Micro 4/3 Panasonic GX7 Released today. Whoop!

Yup. A lot of micro four-thirds owners have been waiting a long time for a rangefinder-styled camera with a built-in viewfinder. Now it's here and it seems to be a very nice piece, indeed. It also seems to be a better deal than the Oly E-P5 with VF-4 kit.
 
It looks good and is feature packed. Will keep a lot of people i the systems who wanted this type of camera.

The bulb-like grip makes it look like it has a paunch. Grippage is good.
 
The last piece of the puzzle is sensor performance. The ergonomics and features seem well sorted, however, Panasonic has used the phrase "new sensor" to mean many things. I know it's a function of marketing. If the sensor is great and sets the bar or matches at least the GH3, then it'll be a winner. If it's a reworked GH2 sensor, then I can see enthusiasts passing on this, given the competition.
 
Looks nice. Here's hoping for the standard 66% Panasonic price drop within a few months.

Don't count on it. The G6 and whatever the latest GF-series camera is, yes. But notice how the price of the GH2 didn't drop for a very long time. The same goes for Olympus: Don't look for the price of the E-P5 to drop all that much for quite a while. The OM-D is another camera that has held its price, while Oly's E-PL- and E-PM- series cameras saw big price drops over the course of a year or so. The E-P3 didn't see deep discounts until only a couple of months ago. It's clear both Panasonic and Olympus will protect the price of their high-end camera bodies. I think the best we'll see for a long time is the occasional $100 or $150 discount sale.
 
Don't count on it. The G6 and whatever the latest GF-series camera is, yes. But notice how the price of the GH2 didn't drop for a very long time. The same goes for Olympus: Don't look for the price of the E-P5 to drop all that much for quite a while. The OM-D is another camera that has held its price, while Oly's E-PL- and E-PM- series cameras saw big price drops over the course of a year or so. The E-P3 didn't see deep discounts until only a couple of months ago. It's clear both Panasonic and Olympus will protect the price of their high-end camera bodies. I think the best we'll see for a long time is the occasional $100 or $150 discount sale.

But look to the GX1 as an example. It was their last high end camera body in this line. The one that kicked off the GX line. It tumbled from $699 to $250 in a matter of months.
 
I'm just going to wait for someone more attracted to shiny things to want to unload theirs. But first I'll be stalking folks itching to get rid of their GH3 for the GX7.
 
But look to the GX1 as an example. It was their last high end camera body in this line. The one that kicked off the GX line. It tumbled from $699 to $250 in a matter of months.

That's right... but it's apples vs oranges. The GX1 started at $699. The GX7 starts at $999 without lens. The GX line has moved upmarket. Now, don't get me wrong. I would love for you to be right and me to be wrong (always a possibility and even highly likely). But I honestly don't expect the kind of price drop that we'll probably see again with the G-series and GF-series. At least not until the GX7 close-outs prior to its replacement.
 
I never end up buying any of these system cameras, but I get really excited about their announcements. I've been following the Micro Four-Thirds world recently and there seems to be an uncertainty about the system. With last year's OMD E-M5 and today's GX7, it makes me wonder how such a promising format could be in "trouble."
 
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