Ces 2010

Peter J. DeCrescenzo

Peter J. DeCrescenzo

Veteran
As many of you know, the CES expo starts 1/7/2010 or thereabouts.

I don't know if Panasonic is planning any GH1-related announcements, but here are some links to keep an eye on:
http://translate.google.com/transla...nasonic.co.jp/exhibition/ces2010/&sl=ja&tl=en
http://ex-blog.panasonic.co.jp/exhibition/en/2009/12/22/

Notice how the Google Translate version (from the Japanese) contains slightly more information than the English version of the page that Panasonic publishes. It's possible this may be true of subsequent pages they publish next month: The official Japanese page might contain more details than the official English page.

I also noticed that, as of yesterday or so, Panasonic's official product schedule page just started listing products for 2010. So, again, keep an eye on this page for new product info:
http://translate.google.com/transla....jp/schedule.html&sl=ja&tl=en&history_state0=

(Note on the schedule page you sometimes have to click the "Expected Release" sort button for the list to display correctly).

Refer also to their press release page as news, if any, appears:
http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/pressrelease/index.html

I've also been doing searches on Panasonic's Japanese websites for documents that might contain phrases such as "GH2" or variations on that theme (or any other phrase I could think of which might relate), but so far nothing has turned up concerning new HD video-capable cameras. Not yet.

Again, I don't have any idea if Panasonic is showing or announcing anything of interest to indie-cinema & video producers at CES in January. But even if they don't show a new product, there's always the possibility of some sort of announcement. Stay tuned.
 
It's now Monday morning in Japan (well, it's been Monday AM for a few hours, but the business day won't start for an hour or two), and the CES expo starts in just a few days ...

Panasonic might announce new consumer cameras (video & still) at CES & PMA, and prosumer & pro cameras (video) at NAB, but since products are so mixed-up these days, they could announce new cams at pretty much any show or at any time. It ain't like the old days!

Or, they may not announce any new "video"-capable "DSLR" at all.

FYI: PMA expo is Feb. 21-23 in Anaheim, CA. The NAB expo is in Las Vegas starting April 10-15.

As always, if you need a camera today, buy or rent one today. Otherwise wait.
 
In addition to the links in the 1st post in this thread (see above), I noticed Panasonic posted the following brief mention of the Lumix cams featured in their booth at CES today:
http://translate.googleusercontent....le.com&usg=ALkJrhjJFKXj_SHuOMt3SdFgIQddCQgV5g

They say "There are many visitors who seem to be showering the staff in the corner with questions."

Hopefully many of those visitors are gently twisting the Panasonic folks' arms to find out when the next version of the GH1 will be announced! :-)
 
Apparently Panasonic showed prototypes of new Micro Four-Thirds lenses at CES this week:
http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/24547/panasonic-lumix-lenses/
http://43rumors.com/panasonic-shows-his-future-microfourthirds-lenses-at-ces/

I wonder if these will be officially announced at the PMA expo next month?

It's now been more than a year since the GH1 was first announced/leaked by Panasonic, and next month's PMA will be almost the GH1's 1-year anniversary, so I suppose there's a chance they might announce the GH1's successor at PMA. Maybe. Not holding my breathe of course. :-)

A 3D question: Do 3D video cameras require more processing power than conventional 2D video cameras? If so, perhaps new 2D cams will get a trickle-down benefit from new faster processor hardware tech ... perhaps resulting in better video quality 2D video w/o much additional cost?
 
Breezed through the Panasonic "booth" (Can you really call the mega-manufacturers mega-spaces a "booth") and completely missed these. So much to see and do...but as you saw from the other press, there was some Lumix announcements, but nothing along the lines of a GH2 to be seen anywhere.

Engadget did get to see the 2/3rds RED Scarlet up close and personal, but there again, we're double the cost at minimum to get started with a camera, and no firm ship dates or prices yet.

As for 3D cameras...I'll admit I'm not sure how to answer your question. Most the 3D camera systems I saw at CES were not so much like the Panasonic solution (That looks like a HVX200 with 2 lenses at the front) but more like 2 completely separate camera modules feeding some black box far away from the camera doing all the processing. Very broadcast style. It'll be interesting to see if the 3D catches on. The manufacturers sure want it to, but even after seeing it (and seeing several manufacturers take on it)...I'm not yet sold that it's "must have" or anything more than a gimmick.


I did see a JVC projector in 4K. All I could think of is "We're having a hard enough time making sure focus and everything else is spot on at HD resolutions!"
 
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