Will the new flagship Micro Four Thirds (MFT) camera from Panasonic resuscitate the nearly dead sensor standard?

The Micro Four Thirds sensor was foundational to the success of early mirrorless cameras. It was small enough for processors to inch out great quality but large enough to make use of APS-C and full-frame lenses.


While the sensor standard was released by Olympus and Panasonic, many other manufacturers used it in their cameras—Blackmagic, DJI, and even Kodak to name a few. 

But as processing power has increased, mirrorless cameras are embracing the APS-C and full-frame formats. Fuji even released a cropped medium-format camera. 

However, on Feb. 21, 2022, Panasonic is set to unveil the LUMIX GH6. Will the new high-speed sensor and a new processing engine be enough to keep Micro Four Thirds in the spotlight?

The Panasonic LUMIX GH6 Deconstructed

The only official information we have on this new camera is what was released with the development announcement back in May 2021. Check out the LUMIX GH6 specs below.

  • New high-speed sensor
  • New Venus Engine Image Processor
  • 10-bit 4:2:2: DCI 4K 60p video with unlimited record time
  • 10-bit 4K 120p HFR/VFR recording
  • 10-bit 5.7K 60p video

But that hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from milling the grains of speculation. According to the grapevine, the GH6 may be the first Panasonic mirrorless camera to use Phase Detection Autofocus. 

Originally, autofocus was done by Depth from Defocus, which was limited to Panasonic lenses and had reliability issues.

A Very Important Date

We’ll know more on Feb. 21, 2022, when Panasonic will fully reveal the LUMIX GH6. Till then, we can only patiently wait and speculate.

Beyond the specs, we do know that this new camera is set to be the flagship of the LUMIX G Series. With some incredible achievements under its belt, such as having several cameras on the Netflix Approved Camera List, Panasonic is sure to set the bar high for its new camera and give new life to a sensor standard that has been left behind. 

Check out weekly specials, deals, and rebates: Pro Video GearPro Audio GearLighting