Panasonic won't switch to 8K until 2022; no 8K from Sony, Canon or Nikon until 2021

(Image credit: Panasonic)

The race for consumer 8K is high-profile, but it looks like Sharp is the only company to deliver it in 2019–Canon, Sony, and Nikon will all miss the 2020 Olympics, and Panasonic won't have it ready until the Olympics. of 2022.

That's according to the latest set of rumors, as well as a report from one of Japan's leading business newspapers.

• Learn more:

What is 8K?

Despite Panasonic's claims two years ago that its goal was to bring 8K to the masses by 2020 in time for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, the company is now aiming for 2022 and the Olympics in Tokyo. winter in Beijing.

The 6K Panasonic S1H probably would have been 8K, if the company's technology had advanced as expected

(Image credit: Panasonic)

“Panasonic Showcases 8K Digital Camera at 22nd Winter Olympics,” reads the headline of the Japanese daily.

Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun

. By automatic translation:

"Panasonic is the prospect of the year 2022, which will be held the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing, and 8K ultra-high definition video, and for the professional consumer for a digital camera with a playback function in 4K high definition jet slow motion (consumer)."

This news should come as no surprise, after last month's revelation of the

Panasonic Lumix S1H

– the full-frame L-mount camera that offers 6K video, which we think would have boasted 8K instead if Panasonic's tech was ready.

Indeed, successfully deploying 8K cameras for the consumer and prosumer markets is apparently proving tricky. Sony was expected to unveil its own 8K camera at CES in January as it rolled out its wider 8K ecosystem, but that didn't materialize.

Although full-frame 8K is years away, 8K on Micro Four Thirds is already here with the Sharp 8K Video Camera

(Image credit: Kinotika)

According to industry chatter, it's a trend that's equally true for Canon and Nikon. .

"I know there's a lot of talk about 8K right now," posted

Mirrorless Rumors

. "Reliable sources tell me you can forget about getting any L or R or Z or E mount 8k mirrorless in 2019 or 2020. That's not going to happen guys!"

While full-frame mirrorless struggles to deliver the ultra-ultra HD format, however, Micro Four Thirds doesn't find it as difficult.

Indeed, the

Sharp 8K Video Camera< /p>

- which has a proprietary 33MP 16:9 Micro Four Thirds image sensor and

a Micro Four Thirds lens

- has been in working public prototype form for much of the year and is still aiming for a 2019 release.

While we may see Sharp's camera being delayed until next year, the fact that it already exists and has been used by the public means it really won't be. be long before you see it. And with no competition until 2021, Sharp might be wise to leave it a little longer until it's cooked to perfection.

Read more:

What is 8K

? And what does this mean for photographers and videographers?

Sharp 8K video camera

: 33MP Micro Four Thirds sensor, 10-bit 8K at 30fps

Pilot Era:8K

360 VR camera with real-time stitching, touch screen and Android operating system

James Artaus

Digital Camera World editor, James began working in the photography industry in 2014 as an assistant to Damian McGillicuddy - David Bailey's successor as lead photographer for Olympus. During this time he filmed for clients as diverse as Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal, in addition to filming campaigns and product testing for Olympus. An Olympus and Canon user, James was previously a technical writer at

PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine

.

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