Given what's on the market now, I had a thought of how one mfr. could plug a big hole and boost their reputation. Could be Panasonic, or someone else....
People want a large-sensor compact camera. The Pana LX3 isn't satisfying because of the small sensor, ditto the Canon G10. The Sigma DP1/2 isn't satisfying due to design quirks and limited resolution. The Oly EP-1 and Pana G1 aren't satisfying because they're interchangeable lens cameras, and the lens doesn't fold into the body.
So if someone like Panasonic would stretch the LX3, a very well-made camera, to the size of the Oly EP-1 body or slightly smaller, retaining the integrated fold-up lens and price around $600 u.s., that seems very doable to me. It wouldn't conflict with Pana or Oly's current micro 4/3 models or compacts, and it would capture a starving market.
