(FT5) Panasonic to create two new “categories” of Micro Four Thirds (video/photo) cameras (in 2011)!

[shoplink 17020 ebay][/shoplink] According to my very best sources Panasonic will create two new categories of Micro Four Thirds cameras (within 2011). Not GH, not GF and not G cameras! The sources didn’t gave me any further details about those new products. But we received rumors from other (new) sources saying that Panasonic could launch an affordable Micro Four Thirds video-camera.

I tried to imagine what kind of new “camera category” could be developed (That part is my own speculation):

1) The compact Rangefinder styled Micro Four Thirds camera. Like the [shoplink 17844 ebay]Leica M9 (Click here to see the design)[/shoplink] but with EVF or Hybrid Viewfinder. We already saw a Panasonic patent of such a camera. That could become the High-end compact camera (the real [shoplink 14828]GF1[/shoplink] successor?) we were waiting for. In my opinion there is a high-chance this is going to happen although I would expect that camera to be named GF3…

2) A fixed lens Micro Four Thirds camera. Like the Sigma DP1/DP2, Leica X1 and the future awesome looking [shoplink 17847]Fuji X100 (Click here to see the design)[/shoplink]. But I see a very low chance that this is ever going to happen. From a logical point of view it doesn’t make sense to promote that camera as a Micro Four Thirds product. But from a marketing point of view Panasonic could advertise it as a fixed lens camera with Micro Four Thirds sensor. Ok I know…it doesn’t sound right :)

3) A modular Micro Four Thirds system. OK, that is an extreme speculation. I haver never received any rumor about that. But isn’t that one of the future killer-features of digital cameras? To be expandeable, upgradeable without the need to buy a complete new camera?

4) A high spec camera (weather sealed and robust camera) like that nice [shoplink 17020 ebay]Panasonic LC1 (Click here to see the camera design)[/shoplink]. Probably this is the product most of us are waiting for. A real professional photographic tool featuring the best Panasonic sensor, best AF, no AA filter, super imaging processor and all the stuff a semi-pro or pro photographer needs.

5) A video camera more affordable than the [shoplink 16841]AG-AF100 (Reminder, preorder available on BHphoto!)[/shoplink]. Sony already has the [shoplink 17848 ebay]NEX-VG10[/shoplink] so it makes a lot of sense for Panasonic to create an affordable MFT camcorder. In my opinion that has a high-chance to be announced in 2011.

I am “running out of imagination”…so If you have more ideas feel free to share it by commenting this post. I repeat, I don’t know what’s exactly coming from Panasonic but the sources that gave us that info are from a very very and very top level!