$2000 is the New $1600

First of all, here's the GH5 link at B&H. There's been an avalanche of new Panasonic stuff introduced at CES.

Note the price. Carl sent me the announcement about with the wry comment, "maybe two grand is the new normal."

I suspect $2,000 is just the new $1,600.

Oren's reply was to the effect that the GH5 is in reality a semi-professional video camera that will also do stills, and as such is appropriately priced for its target market. My question is, if the GH5 does stills as well as the E-M1 Mark II but runs circles around the Olympus's video capability, does Panasonic's flagship then steal sales from Olympus's flagship?

Fuji announced the X-T2 Graphite Silver for $1,800. That's $200 more than the regular X-T2, but I've read about the Fuji's "graphite silver" plating process, and it's pretty involved. It's conceivable that it's worth $200.

And check out the Fuji X-Pro2 Graphite (no "silver" in the name—it's a chic, darker gray) announced along with it...for a cool $2,300, you get not only the special-edition camera, but a matching Graphite 23mm ƒ/2 lens.

Mmm, mmm, good.

Mike

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Featured Comments from:

hugh crawford: "That Panasonic GH5 sure looks like a Leica R9. The Leica R9 is about as nice to hold a shape as ever took pictures, but it is huge. If this is typical Micro 4/3 size I wonder if it will be like driving a car with a six-inch steering wheel. It seems the knobs akimbo look is definitely a trend."

Armond Perretta: "Why would a person pay more for a camera with a different colo(u)r? give me more time with this."

Mike replies: Believe it or not, historically the more desirable finish is just the rarer one, regardless of what it is. If black is more common, then chrome is more desirable; if chrome is more common, then black is more desirable. Black-paint film Leicas were a cheap option, cutting the cost of the chrome plating; guess what's prized now?

Of course the jury is still out (and deadlocked) on digital cameras as collectables, so whether this matters any more is very much anyone's guess.

Comments

[MarkR]

And did you notice that the Sony RX1R II jumped $600 in price? And it's not even a new model.

I suspect that the camera makers are changing their business model to fit these new times. Instead of making it up on volume, they are going to try to make it up in per-unit profit.

[Jim Allen]

"My question is, if the GH5 does stills as well as the E-M1 Mark II but runs circles around the Olympus's video capability, does Panasonic's flagship then steal sales from Olympus's flagship?" If it plays nice with Olympus glass and image stabilization, it will get a serious look from me. I was considering the EM1 MkII, but the pricing turned me off. The GH5 won't save me money, but it may add enough capability to make it justifiable in my mind. (note - this is always the only necessary thing)I had a GH2 years ago and liked it fine. I sold it to my brother in law, and he still uses it regularly. To me this dual use capability is a big selling point for m4/3. If I can migrate between body manufacturers pain free, and keep the same glass, it's another reason to stay with the system. Convenience and image quality are already there, IMO.

[Ken James]

It is a good thing I don't have any money, that X-Pro2 is beautiful. I just spent my accumulated wad on a OM-D M1. The first edition. I believe the Panasonic GH-5 is much bigger, and for me; who cares about video. If I were 25 years younger- maybe.

[toto]

As long as there are enough people willing to part with $2000, it will be the new $1600.

[John Krill]

That X-Pro2 deal, $2300, is actually not bad if the 23mm 2.0 comes with it.

$1700 + $450 = $2350.

Sadly I want the silver 23mm 2.0. So no deal for me.

It's an ego thing.

[Tom Hassler]

Horses for courses... Those who want/need high-end video capability will lean towards the GH5, those who desire speed will go with the EM1 Mk. II. As prices come down on the previous generation cameras, many folks will look at them as the excellent values they now are.

This leaves the stills-oriented of us with substantial mFT lens collections somewhat betwixt and between. For two grand one would hope there could be a still camera option with meaningful image quality improvements. The micro Four-Thirds system seems stalled in this area. A modest megapixel increase isn't what mFT needs, it's a state-of-the-art BSI sensor with improved dynamic range and lower noise that raises the bar noticeably. I'd cough up $2k for that.

[Peter Wright]

There are some strong forces pushing up the price of cameras at present: dropping demand primarily, but also reductions in disposable income, and, we are now being told, the new US administration plans to put taxes on imports in order to encourage manufacturing 'at home'.

With technical improvements now levelling out, perhaps now is the time to purchase for the long long, term, like 5-10 years. That graphite X-Pro2 really does look so very good, and would fit the bill nicely. The money I have set aside for the OM-D 1.2 is now at risk! Must resist... must resist...

[Kenneth Tanaka]

Re: Fuji's "Graphite" finish... I owned a "Graphite" X-T1 (sold last year). Yes, I saw that little video, too. Bottom line: It's just a different paint job. There's nothing special about it in terms of durability. In fact, that "graphite" finish makes it more precious and more susceptible to scuffing.

The sub-bottom line: Fuji is trying to borrow a page from Leica's marketing.

[Stephen Scharf]

I've seen the manufacturing video of the special plating/coating process Fuji uses for the Graphite Silver X-T1 and it is quite a complex and sophisticated process. It's not just applying paint. Factor in the fact that virtually no defective/flawed parts can be used in finished goods, and the fact there is always some level scrap or rework when manufacturing a complex part to this level of finish, and it's very easy to see where the extra cost come from.

[John Camp]

Kirk Tuck has had a couple of interesting blog entries in the last few weeks about accessories for camera-based video systems that would probably make the GH5 more than "semi-professional."

We really (IMHO) ought to spend more time thinking about aspect ratios. If Fuji had a 4/3 aspect ratio I'd be on it like white on rice.

I agree completely with Tom Hassler's comment on new m4/3 cameras.

[Richard Tugwell]

So when you said "Fuji is the new Leica" a few days ago (if I recall) you were spookily correct!

Hermes XPro-2 with matching purse and money clip next....

MInd you, I am an enthusiastic Fuji user, and an erstwhile enthusiastic Leica user. Down to my old M3/50mm Summicron now though after several years of digital M

[William Lewis]

I think I'll just continue lusting after a Pen F instead.

[David Millington]

Perhaps John Krill (above) can do my Tax Return?
$1700 +$450 comes to $2150 in my book, not $2350.
But, hey, it's only money.
Regards,
David

[Michael Perini]

It seems as though some camera manufacturers have decided that "If we're going to be selling fewer cameras, we need to charge more for them." Even though mirrorless cameras have fewer moving parts and are cheaper to manufacture, the prices are going up.

Interestingly, the Nikon 5600 which you poked fun at is available for ordering through B&H or Adorama for something like $696 (I got an email from one of them)
I'll bet the image quality from it's 24MP APS-c sensor is very good.

It seems like a lot of value for the price.

[Dave Kee]

"There are some strong forces pushing up the price of cameras at present: dropping demand primarily, but also reductions in disposable income..."
I am trying to process how this works based on my economics major.

[robert e]

"That Panasonic GH5 sure looks like a Leica R9."

It's remarkable how much digital cameras resemble film cameras. Even the non-retro kind. I'm not so much surprised that they look something like film cameras, but at the degree to which they do. And it seems more so now than, say, ten years ago. We seem to have backtracked from bodies like the Sony R1 and Olympus E1, not to mention all the odd digicam shapes of that era.

Not complainin', just sayin'.

[robert e]

Does this mean the end of m4/3's inferiority complex?

[Dennis Ng]

D5600 is only $700-; do not attack it too much for its "newness" when you have to pay the "new" normal.

[John Krumm]

Micro-fourthirds is often criticized for being stalled in sensor development, but if you look at all cameras since Sony has become the main sensor supplier, things have been stalled or at best incremental since the D800 and the EM5. Even Sony's 42mp BSI sensor is only a little better than the old one in my K1. Fortunately things are stalled at a nice place.

The GH5 looks quite good to me, and I might have to rent it just for fun.

[David Lee]

I would gladly pay 45,000.00 Nigerian Euros for an original black paint Leica M3 body if I had them.

[Gabe]

Echoing Michael Perini the Nikon 5600 does seem like a good buy .... If you have a few of Nikon's better lenses. Sorry, but the all plastic lenses for non full frame Nikons, encouraged me to leave them years ago.... brand new out of the box they had a plastic squeak built in, convincing me that the Nikon Pro was in trouble unless he/she went full frame.

Fuji and Olympus are way ahead in perceived and actual AFFORDABLE quality IMAO.

Cheers!

[Marc Gibeault]

I'd like to read about and see the video you guys are talking about for the Fuji plating process. Mind sharing the links?

[If I could find it again I would have.... --Mike]