Camera Random Neural Firings addendum: Something new and Panasonic

Recently created a post that spoke to the recent Canon full-frame mirrorless news.

Recently created a post that spoke to the recent Nikon full-frame mirrorless news.

Conveniently for me, I can mostly recycle much of these posts with additional notes. See below. New text in italics.

New and Nikon Canon Panasonic:

You may have heard that Nikon Canon Panasonic made an announcement this week. Not like it has received much press.

I do think Nikon has a leg up on Canon in this. Canon has more on the line with their new mirrrorless in my humble opinion. Panasonic really had an easy job of this on paper since they came last. But first caveats.

1. I want Nikon, Canon, and now Panasonic to be successful with their mirrorless endeavors.
2. Most of the specs are quite impressive. Been covered far and wide and I am glad.
3. Three things caused Sony to catch a lot of flack for Gen I and Gen II cameras. Poor battery life, one card slot, and slow focusing. All fixed in Gen III Sonys. Counting on Nikon to nail AF, but two three things baffle me:
   • Battery life may be so-so. I can cope with carrying extra batteries, but for the sake of Nikon Canon Panasonic I hope this is not true. If it is true I am not sure why Nikon Canon Panasonic would let this happen after what Sony went through.
   • One card slot. Good gravy have I heard the drumbeat of grumbling DSLR adherents because Sony started with only one card slot. This one is true and I am not sure why Nikon Canon would let this happen after what Sony went through. Yay Panasonic! Even if one slot takes the faster, but very expensive XQD cards. But more importantly 2 slots.
   • No phase detect AF? Money says that is going to bite you.

Deal breakers? Not for me (but there are some noted below). I bought into Gen I and Gen II Sony (among other things). If I was a Nikon Canon Panasonic customer I would be all over this… maybe. don’t know. Since this is Panasonic’s first full frame I imagine their customer base has made peace with MFT. The D850 5D Mark IV GH5 is awesome and I would possibly wait it out to see if there are any Nikon Canon Panasonic bugs that need to be worked out first before taking the leap. And lastly, I hope Nikon can deliver actual cameras. According to the camera shop the D850 has been out for quite a while and they still are not easy to get a hold of. I am really pulling for them. The more viable alternatives, the better it is for the consumer. But there are some stumbles here:

• I do not know if I would be willing to pay an extra $500 over the asking price for an A7iii.
• The release lens specs do not impress. Fine lenses I am sure, but the zoom lenses have utilitarian specs at f/4. The 50mm f/1.4 is nice also but unfortunately comes after the Canon f/1.2. Additionally, their size, weight, and cost do not make sense to me.
• No phase detect? Game over as far as I am concerned no matter what Panasonic PR material says.
• Crop 4K. I rarely shoot video, but would not be interested in dealing with different fields of view for stills and video.
• Have no doubt that this camera will be a very capable device able to create wonderful images. But I do not see it as making a compelling case for itself given established and other new competitors.

All this being said I do wish Nikon, Canon, and Panasonic success in general and also for selfish reasons. Generally choice and competition benefits customers. Selfishly it is my hope that having three major players added to the full frame mirrorless market will increase the availability of quality 3rd party full frame mirrorless lenses for all. I wish them all success.

Well, that concludes this ramble-fest.

Happy shooting.

-ELW