Panasonic GX7, Sony RX100 Deal, and Nikon 1 Troubles?
The Panasonic GX-7
Well well. It appears that some new cameras are coming our way SOON and some could be re-invented or even worse, dropped!
1st up, the new Panasonic GX7 is available to pre-order at Amazon in a kit lens version for $1099 or body only version and I have to say, IMO, this camera is one sexy beast. To me, it beats the look of the E-P5 and OM-D simply due to the fact that Panasonic FINALLY went back to their roots with the design that resembles the old LC-1. THIS is what I would call a real Leica Digilux 2 replacement for modern times! B&H also has the GX-7 for pre-0rder HERE and this could be the one that brings Panasonic back to the top of the micro 4/3 heap.
Built in EVF on the left side, that is TILTABLE! Swivel EVF, classic design and what appears to be a beautiful build. WiF and NFC is inside and a 16MP sensor that is sure to be fantastic. Pair it up with the new 20 1.7 II and it will be a killer 40mm fast prime kit that not only looks good but IMO, will deliver in all areas. It even will have IN CAMERA image stabilization. So all lenses will get the IS treatment much like the Olympus E-M5.
If the AF is fast and the performance as good or better than the OM-D I feel this will be the 1st camera to really push the Oly’s out of the way a bit as they always seem to win the sales wars in M 4/3 bodies. But we will see. We never know until some good real world use! But to me, it is looking really good. Mirrorless cameras are maturing quickly and contrary to what Nikon is saying, they are selling very well and are profitable for most companies (some models do very well, others do not).
Nikon 1 System – Will it survive?
Seems Nikon is having some trouble with sales even though they sold a huge amount of V1 cameras and plenty of J cameras. They just didn’t sell enough…not as many as they wanted to sell. They missed their projections after a huge advertising blitz and marketing campaign. The reason they did not reach their goals is simple.
People were expecting more from the 1 system at launch. Namely, a larger sensor. Those who never owned or tried one trashed it and sadly, it got a bad rep for no reason. By the time real reviews came out with real samples and showing what the Nikon 1 system could do, it was too late. V1’s were being cleared out and sold dirt cheap, and THEN they sold in mass amounts.
So Nikon made a little less than they had hoped and they do not like making LESS, most big companies do not. 🙂
Nikon V1 and 10mm 2.8
So now they are “re-thinking” the 1 system even after I know a V3 was/is in the works. Will they trash the V series? Maybe but no one knows. Will they just pump out cheap 1 models instead? Maybe. Will they drop the J series and ONLY do a V series? Maybe, but no one knows. Will they drop it all together? Unlikely…HIGHLY unlikely. The new 32 1.2 tells us that Nikon has no plans to drop the 1 system. They JUST released this lens and it is a premium lens at $900! Who releases a $900 lens for a system that is being dropped? Hmmmm.
They also just released the fantastic 6.7-13, which is a $500 lens.
If you look at those facts it appears Nikon MAY be gearing up to possibly drop the cheap models of the 1 system and maybe sell a new higher end V. Again, no one knows but why release two higher end lenses if they are dropping the V series? Makes no sense. None at all.
Nikon V1 and 10mm 2.8
If Nikon did abandon this system (and I do not think they will) then that would be a pretty crappy thing to do to all of us who invested in it. I LOVE my V system and it gives me better out of camera colors than any camera I own as well as the fastest performance. It is also the most film like. I also enjoy the new lenses. So Nikon, do what you have to do but do know that the 1 system is just now starting to gain steam. People are seeing what it can do and are enjoying it. It’s a diamond in the rough. Please do not abandon the system.
The new Sony NEX cameras, FF or not FF?
I should be getting a look at the new Sony cameras SOON but I believe these will be the new NEX cameras and NOT the rumored full frame IC camera. I am not 100% certain yet as I have not been told what I will be seeing but do know there are new Sony cameras on the way. As soon as I see them and handle them and can speak of them I will. Sony usually never disappoints when it comes to new releases. Many are looking forward to the NEX-7 replacement which I feel will NOT be the rumored FF model, but who knows.
I say expect these new cameras to be announced SOON. As for the FF NEX rumor? I have no clue or no inside info on that at all. Nada. I feel it will come but maybe it was all just a big fat huge rumor? Time will tell.
Sony DEAL on the RX100
The original RX100, which is still a stellar pocket cam is now selling at a $50 discount for a grand total of $598. I have been shooting with the RX100II and it is still the king of the pocket rocket cameras, without question. Such capability in a small well made package. The RX100 can be had for $598 new or the RX100II for $748, which is just about $150 more. The RX100 is a deal right now at $598 and B&H Photo has this deal in stock HERE.
Sony RX100II shot, indoor, low light, no flash
The Future…
I have also been testing the new Olympus E-P5 and have to say that it is basically an OM-D in a PEN design with some new features such as WiFi but the same 16MP sensor and IQ. There are rumors floating around about a new OM-D E-M1 that sound interesting which includes an integrated VF-4 and slight improvements but nothing ground breaking. Still, the OM-D E-M5 is a killer Micro 4/3 camera and a huge success for Olympus.
Today, any mirrorless camera will allow you to take amazing images. From the $250 blowout Nikon V1 to the $600 RX100II to the $2800 RX1R to the $7000 Leica M 240. What matters is what YOU like to shoot and what inspires YOU. Do you crave shallow depth of field? If so, it is tough to beat a Leica M and a 50 Lux ASPH. Do you want the best take anywhere pocket camera? The RX100II will fill that need, easily. Do you want cheap with some cool lenses and amazing out of camera color and sweet usability? Find a Nikon V1. How about a mix of them all? Go for an Olympus PEN, OM-D or the new Panasonic GX-7 which will give you a little bit of each.
It’s no secret that Photography today is super saturated as cameras are everywhere at any given moment..as almost everyone today has a cel phone with a capable camera inside. It is not what it used to be and never will be again. Today, we are all photographers and some are happy with that phone camera while others are only interested only in the top end Leica.
Me, I like them all but have my faves. I love and adore my Leica cameras but at the same time, they are the ones that give me the most trouble (focus issues, sensor issues, etc) but I still always come back to them again and again as nothing gives me the same results and when I want that look, I want that look.
I love the Sony NEX and RX1 series but sometimes the color is hard to get to my liking, but man, that RX1R is amazing for color or B&W, and never gives me an issue. I love the Nikon 1 series and have aquired a new passion for the system with the new lenses releases. The files from the 1 system have amazing color, and a grit that you do not get from other cameras. It’s different from the rest, and usually in a good kind of way.
I also am seeing a trend away from super shallow DOF lately. Four years ago it was just aboutt in every photo I saw on my facebook news feed! Today I see more phone shots, more film shots and more images with a larger DOF. Not sure why that is but sometimes a photo is much better with more DOF than less and as many have said, shooting at f/1.4 or 0.95 all of the time does start to get “gimmiky” which is probably why I have been enjoying something like the Leica summicron more than the Summilux lately.
I also had news come my way that a 50 APO cron was being sent to me if I wanted to buy it. The ULTIMATE 50mm IMO. When I had it for a few days it was gorgeous. That lens and an M or MM…heaven. But damn, that would rock my bank account back a few notches. It is a rare lens and not many own it. In fact, very few own it as it is rare that one is made and shipped to a dealer! Crazy lens that is VERY hard to make to perfection, which is what Leica demands.
My hopes for the near future are a Full Frame Sony IC camera, a Nikon V3, and hopefully Leica can make enough M 240’s to keep them in stock. 🙂 As always, I look forward to what the future brings in the never ending world of photography.
Remember, whatever you own, whatever you use, or whatever you are planning to own just remember one thing. GET OUT AND USE IT and do not worry so much about specs, perfection or finding a holy grail. Have fun and the more you shoot, the better you will get.
Happy Shooting!
Steve
I wasn’t so happy with CX as many users. Why? Because I have a large collection of Nikon DSLR gear and wanted a system to keep using the lenses on with a discrete mirrorless body. The CX crop factor doesn’t work for this, whilst Sony, Olympus and Canon all make systems that make better sense for their users. I just went with m4/3 as a backup system and love the lens selection there, especially primes. Not so are about the slow progress in sensors, though.
So for me at least DX/FX mirrorless would be a much better fit to keep using legacy gear, much more of a worthwhile investment than expecting me to build everything up from scratch. Which isn’t to say I wouldn’t buy some new, optimized lenses. Just I could take my time about it. This poor attention to compatibility seems to be Nikon’s major mistake here, at least as far as their existing usebase goes. It also makes it pointless to use with rangefinder lenses, limiting it further and making the expensive investments of a new V-series camera even less attractive.
Some have mentioned pricing, specifically wrt the V1. I’d like to extend the question of pricing to all systems.
In the US, in the heyday, pricing of gear used to be market based. The vendor would come out with an MSRP- say $500 for a Nikon top of the line F2, and the retailers could sell it for as low as $350 and make a profit. The manufacturer did not get to set the price for all retailers, as is done today in the US.
This allowed more freedom for the market (ie, actual buyers) to determine what they wanted to pay, thereby setting the price. Today, the companies and their marketers set the price. When cameras no longer sell, companies don’t blame themselves, they automatically blame the customers- ie, use of iphones, or whatever. Now Nikon lets prices seek their own level on the V1. Besides being a crappy thing to do to their early adapters, it does allow an uptick of sales (who knows what their margin is or isn’t).
I’ll submit that unrealistic price levels are quickly catching up with the manufacturers. People who spend time on fora and blogs think millions of people are buying these models, rather than the hundred fans who actually buy things based on fora and blogs. This is a misleading view, to think that there are legions of anonymous buyers who actually claim to have and buy what they say.
Secondly, digital manufacturers have enjoyed a temporary nirvana over the last few years, as these same fans discard last year’s model in favor of a new version with two more megapixels. That was a blip, those last few years are not coming back.
Product cycles will have to adjust. Tooling and planning will have to adjust.
In short, marketing will have to get more realistic. Customers will have to be listened to. Yes, Nikon I AM talking to you.
The companies are no longer in the driver’s seat.
It was a joke when introduced as anything other than a soccer mom’s purse candy and even steeply discounted is hard to take seriously. While the new lens looks interesting, you can keep pasting feathers
on a turkey and it will never fly like an eagle.
The V1 could have been an awesome camera, but for Nikon’s treatment of it as a noobie camera. It requires too many button presses to change settings, has a horrible auto ISO logic, and doesn’t allow the user to turn off review. But it still has unsurpassed AF and metering in the mirrorless world. And the IQ is comparable to m4/3. If Nikon would have just listened to the enthusiasts andqq come up with a couple of firmware upgrades ..
I wouldn’t interpret the release of the 32mm and 6.7-13mm as a commitment to CX from Nikon. Those lenses were likely planned and production scheduled when the CX system was being designed. But if Nikon did drop CX it would relieve some of the pressure on DX, which is now being squeezed at the top by FX and at the bottom by CX and CoolPix.
I will be pissed if Nikon abandons this camera that I’ve invested in. It will be the last camera I buy from them.
Nikon if you ditch the Nikon 1 series, I will ditch my Nikon D800E and all the lens and stick with my FujiFilm X-E1 and X-M1 ! and may be Sony for wildlife…
Now they’re scared!
Any chance for a review on the GX7 soon ?
Interesting comment about depth of field. I found the Overgaard site interesting but his mantra about only shooting wide open was a little, how should I say, limiting…
What about the Fuji x100s ?? i just love it !
Greg
Great preview of some upcoming cameras!
My ‘take’ on some of the systems:
1. Panasonic GX7 – agreed, it looks very, VERY sexy. Sure to be a great seller!!
2. The Nikon1 System – Nikon said they were committed to the new mount and so they have no choice other than to stick-by it (which IMO *is* the right decision). The question is… what does the future hold for it? Most likely a slower release of bodies and lenses. I’ll be glad to see Nikon ‘stay the course’ – the One system is a great system, but one of those ones that’s could take a bit of time to gain acceptance. Of course, instead of seeing Nikon take a passive course, I’d love to see them take a more ‘aggressive’ defense/marketing of their system. Three things that would quickly revive the One system and be a recipe for success:
1) more amazing lenses
2) 4K video
3) a design refresh / ‘re-boot’ that sees the release of a ‘retro’ styled body based on the classic Nikon S2 rangefinder
3. The Sony RX100 – not only a revolutionary camera, but the first of a new breed (I think the next year will see many more small compacts with large sensors)
4. The new Sony’s – are always much anticipated (we’re all fortunate that Sony is in the camera market pushing the innovation). I’m betting we’ll have BOTH a NEX-7 replacement and a FF NEX announced within the next few months.
I will agree that the X Pro is now a dramatically different camera with the new firmware that includes focus peaking. I have always used mine in manual focus primarily as I LOVE the files this camera makes with Voigtlander lenses. The files from the Nokton 50mm 1.5 are absolutely incredible. And if you need auto focus it is quite quick except in very low contrast situations.
У Никона V1 одна проблема пластиковая линза окуляра(((
I have the v1. Overall pretty good but the image popping up in the finder after the shot is a real distraction and problem for me. That they have not released a solution to disable this leaves me very cool them as a company. This probelm is noted by many users.
However… a light touch of the shutter release and ‘bingo’ – you’re immediately back into live view. 🙂
OM-D EM 5 Most properly the best camera i have ever owned! and i have owned a few!
Pricing really hurt the Nikon 1 enthusiasm really I don’t know what was in Nikon’s mind when they asked for nearly $900 for the V1 when the RX100 was going for 650 smh. I think had Nikon priced it around the 350-500 range it would’ve been a hit.
“We’re Nikon. We do whatever we want. People buy.”
— agreed, stupid decision after stupid decision basically killed this great camera.
Yes – the 1 system is great and fills a void in the camera world, but it’s initial price was nuts. It was priced in the same range as M 4/3 without the lens options.
Shallow DOF will hopefully be gone in all but food photography soon. I love being able to put my subject into some context and a blurry mush doesn’t cut it. Hence even the brightest glass for m43 wide open still allows some of the background to be put together by the viewer. Hopefully the movies will also remember this idea of scope and context over the ability to throw everything but someone’s eye out of focus. The GX7 does look like an OM-D killer. But why have they decided on the GF3/5 battery? Surely that not going to be enough juice?
Shallow DOF has always been part of photography; it’s not a recent gimmick. The nice thing about cameras today is they have the ISO capability to stop down in low light if the photographer wants more depth.
Well, three things would get be onto a V3 — I own a SPARE V1 body, so the camera would have to be really, really good.
1. Building in a grip more like the Francevic one.
2. Improvement in the IQ — I have the V1 because I don’t think the V2 is better, it just has better specs.
3. Keep the one improvement in the V2 — which is the dials. I shoot Aperture priority almost all the time — when I am not manual.
(Slight rant. If you want really huge IQ and really big sensor quality you go medium format or close to — in my view a D600/D800 or Leica S is close to medium format. I think the medium format rangefinders give beautiful pictures — and my M6 is darn close to a full frame — but those DSLRs are huge, and as obvious as the red dot. Which brings me to the final point.
4. Make it as discreet and non garish as possible. No contrasting logos. I know what I am shooting, and I don’t want the world to know that.
Nikon V1 is an excellent camera. Nikon V2 has a terrible form factor. If Nikon is going to save this, V3 should looked more like V1. 14MP who cares. I can tolerate the size of Fuji X and OM-D, but not the shape of the V2.
I agree! The Nikon V3 needs to return to it’s roots and have more of the form factor of the V1, but with the metal dials of the V2. It also needs to go back and use the battery of the V1/D800 too. It’s excellent! I also prefer the buttons and rear dial of the V1 because it can be operated with ONE hand. But updated like the J2 which has a little bit tighter design. It will never happen tough I am sure. Speaking of the V1, the only thing I’m really not happy with is the fact that you cannot turn off the image from popping up in the viewfinder every time you snap a photo. I’ve gotten used to it, and have found a work-around, but still don’t like it.
All in all, it seems as if the ‘suits’ have taken over from the engineers at Nikon 1, and when that happens… argh… vision and hope dies a little bit. I’m just very happy that I jumped on the V1 train and I’m going to use it very intensively for the next couple of years, and by then, the cameras will be a lot different (4K and raw video – I’m always thinking from the point of videography).
As for the ‘blurred background craze’: I think it can be explained: the people got educated. It has taken a while for the crowds to realise that wide angle, sharp pictures are important too!
“The original RX100, which is still a stellar pocket cam…” Genius, a “stellar” camera indeed.
I think you should also mention the Fuji X. Everyone I know is raving about the Fuji X and if you look at various forums, tons of people are selling their full frame gear and their m43 gear for Fuji X. Why? Because it is addictive to use with its Leica-like dials for shutter speed at the top and aperture on lenses. Because low light ISO rivals (many say) Full Frame cameras of previous generation. Because it has the best out of the camera JPEG and many reviews (dpreview for example) says JPEG is so good, there is little need to shoot RAW; WB is spot on all the time, the colors are gorgeous, and even JPEG gives you a good headroom for cleaning shadows and highlights in post if needed.
I’ve been in love with XE1 for a few months now. My Canon 5DM3 is not getting much use. And after the latest firmware update for XE1/XPRO1 which significantly increased AF speed of every lens, AF is quite good, although not as good as OMD. However, my OMD is for sale as Fuji XE1 just inspires to be be shot each and every time. The price for new XE1 is $799 in US, and great lenses like 35/1.4 or 18-55/2.8 could be had for about $450 used and about $600 new. These are amazing lenses. Especially 35 1.4. Within next few months, 23/1.4 and 58/1.2 will come out.
I see bright future for Fuji X system.
I agree re: Fuji. Still totally in love with my black X100 after a year, especially its low light performance and manual controls. I wish the AF was faster though. I’d love to eventually see a full frame X100 (or interchangeable lens model) from Fuji. Especially now that they’ve changed how their AF works.
I agree on several points here. I have an x100, I can attest to the great image quality up to ISO 3200, the gorgeous, sharp files it creates, and the beautiful colors I get with it. It is a great camera. It has REAL dials! Would you believe it? I wonder why it is so difficult for manufacturers to implement actual dials for shutter speed and aperture (ISO would be the icing on the cake).
What has stopped me from making the jump to Fuji-X, is the slowish AF, relatively big size of the lenses (compared to m43, which has become my main system in the past few years), and, to a lesser extent, the badly organized menus. I’m still waiting for the Fuji-X camera that has no compromises – for the time being, my E-M5 is serving me well, with fantastic IQ, a pleasant user experience, similarly good colors, and last but not least, a really portable format.
I love my Fujis. They are great cameras and fun to use. I never quite jumped on the NEX line. Curious about them, yes, but not enough to buy one.
I hope Nikon get it right with Nikon 1. I can’t see how they can make cheaper cameras as they are the ones with fewer parts and very basic controls. I hope they use the 1″ sensor in their regular p&s (and keep the APS-C sensor in special high-end models for those that doesn’t mind it becoming a yet little bigger).
I love my Fuji, I bought it on a whim just to try something new. Can’t wait for the new lenses coming out later this year / early next year.