Panasonic LUMIX Mentioned – An Interview With Yosuke Yamane-san Concerning the GH5 II, GH6 & Extra

Whereas being in Japan I had the prospect to speak to Yosuke Yamane-san, director of Panasonic’s Imaging Unite in regards to the launch of the GH5 II, the upcoming GH6, and extra. I hope that a few of Yamane-san’s solutions will fulfill your curiosity and urge for food to study extra in regards to the ever-evolving movie business.

What would a go to to Japan be with out taking the chance to assessment new cameras, focus on new tools, and meet individuals answerable for growing and manufacturing a few of the tools all of us use every day? Exactly, why I’m so glad to have met once more with Yamane-san in Osaka at Panasonic’s HQ.

With out additional ado, here’s a transcription of our pleasant dialog, in case that you simply don’t have the time to observe the interview. (Yamane-san’s solutions have been translated from Japanese to English.)

Johnnie: Very first thing first. I see that Panasonic is now strongly pushing their cameras beneath the LUMIX model identify. Is there a elementary choice to maneuver away from the identify “Panasonic” and market all future cameras beneath that identify? Asking as Panasonic did this sort of advertising transfer earlier than in different fields with Technics and Nationwide simply to call just a few.

Yamane-san: We have now persistently promoted the LUMIX model because the launch of the digital digicam enterprise. Within the 20 years because the enterprise was launched, we’ve bought greater than 80 million models, launched many world’s first merchandise as a challenger within the digicam business, and have been supported by many purchasers.

Any further, whereas preserving this model picture, we’ll proceed to tackle new challenges as a model that carefully helps creators, who create works with explicit consideration to each video and nonetheless photos. 

Johnnie: Speaking about advertising, I do know that for some it would look a bit unusual, however how ought to we identify the brand new GH5 digicam. Is it GH5M2, GH5 II, GH5 Mark II? Asking as from an editorial standpoint it will likely be invaluable to have a single unified product identify.

Yamane-san: With a view to emphasize the place as an orthodox evolution mannequin of the GH5, the advertising identify is unified with GH5 II, pronounced “GH5 Mark 2”. I’m assured that this mannequin, that inherits the DNA of the GH5, which has many followers on account of its excessive video efficiency, and has advanced many performances, is not going to solely entice GH5 customers however can even domesticate new clients.

Johnnie: Speaking post-pandemic, is the scarcity of digital elements and better international transportation charges affecting the LUMIX mirrorless division?

Yamane-san: The worldwide scarcity of semiconductors and hovering transportation prices are affecting the digicam business, and we aren’t any exception. I personally negotiate instantly with suppliers every day, and at Panasonic as a complete, I attempt my greatest to soak up the affect and never trigger any inconvenience to clients.

Johnnie: OK, let’s consider the brand new digicam itself. What was the principle motive for creating such a digicam? Is it due to the various methods we at present produce content material, or, Panasonic is making an attempt to fulfill many with one single product?

Yamane-san: The GH5 is utilized by a variety of customers, from skilled video manufacturing to non-public video streaming similar to Youtube. In contemplating the successor mannequin to the GH5, we grasped the wants of many creators from the capturing websites, utilization scenes, and workflows. With the purpose of getting extra creators use it, we got here to the conclusion that the optimum mannequin and optimum perform are required for every software and due to this fact proceeded with the event of two fashions, GH6 and GH5 II.

The GH6 is a flagship mannequin outfitted with a newly developed picture sensor and a newly developed picture processor that allows cutting-edge video expression.

The GH5 II is a mannequin that, whereas bettering the essential efficiency as a digicam, allows simpler and better high quality stay streaming as a way to reply to the quickly increasing video streaming demand. With these two fashions, we’re assured that much more creators will be capable of use LUMIX in comparison with GH5.

Johnnie: The unique GH5 was a legendary digicam that provided filmmakers lots for a really aggressive worth. The place do you see the power and positioning of the brand new GH5 II?

Yamane-san: The strengths of GH5 II are video features, stay streaming perform, and reliability. Cinema 4K 60P 4:2:0 10 bit recording is realized, and V-log L can also be pre-installed in order that it may be used even in skilled settings. As well as, it is usually outfitted with L. Basic Neo and L. Monochrome S, which have been first put in in Cinelike D2, V2, and S5, and it possesses top quality even when capturing with out post-production. Moreover, we’ll meet the rising demand for stay streaming by a brand new wi-fi stay streaming perform put in for simply performing stay streaming with excessive picture high quality. On high of inheriting the DNA of the GH5, it’s outfitted with a USB charging/energy provide perform (Energy supply suitable) that helps long-term capturing along with limitless video recording time. It inherits the capturing help features of our full-frame digicam S1H and is a digicam that’s carefully supporting creators.

Johnnie: Did you and your workforce think about at any stage in the course of the growth of the digicam to merge the GH5 and GH5S cameras into one profitable product and provide an excellent lowlight functionality subsequent to a nice stabilization system? If sure, why it didn’t materialize on the finish?

Yamane-san: After all, we’re contemplating all potentialities. At the moment, we’ve developed the GH5 II together with the 20 MegaPixel Picture sensor, which may present high-resolution movies and pictures in a hybrid method whereas responding to new demand for stay streaming. We thought that this would supply the UX of this GH5 II to a variety of use circumstances, particularly to new clients.

Relating to your proposed mixture, I can’t say something in regards to the future. We are going to proceed to discover completely different potentialities whereas keeping track of business traits, market reactions, and wishes.

Johnnie: Lots of our followers would like to know why Panasonic will not be transferring away from “distinction base AF” to “Part-detection AF” particularly in video mode. From the surface it seems as if Panasonic is absolutely conscious of the necessity to implement a dependable AF system in its mirrorless cameras by dedicating LOTS of assets to attain this, but, clients (Particularly single operators) would like to have an much more dependable AF system inside LUMIX cameras. Why the transfer to “phase-detection AF” will not be occurring?

Yamane-san: As you possibly can think about, we’re persevering with to analysis numerous focusing approaches, however distinction AF with DFD know-how nonetheless has technological potential to supply sensible efficiency to our clients.

Within the first place, from the perspective of distance measurement efficiency, distinction AF with DFD know-how covers an arbitrary space in the complete display screen in comparison with the image-plane phase-detection technique that measures the gap from section distinction pixels organized at a specified location on the display screen. Since it’s attainable to measure the gap, I believe it’s attainable to supply correct focusing whatever the place of the topic. As well as, because the distance is measured from the video sign itself, the picture high quality potential of the picture sensor may be maximized with out worrying about pixel loss, and the efficiency in darkish locations is adequate. Moreover, it’s extra seemingly that we can provide the identical degree of efficiency to as many fashions as attainable additionally by way of worth, no matter the kind of picture sensor.

After all, we’ve obtained numerous opinions from our clients, and we acknowledge that image-plane phase-detection AF is superior by way of topic monitoring. Then again, as represented by deep studying, we’re bettering AF efficiency by strengthening algorithms that make the most of the video sign processing know-how which we’re good at.

We’re at present growing the next-generation system with the purpose of creating it much more sensible, so please wait till the day we are able to present it.

Johnnie: Subsequent to the GH5II Panasonic additionally made a growth announcement of the GH6. Logically pondering, this new digicam must have a “deal-breaker characteristic(s)” as a way to differentiate itself from the GH5 II and extra ever, take the M4/3 system an enormous step ahead as a way to preserve it related in at this time’s onerous competitors. Is there something you possibly can expose already as a way to set off the creativeness of filmmakers?

Yamane-san: Sadly, I can’t offer you extra data right here than we’ve disclosed, because the GH6 remains to be within the growth announcement stage, however I’m assured that some components will encourage these individuals’s creativeness. We’re additionally working onerous on growth, so please look ahead to it.

Johnnie: Most different respected digicam producers have already got 8K cameras available in the market. Final we spoke, you indicated the 2020 Olympic Video games as a attainable time to current a brand new LUMIX 8K digicam. Are you able to please be form and share with us the place Panasonic is with that particular plan?

Yamane-san: After we met final time, I talked about making an attempt (to ship) 8K on the timing of the Olympics. We have now been growing the know-how with the purpose of reaching this, however trying on the present scenario, I believe the truth is that the penetration of the 8K tradition itself has stagnated. We are going to think about the timing of commercialization after anticipating the rising wants of our clients for 8K.

Johnnie: One query relating to lenses…Reasonably priced anamorphic lenses are very onerous to search out. (In addition to one firm, we don’t actually know of any others doing so). Panasonic is consistently bringing new reasonably priced fastened focal size L-Mount lenses to the market, however did you ever think about doing anamorphic lenses too? In any case, it can provide an enormous push to the L- Mount system altogether!

Yamane-san: Panasonic offers features that help capturing on the physique aspect, similar to anamorphic mode and anamorphic de-squeeze show, for creators who shoot works utilizing anamorphic lenses.

Then again, an anamorphic lens itself requires engineering design know-how and manufacturing know-how which might be considerably completely different from extraordinary lenses, so we wish to think about what sort of worth Panasonic can present along with market wants for full-frame anamorphic lenses.

Johnnie: Lots of our followers are questioning what has occurred to Panasonic’s skilled digicam line. Do you continue to plan to launch new Varicam or EVA-like cameras within the close to future, or, for now, the trouble of the division is to reinforce and strengthen the LUMIX line of mirrorless cameras”?

Yamane-san: Since my division develops LUMIX, sadly, I can’t reply, as a result of Varicam and EVA are completely different classes.

With a distinct form than Varicam or EVA, LUMIX plans to additional strengthen its merchandise, which can be utilized for skilled functions similar to cinema images.

Perception

Listening rigorously to what Yamane-san needed to say, it appears as if Panasonic is working onerous to ship succesful instruments for all kinds and ranges of content material creators. Additionally, it’s fascinating to see that Panasonic is way from giving up on its present autofocus system as they imagine it may be improved even additional for higher efficiency. Final however not least, we must always most likely not anticipate a Panasonic 8K digicam anytime quickly.

Guys, what’s your opinion in regards to the LUMIX line of cameras? Is there one thing you’re lacking and need to see of their subsequent batch of fashions? Please share with us your ideas within the remark part under.