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Here's your chance to ask Panasonic your questions!
  • Hey everyone!

    On September 9th, two representatives from Panasonic Japan will be visiting the Canadian Panasonic headquarters to view the facility and we have arranged for them to answer some questions from the online community!

    Mr. Sawada, Director of DSC Imaging Group and Mr. Katayama who is head of Marketing for the Americas group will be answering your questions and taking your feature requests!

    Please comment with your questions and requests ans they will be presented to them on the 9th. Answers will be posted in an interview style article and on the forum so stay tuned in the following weeks for the replies!

    Please keep all questions and requests civil and to the point and refrain from technical troubleshooting and complaints as these can be addressed by contacting Panasonic directly.

    Ask away!

  • 40 Replies sorted by
  • @tylerknight Thanks for taking the time to pass along our questions. Glad to hear internal stabilization will be coming to more models... hopefully the GH5 in video mode.

  • Not a problem! I'm glad I had the opportunity to ask these questions for everyone and sit with these gentlemen. They were really engaging and excited to hear from the community actually. When I told them what some of you guys have produced with this little camera, you could see their eyes light up.

    I really pushed for the Auto ISO question, and they were VERY interested in looking into that one in particular given that other companies have it and it should be a simple software change.

    Thanks again for the great questions everyone, we will try to arrange some more ways to communicate!

  • i live in Peru and its true, their point and shoot are everywhere, but Panny high end models are dirty expensive costing as much as almost 2 times its price point.

  • @TylerKnight - Thanks. Really glad the AutoISO question got asked!

  • Hi Everyone,

    Here are the questions and and answers from our Q & A with the Panasonic representatives from Japan! We weren't able to ask all of the questions, and some answers were unable to be given due to known reasons.

    I hope everyone is happy with the responses and I think we got some great information out there!

    Q1. Will GH4 get the post focus feature of the GX8?

    A1. We announced during IFA that the GX8, the FZ300 and GH4 will all have post focus capabilities.

    Q2. Will future Camera series have in body stabilization?

    A2. We just announced with the gx8 that for the first time we have in-body image stabilization.And because of this we are beginning to move towards body I.S. in future models.

    Q3. Will there be Auto ISO in video Mode?

    A3. This is a feature that we will look into with our engineering team.

    Q4. With V-log will there be future paid Updates?

    A4. We cannot answer that question at this time. But here's their explanation of why it was a paid vs. unpaid update:

    This is the first time we are trying to implement a paid update. It is a trial to help challenge the market to see what is considered a paid update and a free update. Software development costs money and we want to continue developing exceptional updates to our current line. This cost helps offset development costs. At this moment we have no announcements on future paid updates. The V-Log is for a specific user and not a feature that would be used across the board. As previously stated, we have announced Post-Focus for our line and this update will not be a paid update.

    Q5. Can we have Crop Marks while shooting video?

    A5. Once again, this is a request that we will ask our engineering team to investigate the possibility.

    Q6. With the V-Log Update will there have LUT in the camera

    A6. We have been advised that it is not possible to show the LUT on the monitor such as in Varicam.

    Q7. Why have you stopped marketing in Latin America?

    A7. We have not stopped marketing in Latin America. We have changed our focus to suit the market conditions. Latin America is a point and shoot market for us. Industry numbers show other competitors have a small market share in lenses as well. People who want to purchase lenses tend to purchase them in North America. Peru is the number one market for Point and Shoot for us. But we have begun marketing 4K Video and Photo as well as our GH series cameras in Peru and other South American Countries as well.

    Q8. Any Plans for Panasonic to have a drone Camera?

    A8. We are unable to answer questions relating to any future product that has not been publicly announced yet.

    Thank you to everyone who asks questions and we will try to set up another one in the near future!

  • @thetrickster

    Just writing the article this week! It will be put together and posted before Friday, just a busy week with our new Lumix video/photo studio launching. I'll make sure we get it out for everyone!

    Tyler

  • When is the interview going to be posted @tylerknight? :)

  • Good job guys and thanks for update @tylerknight!

    I would also be interested in knowing if there are future plans for 8k? Or at least improving photo video mode for higher bitrates. (Raw pixels are good pixels)

  • I doubt they will answer such questions, but:

    1. Any estimated date for when 4k @ 60fps will appear on a GH model?
    2. Any estimated date for when the 100-400 mm lens will be available?
    3. Will Panasonic EVER develop a long fast prime lens? > 100mm, f2.8 or faster?

    Personal comments:

    1. I'm still back in the 1080 world with my old GH3, patiently waiting for a 4k 60 fps camera. I'd love it to be another Lumix GH, but...another vendor may beat them to it. Like Samsung?
    2. My daughter is a swimmer. Right now, the best u43 lens for low light, indoor swim meets is the Oly 75/1.8. The Oly 75/1.8 is a great lens (which I got used from Lens Rental for ~ $550: a great place to buy quality used gear). But, the Oly 75/1.8 is not stabilized. No stabilization is not a big deal for stills, since I have to use a fast SS to freeze action anyway, but, the videos need a lot of work in post to stabilize. So, we need a fast stabilized long prime from Panasonic ASAP!
      :-)
  • We had some great responses from the two representatives from Panasonic Japan and will be assembling the answers into an interview style article soon!

    Thank you to everyone who asked questions and had feature requests. We weren't able to answer all of them of course, but I am really happy with the information I've heard!

    We are hoping to arrange to have some engineers and designers next time and will be trying to create a connection between the users and creators!

  • @sam_rides_a_mtb

    In regards to the comment about 1/120th sec shutter speed. You can do this on the GH4. If you enable Syncro scan, you can adjust your shutter speed by an increments of .3.

    Syncro scan only works in movie mode. With the flicker reduction setting it worked in stills mode for both stills and video. That is very useful when you are switching back and forth between stills and video especially when you are using the electronic shutter for both.

  • One more question - Why no 4K drone cameras or even a live HDMI out for GM1/GM5/LX100?

  • @alcomposer They could include a "reprogramming/hacking" option that lets you switch that capacity on, with a warning that it's only for advanced programmers and voids warranty if "reprogramming/hacking" causes a problem.

  • Another vote for the "AF200" question. A GH4 in a camcorder style body with built in ND filter, proper audio connections etc would be very welcome.

  • Completely agree with the AutoISO functionality. Its sorely missed for what I do. Especially if it was a gradual 'gain' more than 1/3 stop jumps

  • Why have you stopped marketing in Latin America, and why don't we start again?

  • "AF200" 4K to compete with JVC LS300? (I know... unlikely, but I'd still like to ask.)

  • @matt_gh2 we can but ask. Just think of the support issues if the camera is hacker intended?! At least with the GH2 there was no support - so no problems if you bricked it. (not that that ever happened- or wasn't there one guy on these forums somewhere??!)

  • will the GX8 receive some paid firmware features as well? Like V-LOG, RAW HDMI output, DCI 4k?

  • Ask them to make all cameras "hackable"/reprogrammable" to foster innovation from the user base, as was seen with the GH2. Perhaps an argument could be made that it might increase interest in Panasonic cameras and also increase their users brand loyalty to Panasonic.

  • And for another $50 you can make the crop marks pink

    Thanks, almost forgot.

    Btw, question from young generation of shooters:

    How soon we will see more proper cameras from Panasonic (who do not know - PROPER camera must be pink, but real pink, not any red or magenta tint, it also helps to add some little shiny particles in the paint)? Does not Panasonic already severely break equity laws by not offering them?

  • And for another $50 you can make the crop marks pink :) Sorry, I couldn't resist either!

  • 2.will there be any paid updates for gh4? like Internal 3D LUTs? internal 10bit recording

    Where will be paid update with 2.35 crop marks, $50 :-) Could not resist, sorry.