_G1_ discontinued? New u4/3 cam at PMA 2010?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Peter J. DeCrescenzo

Peter J. DeCrescenzo

Veteran
This is interesting news about the original, non-video G1 cam:
http://43rumors.com/panasonic-g1-discontinued/

At least one of Panasonic Japan's websites says the "G1" is "discontinued", but as of this moment their other sites still show it without mentioning it being discontinued.
http://ctlg.panasonic.jp/product/info.do?pg=04&hb=DMC-G1
http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/systemcamera/gms/g1/index.html

Could be a typo, could be real; stay tuned.

Meanwhile, the 4/3rds Rumors site says again that Panasonic will announce a new Micro 4/3rds cam at the PMA expo 2/20/10. This of course is just a rumor at this point.

Since Panasonic has been lowering the price of the GH1 lately, it makes sense they'd discontinue the G1. If they soon announce a new version of the GH1, I wonder if they'll keep the GH1 around for a while as a "less capable" & less expensive little brother of a new, more expensive "GH2" (or whatever the new cam might be called)?

EDIT: There's some good discussion here about the G1's probable demise and/or replacement, more from a photographer's perspective:
http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13419
 
Last edited:
I'm going to cry if they come with a high ISO, no mud, 25 MB/s, same price as GH1 camera.
 
This is tricky for Panasonic

This is tricky for Panasonic

Personally, I think it will be a G2 with avc lite ala the GF-1 at a cheaper price than the GH1 but with 14-45 kit lens options and 720p video.

The GH1 may not get upgraded yet, maybe we get a GH2 as well above the GH1 with the 14-140 lens and the GH1 offered with the 14-45 lens as well.

The GH2 may well be similar to the GH1 at release with better 1080p, codec/bit/monitoring/af etc, maybe a 1080p60, plus a 24p/25p selectable and 720p 50/60 selectable. Maybe a pro-battery mount with all the monitoring stuff on it! that would be cool.

This would be good for Panasonic, 4 bodies,

GF-1, 20mm or 14-45
GV-2, 20mm or 14-45 or 2 lense kits
GH-1, 20mm, 14-45, 14-140 or other lense kits
GH-2, 14-140 with f2.8-3.5 lense ( now were talking!)

All pure speculation, LOL
 
*fingers in ears, eyes closed, repeating "lalalalala"*

jk. but even if they do announce an upgrade to the GH1, it won't come out for a few more months at least, right? And then if it followed the same trend of being available in Japan first, then it won't be in the U.S. for another few months. Not to mention, it won't be $1,250 like it is now, but at least $1,500. Plenty of time to make incredible use of the GH1 now.

If they announce a new GH I'll be repeating the above statement, several, several times.
 
ignorance is bliss..ha. seems to work for me. ill be doing the same thing as you if something does come out....lalalalaalalla
 
d1rockwild said:
*fingers in ears, eyes closed, repeating "lalalalala"*

jk. but even if they do announce an upgrade to the GH1, it won't come out for a few more months at least, right? And then if it followed the same trend of being available in Japan first, then it won't be in the U.S. for another few months. Not to mention, it won't be $1,250 like it is now, but at least $1,500. Plenty of time to make incredible use of the GH1 now.

If they announce a new GH I'll be repeating the above statement, several, several times.
Click to expand...


completely agree
my GH1 arrives tomorrow and if they announce a GH1 tonight i won't shed a single tear. it's like there is this chain of events every time some new product come around

1. some unsubstantiated rumor
2. some quasi reliable rumor
3. someone leaks a portion of something tangentially related (ya'll remember the ipod touch cases with the camera hole in the back?"
4. someone at the company makes a true but off the record statement about the product with no specifics confirming the products existence but nothing more.
5. unit #1 shows up in a picture somewhere in its pre production shape.
6. an official press release with lots of details that don't actually make it clear at to how good the new product will be/wont be.
7. hot off the assembly line 10 units go to the press and influential pros
8. the reviews come back positives and a few clips get passes around the interwebs
9. all major outlets begin accepting pre orders of item at MSRP
10. you hear of one guy who actual got his shipped and it is indeed everything you knew it would be.
11. all major retailers are still accepting order but no units are in stock
12. 9 months pass
13. item is available finally for anyone whit the MSRP
14. 1 month passes
15. Price drops 20% to "street Price" and rumors serface about the next big then
16. rinse and repeat


GH1 at step #7 From April 12th 2009
http://philipbloom.co.uk/2009/04/12/panasonic-lumix-gh1/

I had a conversation with a panasonic rep one time about how i loved my DVC-30 but i was going HD but the whole HVX200/P2 card thing was out of my league ( it had just come out and was still not really available) so i had just bought a Canon XH-A1
he said You should hang on because we are doing a camera just like the DVX100 but it's HD and shoots onto SD cards

1 1/2 years later
HMC 150 is available

anyway
a GH2 will be awesome when it comes out some time just in time for Xmas 2012

ok thats my sarcasm limit for tonight
later
john
 
A case could be made for Panasonic wanting to release a new, improved "GH2" as soon as possible, if for no other reason but to reduce sales lost to the Canon 7D.

I think quite a few people would choose a "GH2" over the current 7D if the GH2 had a video recording data rate of 24mbs, decreased video noise, full-time live HDMI video & audio out (and maybe a headphone jack), enabled progressive video recording w/o pulldown, and allowed disabling of automatic audio gain during recording.

But you're right: It's very possible that nothing may happen (especially in terms of actual availability) until the end of this year.

However, in the meantime Panasonic is leaving money on the table, and I bet they know it & will try to address this ASAP.

EDIT: Another day, another rumor:
http://43rumors.com/ft5-hot-panasonic-countdown-for-the-launch-of-the-new-microfourthirds-camera/

A new, improved replacement for the G1 is all well & good, but here's hoping for a new, improved replacement for the GH1 -- or both! :-)
 
Last edited:
Bump.

My apologies: It's only a rumor, but 43Rumors.com says it's a "strong" one:
http://43rumors.com/ft5-panasonic-lx3-successor-and-panasonic-g-series-update/

The usual caveats apply. It's only a rumor. YMMV. If you need a camera _today_, buy or rent one today; otherwise wait -- they'll probably be better/cheaper "tomorrow". Stay tuned.

EDIT: A few days before the PMA expo, Panasonic will open their 3D theater and product exhibits at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, BC ~2/12/10 (Panasonic is a major sponsor of the Olympics). I suppose there's a chance they might announce/leak new product info at the Winter Olympics ahead of PMA:
http://translate.googleusercontent....le.com&usg=ALkJrhgl8TqnY5wuRyqwrAmAG7Ifb08TVw

There's a "English" link in the upper right corner of the page above, but often the "Japanese" page has more details than the English version, so check both. Refer to the parent page also:
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fex-blog.panasonic.co.jp%2Fexhibition%2F

The PMA expo/conference starts 2/19/10; the website is here:
http://www.pmai.org/pma2010_home.aspx

I wonder if Panasonic will announce new "G2" & "GH2" type cameras in time for PMA in Feb., and a new "video camcorder" type camera (based on u4/3 technology, but with XLR connectors, etc.) for the NAB expo in April? Hmm ...
 
Last edited:
It just seems like Panasonic would be shooting their own high end pro video camera division in the foot if they announced an m4/3 video camera w/xlrs.

To me it still seems like Nikon is the most likely (or at least has the biggest market opportunity) to do a pro video camera based on its dslr technology, they have nothing to lose and everything to gain, whereas Canon and Panasonic both have a lot to lose if they cannibalize their pro video camera divisions.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top