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Updated Panasonic Lens Roadmap

iiiNelson

Well-known member
Looks like the 100/2.8 macro is on hold and a few new lenses were placed on it. Notably missing is a 35/1.8 lens (which I wouldn’t be surprise if it were comparable to the Leica 35/2 APO-Cron in performance for most) but there’s more to come I suspect. I’m not so sure they will push to have the f/1.8 lenses “Leica Certified” but that doesn’t bother me really. I think they’re aiming for price to performance ratios so I expect these lenses to sell in the $400-700 range.

https://m.dpreview.com/news/9353401...ith-two-new-primes-drops-the-100mm-f2-8-macro

So this makes me believe that Panasonic will introduce (or at least give a development announcement) their “mid level” FF camera at Photokina 2020. Size, weight, and price were mentioned as concerns they’re receiving based on user feedback in a recent interview. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a S1X in a “rangefinder” style body with most of the S1 internals (or maybe a new generation of internals) and slightly scaled back video features (4k30/1080p120) and EVF (3.69 mega-dot) for ~$1500. I think this would be a big winner for Panasonic and maybe the L mount camera many have asked to be produced for 5 years now.

https://m.dpreview.com/interviews/4...iew-if-we-stay-united-i-think-we-will-survive

I don’t expect PDAF to come anytime soon and I think more video people flock to Panasonic. I believe AF isn’t as high of a concern with that crowd. I hope for further development of DFD but I don’t find it to be anywhere as bad as I expected based on reviews but I also started at firmware 1.3 too. Do I trust it as much as Sony AF? No but a lot of that is familiarity and still learning the camera and where trouble is likely to arise. I think the Sony works 80-90% of the time but I’m on generation 2 there... and there’s the 10-20% of the time it won’t focus without composing differently.
 
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ptomsu

Workshop Member
Looks like the 100/2.8 macro is on hold and a few new lenses were placed on it. Notably missing is a 35/1.8 lens (which I wouldn’t be surprise if it were comparable to the Leica 35/2 APO-Cron in performance for most) but there’s more to come I suspect. I’m not so sure they will push to have the f/1.8 lenses “Leica Certified” but that doesn’t bother me really. I think they’re aiming for price to performance ratios so I expect these lenses to sell in the $400-700 range.

https://m.dpreview.com/news/9353401...ith-two-new-primes-drops-the-100mm-f2-8-macro

So this makes me believe that Panasonic will introduce (or at least give a development announcement) their “mid level” FF camera at Photokina 2020. Size, weight, and price were mentioned as concerns they’re receiving based on user feedback in a recent interview. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a S1X in a “rangefinder” style body with most of the S1 internals (or maybe a new generation of internals) and slightly scaled back video features (4k30/1080p120) and EVF (3.69 mega-dot) for ~$1500. I think this would be a big winner for Panasonic and maybe the L mount camera many have asked to be produced for 5 years now.

https://m.dpreview.com/interviews/4...iew-if-we-stay-united-i-think-we-will-survive

I don’t expect PDAF to come anytime soon and I think more video people flock to Panasonic. I believe AF isn’t as high of a concern with that crowd. I hope for further development of DFD but I don’t find it to be anywhere as bad as I expected based on reviews but I also started at firmware 1.3 too. Do I trust it as much as Sony AF? No but a lot of that is familiarity and still learning the camera and where trouble is likely to arise. I think the Sony works 80-90% of the time but I’m on generation 2 there... and there’s the 10-20% of the time it won’t focus without composing differently.
While I also hope for further development of DFD I doubt it will be able to come close to PDAF anytime - technology wise simply a bad approach.

WRT size and weight - these were my concerns with that system since the beginning and since I held the first S1 camera in hand.

WRT 1.8/35 and all other 1.8 primes - IMO Nikon is leading the pack in that area and it will be hard to compete against that quality, IQ, size, weight and price. And finally with FW 3.0 Nikon Z7 and Z6 have come a very long way and IMO are on par (or at least pretty much on par) with Sony and Canon and lightyears above any Panasonic AF incarnation. Hence I am more looking toward Nikon FF mirrorless lately :thumbs:
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
While I also hope for further development of DFD I doubt it will be able to come close to PDAF anytime - technology wise simply a bad approach.

WRT size and weight - these were my concerns with that system since the beginning and since I held the first S1 camera in hand.

WRT 1.8/35 and all other 1.8 primes - IMO Nikon is leading the pack in that area and it will be hard to compete against that quality, IQ, size, weight and price. And finally with FW 3.0 Nikon Z7 and Z6 have come a very long way and IMO are on par (or at least pretty much on par) with Sony and Canon and lightyears above any Panasonic AF incarnation. Hence I am more looking toward Nikon FF mirrorless lately :thumbs:
Testing both cameras side by side I’d say that Panasonic was already pretty close to what Sony once v1.2 was released in doing is single focus. Really the only shortcoming is specifically for using continuous focus but I sometimes have set my camera to release only after focus is achieved. We can agree to disagree with DFD being so far behind PDAF that it’ll never catch up. For some applications this is true... for others it’s already faster and more accurate. There’s video evidence of such examples. Some things are subjective but others are objective. I try to present factual information based on my own experiences. The cameras aren’t perfect right now but what really is? They all have a shortcoming depending on whom you ask. Fair enough point if you don’t like the size of the cameras. I love it and the weight isn’t much different than using a Sony with a grip.

As for lens quality... I’d put the L-Mount glass on par or above the quality of any other premium glass. On a case by case basis there may be a better option here or there but collectively Panasonic has not released a bad L-Mount lens. Sigma Art lenses are all optically excellent and some are mechanically capable. All of the Leica lenses are excellent but some may not be subjectively worth it for every user. That’s all I will say... there’s nothing wrong with Nikon (or Canon RF lenses) as they’re excellent. Suggesting it’s leagues better than every lens that the competition offers is a bit sensationalist IMO. Personally I could’ve chosen any of the cameras but none perform better than my Sony’s and only Panasonic offered enough uniqueness for me personally (other than Fuji). Again I like the competition and I like how inspired Canon seems to be about RF lens design specifically. I believe Nikon is making a smart choice to introduce a line of f/1.8 lenses given the improved high ISO performance in cameras... but I can’t act like Panasonic didn’t release the first Netflix approved Mirrorless body last fall, offer excellent LUMIX S Pro lenses, and offer three of the best body designs to come in a long time either. For me personally it was really the only other choice besides Sony in 35mm world and the Fuji was a good bit slower to work with for what I wanted to do.

Good luck with your future Canon, Nikon, Fuji, or whatever you buy whenever you decide to move forward with your purchase... just seems like you’ve been missing a lot of new shots while waiting on this “mythical” camera to come to fruition. Just pick one and use it until it doesn’t work for you any longer. Im
interested in seeing what Panasonic does with this mid-range camera and the second generation of LUMIX S cameras.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Testing both cameras side by side I’d say that Panasonic was already pretty close to what Sony once v1.2 was released in doing is single focus. Really the only shortcoming is specifically for using continuous focus but I sometimes have set my camera to release only after focus is achieved. We can agree to disagree with DFD being so far behind PDAF that it’ll never catch up. For some applications this is true... for others it’s already faster and more accurate. There’s video evidence of such examples. Some things are subjective but others are objective. I try to present factual information based on my own experiences. The cameras aren’t perfect right now but what really is? They all have a shortcoming depending on whom you ask. Fair enough point if you don’t like the size of the cameras. I love it and the weight isn’t much different than using a Sony with a grip.

As for lens quality... I’d put the L-Mount glass on par or above the quality of any other premium glass. On a case by case basis there may be a better option here or there but collectively Panasonic has not released a bad L-Mount lens. Sigma Art lenses are all optically excellent and some are mechanically capable. All of the Leica lenses are excellent but some may not be subjectively worth it for every user. That’s all I will say... there’s nothing wrong with Nikon (or Canon RF lenses) as they’re excellent. Suggesting it’s leagues better than every lens that the competition offers is a bit sensationalist IMO. Personally I could’ve chosen any of the cameras but none perform better than my Sony’s and only Panasonic offered enough uniqueness for me personally (other than Fuji). Again I like the competition and I like how inspired Canon seems to be about RF lens design specifically. I believe Nikon is making a smart choice to introduce a line of f/1.8 lenses given the improved high ISO performance in cameras... but I can’t act like Panasonic didn’t release the first Netflix approved Mirrorless body last fall, offer excellent LUMIX S Pro lenses, and offer three of the best body designs to come in a long time either. For me personally it was really the only other choice besides Sony in 35mm world and the Fuji was a good bit slower to work with for what I wanted to do.

Good luck with your future Canon, Nikon, Fuji, or whatever you buy whenever you decide to move forward with your purchase... just seems like you’ve been missing a lot of new shots while waiting on this “mythical” camera to come to fruition. Just pick one and use it until it doesn’t work for you any longer. Im
interested in seeing what Panasonic does with this mid-range camera and the second generation of LUMIX S cameras.
Have not really been missing any shots with my EM1.2 and some of my new 1.2 Olympus PRO primes ;):cool:;)

Just feeling so excited that I did not jump on any of these early FF mirrorless incarnations as from now on it will obviously finally really show what systems become best to use (for me - your milage may vary).

Sometimes it is a privilege not to need to jump on all new stuff immediately :toocool::angel::salute:
 
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Looks great, I'd love to see even more. I guess they have to get zooms out to theoretically cover everyone, but I'm not sure who is getting into this system to use a 70-200/2.8. Fast and fantastic primes are what I would guess people want and I hope to see more of those. Thankfully Sigma filled in the line up but I'd love to buy more native Panasonics.
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
Looks great, I'd love to see even more. I guess they have to get zooms out to theoretically cover everyone, but I'm not sure who is getting into this system to use a 70-200/2.8. Fast and fantastic primes are what I would guess people want and I hope to see more of those. Thankfully Sigma filled in the line up but I'd love to buy more native Panasonics.
From most accounts the 70-200 is one of the best of its type ever made and it can double as a portrait lens for most people. it’s arguably the most useful telephoto lens type.

I agree that I want more primes - specifically a 35mm and a 100mm. I’ve never loved the 85mm focal lengths but I work with them when needed. I prefer either a 90 or 100 personally and a reasonably priced f/2 would be fine by me in any of the focal lengths since the lowlight is pretty stellar on these cameras.
 

PeterA

Well-known member
. .......


I wouldn’t be surprised to see a S1X in a “rangefinder” style body with most of the S1 internals (or maybe a new generation of internals) and slightly scaled back video features (4k30/1080p120) and EVF (3.69 mega-dot) for ~$1500. I think this would be a big winner for Panasonic and maybe the L mount camera many have asked to be produced for 5 years now.

https://m.dpreview.com/interviews/4...iew-if-we-stay-united-i-think-we-will-survive

.........
Now you've got me all excited Nelson - I would be ALL OVER such a camera faster than you can say "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"!!

any specific references as to why you have a view that they might bring out such a rangefinder style camera?

It is the camera that Leica are reluctant to do- despite the logic of it all - a left sided EVF for big noses and no outdated silly rangefinder which cant focus fast lenses and with autofocus - - would be a huge success I reckon.
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
Now you've got me all excited Nelson - I would be ALL OVER such a camera faster than you can say "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"!!

any specific references as to why you have a view that they might bring out such a rangefinder style camera?

It is the camera that Leica are reluctant to do- despite the logic of it all - a left sided EVF for big noses and no outdated silly rangefinder which cant focus fast lenses and with autofocus - - would be a huge success I reckon.
No references other than Panasonic stating that they’re going to release some mid-range FF L-mount cameras. I’m basing this solely on the idea that they’re also adding f/1.8 primes to their roadmap and their history with Lumix G-X cameras being rangefinder style. If the cameras are smaller than a rangefinder camera closer in size to a digital M or Nikon Z would fit the desires of many - even if some of the feature set is reduced in capability (namely video and the number of stops that the IBIS can control).

All speculation and all rumor on my part... but it would make a lot of sense the same way I called the S1H the “SH1” before it was announced for the many months as a future video focus Lumix S camera. Again that was all speculation based on past Panasonic interviews stating a video focused model was coming and their naming conventions as it applied to the Lumix G line. I’d be excited as well and I’d definitely pick up a less expensive L-mount rangefinder style body myself to use with smaller primes. I fully agree with you that if Leica released a “QL” camera it would be wildly successful similar to how the M9 was for them. You have an aging Leica fan/user base and many could benefit from the benefits of using a EVF to focus without the size of the SL since they’d like use it nearly exclusively with M lenses. They could even bundle the Leica L-M adapter in the box and make lots of people happy.
 

PeterA

Well-known member
No references other than Panasonic stating that they’re going to release some mid-range FF L-mount cameras. I’m basing this solely on the idea that they’re also adding f/1.8 primes to their roadmap and their history with Lumix G-X cameras being rangefinder style. If the cameras are smaller than a rangefinder camera closer in size to a digital M or Nikon Z would fit the desires of many - even if some of the feature set is reduced in capability (namely video and the number of stops that the IBIS can control).

All speculation and all rumor on my part... but it would make a lot of sense the same way I called the S1H the “SH1” before it was announced for the many months as a future video focus Lumix S camera. Again that was all speculation based on past Panasonic interviews stating a video focused model was coming and their naming conventions as it applied to the Lumix G line. I’d be excited as well and I’d definitely pick up a less expensive L-mount rangefinder style body myself to use with smaller primes. I fully agree with you that if Leica released a “QL” camera it would be wildly successful similar to how the M9 was for them. You have an aging Leica fan/user base and many could benefit from the benefits of using a EVF to focus without the size of the SL since they’d like use it nearly exclusively with M lenses. They could even bundle the Leica L-M adapter in the box and make lots of people happy.
I'm sure a CL type body or Q - with either 25 but preferably 45+ MP and IBIS with a hi res EVF would be a killer product - personally couldn't care less about video functionality - and most Leica shooters don't. I'd pay 1500 for a stills only 25MP FF with IBIS with L mount and simpel specs I mentioned and I'd pay a lot more for a 45+ MP version. Instant product differentiation for Panasonic. Lots of Leica SL shooters bought into Panasonic cameras and lots of M shooters and SL shooters would do so for this. My SL ( L mount) is 35/75 APO crons a 24-90 zoom and a 50 Noctilux with a 21 /3.8 -I've just ordered. I'll probably switch out of 24-90 and get the Panasonic 70-200 2.8 when it becomes available. In othre words I am totally set for my glass requirements now. IF Panasonic came out with some excellent small autofocus glass and a rangefinder style body - that would be perfect for me.

Put it another way - if Sony made a 35mm ff rangefinder body as described above- I'd buy one that is how much i am looking for a modern rangefinder style ( viewfinder on left of body) camera. I'd be shooting with a Fuji GFXR if the viewfinder was as god as Leicas or the GFX100's.

Fuji X series cameras with left side viewfinders ( XPro and XF etc0 are their most popular because of the position of viewfinder .....Hasselblad XPan mamiya 7 and 711 all classics - all rangefinders / rangefinder viewfinder style same for XI and XIID from Hasselblad - it is just a more ergonomic shooting experience since your nose is righty out of the way....and it is just a friendlier shooting environment for subjects you are shooting - people are more relaxed because they can see half your face.

SO I hope your guess is right!

Pete
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
I'm sure a CL type body or Q - with either 25 but preferably 45+ MP and IBIS with a hi res EVF would be a killer product - personally couldn't care less about video functionality - and most Leica shooters don't. I'd pay 1500 for a stills only 25MP FF with IBIS with L mount and simpel specs I mentioned and I'd pay a lot more for a 45+ MP version. Instant product differentiation for Panasonic. Lots of Leica SL shooters bought into Panasonic cameras and lots of M shooters and SL shooters would do so for this. My SL ( L mount) is 35/75 APO crons a 24-90 zoom and a 50 Noctilux with a 21 /3.8 -I've just ordered. I'll probably switch out of 24-90 and get the Panasonic 70-200 2.8 when it becomes available. In othre words I am totally set for my glass requirements now. IF Panasonic came out with some excellent small autofocus glass and a rangefinder style body - that would be perfect for me.

Put it another way - if Sony made a 35mm ff rangefinder body as described above- I'd buy one that is how much i am looking for a modern rangefinder style ( viewfinder on left of body) camera. I'd be shooting with a Fuji GFXR if the viewfinder was as god as Leicas or the GFX100's.

Fuji X series cameras with left side viewfinders ( XPro and XF etc0 are their most popular because of the position of viewfinder .....Hasselblad XPan mamiya 7 and 711 all classics - all rangefinders / rangefinder viewfinder style same for XI and XIID from Hasselblad - it is just a more ergonomic shooting experience since your nose is righty out of the way....and it is just a friendlier shooting environment for subjects you are shooting - people are more relaxed because they can see half your face.

SO I hope your guess is right!

Pete
Yeah from time to time I entertain the thought of buying another digital M with a fast 35 and medium speed 50... never goes much beyond that. I really miss my M9 at times but I can’t justify the cost right now and I’d use a “medium range” L-Mount rangefinder style camera so much more.
 

PeterA

Well-known member
Yeah from time to time I entertain the thought of buying another digital M with a fast 35 and medium speed 50... never goes much beyond that. I really miss my M9 at times but I can’t justify the cost right now and I’d use a “medium range” L-Mount rangefinder style camera so much more.





For illustration purposes The photo above shows my " modern M camera" next to the Fuji I've been using/testing for a year now - both with 23mm lenses on them if I had the CL 23mm - it would be even smaller....Put a FF chip in the CL and I am 100% totally content.

The only thing that the Fuji X series has over the CL is a better range of smaller autofocus primes and in camera film emulations and much better video - which I dont care about at all. Look at the size difference -for those who care about size and then consider the fact that I can mount any M or L mount lens I choose to on the CL - fantastic camera with a much much better viewfinder than the XT-3 AND left side positioning so rangefinder style viewing experience.

I suspect Leica could bring out a FF 25MP CL - once they move all M models up to 47MP - I'd love Panasonic to do it first. I wont be chasing Fuji X series further - great system great lenses but my use for apsc since I dont shoot video when I can get same image quality from CL in a much smaller size and better viewfinder experience is limited - especially in context of being able to use ALL my M and L mount glass as well....

big opportunity for Panasonic.
 

pegelli

Well-known member
Very interesting but a tough technological nut to crack. PDAF and CDAF both work by moving the lens (any lens) until some sensors determine "the image is now sharp" by a defined criterium of phase differential or contrast. As I understand it "Time of Flight" will determine the exact distance, but this still needs to be translated to a lens position where the image is sharp and to be universally applicable the system needs to know this lens position for every different lens that can be mounted, both prime and zoom, and for zooms at every focal length. Not easy I think.
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
Very interesting but a tough technological nut to crack. PDAF and CDAF both work by moving the lens (any lens) until some sensors determine "the image is now sharp" by a defined criterium of phase differential or contrast. As I understand it "Time of Flight" will determine the exact distance, but this still needs to be translated to a lens position where the image is sharp and to be universally applicable the system needs to know this lens position for every different lens that can be mounted, both prime and zoom, and for zooms at every focal length. Not easy I think.
I think everything is going to come down to processing speed. As they get better so will DFD and the coming TOF. This is one of the many reason I do believe that there will come a time where it won’t matter if a company employs Hybrid PDAF or an alternative technology. It’s already implemented in industrial sensors. Panasonic, in an interview, mentioned specifically adding additional lens protocols to L-mount lens... this is coming and it’ll come to all of the L-Mount cameras more than likely. Im interested to see it in development and I will be interested to see it come to the LUMIX G cameras as well. It may make me pick up a new one to update my current Micro 4/3 body.
 

pegelli

Well-known member
I think everything is going to come down to processing speed.
I think the challenge for TOF is bigger than just sheer processing speed, I think the challenge is knowing where to put a lens based on the distance measured. If it just works for a few native lenses in the system it's never going to be a more general AF technology (like PDAF, CDAF and DFD)
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
I think the challenge for TOF is bigger than just sheer processing speed, I think the challenge is knowing where to put a lens based on the distance measured. If it just works for a few native lenses in the system it's never going to be a more general AF technology (like PDAF, CDAF and DFD)
Probably not. DFD already does this to some effect. TOF will just further refinements this and I assess that Panasonic/L-Mount will not abandon the benefits of DFD - because there are in fact some like know what the bokeh will look like based on the subject being in focus. I think both DFD and TOF will work symbiotically. This is why I believe that processing speed will matter. The faster the calculations and adjustments can be made the. The faster the system can be.
 

pegelli

Well-known member
So you're thinking a DFD/TOF combined method to gain speed, that might indeed be easier to implement. DFD still "looks" at the image to ensure it's sharp, TOF by itself doesn't do that as far as I understand the article. And even DFD (which is a "smarter" CDAF principle) only works with specific compatible lenses that need to be known by the system. So adding TOF won't change that. Big advantage is of course you don't need to sacrifice pixels for PDAF "on sensor" so maybe the two technologies can come closer together.
 
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iiiNelson

Well-known member
So you're thinking a DFD/TOF combined method to gain speed, that might indeed be easier to implement. DFD still "looks" at the image to ensure it's sharp, TOF by itself doesn't do that as far as I understand the article. And even DFD (which is a "smarter" CDAF principle) only works with specific compatible lenses that need to be known by the system. So adding TOF won't change that. Big advantage is of course you don't need to sacrifice pixels for PDAF "on sensor" so maybe the two technologies can come closer together.
Yeah and every L-Mount lens is DFD compatible I believe. I see these as complimentary technology but in either case they’d be processor dependent. There’s already a significant improvement of the LUMIX S cameras compared to the LUMIX G ones.
 
Right now I solve the AF issue by just having a Nikon too. For weddings you still really can't beat a Nikon AF system. Even the Sony A9 series doesn't have IR AF for dark receptions. Until that changes, wedding peeps like me will probably have a mirrorless and a DSLR, or no mirrorless at all.

Personally I am just loving my S1R, and I look forward to the future of the system.
 
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