Spot the difference: Panasonic's latest camera gives a whole new meaning to the concept of a 'subtle refresh'
(Image credit: Future)
Just last week we reported on the earth-shattering revelation that Panasonic had launched a 'new' compact camera - a rare occurrence in today's stagnant compact camera market. Now Panasonic has followed up with another new release, although this time it’s only an interchangeable lens camera, and they're released almost on a daily basis. The camera in question here is the Lumix G95D - the replacement for the Lumix G95. Just to add further confusion, the same camera is called the G99 in Japan, and this is also set for a 'D' refresh, becoming the G99D.
What all these cameras have in common - including the new Panasonic compact camera from last week - is they each only boast only a single hardware upgrade relative to their preceding models: a new rear display. In the case of the G95D/G99D, the old LCD panel has been replaced by an OLED display. Still 3 inches, still touch sensitive, and still able to articulate. In other markets the G95 is sold as the G90, which already has an OLED rear screen, so we're unlikely to see a G90D appear any time soon [look out for next week’s follow-up article where Panasonic makes me eat those words!].
Let's face it, a subtly revamped rear screen is not enough on its own to justify a new camera, so we speculate that Panasonic had no choice but to implement new screen hardware due to possible supply issues with its existing LCD panels. If this were to be true, it does at least demonstrate Panasonic's commitment to the Micro Four Thirds system, as the company opted to maintain production of the G95/G99 rather than simply discontinue it, should the supply chain shortage theory be correct.
Ben is the Imaging Labs manager, responsible for all the testing on Digital Camera World and across the entire photography portfolio at Future. Whether he's in the lab testing the sharpness of new lenses, the resolution of the latest image sensors, the zoom range of monster bridge cameras or even the latest camera phones, Ben is our go-to guy for technical insight. He's also the team's man-at-arms when it comes to camera bags, filters, memory cards, and all manner of camera accessories – his lab is a bit like the Batcave of photography! With years of experience trialling and testing kit, he's a human encyclopedia of benchmarks when it comes to recommending the best buys.
