Panasonic GX7 Gets First Discount... Before it Releases

While this certainly isn't on the level of the absurd Sigma SD-1, it's still amusing. Panasonic has already discounted the GX7 by $100 before it even released. Olympus has likewise discounted the E-M5, putting both cameras at $899. Chances are, one of the two companies planned to do this and the other company's spies became aware of it, thus resulting in this absurd situation where both cameras suddenly drop at the exact same moment.

The E-M5 has continued to sell well over the course of the past year and I'm confident that this will only serve to give it another boost. If anything, this may cannib... actually, no, I am quite sure that it will cannibalize sales of the new E-M1. The E-M5 and E-M1 are very close in performance, and with what has suddenly ballooned to a $500 premium, the E-M1 will be a very tough sell. Of course, it always was primarily targeted at photogs sitting on a stash of Zuiko lenses with nowhere to use them.

This is a very tough situation for Panasonic. The GX7 isn't competitive with the E-M5. The image quality is identical, but everything else about the E-M5 is a cut above. It's weather sealed, it's better built, its IBIS is better. I have a feeling that the GX7 is going to end up where Panasonic's other cameras have all ended up, selling well, but only after massive discounts. I bought a GX1 for a friend, brand new, for $199. You can't even get used, decade-old, Canon gear for that price.

Sooooooo, yeah. I'd wait to buy any Olympus gear, since further discounts are likely planned for the holiday season. But other than that, Oly isn't going to be discounting the E-M5 too much; it's been far too big a success.