Panasonic is preparing to unveil a new Lumix camera for “content creators” on May 23rd. Several sources report that this will be a very compact camera with a full-frame 24 megapixel matrix (the same sensor is installed in the Panasonic Lumix S5 II), and, most importantly, an L-mount bayonet mount. This means it will be possible to install advanced optics from Sigma, Leica and Panasonic itself.
Panasonic’s division in China has published an official teaser of the future product with the slogan “Capture true color” – capture the true color:
It’s quite an interesting slogan; I wonder how exactly the company will reveal it during the announcement of the new product. Several sources are cautiously revealing details about the upcoming new Panasonic Lumix. Let’s summarize everything that is known at the moment.
Firstly, we are talking about a full-frame mirrorless camera with an L-mount bayonet mount. It will be equipped with a 24 megapixel sensor, which previously debuted in the Panasonic Lumix S5 II.
This sensor supports hybrid advanced autofocus , which means a significant improvement in the camera’s capabilities. Theoretically, autofocus performance should be at the level of cameras from Sony, Canon, Nikon and Fujifilm, which have long introduced phase focusing in combination with contrast focusing.
Second point. The source says the camera will be “targeted for content creators.” This definition may hide a more familiar word – “blogger”, which is quite logical given the widespread expansion of Sony and Nikon to a similar audience. In this regard, you should not expect a camera for professional cameramen or photographers. This will be a camera for a special segment.
It is clarified that the new Panasonic Lumix camera will receive some unique features for content creators that have not yet been seen. During the announcements of Sony compact cameras for bloggers, such statements ultimately hid the software bokeh effect and built-in beauty. I wonder what Panasonic will offer.
The third thing the source talks about is ultra-compactness. The camera will not have an electronic viewfinder, and will only be slightly higher in height than the bayonet mount itself. At the same time, the source writes that the camera will be smaller in size (without lens) than the Fujifilm X100VI model. This may already lead to certain thoughts. For example, the new product from Panasonic may not have matrix stabilization (IBIS) to maintain compactness.
However, the company has been developing the IBIS system for quite a long time and successfully (since the M4/3 camera line), and can use existing developments to achieve results with small camera dimensions.
It is specified that the new camera will have a fully rotatable display . For framing in difficult conditions or shooting in selfie mode, this is a very convenient functionality that the Fujifilm X100VI camera does not have.
And of course, the big advantage of the new product will be the L-mount bayonet mount and the ability to install interchangeable optics, the source clarifies. Thus, it is likely that this model will compete with several segments of cameras from other manufacturers: Sony ZV-E1, Nikon Z5, Sony ZV-E10 and others.
The cost of the new product will be $300-500 less than the Panasonic Lumix S5 II – its foreign price is $1,797. Thus, a new compact camera can be sold at a price of $1,300.
In addition to this camera, Panasonic may release another model during the summer. She has already completed the official registration procedure. In total, the company has registered three models. Preliminarily, the next announcement will take place in July 2024.
The expected new product is Panasonic Lumix S1 II. It was reported that this camera will receive a multi-layer sensor with a resolution of 34 megapixels. The manufacturer will traditionally improve the matrix image stabilization system (IBIS), which is one of the strengths of Panasonic cameras. We should expect an increase compared to the previous generation camera.
