Interview with Yosuke Yamane, head of Panasonic’s photography division

Les Num Portal&eacute riques interviewed Yosuke Yamane, head of Panasonic’s photography division. In this half hour talk we discussed topics ranging from Sigma and Leica partnership development to the use of Artificial Intelligence and how smartphones will affect the future of the Micro 4/3 format.

Yosuke Yamane talks about the development of the new S system. &copy R.Labracherie LesNum&eacute riques.

Les Num&eacute riques: The announcement of the alliance around the Leica L mount was a real surprise. Can you tell us more about the partnership with Sigma and Leica?

Yosuke Yamane: Personally I was thinking about implementing 24x36mm format 8 years ago but at that time it was quite complicated both technically and financially. It was difficult for Panasonic to decide to invest in this segment because our brand didn’t yet have the means and capabilities to take market share easily. Eight years ago, we left that idea aside, but we haven’t given up on it.

Five years ago, Sony introduced the 24x36mm hybrid camera, which was the A7, creating an opportunity for new players in this segment. And two years ago, technically, we were ready to offer a 24x36mm model, but we’re a young company in the photo industry with 17 years of development experience and a series of Lumix cameras. Also, when you’re introducing a new format, you also have to introduce a wide range of compatible optics to keep potential buyers interested

We also understood that investing in a new direction always involves risks, and you have to be able to hold on when the market is struggling in order not to lose the trust of your customers. This is why we tried to create an alliance with other companies. In early 2018, we decided to offer a partnership between Leica and Sigma.

Why we chose the Leica? We have a long history with this company. We have been working with Leica since the launch of the Lumix brand in 2001, and for the past four years we have had a technical collaboration. We were very involved in the development of the Leica L mount and logically thought that if we entered the 24×36 segment, we should do it with this mount and of course with Leica.

Regarding Sigma we know that this brand offers quality products and an excellent range of optics for the 24x36mm format. We were also convinced by what Kazuto Yamaki, Sigma’s CEO, said during the talks, and realized we shared the same philosophy. So it was in order to propose such an alliance to Sigma, and we are counting on Sigma to help us improve our system.

The idea of an alliance and the possible synergy it could bring quickly attracted both companies

Les Num&eacute Ten years ago you also teamed up with Olympus around the Micro4/3 format which made it successful in the end. Why isn’t Olympus in the new alliance around the 24×36 format ?

Yosuke Yamane: Ten years ago Olympus and I were pondering the future of SLR cameras. We found them bulky and heavy, and we wanted to make something new and much more affordable with an interchangeable lens system. Our views on the concept of such a camera were the same. We don’t have a joint opinion about the 24x36mm camera and we have a lot of disagreement, but it’s only about that format anyway.

Les Num&eacute riques: Your new S1R is very much like a “classic” SLR, while you tend to lean towards a hybrid system with lighter weight and compact size. Why did you make this choice??

Yosuke Yamane: The hybrid camera as we see it is supposed to have two important functions – not only taking good quality photos, but also capturing decent quality video. And it should be able to move easily from one area to another. In this case, the weight goes into the background. To meet these requirements, we have to offer a body not “too” small to reassure users. Larger sizes cause people to have more confidence in the reliability of the product. For example, the cameras used in cinematography are very impressive. Our challenge was to find a good balance between ergonomics, ruggedness and size.

Les Num&eacute The alliance around the L mount is only about the mount and the connection between the body and the optics, or is it equally about the sensors, the autofocus system, and the image processing?

Yosuke Yamane: You’re right, this alliance is only about the mounting method and data transfer capability. All brands can use their own know-how to develop products. So for example Sigma can make great use of its Foveon sensors.

Les Num&eacute riques: During the presentation of the new S-system, we learned that you are working on the next generation of your DFD autofocus system with elements of artificial intelligence. Can you tell us more? Do you use artificial intelligence for other functions, such as enhancing image quality?

Yosuke Yamane: We are currently using artificial intelligence in photography and video. When it comes to autofocus, there are three things to consider: proper focus point selection, distance analysis of the subject, and focus accuracy. The last two points are solved by our DFD technology. To solve the “focus point” question, we have to use artificial intelligence to analyze images. For example, we use it to pinpoint the eyes on a face. We also have a system that allows us to quickly find an object, such as a bird in the sky. For all of these analyses, we use deep learning.

Les Num&eacute The 8K format is in the plans for 2020 but can you tell us about your predictions for photography/video in the coming years, can you imagine the 16K format appearing, for example?

Yosuke Yamane: You know it’s not easy to make 8K. We are already analyzing where and how this format can be used to fully determine customer needs in this area.

Les Num&eacute Rques: The advent of smartphones has had a major impact on the camera market. You were trying to carve out a niche for yourself with the LUMIX CM1, why did you end up giving it up?? Do you think smartphones could compete with Micro 4/3 in the future??

Yosuke Yamane: Yes, we gave up that market because we felt it was not what Panasonic should be doing. No sequel after the CM1. Regarding Micro 4/3, it’s hard to predict the future of the market. I don’t think it threatens to make the format disappear, but smartphones are evolving quickly, and some flagship models now include multiple photo modules and also have very powerful image processing algorithms. So Panasonic will be closely monitoring trends in this area to react to the situation in time to make quick decisions to retain the Micro 4/3 format