Image on top: The Sigma 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 design

It’s only a matter of months that Sigma will release the very first Micro Four Thirds lens(es). But what kind of lens should we expect? The Japanese blog Egami (Click here) found a new Sigma patent which describes the characteristics of the Sigma 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 Micro Four Thirds lens. It has inner focusing and should have a fast AF design. I am not particularly excited about that lens. We already have an [shoplink 15861 ebay]Olympus 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7[/shoplink] and a [shoplink 16261 ebay]Panasonic 100-300mm f/4-5.6 O.I.S[/shoplink] lens. So please Sigma, release some nice fast (possibly pancake) lens first!

P.S.: Links to the current tele-zoom lenses:
Olympus 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 at [shopcountry 15861].
Panasonic 100-300mm f/4-5.6 O.I.S at [shopcountry 16261].

Image on top: The NEX-7 could get a strong competition from the Panasonic GX1?

I got one more prof that the rumored Panasonic GX1 camera is real! One of my trusted sources sent me the official product codes of the camera:

DMC-GX1k: That’s a camera with lens (no idea which one)
DMC-GX1x: That’s the camera with the new [shoplink 25104]14-42mm X lens.[/shoplink].

Usually when I get the product codes we can expect the new camera to be announced within the next 3-4 months. I bet the camera will be announced right before the CES which starts in early January in Las Vegas.

I have no specs about the camera yet. The big question is if the camera has a Sony NEX-7 (Click here to see that camera) alike built-in viewfinder. A sort of m43 verison of the [shoplink 23692 ebay]Panasonic L1 (See that cam on eBay)[/shoplink]. If you have some rumor to share feel free to send me a text by using the anonymous contact bar on the right sidebar! Thanks!

P.S.: EosHD got some specs about a camera he calls GFX1. It should have a built-in EVF, 920k LCD, new sensor, Full HD video at 60p and 24p and Same battery as the GH2. One of my trusted sources said that the rumor is wrong.

Links to the new X lenses and kits:
Black 14-42mm X lens is available for preorder at Amazon (Click here) and Amazon Germany (Click here).
Silver 14-42mm X lens is available for preorder at Amazon (Click here) and Amazon Germany (Click here).
Black 45-175mm X lens is available for preorder at Amazon (Click here) and Amazon Germany (Click here).
Silver 45-175mm X lens is available for preorder at Amazon (Click here).
Black GF3 with 14-42mm X lens at Amazon (Click here).
Red GF3 with 14-42mm X lens at Amazon (Click here).
White GF3 with 14-42mm X lens at Amazon (Click here).

Reminder -> 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

Before to get back to regular m43 news I want to share two small news:
FIRST: Tomorrow (Wednesday) Nikon will announce their new Mirrorless system. As Thom Hogan writes “we have three very distinct choices:

• Samsung and Sony have chosen a large (APS) sensor. While the cameras are compact, the lenses tend to be the same size as those for consumer DSLRs. These competitors have chosen a quality advantage for a size disadvantage.
• Nikon has apparently chosen a small (2.7x) sensor. This should result in an advantage in size at the disadvantage of quality. (Pentax also picked small, but they picked “too small.” )
• Panasonic and Olympus, who really kicked off the craze, are right in the middle, with a sensor (m4/3) that is one notch below consumer DSLRs in size but one notch above Nikon’s choice. Technically, that position compromises size and quality compared to different competitors, but represents a possible Goldilocks choice (“just right”).

What we have here is a marketing opportunity. Each group has something that they can point to that distinguishes them from the others. The question is thus “who’s going to be the best at marketing their advantage?””

Read the full article on his website (Click here). I will follow and write about the Nikon announcement tomorrow on MirrorlessRumors.com.

SECOND: I am again travelling around the world. I have scheduled some news on 43rumros so that you will (almost) not feel that I am actually NOT online. If I miss to post some news or if I miss to answer your mails don’t get angry. On Sunday I will travel back at home and try to answer you all as soon as I can! Thanks!

[shoplink 25538 ebay][/shoplink] The new Panasonic 45mm lens is rumored to have the size of that wonderfull [shoplink 25538 ebay]Pentax SMC DA 40mm f/2.8[/shoplink] limited pancake.

I got two rumors from new sources saying that there will be a new 45mm X pancake from Panasonic. According to one of the sources there are currently several prototypes of 90mm equivalent pancakes. What really makes me dreaming about that rumor is that the source said it has the size and style of the Pentax SMC DA 40mm f/2.8 limited pancake [shoplink 25538 ebay](Click here to see that lens on eBay)[/shoplink]. A second source said that the lens will be a X lens with powerzoom, have macro capability like the current [shoplink 14794 ebay]Panasonic 45mm f/2.8[/shoplink].. Sound slike a dream lens! If the lens comes for real than let’s hope Panasonic will not set an impossible price for it!

Reminder -> 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

[shoplink 18951 ebay][/shoplink]Image on top: The current very nice [shoplink 18951 ebay]Sigma 30mm f/1.4[/shoplink]30mm f/1.4 lens for Four Thirds mount.

As I told you a couple of times I still have no Sigma related trusted source. But for the first time a new source sent me a couple of info about the future Sigma products! As usual don’t get too excited about rumors coming from new sources. I hope some other source can confirm or dent the rumor as soon as possible :)

According to the Sigma source: “Sigma guys are sending to our factories some micro 4/3s prototypes, (they have an actual “sigma” character logo = prototype) reworks of current 4/3rs. There are some issues with new panasonic autofocus compatibility but they do work fine on the olympus ep3. No release date (we just have seen the prototypes, i think release depends on sigma)“.

The source also sent me more info I first want to check before to post here. Thanks for any help you sources can give to me ;)

If Sigma is really going to rework some of the current Four Thirds lenses than this is definitely good new. Some of those lenss are really amazing. I made you a list of all current 4/3 lenses (Click on lens name to see current auctions on eBay):
[shoplink 18947 ebay]Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6[/shoplink] [shoplink 18948 ebay]Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8[/shoplink] [shoplink 18948 ebay]Sigma 18-50mm f/3.5-5.6[/shoplink] [shoplink 18949 ebay]Sigma 18-125mm f/3.5-5.6[/shoplink] [shoplink 18950 ebay]Sigma 24mm f/1.8[/shoplink] [shoplink 18951 ebay]Sigma 30mm f/1.4[/shoplink] [shoplink 18952 ebay]Sigma 50mm f/1.4[/shoplink] [shoplink 18953 ebay]Sigma 50-500mm f/4-6.3[/shoplink] [shoplink 18955 ebay]Sigma 55-500mm f/4-5.6[/shoplink] [shoplink 18956 ebay]Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8[/shoplink] [shoplink 18957 ebay]Sigma 105mm f/2.8[/shoplink] [shoplink 18958 ebay]Sigma 135-400mm f/4-5.6[/shoplink] [shoplink 18959 ebay]Sigma 150mm f/2.8[/shoplink] [shoplink 18960 ebay]Sigma 300-800mm f/5.6[/shoplink]

Just a reminder: A couple of months ago our friends from DSLRmagazine interviewed MR. Kazuto Yamaki from Sigma. There is a part concerning the future Micro Four Thirds lens development (google translation!):

1) “The lenses will have a completely new design.”
2) “We have the challenge that some of these lenses should be optimized for taking videos. That requires a special internal mechanism. Therefore it is more difficult to achieve extreme focus, brightness and high correction. For video applications may be interesting to have change of focal power, and therefore not only optics but mechanics should be different.
At this point, we think there should be two different sets of lenses, one optimized for video and one optimized for stills.”

Reminder -> 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

Our friend from Nikonrumors said that the mockup you see on top is very clsoe to the real Nikon mirrorless camera.

Micro Four Thirds will soon get new competition from one of the two big brothers…Nikon! You can see the latest leak at Mirrorlessrumors. We know have a bit of reliable rumors we can use to compare the new Nikon system with the current Micro Four Thirds cameras and lenses. Those are the main features:

1) Nikon will use a 2.7x crop sensor. It is smaller than Micro Four Thirds! In theory m43 sensors will still have a higher image quality but the smaller Nikon sensor will allow a more compact body and lens design.

2) Nikon will announce powerzoom lenses. Good that Panasonic already has some of them, so there will be no advantage to use the Nikon system.

3) Nikon will price camera+kit lens at $900-$1,300. That is the price of the [shoplink 23568]Olympus E-P3[/shoplink] and [shoplink 16254]Panasonic GH2[/shoplink]. If the smaller sensor doesn’t deliver the same or almost the same image quality of the Micro Four Thirds sensor than probably the price will be too high.

The Nikon system will be announced on September 21. And here is the question:

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Panasonic patent: Pictures of the m43 video camera (could be the GX1?)

Two of my trusted sources told me that there will be a new and mysterious camera! It is not a G, not a GH and not a GF camera. It’s the first camera of a new system, the Panasonic GX1! The fact that the name contains the “X” leads me to believe that it has been optimized for video like it is for the new “X” lenses. And like it is for the lenses the “X” inside the GX1 will underline the “pro” aspect of the camera. I have no other info from my trusted sources but I am almost 100% sure the the camera will be announced before the next CES event that takes place in Las Vegas in very early January 2012. So what could the GX1 be?

1) A new line of high end compact cameras, a sort of high end [shoplink 14828]GF1[/shoplink].
2) Maybe a camera built-in viewfinder like the [shoplink 23692 ebay]Panasonic L1 (See that cam on eBay)[/shoplink] to compete against the new Sony hotseller, the Sony NEX-7 (Click here to see that camera).
3) A compact for video optimized camera?

If some of you have more info about that camera feel free to contact me anonymously by using the contact form on the right sidebar. Or write me directly at 43rumors@gmail.com. Thanks!

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Links to mentioned cameras:
Panasonic L1 at [shoplink 23692 ebay]eBay (Usually you find it here only)[/shoplink].
Panasonic GF1 [shopcountry 14828] (Difficult to find!).
Sony NEX-7 [shopcountry 25341]

Links to the new X lenses and kits:
Black 14-42mm X lens is available for preorder at Amazon (Click here) and Amazon Germany (Click here).
Silver 14-42mm X lens is available for preorder at Amazon (Click here) and Amazon Germany (Click here).
Black 45-175mm X lens is available for preorder at Amazon (Click here) and Amazon Germany (Click here).
Silver 45-175mm X lens is available for preorder at Amazon (Click here).
Black GF3 with 14-42mm X lens at Amazon (Click here).
Red GF3 with 14-42mm X lens at Amazon (Click here).
White GF3 with 14-42mm X lens at Amazon (Click here).