A Samsung source just sent me some info about their semitransparent electronic viewfinder. Samsung is one of the companies working on that technology that Olympus could use in future cameras.
The source gave me bits of very intriguing info. Thanks!!!

Here is the text:
“Samsung has two small prototypes of semitransparent OLED, that officially are known as ST-AMOLED, they are truly AMOLED devices (Active Matrix OLED). Samsung can not make a higher resolution EVF, the limit right now is just 750×560 on 0.55″ 4:3 display with 52% of transparency. The new device for late of 2012 will reach 1080×815 on 0.75″ 4:3 display, offering 1080×720 on 3:2 mode and 73% of transparency. The final device will have a RGB-W pattern, including a White photodiode to improve the high contrast scenes.
I have not information about commercialization to 3rd companies, but it will offer an advanced technology on the market for competition.”

Samsung is not the only electronic viewfinder maker. Also Epson, Fuji and Sony could sell them to Olympus.

The latest Olympus patent found by Egami (Click here) describes a new Vari-angle LCD screen. But what’s really intriguing is the medium Format design of the camera body. In some way it reminds me the leaked Samsung medium format camera. And seeing that there are rumors that Olympus may will work closer with Samsung this starts to look more than just a casual pattern. Below you can see the leaked Samsung image I posted months ago on MirrorlessRumors (Click here):

That’s just my speculation for now, but if Olympus is working on such a camera than the Samsung square sensor could be definitely the way to go!

Back to reality, camera companies do register plenty of patents that will never be applied on real camera. So don’t get too much exited about that one!

Year 2011 is almost over and it’s time for you to let Panasonic Olympus know what’s the best Micro Four Thirds product they have launched in 2011.

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The only rumors I got about the new Olympus viewfinder technology talk about a sort of semitransparent OLED technology. It works with a fixed semitransparent layer on the optical viewfinder. You should be able to use both simultaneously or switch from full optical or full electronic.

The video on top shows a futuristic transparent OELD panel made by Samsung. As you know Olympus already uses the Samsung OLED technology for the [shoplink 23568]Olympus E-P3[/shoplink] LCD screen. And sources also told us that Samsung offered Olympus a new Micro Four Thirds sensor. So it’s sounds possible that the partnership can extend to the new viewfinder technology.

I am collecting all rumros abotu that next camera. Feel free to send me bits of info at 43rumros@gmail.com or use the anonymous contact form on the right sidebar. Thanks!

Our reader Fabrys found that interesting interview with on a french blog with a guy from Panasonic France manager (Luc Saint-Elie). He says that Panasonic will never make a PRO camera system. Why? He answered that pros and experts camera system do require a different customer service infrastructure.

Although Panasonic has a broadcast video segment it looks like they will not start a new pro photo adventure. I don’t know if this really matters for you 43rumors reader…

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That news surprised me on Saturday. I worked the full weekend and I had no time to analyze interview until now. Thanks to our readers we can now get a bit into the detail of the japanese interview with Olympus Manager Mr. Ogawa made by Impressjapan (Click here to download the pdf of the magazine).

First important news: Olympus is working on a mirrorless camera with emphasis on the viewfinder.
Ogama also said the new mirrorless will have an “epoch-making” viewfinder and that they will announce it soon!!! So this sounds definitely more advanced than any current solution from Sony (OLED viewfinder) or Fuji (hybrid viewfinder). Ogawa recognizes that electronic viewfinder have a huge advantages (framing, easier to magnify, easier to focus) but he also recognizes that people misses the “feeling” of optical viewfinders. He doesn’t unveil the “big secret” but he says: “All I can say is, when you look through the viewfinder, you’ll understand….”.

Second important news: It’s different than current NEX’s and it will be announced soon.
The first news is that it will have a viewfinder but…this can either mean that they will do a DSLR alike camera or a rangefinder alike camera. MR. Ogawa said it’s different than current NEX cameras. That includes the [shoplink 25396 ebay]NEX-7[/shoplink]. So does it have a classic “DSLR” design? The next series will represent a new stage in the mirrorless camera, but it will be fully compatible with the PEN series. It will be a camera that you want to hold in your hands all the time. The interviewer asked him if it is different not just from current Olympus mirrorless cameras, but from mirrorless cameras in general and Mr. Ogawa’s answer was…YES :)

Pretty exciting or not? I confess, now some of the rumors I got in these months do make sense. It will be a busy time now for me and I am happy that I can report rumor related Olympus posts instead of all that pretty bad Olympus financial mess news. Stay tuned! I will do my best to give you some more “insider” news soon!

Olympus Manager Mr. Ogawa. has been reviewed by Impressjapan (Click here to download the pdf of the magazine). Unlike many other reviews that time Olympus revealed a lot of details about the future camera strategy!
1) Olympus is currently developing a new series of Micro Four Thirds cameras.
2) Olympus is developing a brand new concept of cameras
3) Camera will empathize a new viewfinder technology
4) Olympus is developing an E-5 successor.

Uh! That’s quite an intriguing roadmap! I really hope Olympus will bring us some really new surprise. About time!

Something else: Looks like the GX1 body is in Stock at Adorama (Click here).