Why Panasonic needs the G7, Part 1, Concept

On the right, current model G6. On the left, mockup of proposed successor, the G7

 

In decline I keep reading reports of declining sales across all categories of camera. One has the feeling that some manufacturers are going to fail. In the face of this most of them are churning out ever more models presumably hoping that one or some of them will be the money spinner which allows them to survive while others fail.

Panasonic started the mirrorless interchangeable lens initiative with the G1 in 2008. The G1 looked and mostly worked like a little DSLR. Since then the G series has delivered the G2 which was much like the G1, then the G3 which was an ergonomic backward step with a top/rear shutter button position and only a mini handle. There was no G4 apparently for superstitious reasons to do with the number 4. (but there is now a GH4, so much for superstition). The G5 which was announced in July 2012 had a much improved user interface with good handling.

G5 marketing ? I can't speak for other countries but in Australia Panasonic did not market the G5 in any way which I could detect. I found it difficult to find one so I could buy it. No surprise that it did not sell very well. When I look through the current catalogue of Australian vendors I see G5's are still being offered for sale.

G6, coming ready or not Without clearing stocks of the G5 Panasonic released the G6 in April 2013. The G6 is a makeover of the G5 with enough improvements to make it attractive to G5 owners wanting to upgrade. Assuming there were enough G5 owners to make this a viable proposition, which apparently is not the case. In fact the G6 is a very nice camera in the mini DSLR style. It is enjoyable to use and it makes very good pictures.

G6 in hand

Now I read rumors that there will be no G7 this year. With unsold stocks of G5's and G6's that is not surprising. Panasonic is trying to turn around it's overall financial position, apparently with some success, so I guess underperforming lines and products will not be tolerated by head office.

The 43 Rumors website recently polled readers about their wishes, with the question "what camera line should Panasonic keep and what not"? Most support has been declared for the GH line followed by the GX, GM, G and GF, in that order.

If Panasonic (or any other maker) is to survive in the camera business I believe they need to establish a core line of models and stick to it, with incremental updates. Non core models can come and go. Consider the automobile business and Toyota in particular. Their core passenger car models are the Corolla, in the small car category (well, actually it's not all that small these days, they got size creep) and the Camry in the medium car category. Motoring writers love to hate these vehicles but they sell very well because they provide what the customers want and expect in a reliable passenger car. I think that Panasonic, and by the way Sony, Fuji and Olympus need to consolidate their product lines into a small set of core models which reliably and consistently meet the needs of most photographers.

My work on camera ergonomics leads me to the view that within the genre of mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras a well designed humptop type provides the best ergonomics and best user experience. This is a proper camera with an inbuilt EVF, anatomical handle, forward shutter button, fully articulated monitor, built in flash and a full set of hard controls suitable for the expert/enthusiast user. The control system is of the modern Mode Dial and Control Dial type. Novices can be very happy using the Auto Mode and have the opportunity to graduate to the expert modes as their skills increase.

GH series Every camera makers needs a flagship, or hero line of models. These are the cameras with the highest possible picture quality and performance, able to tackle almost any photographic assignment. The GH3 comes close to hero status. From all current reports, it appears the GH4 has what it takes with a combined level of still and video imaging capability never before seen in a single consumer product. So Panasonic has it's flagship.

G7 Mockup in hand

G series I have briefly described the G series story above. In the CanoNikon world very few buyers opt for the hero camera. Most buy an entry or upper entry level model. That is CanoNikon's bread and butter. Panasonic needs an entry/upper entry model for the same reason. If the product development people at Panasonic are really smart they will offer just one such model (to contain R&D costs) and make it fully featured so novices can use it with no trouble on Auto Mode, while more experienced users can customise their camera in the expert modes. A fully evolved G7 can be that model.

GF series Until quite recently and I suspect even now at Canon and Nikon, MILC's were regarded as a kind of half way stage between a compact and a Real Camera which some people still think is a DSLR. I never believed this and have long been of the view that the only way forward for MILC's is to compete head on with DSLR's and beat them at their own game. It has always seemed to me that the "half way" camera is really a "half baked" one ultimately serving no user group particularly well. So I would not shed a tear if Panasonic dropped the GF series.

GM series (assuming the GM1 is the start of a series) I see this as a demonstration project showing just how much photo capturing technology can be stuffed into an amazingly small package. Sony has also been on this trip recently in various guises. I think when buyers get over the "OMG look how small it is" initial response they will come to discover that it is burdened by many holding, viewing and operating compromises forced by that very smallness.

In brief I think the GM is a techno-frolic and buyers will get over the novelty.

GX series This is a bit more complex as Panasonic changed the GX series concept in mid stream. The GX1 appeared towards the end of 2011. It was initially well received but it has no built in viewfinder, a deficiency which limits it's long term appeal. Panasonic kept the GX name but changed everything else with the GX7 of 2013. This camera does have a built in EVF. But the retro styling places the shutter button in the suboptimal top/rear position on the body and forces use of a mini handle which does not provide a secure grip on the camera. In addition the thumb support is vestigial. In consequence the camera is not particularly comfortable or secure to hold. In Australia Panasonic marketed the GX7 with some of the vigour which was so notably lacking in the (non existent) campaign to sell the G5 and G6.

In brief I think the GX7 is a niche model enjoying some success right now on a little wave of retro enthusiasm. But I do not see it as the core small/entry/upper entry fully featured Panasonic MILC.

So, I think the way ahead lies with continuation of the G series in the form of the G7. I have some explicit ideas about the shape which this camera might take and will present these in the next post.