If shooting video is something you’re interested in, there are a variety of cameras out there that can get the job done, such as compacts, DSLRs, mirrorless, and so on. However in recent times, Panasonic’s Lumix GH5 has been the one gaining a fair amount of attention, especially when it comes to 4K videos.
With our smartphone cameras getting smarter and more capable with every new release, the question we’re sure many are wondering is if it has the potential to replace cameras completely. Perhaps if we’re talking about those low-end, cheap compact cameras, but what about the higher-end models, like DSLRs or mirrorless cameras?
If you’re in the market for a new digital camera with an interchangeable lens, then you will be interested to learn that Panasonic has a new camera for you in the form of the Panasonic Lumix G9. This is the company’s latest camera offering which also appears to borrow certain features from the Lumix GH5, which is obviously a good thing.
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Our smartphone cameras these days are becoming more sophisticated not just in the hardware department, but also in the software side of things. This is because as our phones are so thin, smartphone makers have had to turn to a variety of solutions to achieve the effect and quality that one might expect from a dedicated camera.
While attending CEATEC 2017 in Tokyo, I stopped by the Panasonic Center (Tokyo) where the company has 15k square meters (~162k square feet) of demo space and offices. I had been there some years ago and wanted to check the latest demos and concepts that Panasonic is working on. There is a lot going on there, but five items have caught my attention, here they are:
[CEATEC 2017] If you’re trying to go on a diet, whether it is to gain muscle or to lose fat, taking into account the calories you take is essential. There are apps out there that help you keep track, and for the most part most food makers offer up the amount of calories that comes in a serving of whatever you are eating.
#IFA2017 – Have you ever hated getting up from your chair in the room and have to walk over to the kitchen just to get a drink or a snack? Wouldn’t it be much more awesome if your drinks/snacks were delivered to you instead? While getting a butler might be too pricey for some, the folks at Panasonic might have a more hi-tech solution.
Falling asleep while behind the wheel isn’t as rare an occurrence as one might think, and it is very dangerous not just for the driver, but for the passengers in the car, and also other drivers on the road. In the past we have seen companies try to develop technology to detect sleepy drivers, and recently Panasonic is trying their hand at it as well.
While our smartphones make for great cameras that we can pull out of our pockets and snap photos while on the go, sometimes there is still a need for a “proper” camera. However if you’d rather not lug around a DSLR or invest into a mirrorless system and its interchangeable lenses, a compact camera is probably you next best bet.
When it comes to measuring heart rate, usually the person getting measured will be required to wear some kind of attachment to their body. Whether it be more specialized equipment you find at hospitals, or a smartwatch that comes with a heart rate monitor, or a chest strap that athletes wear to measure performance, some kind of equipment has to be worn.
It is no secret that Japan loves its robots. We’ve seen robots deployed in the country for all kinds of uses, whether it be to greet customers at a store or to help them check into a hotel. That being said, the next time you were to visit Japan and you arrive at the country’s various airports, don’t be surprised to see robots zipping by you.
Panasonic makes some great rugged products aimed at enterprise customers. Today, the company is launching two such products, the FZ-Q2 semi-rugged 2-in-1 tablet and the FZ-A2 fully rugged 10.1 inch Android tablet. Both devices are the latest additions to Panasonic’s Toughbook product family. The former features a full-sized keyboard and has been designed with the professional mobile worker in mind.
[CES 2017] When Apple announced the new MacBook Pros, not only did they kill features like MagSafe and removed all traditional USB-A ports, but for some reason they decided to kill off one of the laptop’s more useful features, an SD card slot. It is unclear why Apple decided to do that, but safe to say that it will be missed, especially by photographers.
Self-checkout counters/lanes at grocery stores aren’t new. Maybe some people prefer bagging their own groceries, or maybe some people think it’s faster than standing in line. Either way it’s an idea that’s been done before, but over in Japan, Panasonic has a plan that could take self-checkouts to the next level.
VR and 360 videos are the focus of intense research and competition as broadcasting companies can sense that this type of content is about to become the topic of an intense push by the industry. To explore new ways to capture broadcast-quality 360 videos, Panasonic came up with this 360-degree 4K Real-Time Camera prototype, which can capture four 4K streams simultaneously to form a 360 degrees view.
[CEATEC 2016] As robots slowly start to become a bigger part of our daily lives, naturally improvements have to be made to the existing technology to ensure that robots are capable of doing many different tasks. At CEATEC 2016, Panasonic is showing off a motion-sensing unit in which the idea is to help with a robot’s posture to help keep it upright.