There are new and actually (very good looking) image samples taken with the Sonnetar 25mm f/1.1 prototype lens on the GH1. You can see them at KTFdesign (Click here) and KTFturbo (Click here). A japanese source confirmed that it will have the same $650 price of the [shoplink 29387 ebay]Pentax Q mount version (here on eBay)[/shoplink]. It will be a more compact and cheaper alternative of the [shoplink 15659 ebay]Voigtländer 25mm f/0.95 lens[/shoplink]. No matter if you like the new Sonnetar or not it is great to see such a busy buzz of new third party lenses for the m43 system. Sigma, Voigtländer, Schneider, Zeiss and SLRmagic…that makes the system great!

Speaking of SLRmagic, you can see some image samples taken with their new scoope lenses on Flickr (Click here). Their 12-36×50 ED (420-1260mm) lens is available on [shoplink 29411 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] for US $549.00.

The dynamic range graph posted by Pekka Potka.

Pekka Potka posted a double E-M5 test on his website (Click here). First, he measured the dynamic range and found that the new [shoplink 29074]Olympus E-M5[/shoplink] has a 2 EV advantage over the [shoplink 23568]Olympus E-P3[/shoplink]! Soon other websites like DxO or Dpreview will post their reviews and if they can confirm Pekkas results than this is actually an impressive step forward!

And he also tested the  new five axis Image stabilization and he is again impressed by the results.

More I look at the [shoplink 29074]Olympus E-M5[/shoplink] more I think that this time Olympus did it right! After almost three years of product reiteration we finally have something really new :)

Now it’s up to Panasonic to impress us with the future GH3!

—

Full Preorder list:
1) Black E-M5 body at
Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Warehouse UK, Redcoon Germany and Amazon Japan.
2) Silver E-M5 body at
Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Warehouse UK, Redcoon Germany, and Amazon Japan.
3) Black E-M5 body with 14-42mm lens at
Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto and Amazon Japan.
4) Black E-M5 body with 12-50mm lens at
Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Jessops, Redcoon Deutschland, Amazon UK, Amazon Deutschland and Amazon Japan.
5) Silver E-M5 body with 12-50mm lens at
Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Jessops, Amazon UK, Amazon Deutschland and Amazon Japan.
6) FL-600R wireless flash at
Amazon, Adorama and BHphoto.
7) MMF-3 Four Thirds adapter at
Amazon and Adorama.
8.) HLD-6 power battery holder at
Amazon, Adorama and Amazon Japan.

Yakinik posted one more full size image sample taken with the GX1 and the new Nokton 17.5mm f/0.95 lens on Flickr (Click here). It has been taken at full aperture and it looks not bad at all! The only thing that doesn’t look good is the high price. Until now I only found two preorder options in German ebay stores at [shoplink 29368 ebay]Digitalhandel (Click here)[/shoplink] and [shoplink 29367 ebay]Bayern Fotoversand (Click here)[/shoplink]. Both for 1.299 Euro.

Meanwhile the other Nokton 25mm lens is getting a tiny bit cheaper. It’s available for 712 Euro on [shoplink 29370 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] or for 718 Euro at Amazon France (Click here).

Good Morning! I had a busy week and I am now catching up with all news and emails you sent me. Meanwhile check the video on top and the next two links if you still need to see more about the new E-M5: Hands-on at Expertreviews (Click here) and Trustedreviews (Click here).

E-M5 preorder search(!) links at [shopcountry 29074].

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Hands-On Review at ePhotozine (Click here): “Thankfully the camera lived up to our high expectations, and in some ways surpassed them with better than expected noise performance even at high ISO settings! The sensor in the camera has more resolution, with 16 megapixel compared to the PEN cameras 12 megapixels, yet also offers lower noise results!”

New official images from Olympus Japan (Click here). Some more E-M5 news and tests at pf.nl, digifoto.nl, hi-tech.ru, lydogbilde.no and swiatobrazu.pl. The E-M5 instructions manual is available in French (English, Spanish, German, etc. as well) via Openpn.

And there are new E-M5 preorders at Amazon UK. I updated the full preorder list (Just click on the shop name to see the direct E-M5 link):

—

Full Preorder list:
1) Black E-M5 body at
Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Warehouse UK, Redcoon Germany and Amazon Japan.
2) Silver E-M5 body at
Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Warehouse UK, Redcoon Germany, and Amazon Japan.
3) Black E-M5 body with 14-42mm lens at
Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto and Amazon Japan.
4) Black E-M5 body with 12-50mm lens at
Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Jessops, Redcoon Deutschland, Amazon UK, Amazon Deutschland and Amazon Japan.
5) Silver E-M5 body with 12-50mm lens at
Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Jessops, Amazon UK, Amazon Deutschland and Amazon Japan.
6) FL-600R wireless flash at
Amazon, Adorama and BHphoto.
7) MMF-3 Four Thirds adapter at
Amazon and Adorama.
8.) HLD-6 power battery holder at
Amazon, Adorama and Amazon Japan.

Street shooter comparison between the Sony Nex 7 and Panasonic GX1 by Mike Kobal (Click here).
Cameralabs (Click here) posted their full Panasonic GX1 review: “I really enjoyed shooting stills and video with it over an extended test period and remained impressed by its handling and output throughout. So despite a few missed opportunities, it will be warmly welcomed by enthusiasts and further strengthens the Micro Four Thirds standard. Recommended.” Also the spanish website Quesabese (Click here) tested the GX1.
You can buy the GX1 at [shopcountry 26836]. But if you live in US you should take a special look at BHphoto (Click here)… you can get $100 up o $200 on all Panasonic lenses!
Panasonic G3 review at Macworld (Click here): “Add a well-rounded feature set and pleasing image quality, and the G3 certainly maintains its place as a player in the mirrorless interchangeable lens category.”
G3 links at [shopcountry 22077].

And now to the old fashion reviews:
Carl Garrard (Click here) posted his E-P1 review. As you know this is also the camera I use everyday. It’s not an old camera in terms of years (three) but in the digital area of continually new launched camera generation the E-P1 isn’t perceived as new anymore (sadly). You absolutely have to read his review: “Simply put the E-P1 is a well designed and handling camera that offers a ton of control wrapped up in a stylish unassuming exterior that produces beautiful images. And for the price you can get one for nowadays, even brand new, this camera is simply a steal. This is one of the primary motivations for reviewing the E-P1 years after its introduction, but certainly not the only one.  I’m glad I gave the E-P1 a second shot.”
Form time to time you can find refurbished E-P1 cameras at [shoplink 22691 ebay]Olympusmarket (Click here)[/shoplink]. And they sell for 150-170 Euro with kit lens. A real bargain. And believe me, you will not need any other camera for the next years.
Kirk Tuck (Click here) tested the: “I started this whole article off intending to talk about an Olympus camera that I consider to be their Sputnik of digital cameras.  Their moon launch.  The incredibly nice piece of alloy and glass that put them on the digital map in 1999.  Yes.  I’m talking about the supernaturally incredible e-10.“. The only palce where you can find the E-10 right now is on [shoplink 29330 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
—
For US readers: the Olympus PEN rebate action is still ongoing until tomorrow at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and Bhphoto (Click here). And the E-PL1 is still the most sold mirrorless camera at Amazon (Click here to see the ranking).

Our reader Tobias Giesen posted the very first short Sigma f/2.8 for m43 lens review (Click here to read it). In short, he found the Sigma lens focuses fater than the [shoplink 14796]20mm f/1.7 lens[/shoplink]. And that’s certainly a bit of a surprise. The lens is decently sharp wide open but there is one major issue…CA (Chromatic Aberration). But read his full test and see the many image smaples to get an idea of the image quality. You can (pre-)order the lens at Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here) and Fotomundus (Click here).

Speaking of Sigma, DSLRmagazine (Click here) interviewed Mr Kazuto Yamaki (CEO of Sigma). The interesting bits of info. The 30mm and 19mm lenses are deisnged for their own DP series, NEX system and m43 system (For cost savings reasons). The MTF graph is very good but MR. kazuto said that sadly they cannot rely on the camera software for automatic lens corrections.