[Klaus]

https://www.43rumors.com/ft5-panasonic-will-announce-its-first-full-frame-system-camera-on-september-25/

Is it April 1st???

[Brightcolours]

In the past, Leica and Panasonic used to bring out the same cameras under their own name too. So maybe Panasonic SL?

[you2]

Rumors are great !

[miro]

Yes it was in my google feeds too.
I think that huge camera & lenses are the future. Anything smaller will killed by the smartphones. soon or later

[Klaus]

Smartphone can't really kill system cameras. Long tele lenses are pretty much impossible unless you compromise the size of the smartphone.
No viewfinder either. Admittedly they've come far with the bokeh effect so fast lenses may not be an issue anymore. The sensor size is though.

[JJ_SO]

I wonder, Klaus, if you realize the impact of smartphones to the photographic world. They don't need to kill anything, it's enough to dominate the sheer quantity of pictures - and some of them could never ever have been done with more traditional cameras. Everything is correct what you say, but cameras became a niche product in consumer electronics, nearly just like record players to music streaming. The sensor size of smartphones will and is more than enough to the playback sizes (not even print or even then - good enough for A4 prints)

I like records and I like cameras and I also like the easiness made possible by smartphones. People who never would touch a camera conserve their memories.

[miro]

Smartphone can't really kill system cameras. Long tele lenses are pretty much impossible unless you compromise the size of the smartphone.
No viewfinder either. Admittedly they've come far with the bokeh effect so fast lenses may not be an issue anymore. The sensor size is though.

I tend to disagree with you.
 - one of the main photography rule is to be at the right time at the right place.
Initially I underestimate the smartphones. I was thinking that Shallow DoF portrait is PRO area.
But look what AI, and new smartcammera techology is doing - /Anyway not my teste but good eought for 99% of population/
Telephoto what can I say
 - Historically seen telephoto was small format camera territory. Large and MF dont have it
 - I have dSLR and I had two telephoto lenses. I sold 400/5,6. And I dont know when I have used telephoto for the last time. Maybe because I use 150/macro pretty often.
Viewfiner
 - I agree that screen is bad. But looking back
https://www.flickr.com/photos/107810320@N03/14209584094/
This camera has the best viewfinder

@JJ_SO - agree that camera wil become niche for small group of people that likes high fidelity and pursuit perfection. Personally I have done similar thinks with the audio equipment in the past. Huge speakers, Special room etc. But who wants this thinks nowadays, sure if you are married and have family. no one wnat it at home :-)

[Klaus]

You can also argue differently regarding smartphone - the hype phase is over now.
Now that this is a commodity device - what does this mean for the future?
e.g. I'm not willing to spend 800USD/EUR for a smartphone anymore that can do 10% more than a 300EUR/USD device.

But, yes, a few years back it was hip to buy a DSLR even if you didn't really need one.
I think many people realized just that (that they don't need one) and that smartphones are well sufficient - and much more convenient.

So it'll be interesting to see where all this goes in the next few years.