43 Rumors

Image on top: The OM4-TI (here on eBay) is the one that looks very close to the OM-D

A new source (Thanks!) had the chance to test the new OM-D camera. He says “the 12800 ISO performance looks similar to the E-P3′s 3200 ISO”! Please take that rumor with a grain of salt because this is a subjective impression that needs to be verified with a real test. But if his “impression” is correct than this is a huge news! A two stop improvement is something almost unbelievable. All I know for sure form my top sources is that ISO goes up to 25.600. I hope my other sources can confirm or deny that rumor soon. The same new source said: “The effect of the stabilization can be seen though the new viewfinder in the OM-D“.

UPDATE: The sources just sent me some more bits: “The 12800 ISO comparison was with on JPEG, obviously, there is no RAW support. But interesting, there was no noticeable colour & chroma noise in the shadows, colour noise was very noticeable with the E-P3 at 3200.“. I guess he is reading your comments so feel free to write your questions!

In summary: (FT5) 16 Megapixel sensor with High Dynamic Range and super video quality and TruePic VI engine. It looks similar to OM4-TI (here on eBay) (FT3) 2 stop better noise performance than current PEN cameras. Sound all good for now!

One more thing: The final camera name starts with the usual “E” letter. The “OM-D” is the new camera line name like it is with the “PEN”.

Message to one of my best sources: Is it possible to have one more piece of image of the OM-D?

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Rumors classification explained (FT= FourThirds):
FT1=1-20% chance the rumor is correct
FT2=21-40% chance the rumor is correct
FT3=41-60% chance the rumor is correct
FT4=61-80% chance the rumor is correct
FT5=81-99% chance the rumor is correct

Image on top: The 16 Megapixel APS-C sensor from Aptina.

The only thing we now about the new Olympus OM-D sensor is that it has 16 megapixel, an increased dynamic range compared to the previous cameras and superb video quality. But the big question is …who made the sensor? I am having hard times to think that this is a Panasonic sensor. Panasonic wouldn’t give the newest sensor to Olympus before to use it on their own cameras. It could be Fuji but I don’t know if they want to cannibalize their newly launch X PRO 1. It could be a Sony, but again why ship sensors to a direct competitor? It could be Samsung that we know proposed their sensor tech to Oly. And it could be Aptina that is already selling their sensors for Nikon. Just for fun, I want you to place your bet:

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My bet goes to Aptina. It’s just my “feeling”, not a rumor

While I am still not sure if the GH3 is going to be announced soon or not I am getting more reliable rumors about another Panasonic camera. According to two new sources the GF3 has now been discontinued and the new GF7(?) could be announced in February-March. The GF3 has been announced in June 2011 so it’s not even 8 months old! You will argue that this is not possible but the GF3 has been announced exactly eight months only after the GF2 release.

If the rumor is true than this will be a new chapter of the “miniaturization” war. But honestly, don’t know how much smaller you can get! What would you cut from the GF3? What’s true is that the GF2 is selling much better than the GF3 at Amazon (Click here to see the ranking). Maybe Panasonic cam up with a new idea to appeal the GF series.

Here is the current GF3: Amazon.co.uk, Pixmania.nl, eBay.nl.

Rumors classification explained (FT= FourThirds):
FT1=1-20% chance the rumor is correct
FT2=21-40% chance the rumor is correct
FT3=41-60% chance the rumor is correct
FT4=61-80% chance the rumor is correct
FT5=81-99% chance the rumor is correct