The video on top shows the Panasonic-Leica 25mm f/1.4 review made by Digitalrev. The lens itself is in Stock in most part of the worlds with one single exception…USA! Looks like Panasonic has something against the states? Is the market not important enough for you? We europeans have plenty of Panasonic-Leica in Stock in many stores. This is the list I usually check to see where I can get the lens. As usual just click on the shopname to see the Panaosnic-Leica search page:
[shoplist 23110]

When testing “non m43 cameras” many reviewers like to compare it with the mother of all mirrorless systems, Micro Four Thirds :)

Let’s start with Pentaxforums (Click here) that posted an incredibly long and detailed Pentax Q review. They included many comparisons with the [shoplink 23567]Olympus E-PL3[/shoplink]: “The new sensor technology employed in the Q has raised the cap for the image quality possible from a small sensor, but size still matters, and the Q cannot produce the same resolution and low noise as the 8 times larger sensor of our four thirds camera, the Olympus E-PL3. We chose to compare the Q to a four thirds system camera since the price is about the same and this is the closest interchangeable lens competitor in sensor size.”

Steve Huff (Click here) wrote a full NEX-7 review and compared the camera with the [shoplink 23568]Olympus E-P3[/shoplink]: “The 7 has a larger APS-C sensor, the E-P3 has a smaller 4/3 sensor. In all fairness the E-P3 is more fun to shoot and provides results that you just can not complain about. It has a cool factor and some serious mojo even with its limitations and I own it and am keeping it. BUT the NEX-7 is more serious with more potential. NEX has to win this if we are taking body to body. Lenses, Oly wins but then again“.

While I am not a big fan of the [shoplink 26437]Pentax Q[/shoplink], I have to admit the [shoplink 25396]NEX-7[/shoplink] looks very promising. Anyway, the limit of the NEX system are the quality, range and size of the lenses and the future NEX lens roadmap isn’t really appealing me. I hope Olympus and Panasonic will soon understand the potential of a camera like the NEX-7! It was on the bestseller list of Amazon US (Click here) for weeks until preorders have been stopped because of the terrible flood in Thailand that stopped the NEX-7 production. The Pentax is quite popular in Japan but not so in the rest of the world.

Photozone (Click here) tested the Panasonic 14-140mm lens: “it is a compact ultra zoom lens for people who don’t just want to carry around several lenses and accept the performance penalty that are associated with such lenses.” 14-140mm links at: [shopcountry 14802].

Steve Huff (Click here) posted the full 12mm Noktor review: “When I was asked if I wanted to review this lens I was like “great, a 12mm 1.6 lens that is going to be super soft and a pain to use”. Boy was I proved wrong. So much so that this has become a fave of mine on my E-P3. The combo of the solid build and classic rendering make this a special lens for those times when you want a classic almost cinematic look.“. The lens cannot be preordered yet.

Other SLRmagic lenses for Micro Four Thirds:
SLR Magic 12-36×50 ED Straight Spotting Scope lens (w/ hand grip) is now available on [shoplink 25887 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
SLR magic 11mm f/1.4 lens you can preorder on [shoplink 22154 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
Toy Lens 26mm f/1.4 lens on [shoplink 18603 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
SLR Magic 35mm f/1.7 MC lens on [shoplink 14881 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

ice skating shot with gh2 + panasonic lumix g x 45-175mm from Roderick Kar on Vimeo.

The Japanese website DSLR-check (Click here) posted a set of image comparisons between the [shoplink 25104]14-42mm pancake X zoom[/shoplink] and other lenses. What’s really interesting with the test is that he used the lens on both Panasonic and Olympus camera. As you know Panasonic has a lens correction while the Olympus has not. You really can see the difference! At first glance I wouldn’t recommend that lens for the use on an Olympus camera if you shot JPEG’s only. Otherwise the lens performs very well on the Panasonic cameras! And keep in mind how tiny that zoom lens is, that makes the image quality of the lens look even more impressive!

You can click these links to search for 14-42mm X lens preorders: [shopcountry 25104] The Panasonic 45-175mm X lens is in Stock in some stores. Check at [shopcountry 25103].

Our friend Seb Farges shot this video with the new Nanoha 5x macro lens: “I’ve just receveid the Nanoha Macro 5X lens, micro 4/3 mount! It’s an amazing lens that is opening to me the very macro world. It has a lighting LED unit, you can plug it with USB cable, on your computer for example. You also have a target holder to maintain the object in front of the lens to avoid motion blur. I did not use it on this movie, except on the euro bill shot and the alone hair. Not so easy to film nano objects, the D.O.P is very short. The focusing point is 11mm from the lens top. You can adjust the point about 8mm with focusing ring. The magnification will be changed between x5 to x4 with focusing. This is a first quick test, hope you will enjoy it.”

More info about the lens here: yasuhara.co.jp/​nanoha/​index-e.html. P.S.: Yasuhara is known for making [shoplink 26291 ebay]M-mount lenses and cameras[/shoplink].

One more thing: Someone sent me the link to a mysterious Lo-fi 25mm f/1.4 M43 lens (Photojojo). To me it looks like this is a copy of the [shoplink 20919 ebay]SLRmagic 26mm f/1.4 toy lens (Click here to see that lens)[/shoplink].

Popphoto (Click here) posted the full Panasonic GF3 review: “The Olympus E-PL2, which can still be found at some retailers, matches the GF3’s performance in many ways, but is larger and doesn’t focus quite as fast. In short, the GF3 offers plenty of bang for the buck and is pretty much the camera to beat in this class“.
A second review of the GF3 has been posted by Cameralabs (Click here): “Panasonic’s repositioning of its GF range as ‘consumer’ models aimed at casual photographers looking to upgrade from a point-and-shoot has long been apparent and, in my view, they’ve succeeded admirably“.
The GF3 is in Stock at [shopcountry 23109].

DigitalPhotographySchool (Click here) tested the Panasonic G3: “excellent colour capture with images as sharp as a tack”
The G3 is in Stock at [shopcountry 22077].

The german SystemKameraBlog (Click here) posted a full Olympus 12mm review. You have to be a member to download the review (in german).
Also ePhotozine (Click here) tested the Olympus 12mm lens: “Although this lens comes at a premium price point, you get premium build and premium optical quality. The wide aperture is very useful for taking images in low light conditions and this dinky metal lens makes a perfect companion for street photography due to its compact size and excellent performance at fast apertures.”
Click these shop links to check the price and availability of the Olympus 12mm lens: [shopcountry 23576].