Panasonic interviewed at Imaging Resource…

Imagin Resource (Click here) had a long talk with MR. Darin Pepple, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Imaging at Panasonic Consumer Electronics Co. Here are some of the interesting points:

– Again Panasonic explains the advantage of m43 over the NEX system: “it allows us to produce really small lenses, still extremely good optical quality, and at the same time make small bodies.” Edge detail of NEX lenses suffers from lens size.

– He confirms that Panasonic is “seriously” following the hacked GH2 improvements: “Yes, you can go outside that with some hyped-up features and firmware updates and that sort of thing, but then you’re outside the normal specification, and for us as a manufacturer, we really have to stay within it. ”

– About the new lenses: “By this time next year I hope to come back to you and say, ‘Look at our lens line-up now. We’ve added four or five more lenses.’ ”

– Panasonic says real innovation is coming not from Full Frame but from small sensors. Those technologies will be implemented in future m43 cameras. It sounds like the future GH3 camera could have BSI technology!

– Panasonic doesn’t believe a big sensor in a compact camera makes sense. They will not go the same path with the LX5 successor as the Canon G1 X.

In summary: When reading the interview you really feel how “video” is very important for them. There is also no plan to create a new system with bigger sensor as the market really focused on sub-fullframe sensors size. Panasonic approach is more “little steps” forward instead of looking for big revolutions. They have a very practical and rational approach and this is also something I like. As I always said, the first problem with Panasonic is their management. It is not possible that every time they release a new product you have to wait up to 6-7 months to get them! P.S: Easy to guess that the next products they will announce are the LX5 and GH2 successor :)