Panasonic claims in interview: We are developing the S1 successor, however, more time needs to be spent on developing the 120P.

Asobinet spotted a Panasonic interview made by chinese outlets. Important, Asobinet writes that  “this response appears to be a mix of Panasonic’s response and the author’s opinions”

New Products

  • It’s safe to assume that the next generation of the LUMIX S1 series will be released soon.
  • Panasonic is not satisfied with the specifications of the new camera and is continuing development work, such as the video specifications.
  • 8K/30P may be a “compromise” specification to solve the problem.
  • 8K/60P may be what some users really want, and some even think 8K120P would be ideal.
  • However, more time needs to be spent on developing the 120P.
  • Panasonic first chose to realize a wide range of uses.
  • In addition to the LUMIX GH7 with Arri LogC3, Panasonic and Arri plan to continue working together in the future.

lens

  • Regarding lenses, the current direction is to design them to match the body.
  • The early LUMIX S1 series was “large” and the corresponding lenses fit well.
  • The body was then significantly lighter with the LUMIX S5, and the company focused on small and medium-sized lenses.
  • With the release of the LUMIX S9, lenses such as the “LUMIX S 18-40mm F4.5-6.3” exhibited at the P&I Show are attracting attention.
  • Some users have stated that the focal length of the “LUMIX S 28-200mm F4-7.1 MACRO OIS” is still not long enough, and Panasonic is currently looking into this.
  • Panasonic said that in light of the L-Mount Alliance, non-official L-Mount AF lenses may be released.

LUMIX Lab

  • We would like to hear the opinions of more users and continue to improve and upgrade our software.
  • LUMIX Lab is currently internally considering whether to support older models.

China Market

  • Sales of mirrorless cameras remain strong in the Chinese market, making it the region with the highest number of mirrorless cameras sold.
  • Panasonic’s camera products are laid out with the Chinese market as the top priority, and production capacity is also being increased to meet the camera demand of global consumers.
  • He said he wants to learn more about the voices of Chinese users and create camera products that will be loved by more Chinese consumers.
  • As the Chinese market shifts towards video filming and many video production groups are being born, Panasonic’s GOV Video Certification Course is now in its 23rd year and has trained many students.
  • As a Global Partner of the Olympic Games in Paris, Panasonic is deeply involved in every aspect of the Games.
  • With the fluctuation of the yen’s exchange rate, it was found that many Chinese consumers went to Japan to buy Panasonic cameras and then brought them back to China. In order to close this loophole, prices were raised in the Japanese market, leaving many Japanese consumers with a bitter experience.
  • Panasonic believes it will be difficult to constantly adjust prices based on exchange rates.
  • Parallel imports do not offer perfect after-sales service, so we recommend purchasing cameras from domestic retailers.

What do you think about this interview?

Map Camera July sales rankings: Lumix S9 still selling hot

The Japanese store Mapcamera shared the top 10 of the best selling mirrorless cameras in July

  1. Nikon Z6III
  2. FujiFilm X-T50
  3. Sony α7C II
  4. Nikon Z f
  5. Nikon Z8
  6. Canon EOS R6 Mark II
  7. Sony α7RV
  8. Sony α7IV
  9. Lumix S9
  10. Lumix GH7

Digicameinfo added a bit of context to the results (google translated):

  • The much-anticipated model “Z6III”, released on July 12th, took first place on its debut. It made a huge difference in its debut from the second place model. Despite the hectic schedule of the announcement on June 17th and the start of reservations on the 19th, an enormous number of orders were placed as soon as reservations began. There were concerns about a temporary supply shortage, but thanks to the efforts of the manufacturer, there was an abundant supply and sales numbers were able to increase. Nikon’s Z8 and Z f are still very popular. The arrival of the new model has made things even more lively.
  • In second place is the “X-T50”, which was ranked first in the previous ranking. Although there was a temporary supply disruption, it recovered quickly. Although it was left behind by the newly released Z6III, it has a strong lead over the third place and below to secure second place.
  • Coming in third was the popular “α7C II”. The cashback campaign ended in August, so it remains to be seen whether it will be able to maintain its position or whether it will be overwhelmed by the offensive of other manufacturers.
  • Coming in at number 6 was the EOS R6 Mark II. In stark contrast to Nikon, which was on the rise, Canon was in a tough situation. Meanwhile, the EOS R6 Mark II was fighting a lonely battle. The long-awaited new model will finally be released next time. Let’s hope for Canon’s comeback.
  • Two Panasonic models were ranked in 9th and 10th place. It is quite rare these days for two Panasonic models to be ranked at the same time.