The rumor mill and the 
slashCam Forum are buzzing about a new Panasonic L-Mount camera that is said to be an alternative to the Sony FX3 and is scheduled to be unveiled as early as May 15.
Personally, we believe that such a camera is quite likely for several reasons. Panasonic is known to have a great deal of expertise in the video-affine DSLM sector and, with the sensor of the S1RII, a real gem when it comes to dynamic range - see also our Lab test of the Panasonic S1RII. If the sensor could be read out even faster with more cooling, for example in an appropriately optimized housing, an extremely potent cine camera would be available that would perform visually significantly above an FX3 and probably even above an FX6 / C70.
Although we do not have any sales figures available, the FX3 is considered a particularly successful camera in the video-affine DSLM segment. All manufacturers who are active in this segment are likely to have noticed that high unit numbers and a largely competition-free market segment come together here: And thus ideal conditions to get involved here with their own products.
32 Bit Float Audio, internal ProRes HQ and ProRes RAW recording, a good AF, outstanding dynamic range and Open Gate are already offered by the Panasonic S1RII. Slightly reduced rolling shutter times would be enough to bring a real killer cam to the market and still leave room for an S1H II - for example with an integrated ND filter.
Anyone who, like us, has already gained experience with the FX3 in comparison to the FX6 will know how versatile the FX3 is. We consider a corresponding alternative from Panasonic to be a very good starting point - provided that the points mentioned here are taken into account and the price remains below that of the FX3.
We are definitely very excited about what Panasonic is cooking up and are keeping our fingers crossed - because more choice is always a good environment for filmmakers ...
