Long wait for the GM7?

The GM5 obviously replaced the GM1 although there was a need for being in the GM1 all by itself.  However it seems to have been phased out in favour of the GM5 which in turn seems to be being phased out.  Warning signs that the GM5 has been discontinued have been seen but it keeps on coming on and every time local retailers seem to think that the last batch has landed some more seem to appear.  It is very much like the extended life of the GX7 which was well gone, but was still on the market.

Maybe there was plenty left in the warehouse or that continued demand for what were notionally superseded products left Panasonic inclined to quietly run another production batch while the going was good?

In any case the street price of both the GX7 and GM5 seems to have gone up if anything in recent months.  Maybe even this was a late demand surge from those holding off waiting for the market to bottom before they bought? The late (poor) adopters who know what the see is good and can put off their urgency to acquire until the price is right will juggle this against being able to buy one at all.  Maybe the one in pink will be good enough if it is cheap enough and there are no others left?

But the GM7 was rumoured way back in October 2015 and has had its impending "coming" re-inforced several times.  It has not arrived (there is still time) but the GX80/85/GX7ii suddenly pops up virtually unhearalded.

Certain things make the GXwhatever (GXw) stand out as a GM series camera:

Firstly that it provided the full schedule of the want list of those who thought that the GM series could do with a few more features.  Not only does the GXw provide everything that the GX7 provided it also adds some useful extras.  And all this in a body technically smaller than the GX7.

One of the unsung wonders has been that the battery compartment is no longer angled but has been fitted in parallel fashion to the body and enabled a smaller grip to be used.  This is itself has been a small triumph in miniaturisation.  Space has to be rearranged internally to do this.

Whilst the GM series (and the GF7/8) were exercises in just what user conveniences can be left out to make a fully functioning camera the GXw is an exercise in just how small a camera body can be made with all the user conveniences built in.  In other words "GM supremo" and whilst the GM1 and GM5 were a series all by themselves the GXw seems to me to be just as much as a GM on steroids as much as it is a logical successor to the GX7.  Then label it as a sort of GX8-lite.

The next question is on whether the GXw is the GM7 but there was not enough corporate will to launch it as the "GM7"

Followed by: "will there ever be a tiny GM series replacement?".

An announcement of the "real GM7" before the end of April will of course put an end to such speculative considerations. Otherwise just get yourself a GM series camera before they are all gone or be prepared to wait for a while to see if Panasonic will give the type another run. Or to sell off the fruits of another production run of GM5 cameras.

Meantime those that "loved" the GM series but wouldn't mind it "a little larger" if it had ...., and ..... (insert wish list of user conveniences) have had their wish come true.  Those that responded that they should just buy a GX7 have been vindicated.  The GXw has to be the smallest fully loaded camera that can be made.  But of course there are other cameras in this size bracket - the GM series remains supreme for midget mighty power for those that can manage with the basics.

Wait for the whinge session over the GXw "tiny inadequate grip" and the apparently quite up market and comfortable to hold "plastic" body.