filmguy123
Veteran
I think the GH5s is proving that the M43 format may be plenty enough in the future. There are rumors about further enhancements via organic sensors, etc. The next big hurdle for m43 is hitting 14 stops DR.
When that happens - and I am sure it will, one way or another - the format may be pretty locked in as more than sufficient for professional applications. Cameras will continue to get excessive amounts of lowlight performance and high ISO, ever increasing DR, etc. But I think we're at a point where extra DR and extra ISO become more icing and specialty features rather than compromises. Clean 14 stops DR, clean ISO 6400, 4k 60p 10-bit 4:2:2 and/or internal RAW/CinemaDNG/h265 etc.
At that point, and I see that within the next few years (ever increasing internal codec and FPS gains will be easy as mobile CPU tech is rapidly increasing with plenty of headroom left), I think it might make a lot of sense for Panasonic to re-introduce a pro-bodied M43 camera again. An AF200 that is basically a GH5s, with IBIS, with ND filters and good pre-amps and XLR, with a killer built in OLED 5.5" super bright display, that sips battery, has great internal codecs and FPS, and clean 14 stops DR and ISO 6400... for under $5000k... yeah, that would be a big hit I think.
M43 will never keep pace long term with S35 and FF (as the tech will continue to improve there, too) but I think it's getting to the point where it won't necessarily need to, and other things such as size/weight/stabilization/battery/etc. will become more highly desirable. I for one would love to see a 2019/2020 AF200.
Where things will get tricky again is if 6K or 8K acquisition becomes standard, then, you really need the larger sensor size (at least for the time being) due to laws of physics. But as long as 4K delivery maintains, m43 should suffice. And I think the shelf life on 4K will be very long... I just don't see most consumers getting into 8K home theatre setups, especially when the overall trend in size is going downward (lots of mobile consumption, land in major urban areas getting more expensive as population increases, etc. Who has room for 150" 8K setup? Not the vast majority). 4K, VR, and AR are likely where things are headed for a long time, and M43 should be a perfectly adequate format for a lot of work there in the coming years.
When that happens - and I am sure it will, one way or another - the format may be pretty locked in as more than sufficient for professional applications. Cameras will continue to get excessive amounts of lowlight performance and high ISO, ever increasing DR, etc. But I think we're at a point where extra DR and extra ISO become more icing and specialty features rather than compromises. Clean 14 stops DR, clean ISO 6400, 4k 60p 10-bit 4:2:2 and/or internal RAW/CinemaDNG/h265 etc.
At that point, and I see that within the next few years (ever increasing internal codec and FPS gains will be easy as mobile CPU tech is rapidly increasing with plenty of headroom left), I think it might make a lot of sense for Panasonic to re-introduce a pro-bodied M43 camera again. An AF200 that is basically a GH5s, with IBIS, with ND filters and good pre-amps and XLR, with a killer built in OLED 5.5" super bright display, that sips battery, has great internal codecs and FPS, and clean 14 stops DR and ISO 6400... for under $5000k... yeah, that would be a big hit I think.
M43 will never keep pace long term with S35 and FF (as the tech will continue to improve there, too) but I think it's getting to the point where it won't necessarily need to, and other things such as size/weight/stabilization/battery/etc. will become more highly desirable. I for one would love to see a 2019/2020 AF200.
Where things will get tricky again is if 6K or 8K acquisition becomes standard, then, you really need the larger sensor size (at least for the time being) due to laws of physics. But as long as 4K delivery maintains, m43 should suffice. And I think the shelf life on 4K will be very long... I just don't see most consumers getting into 8K home theatre setups, especially when the overall trend in size is going downward (lots of mobile consumption, land in major urban areas getting more expensive as population increases, etc. Who has room for 150" 8K setup? Not the vast majority). 4K, VR, and AR are likely where things are headed for a long time, and M43 should be a perfectly adequate format for a lot of work there in the coming years.
