I have Panasonic SD600 camcorder which was on sale at $400 in the US before discontinued. It does have FP. So the question for Pana is not about developing a function from scratch but simply implementing what they already have even in their budget product range.

Personnaly I don't find that blue FP useful. I would rather have something like Canon XHA1 has - a button to enable massive sharpening on the LCD - that's much more visually helpful for focusing, especially in digital zoom (focus assistant) mode.

@Vitaliy_Kiselev said "As for peaking, it still can be done properly. Looking at various pro monitors I highly doubt claims about how easy it is to implement."

Au contraire, you'd be amazed at how simple it really is. A long time ago (~2.5 years) I put together a write-up trying to lobby Olympus to put focus peaking on their cameras through the Olympus UK Photo Safari Group. In it's simple Gradient form (which is already very useful) it uses math that was invented by Sir Isaac Newton. Using a Sobel Operator instead gives results that are already better than the Gradient Filter and amazingly useful.

It's a very short document (10 pages, mostly examples).

Well, a flat profile in itself wouldn't really be necessary. Only fully customizable profiles.. Or customizable enough. If Olympus can do it, it should not be a problem.

Anyway, if they use a similar firmware build as in the gh2 the gh3 will be the better camera before long.

Clean, fully working hdmi port would be good.

• bigger battery

How about the massively disruptive feature of genlock and timecode input?? GH3D (as it would certainly be nicknamed) would find an immediate place in minor and major 3D productions. A very small, but, very grateful group of film makers would rejoice and buy... well.... hundreds!!?? Crap.

I do not have many wishes:

• 1080p50/p60 (on top of the current framerates)
• More dynamic range
• Full manual audio levels
• Headphones jack (will probably never happen)

@Vitaliy_Kiselev how much more dynamic range you think we will get if any ..To me, if we can get 11-12 stops and custom picture profiles with what the gh2 offers now that would be great .

I think that for Panasonic to be taken seriously they need to out perform both the Canon Mk3 and also the Nikon D800 especially with the new 2k / 4k hack in development. If panasonic does this they have a good chance of capturing the dslr market.

do you guys really think they'll stretch this far for their consumer cam?? They can still enjoy exellent sales for GH2 for very long time. If i was Panny, i would have realesed GH3 only if i had to, and adding minor stuff..

No one need to "revolutionize" the market.
It is consumer camera aimed at specific segment.
I am sure that we'll see very good incremental improvements (screen, EVF, sensor, video formats, etc).

We has many similar words said before GH2 release, and most of them are pointless.

Well Canon, Nikon, Panasonicand few others are all holding hands behind closed doors ,while down in the foyer their respective underlings are brawling over market segment / share. I have Gh2 an amazed at what I am learning with it,(bloody novice that I am). Micro 4/3 stuff is very innovative , I think thats where Panasonic is coming from ...develop their own market with a new idea. I don't see them trying to topple the Canon Nikon dominance of DSLrs. I gained a great insight into the market cartels ex Japan in the 80's with respects to photocopy industry.

@svart

The EVF is useless for me (all i see is blurred colors while trying to use it)

“You’re holding it wrong.”