Panasonic GH6 has not been ruled out says Panasonic Director of Imaging

CineD just posted an interview they had with Panasonic’s Director of Imaging Business Unit, Yosuke Yamane. During the interview, they discuss a number of different topics including the influence of coronavirus both on the industry as a whole as well as how it’s affected Panasonic’s production, that 8K camera, and how well the G100 has performed since its release.

The interview was primarily about the new Panasonic S5, but it also offers a glimmer of home for Micro Four Thirds shooters who’ve patiently been waiting for news of a GH5 successor. My Yamane highlights that the GH5 is still a very popular camera and that many creators prefer to shoot in the Micro Four Thirds format and are continuing development of the system.

You’ll want to turn on subtitles to read the English translation, but it’s an interesting interview. And there are definitely seem to be a few insinuations there if you read between the lines, particularly when it comes to Micro Four Thirds. But about coronavirus, he said that it’s definitely accelerated the shrinking of the camera market as a whole. People obviously haven’t been going out to shoot as much, so their desire or need to upgrade isn’t as urgent as it might have otherwise been without COVID-19. Although he said it hasn’t really affected Panasonic’s pace of development at all, as many are working from home.

And while he didn’t say it specifically, perhaps this bit means that a GH5 successor might be on the way relatively soon. When asked about whether or not Panasonic had a GH5 successor in the works, this was Mr Yamane’s response (11:11 timestamp in the video)…

Nearly 3.5 years have passed since the launch of the GH5, and many customers are still purchasing GH5, but many creators still shoot movies in a Micro Four Thirds format. As I have assured many times, we will continue to develop products for Micro Four Thirds as well as Full Frame to meet the needs of a wide range of creators. Regarding the replacement model for the GH camera that you asked about, I will inform you but the information may be spread. Of course, we are considering it, and we look forward to seeing you there.

Those last couple of sentences, do suggest to me that it’s already in the works and that he really wants to tell us about it, especially when you listen to him actually say it in the video. It’s the very last bit, “we look forward to seeing you there” that suggests there’s already a destination, that it’s a sure thing. Perhaps there’s something lost in translation, but it sure seems like it’s a done deal, huh? Obviously, however, he’s not going to let the cat out of the bag in a public interview before Panasonic is ready to do so. But it sounds like we should be hopeful.

On the topic of the 8K camera, expected to be released during the now-cancelled Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Mr Yamane says that it’s still coming and they are committed to pursuing 8K. When it comes to the G100, Mr Yamane says has sold extremely well, all things considered. With the lack of travel going on right now, they were worried about its introduction, but with so many more vloggers popping up to shoot at home, the sales are better than they expected. Personally, I’ll stick to my G80s.

The complete interview is well worth checking out, particularly if you’re already a Panasonic shooter. And if you’re not the video-watching type, then you can read a transcript of the complete interview on CineD.

[via CineD]