Panasonic has been on a real tear lately with its solid line of Lumix Micro Four Thirds cameras, which feature interchangeable lenses. The latest two Panasonic Micro Four Thirds models, the GH1 and GF1, offer solid HD video capture. The Panasonic GH1 comes with a 14-140mm HD lens specifically designed for quiet auto operation for use in video recording. Currently, Panasonic has no DSLRs in its line-up.
Several recent patent applications filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) indicate that Panasonic may be bringing some of the popular features found in the GH1 and GF1 to a full-on DSLR. In particular, USPTO Application No. 12/581,286, filed by Panasonic on October 19, 2009, reveals a DSLR (complete with mirror and optical viewfinder) with a video mode, vari-angle LCD, on-board video LED light source and special video-compatible lenses. [Read more…]