Panasonic G7 Micro Four Thirds camera not coming in 2014

Panasonic is rumored to have delayed the plans to launch the Lumix G6 Micro Four Thirds camera in 2014, shortly after it has been discovered that the Lumix GF series has been put “on hold”.

One of the companies which has been deeply affected by the Thailand floods in 2011 is Panasonic. The Japan-based company has also taken a major blow during the most recent financial crisis therefore it has focused on finding solutions to get back to more profitable ways.

Mirrorless camera sales are thriving in Japan and several parts of Asia, so Panasonic and Olympus have been reporting an increase in revenue recently. The former has also ditched its plasma TV and mobile divisions in order to cut down costs and prevent major losses.

As a direct consequence to the aforementioned plans, Panasonic has announced an important profit of about $1.2 billion for the 2014 fiscal year. In order to save even more money, it appears that Panasonic has cancelled the plans to launch a new GF-series camera this year, the GF7, while a new inside report is suggesting that the G-series has also been delayed following poor sales.

Panasonic G7 launch plans reportedly cancelled, following poor G6 sales

Panasonic G6 will not be replaced by a new Micro Four Thirds camera in 2014 after the company has reportedly cancelled plans to introduce the Lumix G7 this year.

As stated above, there will be no new Lumix GF-series camera in 2014, even though a model has been announced yearly since the introduction of the GF1.

Furthermore, the Panasonic G7 will also have to wait for its release date a year longer. The DSLR-like G6 has been revealed in April 2013 with a rather interesting specs list that includes WiFi and NFC. However, it seems like sales have not gone according to plan therefore the Japanese corporation will focus on other projects.

Meanwhile, the Panasonic G6 and its 16-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor is available for less than $650 at Amazon.

Panasonic is aiming to offer a more streamlined Micro Four Thirds camera line-up

A lot of industry experts have voiced their worries when Panasonic introduced the Lumix GM1. At that time, the company was selling the G, GF, GH, GX, and GM series of mirrorless cameras, creating a lot of confusion among customers.

If the G and GF models are “on hold”, then Panasonic will focus on the GM, GX, and GH series of shooters in the future, each designed for different categories of consumers.

The GM is aimed at entry-level photographers, the GH will appeal to enthusiast videographers, while the GX series will be targeted at the higher-end market.

If you are looking for a mid-range mirrorless camera, then the Panasonic GH3 will allegedly be hit with a significant price reduction. For now, the Lumix GH3 is available for a little under $1,100 at Amazon.