Panasonic Lumix DC-S10
The L-Mount Alliance needs a camera with mass appeal
UNUSUALLY, we know exactly what Panasonic’s next cameras are slated to be. The much-vaunted Lumix S1 and S1R will be the firm’s first products in the L- Mount Alliance that it has formed with Sigma and Leica. These full-frame mirrorless cameras will share the same body design, but feature 24MP and 47MP sensors, respectively.
Of course, exciting as the move to full-frame is, many of the firm’s existing users will be looking for a sign that it’s still fully committed to the Micro Four Thirds format. Here an update to the excellent mid-range Lumix G80 would be a great statement of intent, with this new ‘G90’ ideally borrowing some of the improvements found in the G9, including uprated autofocus and the addition of an AF joystick. This would freshen up what’s already one of the most capable cameras at its price point.
However, keeping its existing customers sweet isn’t Panasonic’s only problem. For the L- Mount Alliance to really take off, it needs a relatively affordable camera in the sub£2,000 price bracket. It’s difficult to see either Leica or Sigma producing such a thing, so the onus is on Panasonic. At this point you’re probably thinking that the 24MP Lumix S1 is exactly this camera, but everything I’ve been told by Panasonic indicates that it’s going to be a considerably more pro- oriented body, with extreme robustness and durability, and therefore a rather higher price.
Entry-level full-frame
One solution would be to make an enthusiast-focused ‘Lumix S10’ with exactly the same approach as the putative G90, sharing much the same body design but gaining an L mount and 24MP full-frame sensor. So we’d be looking for a wellfeatured, SLR-style model with a decent EVF and a fully articulated screen in a dustand splash-proof body.