Damian McGillyCuddy: “The new stuff I am playing with is even better than the E-5″
Damian McGillyCuddy keeps posting some mysterious messages about an unknown new Olympus product. He got that huge package he marked with the tag “E-xxx“! Damian writes: “I’m playing with some new and shiny stuff at the moment and as soon as I can I’ll let the cat out of the bag… promise ;0) If I’m honest the new stuff I’m playing with is even better than the E5…”
I really haven’t got any rumor about a new imminent Olympus Four Thirds or Micro Four Thirds announcement. So please keep your feet on earth! But to me this sounds like he is testing a new E-7 or not? It’s certainly NOT an indication but there are only few E-5 cameras left in the largets online store…Amazon (Click here).
I hope my trusted sources can send me some info about the package Damian got from Olympus UK 
P.S.: Here are the search links to the current E-5 at Amazon, Adorama, B&H, J&R, eBay.
jim
2 years ago |Got to be E-7….
He would have referenced the OMD if it was m4/3 and to make the E-5 ref!
My guess is like the E5 was a EP2 sensor for 4/3 the E7 will be a OMD sensor for 4/3…
Jeff_006
2 years ago |“the E7 will be a OMD sensor for 4/3…”
Exactly what I was thinking ! And this is a great news because E-M5 sensor is really better ! I made my first shots yesterday and did some trials in LR 4.1 RC2 and…My GH1 is shit compared to E-M5 !! I tried to excessively lighten the shadows and it worked very well with few noise and lot of information to extract. With my GH1, it would have make banding noise to appear very quickly, with EM-5 I no problem !
According to pekkapotka measurements (but with my interpretation), E-M5 DR is on par with Nex5-N:
http://www.pekkapotka.com/journal/
jim
2 years ago |can’t wait to see the DXO mark on the OMD…. if the GH1 was 64 (I think) then maybe the OMD will be a 70+ !!!
Bob B.
2 years ago |With DXO “ANYTHING” is possible. I am not holding my breath…but hopefully the their results will be positive.
Gabi
2 years ago |Is that really relevant? I do not need Dxo to tell me that the E-M5 is a very good camera.
Bob B.
2 years ago |LOL…no …they are not relevant!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (what I was thinking as well)
jim
2 years ago |It all helps when you can’t afford to buy every camera out there just to find the one with the right quality for you!
Anonymous
2 years ago |“If I’m honest the new stuff I’m playing with is even better than the E5″
to me that sounds like he is surprised that it is better than the E5. an E7 should be expected to be better. so my guess would be that it is a lower end camera that beats the E5
Thevoiceoverman
2 years ago |I was thinking the same thing. The Pens just got a big price drop, which usually means you know what…
Tom
2 years ago |I’m thinking an E-50 albeit he tagged it “E-XXX…” That makes no sense because the PEN and OM-D range have replaced that line, curious.
Fingers crossed for an E-50 with the new sensor (including 5-axis), have been looking at an E-30 for a while now but with Oly refusing to say that 4/3s is dead, I’ve been holding out.
Jolyon Smith
2 years ago |PEN and OM-D do NOT replace the E-XXX range.
The E-XXX is a pro-sumer DSLR.
PEN and OM-D are not SLR, hence they do not replace the E-XXX.
The E-XXX was discontinued (or put on hiatus) while Olympus focussed on mirrorless, thinking that E-XXX users would embrace the PEN and OM-D *alternatives*. My guess is that they have discovered that the majority of EVIL consumers were never likely to be E-XXX customers in the first place and equally that they no longer have a product with which to woo those looking at CANIKON DSLR’s, so while they are carving out a significant presence in the NEW market for EVIL cameras, they continue to lose ground in the DSLR market which – despite predictions – simply refuses to go away.
My further guess/hope is that they have done what I said they should do as soon as I heard about the E-M5… put the guts of it in an E-620 body.
Here’s hoping.
Esa Tuunanen
2 years ago |Yep, Pens (like Pana GFs) don’t fit to pre-mirrorless classifications and are new class, more like compacts with interchangeable lens.
But OM-D/E-M5 with horizontal grip could maybe just go as replacement for consumer class E-xxx bodies though ergonomy is still worser with oversize travel TV for body size in its rear.
E-30 was that prosumer class DSLR with full controls and good ergonomy.
That’s the class where Olympus should target next new mirrorless if they want to retain most of their DSLR users who haven’t yet gone for Canikon (or Sony Alpha) who still offer cameras with actually full controls and good ergonomy.
That lack of full controls and ergonomy is reason why DSLRs are still going strong outside Asia/Japan.
lnqo-M
2 years ago |We talk by test camera here, so name is maybe E-p30, but name in production will anyway be E-50.
(he say the is better so E-5, not E-M5, is the a reason too this)
Them two Walnuts is symbol on two macro lens like Olympus have patent on, one for FT and one for MFT.
Marcelo Guarini
2 years ago |Agree
bilgy_no1
2 years ago |“If I’m honest the new stuff I’m playing with is even better than the E5″
to me that sounds like he is surprised that it is better than the E5. an E7 should be expected to be better. so my guess would be that it is a lower end camera that beats the E5
Breaking news: The new Tough camera is better than the E-5!!!
Ernest.orf
2 years ago |MAybe its about time to see that ” EPOCk MAKING VISOR ”
That olympus was talking some month ago ^^
Tom
2 years ago |Yeah that revolutionary VF rumour could never really apply to the E-M5 given that it’s just an EVF.
They cracked the “tunnel-like” complaints of 4/3 OVFs with the E-3 so the next step would be overlaying information onto said OVF. Highlight/shadow clipping, focus peaking, it really would be revolutionary!
JimD
2 years ago |heads up display type, straight from the pentagon to the e-xx
Duarte Bruno
2 years ago |Better than an E-5?
I’m sure it is a pink OM-D. It’s granted it’s better than an E-5.
BTW, being pink it makes the models strip faster.
Now, I’m sure!!!
JimD
2 years ago |Is Kai hiding here somewhere? Pink omd!!!!
Arjan
2 years ago |SLT-pdaf-adapter for m43 camera’s? Use all your 4/3 lenses with faster af then E-5 on m43 camera’s.
Bskbo
2 years ago |SLT-pdaf-adapter?
ras
2 years ago |i’d be interested in an e-7 if it had the om-d sensor and ibis in this body of the e-1. the e-3 and e-5 just didn’t do it for me.
Ulli
2 years ago |Olympus should keep the FT body range alive like this, as its the most economic way to keep it uptodate. Body design E-3/5 is already good, so only upgrade the inner life.
jim
2 years ago |Or just develop a PDAF assistance system for m4/3.. would make CAF very good and also drive FT lenses… seems an obvious move… I don’t know why they drag their feet on this, from day 1 it should have been top priorety… sony and nikon can do it… even if it took a special adaptor that is costly (£300) it would be worth it!
A good method would be for spot focus – to have a laser range finder built into the camera (like an AF assist light) this would be a distance to subject finder, able to give a direct distance output – compatable with PDAF use…. and again would also be usable for normal CDAF system too!
Ulli
2 years ago |thats prob the solution they end up with yes.
Neonart
2 years ago |FIRE THE LAZER!!!
Esa Tuunanen
2 years ago |Semitransparent mirror is out of question unless you want to sacrifice sensor performance which would be bad move now that there’s finally competitive sensor. Dpreviews’s comparison shows easily how Sony A77 has clearly worser higher ISO performance than E-M5 because of that light loss caused by that mirror.
And separate adapter would be incompatible with m4/3 lenses which would also benefit from properly tracking focus system.
Yun
2 years ago |What ? Another new product from Olympus ?
This is great . I expect it above EM5 with true
Innovation technology breakthrough such as the X Pro . And when this product did appeared then it definitely my next purchase .
bilgy_no1
2 years ago |[hope]
Olympus will answer the call for an E-30/E-620 replacement to provide people with investment in HG/SHG lenses with a good body update. The camera will of course have the new sensor.
So, it’s another DSLR because Olympus hasn’t yet cracked the nut (hhahahaah) on fast and fully functional (continuous AF) focus of the 4/3 lenses on m4/3 technology.
[/hope]
Fedeskier
2 years ago |What if he’s talking about new entry and mid level E-system cameras??
BLI
2 years ago |Shining? Silver only?
sneye
2 years ago |Posted on April 10th. Anyway, Olympus routinely have products tested whether they eventually make it to market or not. So do all the other manufacturers. I wouldn’t hold my breath over that, although something must be brewing. It’s a Photokina year after all.
I think the E-5 is an excellent tool (got one). It’s solid, reliable and is currently the best way to make the most out of the quality ZD glass. However, I personally believe it will never be directly replaced. Micro 4/3 is the future and all it needs is a way to support PDAF. It’s not rocket science. Others have done it successfully.
Dummy00001
2 years ago |> Others have done it successfully.
Depends on how you define success.
To date, on-sensor-PDAF performance was subpar compared to the dedicated PDAF.
Otherwise, the compacts (where the tech first appeared) wouldn’t be now still stuck with the CDAF.
Nikon 1 is the first to have it integrated in higher tier product – but even there AF in dim light was described by many reviewers as unreliable. And one would think that Nikon has picked the best available tech for the camera…
NAnders
2 years ago |Average Joe doesn’t care for fast AF. Average Joe cares for face detection, face recognition and other gimmicks that PDAF cannot provide. And Average Joe doesn’t remember the blazingly fast AF of an ordinary 135 film compact from the ’80s or ’90s. That’s why compacts are still stuck with CDAF.
JimD
2 years ago |My first SLRs had blindingly fast AF. The fingers turned the focus ring round faster than a speeding bullet, clear the Fresnel lens and push the shutter, all done. A couple of beers and it went even faster. I looked at some old slides yesterday blown up on a wall, yes they are in focus, lovely old Rokkor glass, probably in glass heaven by now.
Anonymous
2 years ago |e-5xx replacement welcome
spam
2 years ago |It’s got to be an Olympus product? Then I can’t really see what it could be. Improving on the E-5 wouldn’t be difficult, but why? How many people would consider buying a new high end model for a dead system.
Fixing AF speed with FT-lenses on mFT would be great news, but they can’t possibly have released teh E-M5 without such a feature if it’s ready by now.
Rasmus
2 years ago |I would rather say that the ONLY FT camera that currently makes sense is a high end model that beats the E-M5. All other FT cameras would be completely outsold by the MFT cameras.
JimD
2 years ago |I agree. But what if its both. The square camera that Oly patented some time ago could be 4/3 and m43. Push a lever and the mirror goes up and the sensor slides forward and the mount changes. Or its that square camera with a KAF 39000 sensor and special internal lenses that allow both m43 and 4/3 lenses to be used. Oh it might beeee……..
Ton
2 years ago |If it’s really an exxx or e7, its good to hear that olympus is still not abandoning 4/3 users. From time to time, they could release some 4/3 products as a sign that its not a dead end system. Last year, I dumped most of my 4/3 cams & lenses except for e330 & 14-54. I’m now slowly investing into m4/3. I almost bought some SHG zuiko back then, so I understand some people’s feelings fully invested on that system.
Maybe, in a few months time, we 4/3 & m4/3 users will finally have our “One Beautiful System”
The Real Stig
2 years ago |I don’t really care what he is talking about, since I just got my E-M5, which is more than enough camera for me for a good while.
To me, it makes sense for Olympus to let 4/3 die and add a pro offering to M4/3 that can effectively utilise the legacy glass. They can then concentrate on just one line of cameras and lenses. If they do this, they can rationalise lens development to just M4/3, and add fast glass to keep everyone happy.
They have already hinted at moving in this direction with the announcement they would be rationalising the range of cameras to save costs.
Rasmus
2 years ago |I’m very certain that this is what will happen. My guess is that they just don’t have a pro level M43 camera ready yet, so they need to keep the 43 cameras up to date until they have.
fodiographer
2 years ago |You say that Olympus should let 4/3 die but what about all the loyal olympus customers who bought all these expensive 4/3 lenses in recent years? I would personally be very pissed if they do that!!
The Real Stig
2 years ago |Exactly the same thing as happened to all those loyal OM users who had an arsenal of expensive OM lenses – like me.
Anyway, did you miss the bit where I mentioned using legacy glass?
Jussi
2 years ago |The only reason I will eventually buy into MFT, is if they continue to develop FT. I own a full range of FT lenses, and I currently don’t “trust” Olympus due to the discontinued FT development.
For me an optical, non-digital viewfinder is important. There is a reason the D4, F4 and similar does not use an EVF.
Rasmus
2 years ago |And that reason is that they are only almost there. Pro level EVF is just a matter of time. It will happen very soon, but not yet. Moore’s law will ensure that.
nicwalmsley
2 years ago |Never thought I’d ask this question, but can m43 lenses work on 4/3?
Rasmus
2 years ago |No.
sneye
2 years ago |No.
Miroslav
2 years ago |No.
Mer
2 years ago |Not really. Basically, if you put a m43 lens on a 43 body, the lens would become extremely “shortsighted”- unable to focus to infinity. In theory you could correct this the same way you correct human shortsightedness- add a correctional lens. The downside to this is that you would be degrading image quality as well as adding cost.
sneye
2 years ago |Different mounts. M4/3 is smaller so it won’t fit.
slomo
2 years ago |Well, yes you could. I said that not because I like to be a contrarian, but as Mer said, in theory you could have a glass element that can re-focus the lens at a longer distance.
But in practice, why would anyone want to do that? Olympus FT HG zoom lens quality are as good as mFT primes anyway while the FT SHG has no equal in mFT. Just use the FT HG/SHG zooms.
onlyme
2 years ago |I think it may be a new PEN camera, either E-PL4 or E-PM2 because most camera makers have a 12 month release cycle and the PENs were announced in June last year, plus, as Admin said, “He got that huge package he marked with the tag “E-xxx“!”. E-7 does not fit the “tag”. On the other hand it could be E-620 replacement.
Henrik
2 years ago |QUOTE:
“I’m playing with some new and shiny stuff at the moment and as soon as I can I’ll let the cat out of the bag… promise ;0)”
—
This is the way you to talk immature kids three days before christmas. Thanks Olympus and viral promoters. I appreciate your attitude. I really can’t hear such kind of vapour talk.
JimD
2 years ago |Ah!!! But it works. E-M5 is proof.
Advait
2 years ago |The word “even” in “Even better than E-5..” probably means that its not E-7. E-7 HAS to be better than E-5. In my opinion its E-30/E-620 successor rather than E-5 successor which Damian McGillyCuddy feels is surprisingly better than E-5.
Mike
2 years ago |E-50 with E-M5 Sensor for <1000€ would be great!
avds
2 years ago |+1
John Smith
2 years ago |And where did he get this miracle camera?
Dummy00001
2 years ago |> He got that huge package he marked with the tag “E-xxx“!
IIRC, Oly prototype names are intentionally confusing, thus this is
> So please keep your feet on earth!
a really good advice. If they test some tech now, then hopefully it will get into a new cam probably next year. Beginning of the next year is when E-5 would be 3yo and up for refresh cycle. Thus my bet is the prototype is of E-7.
Per
2 years ago |Yeesss!
napalm
2 years ago |my take is, if he is referencing it to be better than the E-5 as being a surprise, then it is a lesser model. if it is the E-7 then of course it will be better than the E-5. no surprise there.
the 3-digit on E-xxx seems to indicate maybe an E-550 or E-650 or E-700? maybe a small 4/3 DSLR with all the bells and whistles of the latest m4/3 models? and he mentioned it being shiny… so it’s not black?
jon petersen
2 years ago |“better than e-5″ This is something to get excited about??
Mar
2 years ago |While m43 is nice for certain applications (sub 50mm light weight photography mainly), it’s simply not designed nor does it work well for long lens or photography requiring fast zooms.
Facts:
- 43rds has infinitely better zoom and tele lenses than m43
- fast zooms are going to be big on either system
- AF with heavy lens elements doesn’t work well on mirrorless (CDAF)
Why would the re-develop all existing lenses in m43 when there are no advantages, only drawbacks to that?
Mirrorless is all nice and small, especially for sub 50mm lenses, but only for that.
People tend to be stubborn sometimes complicating things and using the wrong tools for the job like trying to use an ipad as laptop
Anyway, I’d love to see new 43rds product.
Duarte Bruno
2 years ago |Infinitely better zoom and tele lenses than m43???
My guess is you aren’t seeing the whole picture. Apart from the 12-60 & 50-200 I don’t miss anything. Not the 150mm/300mm monsters.
OTOH I would miss the uberfast 25mm, 35mm & 50mm Noctis on 4/3.
Mar
2 years ago |As I said, m43 strenght lies in small, fast sub 50mm primes and small slow sub 50mm zooms.
As for the lenses, not only m43 is lacking weather sealed lenses (only 12-50 is WS), but there are no similar lenses to 14-54, 12-60, 14-35, 50-200, 35-100, 90-250, 150, 300mm.
Heck, there’s even no teleconverters available.
I think of m43 as a nice complementary system to a larger DSLR system, or as a only system for people with specific needs which doesn’t involve wildlife/bird or sports photography (or generally anything requiring longer, faster lenses), and that’s OK.
Renier
2 years ago |I think it is very easy, its a new E-700 body who worked with phase-af AND contrast-af and the mft-objectives could connect with an adapter.
Its very easy!!
cu
Renier
Erik Aaseth
2 years ago |“…and the mft-objectives could connect with an adapter.”
No they can not.
Not even w/ an adapter, as their flangeback distance is too short,
so any m4/3 lens will never be able to focus on any native 4/3 body.
JimD
2 years ago |That’s the problem, M43 focuses where the mirror is on 4/3 so it would be impossible without additional lenses to have M43 glass and a mirror. At the moment no mirror = no PDAF.
So the only solution would be a M43 that takes 4/3 lenses and the PDAF works.
Looks like a larger M43 body (lens balance and extra functions) with PDAF sensors that maybe move sideways (no flip up space needed ) or are on the shutter and activate at the time the shot is taken (being taken) is the solution.
sneye
2 years ago |Or perhaps “even better than the E-5″ means a m4/3 body that focuses 4/3 lenses even faster than the E-5? Frankly it’s the only sensible interpretation.
napalm
2 years ago |hoping for that! Oly did say they’ve been working on it
Colin Downes
2 years ago |Agree. Something sized between the E-5 and the EM-5 (Fuji XPro1 size, something which does not feel as cramped as most mirrorless offerings) which feels nicely balanced with and can properly use the existing HG/SHG 43 lenses would have an enormous advantage over every other camera. Pick small m43 lenses if you want a compact system but the full range is there for the more serious users.
sneye
2 years ago |Indeed. OM4 size.
Ulli
2 years ago |good observation
atlantropa
2 years ago |Why do you all dismiss the possibility it is a new µ4/3 camera?
How can we be sure that xxx must be intended as a number?, isn’t for example E-PL3 someway a sort of E-xxx?
beuler
2 years ago |HA! I was right! E7 is coming…
flash
2 years ago |Maybe a E-70. The price point of the m43 and features expected of a 43 camera make the e-xxx not very likely anymore.
This e-70 might be mirror-less, probably will have 5 axis stability and other items from the om-d camera. or maybe it is a “Pro” m43 camera design.
nicwalmsley
2 years ago |Oh man an E-PM2 with the new sensor and tilt screen. Yes please.
Ranger 9
2 years ago |“I hope my trusted sources can send me some info about the package Damian got from Olympus UK”
Maybe they sent him a big package of money to drum up interest in Olympus by spamming random tweets…
ekteTV
2 years ago |Here’s to hoping they’ve made a modern version of the MDN prototype. I’ve said it before, but eventually someone at Olympus will listen
Luke
2 years ago |oh please let it be true. And being modular, perhaps there could be different modules to accept 4/3 glass with proper flange distance and a module for m4/3 lenses. It would be a dream to me, but sometimes dreams come true.
Esa Tuunanen
2 years ago |Different modules for lens mounts would add size and weight to carry and add lot more complexity especially if those somehow changed also viewfinder between optical and electrical.
Electronic viewfinders are digital tech which evolves fast and about year old Sony A77′s EVF is impressive in size and resolution so I don’t see much sense in adding extra complexity as Olympus would be also forced to keep developing two different focusing systems.
DingieM
2 years ago |“…is even better than the e-5″.
Sorry to say, but this E-5 was mediocre at best, considering its bulkiness, poor high-ISO and overpriced value.
st3v4nt
2 years ago |This ‘test product’ if Oly decide to launch it, if it’s not part of accessories for current product and like hinted by the tester better than E-5 should and must be new 4/3 camera or at least an upgrade for E-5. It should not be part of m4/3 since it will be killing PEN and OM-D sales if the specification is better than current PEN or OM-D series. But if it’s part of E-Series it still makes me wonder, without huge leap in sensor performance what kind of enhancement does Oly going to offer to E-Series user ? Even if it tops every wishes that current user dreamt. Will these ‘test product’ given Oly huge revenue? Why create such a killer product for minor user base if the majority of Olympus product is in m4/3 user? We must admit unless there’s very very huge leap in performance and technology E-series camera will not create or rush DSLR crowd outside Olympus to join. Then why spend limited R&D fund for creating product that only a handful user want?
Esa Tuunanen
2 years ago |E-5′s sensor is stone age by todays standards as slapping lighter AA filter in front of it didn’t change its DR and noise performance from that of just average performance in 2008.
And if you’ve bothered reading anything you should know that awfully lot of here drool for small bodies so how would bigger full controls and ergonomy high end mirrorless body kill sales of PENs and E-M5? Like Canon 7D killed sales of 600D?
Ross
2 years ago |Don’t forget that Toshi Terada was saying (at the launch of the OM-D range) the E-5 replacement was being researched (or under developement).
Anonymous
2 years ago |The way I look at it, Olympus said back in the OM-D E-M5 unvieling that the E-M5 is NOT Olympus professional m4/3 camera. That to me says that Olympus WILL be releasing a professional m4/3 camera at some point. That might be what this is. Could be m4/3 with some manner of doing phase detect autofocus to work with the 4/3 lenses properly!
Who knows, other than Damain and at least a few dozen people at Olympus. Hopefully not something we will be left in the dark about for too many more weeks.
Marty4650
2 years ago |Personally, I vote for “two beautiful systems” and not one. Rather than trying to make M4/3 act like 4/3. why not just offer both?
If Nikon, Sony, and even Pentax can support three separate systems, then Olympus should be able to support two.
I don’t understand why Olympus had to make Sophie’s Choice to kill 4/3 so M4/3 could live.
Riley
2 years ago |certainly SLRs seem more popular with the west
but they need to be good to compete today
time for a serious revamp and a few lenses IMO
commitment goes both ways….
Harold
2 years ago |I think it is the new tough camera with some “surprising excellent qualities.” It is sad if I am right.
Leo
2 years ago |No one will deny that optical quality of 43 lenses are better than m43 lenses.
To provide an image to the world, If I am Olymous, I wont let 43 system die,
Though it may not be profitable.
roger48
2 years ago |If it is not profitable, they will not make it. They are a company in business to make profits, not to supply camera junkies with stuff they do not need.
screwy
2 years ago |may be it’s better because of cheaper price.
ArtP
2 years ago |Hmm, maybe an E-5xx sized body in the OM-D line and some fastish weather sealed zooms… They’ll be reissuing slimmed down versions of the great 4/3 lenses.
Or maybe that big box was just full of nuts
arthur65
2 years ago |i will invest in an E-7 as soon as it´s out !
Geoff
2 years ago |I’d go for E-700 (Upgraded 620/30 body) based around the E-M5 sensor and IS, weather sealed (If possible on the GRP body) with a few other upgraded nicities.
EvoltPEN
2 years ago |I have to say that don’t count too much for 4/3. Great if they bring another camera, but it’s just that m4/3 is what 4/3 should have been. Remember that this is cold business and nothing else, just don’t wait too much. I still have some 4/3 system left and I’m happy with solution where I can still use old lenses with adapter. That’s more than no support at all.
Anonymous
2 years ago |“I have to say that don’t count too much for 4/3. Great if they bring another camera, but it’s just that m4/3 is what 4/3 should have been.”
A system with no zooms, and cameras suitable for max 150cm tall people with small hands?
Matthias
2 years ago |Ha, I want to play with an E-M5, and he is playing with soemthing that is even newer? Ha, ha… In Switzerland they expect delivery of the E-M5 at the end of May, while in Germany many people alreday have this cam
napalm
2 years ago |i re-read his journal… he talked about the shiny thing on Apr-10, then received the package on Apr-12. so they might be different things. I now think the shiny thing was the 75mm f1.8
Victor
2 years ago |What can be worse than E-5 in 2012? Any stuff will be better.
fishtank
2 years ago |i’m guessing it might be an adapter for 4/3 lens to work perfectly on e-m5… but what i really hope is an e-620 successor with iq & features on par with e-m5…