[Winder]

Just discussion, no drama nor DOOOOM.

I have a Panasonic GX-85 for those times when my main K-1 system is too bulky. Panasonic just announced a new FF alliance (with Sigma and Leica).

Will Panasonic continue to be committed to M4/3? If they quit, will Olympus go it alone? IMO it will take around 6 months to know, after we see or don't see more announcements from both companies.

Will the M4/3 format be squeezed out by smartphone improvements and the shrinking size of FF bodies? I think not. Some FF bodies are impressively small, but the lens trend is for enormous, optically perfect, heavy lenses.

Discuss...

You Tube

You Tube

M4/3 is going to be fine. Its an excellent system for many photographers including professionals. I always preferred the 4/3 systems to the APS-C. I think having a M4/3 and a FF system makes more sense than Fuji's APS-C and crop medium format system. Obviously M4/3 is not the best option for everyone, but its more than enough for the majority of photographers.

[surfar]

Obviously M4/3 is not the best option for everyone, but its more than enough for the majority of photographers.

In good light its great....

[sylvainp]

I have shot with the Panny GH5 and f2.8 zoom, it's big and expensive, it had great video specs but the stills were ordinary. AF wasn't great, either, even with on-sensor PDAF.

The GH5 doesn't use pdaf but cdaf with dfd. The only m43 currently in production using pdaf is the em1.2 and AF is great compared to dfd and cdaf. Even the panasonic G9 doesn't use pdaf and apparently their new FF lineup won't either. I switched from m43 panasonic body to the olympus em1.2 for this exact reason.

[Nuno Almeida]

Honestly don't know what the problem with Pana af is, personally I trust it much more then I ever did my K1, love my little GX80 awesome camera

[clackers]

The GH5 doesn't use pdaf but cdaf with dfd. .

What's DFD, Sylvain?

I note also the issues here -


https://fstoppers.com/originals/its-official-gh5-has-autofocus-issues-and-pa...esponds-173294

[surfar]

Theres been a firmware update to correct the AF issues back May 30(2.3) and theres another(2.4) coming late this month.

Reports are AF is much better.

---------- Post added 10-06-18 at 04:31 PM ----------

I note also the issues here -

Yes, Panasonic noted them too!

[clackers]

Theres been a firmware update to correct the AF issues back May 30(2.3) and theres another(2.4) coming late this month.

Reports are AF is much better.

---------- Post added 10-06-18 at 04:31 PM ----------



Yes, Panasonic noted them too!

My mate did 2.3, still no good.

The Panny's pretty ordinary as far as autofocus goes, and it costs a lot of money for such a small sensored camera.

[Nuno Almeida]

For video sure, unreliable, for stills.. AFS is pretty instantaneous and AFC specially in the latest models very workable, not bad at all.

[surfar]

My mate did 2.3, still no good.

Hes gota keep his head still in the Vlogs,that's the secret!

[zapp]

Micro Four Thirds will be around a long time. The format has a major advantage in terms of LENS size (and lens choice). There are many terrific yet TINY lenses for the format. In some of these discussions there's too much emphasis on body size. Mirrorless FF bodies may be of modest size, but it's a challenge to design a lens that can provide sharp corners when combining a large sensor with a short register distance. The angles are extreme. The resulting lenses are huge, eliminating most of the weight advantage of a smallish body. When dealing with a short register distance it's much easier to get sharp corners when the sensor is relatively small. There are some superb MFT lenses that are almost unbelievably tiny, even by APS-C standards. You can put together a really compact kit. It's all about the lenses!

In addition, recent improvements in sensor technology and noise handling have reduced the drawbacks to the smaller MFT sensors. To see this, look at the output from the new 20-megapixel sensors in the Panasonic G9 and GX9. The image quality is as good as (or better than) what you could get from APS-C not that long ago. Of course the newer APS-C sensors are better still, but the difference is not large enough to matter for many applications.

The MFT format will continue to serve a couple of important niches. First, some people prefer a small and lightweight system, and don't need the very best output. MFT offers the smallest overall kit with a decent sensor size. Second, some FF (and MF) shooters who do have a need for the very best output also have a MFT system because sometimes they want to travel light, and in some cases MFT output is good enough. This second group doesn't view MFT as a substitute for FF, but rather as a very useful complement. Because of these two markets, and because of the terrific lens selection, MFT isn't going away anytime soon.

Dan

During film days, you wanted a 35mm camera for regular work and medium format for studio. Today, FF sensors easily surpass medium format film cameras and M4/3 easily surpasses former 35mm film cameras. Panasonic may go M4/3 and FF at the same time - these systems complement each other. Pentax is currently stuck with APS-C/FF/medium formar - all with OVF and mirrors.
The M4/3 system is not just an amateur system. Many pros do their work with M4/3. Capatilize on the advantages and the system does well for you.

[surfar]

Youtu.be

Youtu.be

The Panny's pretty ordinary as far as autofocus goes,

Panasonic pay attention to the forums as well.

[Winder]

What's DFD, Sylvain?

I note also the issues here -


It's Official, the GH5 Has Autofocus Issues and Panasonic Responds | Fstoppers

You Tube

You Tube

[Clarkey]

Panasonic have confirmed that they are committed to M4/3, and stressed this at the time they were announcing the full-frame concept.

Without a revolution in sensor design, focusing on their inherent strengths (size of lenses, portability, interchangeable system, fantastic video, better IS/SR), rather than the F1.2 lenses currently coming out will prevent a fate similar to classic 4/3. There are now a trove of good lenses for the system - pretty much anything anyone would need. If they put out a native ISO 100 sensor (!), or one of the Sony multi-ISO designs (which they did for the GH5s), I think that would go a long way to being enough for a greater proportion of users' needs, and look good when pixel peeping.

Most users do not print >8x10/A4 size, and as noted the latest 20MP sensor is well and truly good enough. For online uses, I'd agree they are being squeezed from 1inch and smartphones. Dynamic range is better than some APS-C competitors, and the output in good light is very detailed. You could say that 1 inch is enough, and this is true, but having processed 1 inch (I had a Nikon V1), I would rather have something a bit bigger. And you get to change lenses.

Personally, my GM5 works well. I'm travelling next month, and having a fully featured body with decent output, good video and an EVF (211g), plus a 12-32 (70g), slow 35-100 (135g), and 20mm (87g) that is smartphone connected still works. Pity there isn't a successor of similar size and weight that has an EVF a touch bigger. I would consider a GX9, but honestly it is more than twice the weight.

Competition from Fujifilm and the Canon M series seems the key concern. However (since their start), Fuji is making bigger lenses, which are starting to turn some users off (me included), rather than match the sub-400g bodies that they originally provided. Personally, I have the 23mm F2 (a lens that Pentax refuses to make, and which caused me to find a solution elsewhere), and am definitely looking forward to the 16mm F2.8.

Canon M is interesting (especially if they release more lenses), but with the rumoured APS-C body for their EOS R system, I'm not sure that they will develop this further. Their tiny and good/well priced 23mm F2, and now 32mm F1.4 lenses certainly help the system. Their M100/M50 bodies are good in this respect, pity about the lack of image stabilisation.