The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Panasonic: A "Fly By Night" Camera Company?

seakayaker

Active member
. . . . . what company is not fly by night?

If it's not making money its gone. . . . .

If it is making money then its sold to someone else or spun off or whatever.

Technology changes so quickly what you buy today may be obsolete tomorrow.

The GF1 that I bought works AF with a 3/4 25mm f/1.4 and a 14 - 50mm Leica D Vario lens. It also has an AF 7-14 and a 20mm f/1.7 in m4/3. It can adapt to use Leica lenses from 1951, 1954, 1960 and 2004 that I own. Manual sure but at least they built in the capability to be backwards compatible. Also some Voigtlander and Zeiss lens as well.

A lot better than other companies out there . . . . .

Lots of choices out there. I am very happy with mine.

Having fun with the GF1.

When I am not having fun anymore, I'll get something else.

Corporations are capitalistic, they are formed to make money, some may care about the customer, some just the customers money. Those who own stock in a company only want it to pay dividends. If they don't, they dump the stock.

Choices, you got to love the free manket!

Life is Grand!

Dan
~ ;)
 

clay stewart

New member
@ clay:

Eh. So what?

Getting all hyped up on what some multinational mega corporation "ought to do" is mostly a waste of time and energy.

Panasonic's made some very good still cameras, same for lenses: all of the ones I've owned have been very good performers for their cost and class. And they've been consistent and reliable. All of them have earned me good money. All of them have made excellent photos for me and my clients. I hope Panasonic keeps doing that.

But if they don't, someone else will ... And what I have now will continue to do the job anyway until I need something else. I could care less what name is on the camera. I care what the camera does.

Why sweat the "woulda/shoulda" rumination?

..."Equipment often gets in the way of Photography." ...
I was starting to worry about you Godfrey, thought something happened to you. I'm glad you're OK.:clap:
 

pellicle

New member
BH prices
7-14/4 lens Olympus $ 1.468,--
7-14/4 lens Panasonic $ 999,--
So, who is $ 468,-- cheaper and 40% smaller and tested as good?
there might be other differences ... like dustproof and splash proof sealing.

but smaller than the Olympus the Panasonic surely is



I hear photographers who specialise in sailing like the Oly series ... don't count on your Panasonic lasting the year out in those conditions.
 

pellicle

New member
Howard

I sure hope that Panasonic introduces additional fast primes.
mind if I ask what you'd wish for and why you'd like it?

speaking as a person who favours just 2 lenses when traveling 24mm f2.8 and 50mm f1.8
 
Last edited:

RichA

New member
After about a year and a half in the DSLR business and promises of lots of quality bodies and lenses, Panasonic bails out and leaves it's customers holding the camera bag.http://www.photokina-show.com/0476/panasonic/information/panasonicinterview/

I guess that the price of the 45 2.8 macro, got me thinking and looking back over their history, to try and figure out why they would price a macro lens nearly four hundred dollars more than what other more experienced lens makers would charge for a similar lens :
That Leica association costs a lot. Nikon's 60mm macro will make mincemeat out of the second-rate 45mm Panasonic. A real fumbled ball. Now, the other Leica-based Panasonic lenses have been exceptionally good. This one off should be sent back for a redesign.
 

Riley

New member
When you consider that Panasonic and Olympus sell products globally to a wide range of consumer preferences, this stuff IS rocket science, and involves very complex marketing strategies and implementation. What makes sense for you or for the US audience might make absolutely no sense for the Japan market.
some consideration of 'systems thinking' would be closer to 'rocket science', but duplicating each others kit lenses is pretty dam far from that view.

http://managementhelp.org/systems/systems.htm

photoSmart42 said:
As a strategy for migrating advanced P&S users into the interchangeable lens cameras, coming out with a range of zoom lenses initially was perfect. Most common users of DSLRs end up keeping their kit lens on regardless of the options they have for adding more lenses. They basically treat their DSLRs as large, expensive P&S cameras. They take photos of family and events in their everyday lives, and don't go into photography as an art.
Well clearly I dont agree, what I do agree with is Jonas approach where he says:

Jonas said:
Like many other "advanced amateurs" or at least "experienced enthusiasts" I sometimes think Panasonic and Olympus don't understand what they created. If you ask me what it is holding them back from making a series of premium prime lenses and a couple of semi-pro bodies, well, I have no idea.
I dont think they understand the market either, where there are two approaches, the compact converts, and the experienced users looking for smaller lighter kit.

Panasonic have left it to the hackers to give video the performance it should have had in the first place. Meanwhile Olympus actually state in their marketing that Pen makes an ideal back-up system for pro's, well then they should consider those needs are somewhere beyond a bunch of kit lenses and add a few lenses that are of good quality while being compact,

.........just the sort of thing they should have done for 4/3rds before the 'tribe had spoken' and that sunset began. Now theyre asking a whole new bunch of users to be patient and wait for a complete system to arrive, something that in my experience they have no right to ask.
 
Last edited:

CPWarner

Member
It seems like one complaint here is focused on the cost of Panasonic-Leica 45mm macro. I guess you assume all manufacturer's will produce a "consumer grade" $500 macro and a "professional" grade $1000 macro. Panasonic appears that they decided to make only one, and it is very good. I personally think this lens was worth the money. Also, look at pricing in Canon lenses lately, they have gone up significantly in the last two years.
 

Michiel Schierbeek

Well-known member
there might be other differences ... like dustproof and splash proof sealing.

but smaller than the Olympus the Panasonic surely is

I hear photographers who specialise in sailing like the Oly series ... don't count on your Panasonic lasting the year out in those conditions.
Oh yes, of course that is the difference but you need a bigger boat though. :ROTFL:
BTW Most of the time I don't sail.

Michiel
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Howard


mind if I ask what you'd wish for and why you'd like it?

speaking as a person who favours just 2 lenses when traveling 24mm f2.8 and 50mm f1.8

Speaking for myself, I would like to get hold of the 14/2.5 and the 8/3.5 fisheye.

I would not mind seeing a 10/1.8 either. ;)
 

pellicle

New member
Hi Vivek

I would not mind seeing a 10/1.8 either. ;)
yeah ... that's why I'm pleased with my 21mm Oly on my full frame camera ... and it stays focused. I'm thinking of getting a Cosina / Voigtlander L with a 15mm (strictly for black and white negative and HIE) but I'm just not sure its worth it to me right now.

lets see how my income looks next month
 

photoSmart42

New member
some consideration of 'systems thinking' would be closer to 'rocket science', but duplicating each others kit lenses is pretty dam far from that view.
Doesn't matter what analogy you use. The point is that it's not a simple matter of taking out a pre-determined sheet of lenses to be released in a pre-determined order, but goes far beyond that in market analysis, etc. As a rocket scientist and a former system engineer I can tell you there's no difference between the two. Rocket science is the layman term for systems engineering.

As for duplicating lenses, it should be noted that Panasonic and Olympus are two different and separate companies vying for the same market space, so there's no logic that forces them to offer different products. Just because they're signatories on the same format specification doesn't mean they don't compete against each other. They work together to advance the format as a whole, but have no obligations outside of that.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Hi Vivek



yeah ... that's why I'm pleased with my 21mm Oly on my full frame camera ... and it stays focused. I'm thinking of getting a Cosina / Voigtlander L with a 15mm (strictly for black and white negative and HIE) but I'm just not sure its worth it to me right now.

lets see how my income looks next month
Hi P,

I have enjoyed the 15/4.5 on Bessa-L for color positives (Fuji Provia to be exact) and negatives.

I tend to press my Leica CL for these now (though anything with film sees very little action nowadays).

I have used the Cosina 15 and 21 for near UV (not near IR) with a rear mounted filter on B&W film. I have loads of Techpan and others but no HIE.

Perhaps, I should sell some of these to fund my m4/3rds gear (G2, 14/2.5, 8/3.5....)?
 

Diane B

New member
As for duplicating lenses, it should be noted that Panasonic and Olympus are two different and separate companies vying for the same market space, so there's no logic that forces them to offer different products. Just because they're signatories on the same format specification doesn't mean they don't compete against each other. They work together to advance the format as a whole, but have no obligations outside of that.
That's been my thought. In duplication of lenses, if someone buying an Oly cam wanted a zoom lens in range of 14-45 and they didn't have one, then the customer might buy the Panny version (Or might not buy an m4/3rds Oly at all). Oly loses a sale-- just example, but both feel they need the lenses they think their customers want and are never going to depend on the competing mfg to supply them. To believe that competing mfg, even if they share a format, are going to just fill in each others holes in lens range aren't being realistic about the business world IMO.
 

photoSmart42

New member
we arent simply talking of a single kit lens though are we. We can list every lens and see a Panasonic counterpart, and for lenses they dont have at Olympus, the intent is to produce them. There is almost zero variation by lens type
OK, but again, so what? That's their business decision, and it makes sense for both companies to try and maximize profits from all areas of camera system development - cameras, lenses, accessories. Even if there's overlap in focal length and f-stop, there are differences in lens quality, manufacture, and pricing, so those are differentiators. It gives consumers options while addressing each company's marketing strategy.

Canon and Nikon have lots of overlapping lenses as well, as do most camera and lens manufacturers. If those are the lenses the market demands, then that's what they're going to produce. The fact that two or more camera manufacturers share the same mount format doesn't make any difference.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
I am with Riley on the "marketting".

Who is for better high ISO low noise and higher DR in lieu of touch scream?

Who wants really useful "system" flashes?
 

Diane B

New member
we arent simply talking of a single kit lens though are we. We can list every lens and see a Panasonic counterpart, and for lenses they dont have at Olympus, the intent is to produce them. There is almost zero variation by lens type

http://www.photographyblog.com/images/uploads_news/m43roadmap1.jpg
http://www.photographyblog.com/images/uploads_news/panasonic_2010_lenses_2.jpg
I used the kit lens as example. I do think each will want their own lens lineup whatever that is as they see it for their projected marketing groups.
 

Riley

New member
well as Jonas aptly points out
they left the part of the group we could call 'enthusiasts' behind with those decisions
 

pellicle

New member
Who is for better high ISO low noise and higher DR in lieu of touch scream?
me
Who wants really useful "system" flashes?
not me, but then I mainly use flash in studio lighting ... Canon burnt that desire out of me with the change from TTL to E-TTL and the non compatibility of my flash 430-EZ system with the digital EOS. Now I use older style flash
 
Top