The japanese website Itmedia (Click here) tested the new Olympus converters.
You can already preorder the converters in many stores:
Olympus Fisheye Converter at [shopcountry 21289].
Olympus Wide Lens Converter at [shopcountry 21292].
Olympus Macro Converter at [shopcountry 21293].

Reghardware (Click here) reviewed the GF2: “Recent additions, including the new DMC-G3 suggest Panasonic’s emphasis may have shifted to entice more cost conscious photographer to the MFT format. Whether the touchscreen is enough to compete with the likes of the [shoplink 18844]Olympus PEN E-PL2[/shoplink], remains to be seen. Still, with the Lumix DMC-GF2 Panasonic has succeeded in creating a clever and exciting camera.”
Click those links to check GF2 price and availability: [shopcountry 17361].

National Geographic Photographer Stephen Alvarez (Click here) also tested the GF2.

Fourthirds-user (Click here) compared the High ISO performance from cameras old and new cameras (Like for example the old Olympus E-1 and the newer Olympus E-5).

Panasonic G3 sample images at Focue Numerique (Click here). And the official Panasonic G3 gallery is also online at Panasonic.net (Click here). There is a hands-on report at Serious Compacts (Click here).

New Nauticam NA-XZ1 underwater housing for the Olympus XZ-1. Photorumors.

Good news for the Micro Four Thirds system. BBC approved the AG-AF101 as a HD specialist cameras. You may don’t know that only a few cameras are on the BBC list. That includes the much more expensive ARRI cameras, the Sony’s CineAlta F35 and the Red modular cameras. See the full (short) list of approved cameras -> Download .pdf. Low budget documentary filmmakers will be very happy to read that news. But there is only one “limitation”. You have to record the images on the external recorder to capture footage at 50Mbps via HDMI. (Read the article at Dvuser.co.uk)
You can get the AG-AF100(or 101 or 102) at BHphoto (Click here) or [shoplink 22129 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

Dvuser.co.uk (Click here) tested the Voigtlander 25mm F0.95 Micro 4/3rd lens on the Panasonic AF101 camcorder. Is the lens good enough for video? Nigel Cooper says :”I’ve been shooting with the Panasonic AF101 with the [shoplink 15659 ebay]Voigtlander 25mm MFT lens[/shoplink] for some weeks now and to say I’m impressed is an understatement. The quality that the Voigtlander optics produces is truly amazing. As for the Bokeh, it is truly amazing. At F0.95 you can achieve the shallowest depth-of-field; it’s incredible and it yields some incredibly artistic results.” The final rating is 5 start of 5! Thanks Nigel for your very detailed review!

The best thing is that now there are plenty of Nokton lenses in Stock in [shoplink 15659 ebay]European eBay stores (Click here)[/shoplink]. All new and with the normal price (which is 899 Euro). Click on the shop names: [shoplink 22125 ebay]Foto Mundus[/shoplink], [shoplink 22126 ebay]infoto2[/shoplink], [shoplink 22126 ebay]infoto2[/shoplink], [shoplink 22127 ebay]eu-shphoto[/shoplink], [shoplink 22128 ebay]deutscher-digitalhandel[/shoplink] (ships worldwide!). Our US readers can buy from Europe only because US stores do not have them in Stock. BHphoto accepts preorders (for a very good price) but they still don’t know when they will have them in Stock (that’s what they told to me).

UPDATE: In France you can find the Nokton for 749 Euro only at lapetiteboutiquephoto.com. Don’t know why they are much cheaper than other stores but I have been assured that this is a very reputable store!

Vitaly the hacker posted his thoughts about the [shoplink 22077]G3[/shoplink] on his website Personal-view.com (Click here). He doesn’t like the new G3 because….

“* Less buttons (you do not need AEL, right?).
* No eye sensor (You like play quest games enabling EVF via touch menu?)
* Noisier sensor compensated by math (read – more details blur).
* Intelligent resolution (read – more sharpness accentuating even minor flaws).
* And this magic button, ouch forget how it is called, something like Super-Druper-Auto-Everything-Intelligence-Not-From-This-Planet.
I think that it decides then you must take your pictures and prevents you to take any picture if it does not like this sour mugs ;-)
But I may misread something.”

And if you visit his website Personal-view.com (Click here) he also shows you the pink G3 :)

My two cent on that, I don’t think the G3 is a bad camera. Panasonic clearly targeted it for the amateurs. But along the G3 I would love to see a real Photo Camera too. A camera with less plastic, with more buttons and easier usability. What do you think?

P.S.: G3 preorders at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and Amazon UK (Click here).

Let’s focus on the performance of the new sensor. Please take into consideration that all images and tests have been performed using the beta firmware and JPG engine.

1) Let’s start with the Studio comparison tool from DPreview (Click here). jpg do look very good and can compete very well against the other entry level DSLR’s like the Canon 600d (Rebel T3i). Look at that 3.200 ISO comparison (Click here). I think Panasonic managed to improve the sensor and the imaging processor.

2) Photographyblog (CLick here) shows us the usefulness of the “Intelligent Resolution” feature: “The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3’s Intelligent Resolution feature identifies outlines, texture areas and soft gradation areas of the image and then automatically optimizes the edges and detailed texture areas while using noise reduction to make the soft gradation areas smoother. There are three available strengths – low, standard and high.” The image samples do prove that the feature seems to work fine.

3) Focus Numerique (Click here) posted a set of ISO samples. But take a look at SLRclub (Click here) where a forum user compared the Focus Numerique G3 results with those from other cameras. (Thanks Piscesen for sending us the link). UPDATE: You can find downloadable RAW files right below the image samples! (Thanks Jennekens)

4) You can find a Noise and Dynamic Range comparison at Techradar (Click here). A bit surprising to see that G3 is not so good a low ISO but much better at mid-high ISO! Look at the curve and you will be surprised!

5) Take a look at Imaging Resource (Click here). You will a couple of hours to analyze all those studio pictures! :)

Here is a list of real world (no studio) image samples: Flickr, Techradar, DPreview, Photographyblog.. So what do you think about the image quality of the new sensor?

Reminder:
Preorder the black,white, red or brown G3 at Amazon US (Click here)
Now preorders in Europe too! At Amazon UK (Click here).
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 14-42mm Lens Kit at Bhphoto (Click here)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 Camera Body at Bhphoto (Click here)

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[/shoplink] Image on top shows the [shoplink 14826]GH1[/shoplink] which is discounted in US. The GH2 is still out of Stock.

Thom Hogan (Click here) posted a bunch of few “mini-reviews“:

1) Panasonic GH2
He doesn’t recommend the camera because of two reasosn:
– “what I’m getting out of it in images and video looks a lot like a GH1. (Of course, I hacked my GH1 to get better video out of it.)”
-“because Panasonic’s distribution and sales in the US is so screwed up you’re not going to find one on your dealer’s shelves anyway.”
That’s why you should a close look to the recent $50 to $200 instant rebate offers on the GH1 at Amazon (Click here) and Adorama (Click here). The GH2 is still ut of stock (or overpriced) at Amazon, Adorama, B&H, J&R, eBay.

2) Olympus XZ-1.
The camera gets a positive review and it’s recommended: “The lens on this camera is superb, and the image quality is very good in raw“. The only problem the camera has is that “controls get reset too easily while handling the camera”
Get the XZ-1 at [shopcountry 19904].

He also tested the Fuji X100 and Sony VG-10. Both are not recommended cameras! (Click here to read more at bythom.com).

P.S.: Fuji X100 links to [shopcountry 19929].

The Fuji X100 Very First Look (Steve Huff).

Let me make a quick roundup about the news of the most popular camera of the moment, the Fuji X100.

Reghardware (Click here) tested the X100: “In these days of interchangeable lens, electronic viewfinder cameras, what possible appeal can a fixed-lens camera like this hold? Surprisingly, the answer is: quite a lot.”..”Finding a compact that forces you to engage with manual photography is a novelty that doesn’t wear off, and the result is a camera that’s intensely satisfying to use. But at a thousand pounds it’s next to impossible to recommend.”

The Fuji X100 shipment has started in many US stores. I got reports that Amazon (Click here) and Adorama (Click here) were the first to ship. The next stock of X100 cameras will arrive in two weeks. If you are willing to pay more than the normal price than you can find it in Stock right now at Amazon (Click here) via third party resellers.

In Europe shipment hasn’t started yet (Amazon UK still says “temporarily out of stock”). Only one European reseller has two Fuji X100 on [shoplink 21826 ebay]eBay UK (Click here)[/shoplink].

P.S.: Fuji is a member of the Four Thirds coalition but has yet to release any 43 or m43 camera (let’s hope they will join us sooner or later).

If you want to learn more about the use of telescopes on the Panasonic GH2 read the review on Luminous Landscape (Click here). They used the $1600 [shoplink 21816 ebay]Vortex Razor HD[/shoplink] spotting scope.As you can see the image quality s very good. So if you need a lens to spy a bit around like Jeff did in “Rear Window” from Hitchcock you might get one of those lenses ;)

Links to the Vortex Razor lens at Amazon, BHphoto and [shoplink 21816 ebay]eBay[/shoplink] And the links to the GH2 at [shopcountry 16254].