3, then it’s a done deal and I will trade my Sony A7RV and 3x zoom lenses for that combo as it will cover 95% of my needs as a ‘one and done’ and that last 5%, at the extreme ends, will be my compromise.
But if there is no S2R, then there will also be no 28-105 for me either because although it is available in Sony E Mount, I would rather have my smaller trio of Tamron zoom lenses for that compact Sony body.
All pieces of the greater puzzle.

Happy Chrimbo to you too Andrew! Top of my wishlist would be for it to be summer, instead of currently being too cold and grey to go out and shoot anything!

I don’t understand why they haven’t already.
It’s not as if they are a small company and I think are actually even slightly bigger than Sony?
Surely with the boffins that they have, it’s a case of reverse engineer someone else’s internal ND and one of Sony’s sensors and then make your own version?
Isn’t that formula exactly how Japanese companies got their start after WW2 by making knock off copies of Western manufactured items and in more recent times, China has taken over that role?
Of course Japan has moved on to now make exceptional quality items and China is not far behind, but they started out a lot of their bigger manufacturing companies by copying.
Or is it a case with Panasonic that their camera division, LUMIX, is too small and does not have the R&D budget for this?
And if that is the case, sometimes you have to speculate to move ahead, ie, gain more market share and momentum.
I have a theory about business that I have applied to my own for over quarter of a century and that is there are 3 types.
Those that don’t do enough. They were and are fucked from the moment they started up.
Those that give it 100%. They will never go beyond a certain point and sometimes even backwards because…
The third type gives more than 100% simply in order to stand still and maintain market position and it’s only those that go well beyond 100% that actually truly succeed. Other than by chance (such as they are a bit shit but get a lucky hype break anyway).
But what do I know…

I don’t understand why they haven’t already.
It’s not as if they are a small company and I think are actually even slightly bigger than Sony?
Surely with the boffins that they have, it’s a case of reverse engineer someone else’s internal ND and one of Sony’s sensors and then make your own version?
Isn’t that formula exactly how Japanese companies got their start after WW2 by making knock off copies of Western manufactured items and in more recent times, China has taken over that role?
Of course Japan has moved on to now make exceptional quality items and China is not far behind, but they started out a lot of their bigger manufacturing companies by copying.
Or is it a case with Panasonic that their camera division, LUMIX, is too small and does not have the R&D budget for this?
And if that is the case, sometimes you have to speculate to move ahead, ie, gain more market share and momentum.
I have a theory about business that I have applied to my own for over quarter of a century and that is there are 3 types.
Those that don’t do enough. They were and are fucked from the moment they started up.
Those that give it 100%. They will never go beyond a certain point and sometimes even backwards because…
The third type gives more than 100% simply in order to stand still and maintain market position and it’s only those that go well beyond 100% that actually truly succeed. Other than by chance (such as they are a bit shit but get a lucky hype break anyway).
But what do I know…

Nope. 
I bought it as a pure stills machine and I will stop there so as not to pollute this thread with dirty Sony talk.

I’ve been so tempted with a used OG GFX100 except for one thing and that is no AF zoom option outside of the native lenses which for me are either too big or too slow. Or both.
Now if Fuji X was just full-frame instead of APSC…
Nah, I’ll stick with my A7RV.
S1R is a VERY good option for the price though 👍

On the first day (not) of Christmas, my dealer sold to me, a Leica SL3. (OK, an SL2)
On the second day (not) of Christmas, my dealer sold to me, a Canon R3. (OK, an R5)
On the third day (not) of Christmas, my dealer sold to me, a Nikon Z6III. (OK, a Canon R5)

I considered both for my needs and in the end went for something ‘in the middle’, the A7RV. And I can’t really fault it.
It’s a much better piece of kit than the A7CR (better lens platform, vastly better rear screen, 2 card slots…) and not far off the 100mp sensor of the Fuji whilst being more compact and offering far more lens options, never mind the far superior AF.
For travel, I’d say its case goes up even further based on the size and weight of the body and the lenses.
I know one thing based on my most recent trip to Paris and that is I would not go out on any serious urban or landscape shoot without my 70-180 again.
I have mine with the Tamron f2.8 trio of; 20-40, 28-75, 70-180 and when you also factor in one click switch to 26mp crop mode, the focal range and sheer quality of output from such a compact small bag set up, is bonkers.
And cost-wise, all available on the used market at pretty decent prices. I think you could score the lot for around 5k not including anything you might sell to help fund it.
Japan is No.1 on my bucket list. I would even need to think about what I’d take because it would be this body and 3 lens set up with one small bag.

I really wish they would bring that to Sony cameras.
I have just bought a screen protector that I am going to tape up in that aspect ratio however as a ‘fix’.
 

I should add that compared to the SL3, would I consider or go that route?
At 7k for the body alone? Nope.
For the same money, ie, if the SL3 was the same price as the A7RV used? Possibly/probably if only to scratch that Leica itch.
But then for travel purposes, bigger camera and bigger lenses, so maybe not.
It will be interesting to see if A. there is any kind of S2R and then B. what it is, but struggling to see past the A7RV right now for anything hi res and compact(ish).

I considered both for my needs and in the end went for something ‘in the middle’, the A7RV. And I can’t really fault it.
It’s a much better piece of kit than the A7CR (better lens platform, vastly better rear screen, 2 card slots…) and not far off the 100mp sensor of the Fuji whilst being more compact and offering far more lens options, never mind the far superior AF.
For travel, I’d say its case goes up even further based on the size and weight of the body and the lenses.
I know one thing based on my most recent trip to Paris and that is I would not go out on any serious urban or landscape shoot without my 70-180 again.
I have mine with the Tamron f2.8 trio of; 20-40, 28-75, 70-180 and when you also factor in one click switch to 26mp crop mode, the focal range and sheer quality of output from such a compact small bag set up, is bonkers.
And cost-wise, all available on the used market at pretty decent prices. I think you could score the lot for around 5k not including anything you might sell to help fund it.
Japan is No.1 on my bucket list. I would even need to think about what I’d take because it would be this body and 3 lens set up with one small bag.

^ Dirty Sony Talk ^
But as it’s Andrew’s site… 🫡

Nope. 
I bought it as a pure stills machine and I will stop there so as not to pollute this thread with dirty Sony talk.

^ Dirty Sony Talk ^
But as it’s Andrew’s site… 🫡

Nope. 
I bought it as a pure stills machine and I will stop there so as not to pollute this thread with dirty Sony talk.

Agreed. Sold the S1H to find the A7RV.
That is what I would also rather see; a 60mp and a 24mp model.
Pretty much an instant sale for (to) me.

All of that is pretty much the S1H with the sensor from the SL3.
Job done!

S1H level of build quality as a minimum including damped shutter button.
Rear screen a la S1H.
High res rear screen, unlike the S5ii which is ‘average’.
Better AF than the S5ii which is ‘decent’ but no more than that.
Full 6k 50/60p.
60mp for stills for both detail and ability to crop.
Available March 2025 latest.
S2H and S2R or one single camera, I don’t mind but they would have my money instantly. Rather than Nikon or Sony who almost certainly otherwise will.
Bonuses, but not deal-breakers for me would be:
Internal raw
Some kind of ‘colour by Arri’ match up like Nikon/RED. That would really put LUMIX on the filmmakers map at least.
Options that aren’t just fucking black! I mean I probably would go with black when it came to it, but a series of classy colours would give the thing more appeal to a wider demographic simply by having the option. But keep the colours the same as other models such as the S9 etc so folks can match their kit.
 

S1H level of build quality as a minimum including damped shutter button.
Rear screen a la S1H.
High res rear screen, unlike the S5ii which is ‘average’.
Better AF than the S5ii which is ‘decent’ but no more than that.
Full 6k 50/60p.
60mp for stills for both detail and ability to crop.
Available March 2025 latest.
S2H and S2R or one single camera, I don’t mind but they would have my money instantly. Rather than Nikon or Sony who almost certainly otherwise will.
Bonuses, but not deal-breakers for me would be:
Internal raw
Some kind of ‘colour by Arri’ match up like Nikon/RED. That would really put LUMIX on the filmmakers map at least.
Options that aren’t just fucking black! I mean I probably would go with black when it came to it, but a series of classy colours would give the thing more appeal to a wider demographic simply by having the option. But keep the colours the same as other models such as the S9 etc so folks can match their kit.
 

S1H level of build quality as a minimum including damped shutter button.
Rear screen a la S1H.
High res rear screen, unlike the S5ii which is ‘average’.
Better AF than the S5ii which is ‘decent’ but no more than that.
Full 6k 50/60p.
60mp for stills for both detail and ability to crop.
Available March 2025 latest.
S2H and S2R or one single camera, I don’t mind but they would have my money instantly. Rather than Nikon or Sony who almost certainly otherwise will.
Bonuses, but not deal-breakers for me would be:
Internal raw
Some kind of ‘colour by Arri’ match up like Nikon/RED. That would really put LUMIX on the filmmakers map at least.
Options that aren’t just fucking black! I mean I probably would go with black when it came to it, but a series of classy colours would give the thing more appeal to a wider demographic simply by having the option. But keep the colours the same as other models such as the S9 etc so folks can match their kit.
 

Whilst I think many points about Panasonic's marketing and missed opportunities are true I think the bottom line is that they are the best value all rounders combining competitive pricing, excellent ergonomics and features. For years I've been using Lumix cameras for all sorts of work, high end fashion videos, corporate videos, long form recording (hours of conferences and they've never over heated), events (photo and video), weddings (photo and video)...they just work. In the past they had one major compromise, DFD, but even then they had the best EVFs (S1H and S1) and LCDs and other tools that made MF easier than on most cameras. I can have 2 Lumix bodies and lenses for the same price as a Sony and one lens equivalent and then camera is more enjoyable to use (other than AF possibly). That is Lumix's key strength. It's what they should focus and build on.

Well I’m not one to throw the baby out with the bath water as they say, but it’s certainly looking that my time with L Mount peaked and will stop at some point with the S5ii.
That point will probably be when the ability to burn a lut into N-log happens.
Prior to that happening…and assuming it will, then it doesn’t stop my S5ii working.
Pretty sad if it’s the end of the road for full-frame. 
If…

Well I’m not one to throw the baby out with the bath water as they say, but it’s certainly looking that my time with L Mount peaked and will stop at some point with the S5ii.
That point will probably be when the ability to burn a lut into N-log happens.
Prior to that happening…and assuming it will, then it doesn’t stop my S5ii working.
Pretty sad if it’s the end of the road for full-frame. 
If…