Future GHx with PDAF predictions for spring 2023

EspenB

It's my gut feeling that both the GH5M2 and GH6 are EOL.

There is a lot of conjecture here, but my observations are the following:

Fire sale of the GH5M2all over (Norway, UK, Germany). Mostly bodies as the GH5M2 kits have been sold out during the black friday week. UPDATE: One retailer lists the GH5M2 as discontinued.

Also hefty rebates in the GH6 last year (-500 USD in US, same as on the S5 mk I BTW, in europe it was 400 euro winter cash back). Current GH6 discount at B&H is still -300USD. GH6 lens kits sold out from many german retailers, some list mid march for new stock/replacements.

Also the 12-35 mm f2.8 mk II lens have been observed at dumping prices, i.e. buy a GH6 get the 12-35 mm f2.8 for FREE (Norway).

So my personal prediction; both the GH5M2 and GH6 are end-of-life. The last GH6 has probably already departed from the factory. New high end m43 camera, probably an upgraded GHx, with the new Pana Leica 12-35 mm f2.8 kit zoom, will be here in 3-4 months.

Possible/Likely announcement at CP+ in february.

EspenB

GH5M2 basically listed as discontinued.

EspenB

https://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/topic/special/1465206.html

Shiomi: I am happy that there are many users who love LUMIX. However, we recognize that we are not yet a strong manufacturer in the market. We believe that the S5II this time is a product of a very high dimension, and we believe that this is the next phase of LUMIX. Please look forward to the rapid progress of LUMIX in the future.

garroulus

@EspenB i can't but appreciate your zeal for the gh series. I do have a gh5 wich i pre-ordered next day when was available and after broken the second 12-60 "Leica" (very poor quality around the mount) i now use it mostly for photos with a slr magic 25 mm t0.95.

EspenB

@garroulus

The Pana Leica 12-60 mount is so weak?

PauloTeixeira

Same happened to me years ago with my Panasonic Leica 12-60mm. The GH5 was in my bag along with lots of other things. Not sure if the bag went on the ground very hard or hit something in the bag very hard. Took the camera out of the bag and saw the lens ripped off the camera. Luckily I had the 14-140 lens I could use for the videos I was doing that day. I sent it to Panasonic and they gave me a replacement for free. Never had problems with the new one ever since.

EspenB

@PauloTeixeira @garroulus

One user posted this on the GH5/GH6 facebook forum today.

Had a flight . Opened my luggage . The lens was attached to the camera . Probably snapped when luggage was dropped of . The flight was 9 days ago , only today I opened the luggage with the camera and saw this.

Weak plastic fixation point for such a large lens. Also only three screws, instead of four.

garroulus

Well i didn't take pictures but i broke two lenses exactly the same and i did pay 600 euros for the replacement of the first. Srl magic 25 f 0.9 it's built like a tank for only 400 ...of course it doesn't have the versatility of the pana leica.

mee

So maybe this guy was right after all =)

EspenB

GH6 body is USD200 off and with a FREE Pana leica 12-60 mm lens at both Adorama and B&H.

Replacement announcement at CP+ after all?

At least such deals is usually a sign of stock reductions. And camera is just 10-11 months old.

EspenB

One week to CP+ today.

Surely also Panasonic will announce something new at this show!?

EspenB

Thanks to https://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1480991.html

Well, nothing much from CP+ in Japan as the show only showcases the S5M2 and GH6. These are the two "pillars" of Lumix for the next phase.
Well then, it looks like the only salient thing about Lumix G for the time being is the continuing price declines on the GH6.
While we continue the imagination of the next phase of Lumix G.
What a travesty.

Panasonic can stick the swag sticker where the sun doesn't shine. ;-)

EspenB

https://phototrend-fr.translate.goog/2023/02/interview-yosuke-yamane-2023-panasonic-strategie-plein-format/

Q: Can we now imagine the integration of hybrid autofocus on the next Lumix cameras, including the Micro 4/3 side?

A: With the adoption of phase detection AF in this new model, we have all the AF technologies. For cameras released in the future, we will adopt the optimal autofocus method each time, while evaluating the target users and customer benefits.

We will consider adding phase detection AF to our cameras depending on the model characteristics, not only for full-frame cameras, but also for Micro Four Thirds. And on this last point, I invite you to stay tuned for our next announcements.

majoraxis

I'm loving the GH6. I would love it even more if it had phase detection AF... that said, as people upgrade to whatever m4/3 Panasonic releases next, I will be in the market to purchase another GH6 used if it is cheap enough. I am hoping that Panasonic will release BRAW support for the GH6 in a firmware update. If they add that to the GH7? and not the GH6 I will definitely give the GH7? strong consideration especially if it does phase detect AF.

Isn't Panasonic due to release an organic sensor with massive amounts of dynamic range as was previously test demoed when showing a shot of someone the a grandstand with a perfectly exposed image?

EspenB

@majoraxis

The organic sensor is at the same hide out as that 8K m43 cam from Sharp...

I seem to suck a predictions here, but heck if they will release a m43 with PDAF this side of summer on the western hemisphere, it will probably be announced in april/may. But I guess we should be getting some rumours before that happens.

mee

I don't want to do a re-run of my above video, but I have good reason to believe a G9MKII with PD is going to hit the scene relatively soon (long before a GH with PD)

EspenB

@mee

Is a G9 mark II even likely in the current videocentric Lumix future? But heck if it's like a "blogger" 60 FPS edition like the S5M2 it might have some merit. So bye bye to expensive CF card, 120 FPS and fancy SSD compatible codecs. And that fat cat body size. Whatever hits the fan, it will be interesting to see the sensor performance.

mee

@EspenB G9 is very popular in Japan for bird photographers among other natural world genres. I only see gh line in the hands of foreigners. G9 MKII...; fine I will say it.. it's coming. Side note, G9 is the most long lasting consistently priced pro level camera out there period. It never decreased in value.

EspenB

@mee What lens(es) are these birders using? The 100-300 and 100-400 mm? Panasonic killed of the 200mm and it's tele converters so that was probably a tad expensive option for the system.

mee

I see the 100-400 allot lately. I know a woman who shoots exclusively King Fisher photography with that combo. She does several galleries a year and her work is very impressive often giving full frame images a run for their money. Not the norm, but there are also a few old timers in my area that adapt old long manual focus lenses with some pretty amazing results.

EspenB

@mee

I attended the norwegian "pro AV show" in Oslo, which has the Scandinavian Lumix distributor on site together with the Scandinavian Lumix promoter/manager from Panasonic (Martin Wallgreen). We talked about possible future Lumix G cameras with PDAF. Of course they can't really say anything, but he claimed that he was informed on future cameras in developement, but not their specific release date. He did not object much to the proposal that a G9 mk II was in developement, suggesting that such a camera would probably also have solid video features a kind to the S5M2. However, he thought that a spring announcement maybe was to early. And that was about it.

LLB 2023 show in Oslo (Pro Av, stage and studio).

EspenB

Here we go again, rumours about a S1H mk II for release in the next few days/weeks.

mee

@EspenB, in regards to the ProAV Show you attended and the G9, sounds very similar to my conversation. I didn't press for a time frame, as it is clear my "gh6 leak" video was not unnoticed in these parts and I would like to re-build my relationship with Panasonic if possible. Now that they are sorta leaving the sand their heads occupied, I am hopeful with the praise to come they will be a little less standoffish and less closed looped when it comes to interviews. Unfortunately as it is I think Covid re-enforced hyper controlled content/hype for allot of camera companies.

EspenB

@mee

As we now see a (possible) revamp of the whole Lumix S lineup with PDAF, before anything for Lumix G it somehow reiterates the feeling that Lumis S is most important for Panasonic going forward. Granted these first gen FF cameras are older than the GH6/GH5M2, but it leaves the Lumix G in the dust(*) until this feature has "tricked down". And the Scandinavian distributor (which for some reason is a private company outside of Panasonic) seemed more interested in singing the Lumix S praise - indicating that sales numbers had shifted to Panasonic FF.

(* = And with that comes the rebates and cash backs; currently the best deal on the GH6 was observed in the UK with about 500 GBP in rebates and two included CF Express cards retailing for 400 GBP to sweeten the deal.)

EspenB

MediaMark in Germany had a good deal on the GH6 body for 1599,- euro, but was soon sold out it seems.

EspenB

To sum it up:

Nothing at CP+ show.
Nothing at NAB 2023.

The S5M2 "x" is shipping by the end of may, basically not available until june.

So not much hope for new product announcement this spring IMO. Probably have to wait until the autumn. September onwards. Perhaps at IFA 2023...

Pretty heavy promotions of the "current" GH6 with it's well know failure points. But not much of firmware updates in the last six months. NAB 2023 focused mostly on GH6 in different cages from the usual suspects. And that handle with built inn card slot for the new SanDisk SSD stick.

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