GH2 Dear Panasonic: Please make a GH "box" m43 camera head!

Actually Panasonic Pro has a very similar camera head but with a 1/4" sensor and the first time I saw it I commented that I'd buy one in a second once they made a 4/3" version.

http://panasonic.com/business/provideo/AG-HCK10G.asp
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I was about to post a link for this camera and then noticed you'd posted it already. It doesn't seem to be too much of a stretch that Panasonic could create an m4/3 mount version, with an HD SDI and maybe HDMI output. Then again, I'm not a camera designer.
 
I would buy it for 500-1000$ as price of box alone.
Actually 4months ago I had an Idea to create such a box. My prototype was made of aluminium and very strong grade plastic, but it's weight was more than 500g> . The acces to the steering buttons was not really a problem- buttons were pushed from above- the same way as in the GO PRO case. Finally I left this idea and created camera handle with LED, monitor and microphone mount similar, but more compact than Edelkrone modula. I work with it all the time and it gives pro video camera ergonomics to little GH2.
 
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Some time ago I toyed with the idea of using old Minolta system camera body to use as the chassis for a digital camera.

It has a viewfinder with focus assist, lens mount for super lenses, buttons to use to activate recording. The camera would use the B exposure method, where activating recording would pull the mirror aside and open up the shutter. But then you would need external monitor attached on the accessory and flash mount on the top of the camera. I have too many projects already, and unfortunately any smart device would not probably fare well these days.

The consumers are not smart enough to demand smart products and the ten potential customers for the camera would not allow covering the cost of development. It would be a fantastic camera, but economical disaster. This is also the reason we may be hearing news from Olympus and Panasonic rather soon, and they will be not what we would have been hoping for. They will be a short news about m4/3 seeing the end of it's road. Now this is pure and utter speculation from my part, but I have the 6th sense about these things.
 
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stoneinapond said:
That makes absolutely no sense, sixth or otherwise.

Perhaps you mean 4/3.
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Both Olympus and Panasonic are in dire economic condition and will hardly be in a position to release anything significant anytime soon. Has anybody seen or heard about anybody who bought the GX1 or what was the newest models that were released and have extremely quickly fallen completely off the radar?

There is a rumor that they already canned the big m4/3 models (AF100?). And that would have been the best camera from cinema making point of view, would have only required a little bit of improvements, smaller chassis and price reduction. But these are Japanese companies, so nobody really knows. I don't claim to have any information either.
 
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Aki_Hartikainen said:
Both Olympus and Panasonic are in dire economic condition and will hardly be in a position to release anything significant anytime soon.
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The OM-D is about to become a best seller. And the company has stated its intention to strengthen their photographic business.

There is a rumor that they already canned the big m4/3 models (AF100?).
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Different division. And I agree they should have shown a successor at NAB. But they seem to march to the sound of a different drummer.
 
stoneinapond said:
Different division. And I agree they should have shown a successor at NAB. But they seem to march to the sound of a different drummer.
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So it's basically not a rumor then. They will just quietly forget they even had such a product, the usual Japan style? Anybody who doesn't speak Japanese could not know what is going on in Japan. No m4/3 gear is selling right now with the volume that would keep anybody afloat and nobody is trying to actually sell them either or demonstrate how good they are, so I'm afraid there is no need for a crystall ball for this one.
 
*Sigh* The AF100 successor was just a rumor that never was confirmed. At all.

Is it just me or the crazy customer division habit of rolling over products quickly is getting in the pro broadcast division as well? Yeah, innovation is great, but I'd rather wait one more year and get an even better model with greater features than have some minor updates advertised as revolutionary just for the sake of doing like everyone else.
 
Gabriel Berube said:
*Sigh* The AF100 successor was just a rumor that never was confirmed. At all.

Is it just me or the crazy customer division habit of rolling over products quickly is getting in the pro broadcast division as well? Yeah, innovation is great, but I'd rather wait one more year and get an even better model with greater features than have some minor updates advertised as revolutionary just for the sake of doing like everyone else.
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The AF100 could use some improvements. If they still support that product, they would have at least published an updated version. What did Panasonic publish at NAB, by the way?
 
I'd love something like this....something where it doesn't quite feel like you'll break something trying to mount it securely onto a rig. With a box camera setup there is so many more ways to securely mount the unit, and not silly buttons all over the place. Then again, what I have in mind is very much a rugged, water-resistant and dust/mud resistant (recent rally event filming) box camera. A box is easily mountable in various rigs, commercial or diy (and DIY is usually needed in the myriad of filming challenges that you are presented). Let us hope!
 
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