(FT3) New PEN with new EPSON integrated viewfinder to come in Spring?
The only FT5 news I have right now is that there will be one new Micro Four Thirds camera from Olympus to come soon. Now two new sources said that this should be a new kind of PEN camera with built-in viewfinder. And to be more specific it uses the 2.36 megapixels Epson viewfinder announced three months ago at Photokina (Source: Epson). Again, this hasn’t been confirmed yet by a trusted source. All we can be 99% sure off is that a new camera is about to be announced soon and it’s my guess that this will happen right in time for the CP+ show in Japan.
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P.S.: Olympus has a long history of making compact cameras with built-in rangefinders. Just check the super long list of eBay auction on these cameras (Click here). Got some inspiration for the new digital PEN with EVF? 
Matthias
5 months ago |no news about new lenses, especially some nice zooms?
MarcoSartoriPhoto
5 months ago |Well, I’m curious about it, but not interested, since I already own a nice OMD. Anyway, I’d like to see a competitor to the new x100s (that’s where I’m planning to spend my money on photo gear, at the moment)
Christian G
5 months ago |+1
Anonymoose
5 months ago |2.36 megadots.
The display is 1024×768, or 0.78 megapixels.
Ross
5 months ago |That’s where the dots sounds better for displays & is always (well, usually) used for camera specs.
Hubertus Bigend
5 months ago |True, but camera megapixel count is no real megapixel count, either… at least not in Bayer cameras.
Yun
5 months ago |This is lovely , could be my new toy this time .
Hopefully it will feature higher sensor performance than
any of current M4/3 camera , if yes , you will have my $$$$ .
By the way , where is Pana’s counter attack?
GX ??? Or that very very highend camera ?
amalric
5 months ago |I expected nothing less, that is why I passed on the E-M5, although a lovely camera.
Now a piccie – but I imagine it must be the best kept secret or the realm – under death penalty
So good luck with it! And to those who said it would never happen…
Ross
5 months ago |You can always wait for the next model which will be better & miss out on the fun of using what’s out now.
Dannecus
5 months ago |I am another who is holding off on getting an E-M5 waiting to see what the E-P5 will produce. This is looking very encouraging. What I really want is an E-M5 without the hump, but I’m happy to take the EVF upgrade as a bonus along the way.
Probably won’t get weather sealing, may not get the 5 axis IBIS, but a sensor upgrade (from my E-PL2) and a good built in EVF, and hopefully good ergonomics would be enough to get me to upgrade.
Twaddler Belafonte
5 months ago |Roundly bald men of the world unite! Say no to E-M5!
DonTom
5 months ago |I’ve also held out, as the E-M5 is great, but I’ve not worn out my E-PL1 yet!
I’ll see what comes, weigh up the pros/cons over what I currently have……and probably buy another lens instead. Always seems more sensible in the end.
I’d like an RF shape, but would also like weatherproof and 5-axis IBIS. And of course, there is the issue of hybrid AF, which I’m certain will be here in the next 12 months.
The 60mm macro and 9-18mm zoom will probably trump a new body for me!
Dannecus
5 months ago |DonTom: Have been following your plan to avoid upgrading, but you end up with a lot of lenses! 9-18 is a great lens BTW perfect range for street shots as long as the light is good.One that has a permanent place in my small kit bag. But I haven’t got the 60mm macro yet, now there’s a thought…
Ross
5 months ago |The 60mm macro lens is a great lens to have & use. In Australia it also had the 20% cash back offer (till the end of January) which made it even more attractive at such a good price (as well as being discounted from several suppliers).
EASY
5 months ago |What about end of Jan news?
admin
5 months ago |I just restarted my work on 43rumors because I wa 10 days busy because of the baby (he had to do some tests because of a hearing issue). I am catching up with my sources today and hope to give you some news soon.
E-1
5 months ago |Hope everything is ok!
admin
5 months ago |He will need three separate surgery when he is 7-8 years old. Because of the Atresia on his right ear (closed ear canal).
Ross
5 months ago |I’m really sorry to hear there are problems for your baby boy. Hopefully that can be corrected OK at the appropriate time & that everything else is all OK (for him & mother & father).
hifinut
5 months ago |Sorry to hear that. Will pray for you and your baby. Hope everything works out well when he is 8 years old.
admin
5 months ago |I really got a shock when we discovered this. But the good news is that he is 100% healthy and with the surgery he will be fine on the right ear too.
Ross
5 months ago |That’s good to hear.
MarcoSartoriPhoto
5 months ago |It happened to my cousin’s baby, everything went ok! Though I can imagine your worry! Best wishes! An congrats again!
Pavlo
5 months ago |when I clicked “reply” the form appeared filled with name “Ross” and his e-mail, which supposed not to be published…
I think It’s important issue…
And best wishes to the boy!
Eli
5 months ago |That did happen to me as well. His email address was exposed. It should be fixed as soon as possible.
By the way, I hope admin’s son’s getting well.
admin
5 months ago |It’s an issue with the caching plugin and we already contacted the devloper.
Ross
5 months ago |Thanks for that from everyone.
Anonymous
5 months ago |Let’s see if clearing the form on my reply that it does elsewhere.
Ross
Pavlo
5 months ago |At the time there was not shown his reply to this particular post. If it helps in some way.
Ross
5 months ago |I noticed that too & had to close the page & come back into it to see if it appeared. Sometimes it didn’t always show till a little later.
amalric
5 months ago |Good to hear that some congenital defects can be cured later in life. It is not always possible, alas. Father’s concerns are the other side of a beautiful medal so all is well that ends well!
Beautemps
5 months ago |So sorry for that. Good look for the baby. In 7 years medicine will be much ahead and everything will be corrected fine for sure.
You will have much pleasure with your baby anyhow.:-)
(REM: I got the form with name and eMail of Ross, when I clicked on
admin
5 months ago |Thanks!
We are trying to fix that issue on the reply form…
Christian G
5 months ago |Congrats on your wonderful son, Ale!
MrKal_El
5 months ago |Sorry to hear Admin. But my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Thank you again for all the work you do!
jimstir
5 months ago |I am sorry to hear that about your wee boy , at least it’s something that they can fix. There are many wonderful pleasures being a parent on the downside you have someone to worry about for the rest of your life. My son since he was young has a love of all sport the more dangerous the better lol. Hence my head of grey hair . one thing is certain kids have an amazing ability to deal with any adversity .
ph
5 months ago |Very interested in this one as a replacement for my trusty E-P1.
kbalage
5 months ago |So we’ll have an updated E-PL5 with integrated EVF, maybe hybrid IBIS (Olympus SH-50 style), and…? I suppose weather sealing and “true” 5 axis stabilization will be exclusive for the OM-D line.. A more flexible LCD and some wireless remote function would be great to make a significant difference from the E-PL5, and worth to buy.
timccr
5 months ago |I want it weather sealed so enough with those negative waves, Moriarty.
Hope everything works out with the ear and that Little Admin will be able to dive when he gets older. With a m43 camera in a nice housing, natch.
Miroslav
5 months ago |… and integrated flash that can bounce. Enough.
Some of the modes introduced in Olympus SH-50 would be welcome as well.
Whirlwind
5 months ago |There is also a possibility that a new “PEN RF” will be the OMD (with all bells and whistles and further improvements) in NEX alike body which will hit a similar price tag. Soon we’ll get wonder
test3
5 months ago |test3
Charles
5 months ago |I guess that the upcoming new pen will have the same sensor as the omd and pl-5. The next big leap in image quality will be the pro body in autum. The successor of the omd (in 2014) will certainly have the same image quality as the pro body. Otherwise, the new pen with a new sensor would have equal iq as the pro body and it would have it earlier. It is very uncommen that a consumer product gets top technology before professional products (it would limit their sales).
So as sad as it sounds, if one doesn´t want a pro camera but better iq than current models, he might have to wait till next year. Hopefully I´m wrong and the new pen got an advanced sensor and EVF. I still have an e-pl 1 but I too would invest in new lenses first, if the new pen would´nt have better iq than the om-d (not that it´s bad, but its technology is 1 year old).
Sorry for my bad english…
bart
5 months ago |Historically, Olympus has never really cared about such things.
They released the ‘pro’ E-3 with the latest version of the 10MP sensor.
A little while later, they released the ‘semi pro’ E-30, by which time they had the newer 12MP sensor, and that is what went into the E-30. It took over 2 years for the E-5 to bring that same sensor to the ‘pro’ model.
So.. having a model that is high-end but absolutely NOT the flagship model with a newer sensor then the flagship model isn’t exactly unheard of. Actually, with the E-M5 this story repeated itself, as this is an ‘advanced’ model with a much better sensor and processing then the current ‘flagship’ model (which is still the E-5 for now).
I don’t think they’ll repeat this kind of thing this time, but for technical reasons, and not because they don’t want an ‘advanced’ model that has as good a sensor as the near-future flagship model.
solar
5 months ago |Finally, some positive news on 2 fronts. Baby and pen. Here’s hoping that Olympus surprise us with something that can really take on the X-E1. They need too. Built in flash for RC would nice. A 4×3 LCD (not the silly wide screen on the mini) and buttons on both sides. More manual controls please.
Size of the EP bodies would ideal or if needed a tad bigger to get everything inside.
2013 is surely the year for a descent zoom lens also. Surely Olympus are not that deaf to customers. Yes, yes we can all wait for the 43 solution, but not all of us own any 43 lenses in the first instance. If Fuji can deliver a F2.8-4.0 surely Olympus can match this.
amalric
5 months ago |If I believed that Oly designers follow us, which I DON’T, I’d ask them humbly for God’s sake, to simplify the menus, drawing inspiration from Fuji.
One can be professional without having to build the Tower of Babel. Please consider that we oldies have short memory problems, so your refinements are completely lost on us- Even they are a source of permanent frustration.
Learn from Leica which lasted almost a century wt. v. simple commands.
Or else make different parts of the menus uploadable from a computer, so that each can choose one’s level of complexity, without having to wade through an ocean of command lines in-camera!
Pavlo
5 months ago |I think it’s a real struggle to keep control simple while features are boosting… Don’t know anything obout Leica — they are always out of my interest [budget, to be frank].
bart
5 months ago |You make an interesting point, and I agree completely that the Olympus menu structure is overly complicated. However, if you are done customizing your camera you can disable much of the menu system, and significantly reduce the complexity.
That said, I always feel that customization that I find important is lacking on Sony, Canon and Nikon cameras alike, not to mention Fuji, which I find even more frustrating then dealing with a largish menu structure.
amalric
5 months ago |I am not a noob, I have perused Oly’s menus for over half a decade
I do love the SCP, but it’s the tree structure of the full menus which is a labyrinth. Oly’s has always tried to make a compromise between consumer needs – Christmas tree with gifts – and photogs’ needs.
They have botched the latter. The MyMenus should be on the main wheel instead of the idiotic scene modes, and dubious Art Filters. There is no way of choosing filters for B&W, without pushing a button half a dozen times – can you imagine? HDR in-camera – what’s that?
And so on and so forth… By comparison Fuji’s ergos and haptics shine…
LianSu
5 months ago |Atresia on his right ear (closed ear canal)?
So the middle ear part and acoustic nerve(nerve for hearing)
are ok ?
Anyway, I believe your baby will be fine!
Congratulations!
admin
5 months ago |midel part is NOT ok while nerves are ok. He will have to use a bone conducter aid (BAHA).
Christian G
5 months ago |Little Admin.. haha, that’s a good one!
joe
5 months ago |hope .7X or more,
don’t care about res i want bigger size, please
Eksternal
5 months ago |Someone (Zacuto?) should use this new Epson viewfinder and manufacture a really compact external OLED EVF. Sony made one for their new F5 & F55 cameras. Too bad the price is out of this world and it’s only compatible with the new Sonys.
I bet there would be tons of videographers interested in more compact evf’s…
jimbo
5 months ago |Excited about this, but they’re probably going to charge $800 just for the body. Will wait until the prices go down.
Sam Waldron
5 months ago |Sounds awesome, ideally it will be an EM5 squeezed into a slightly smaller and lighter range finder style body with a higher spec EVF.
Would expect 5 axis IBIS but no weather sealing, perhaps tweaked sensor and controls.
I just got an EM5 I’ll be holding onto but great to have different higher spec options!
amalric
5 months ago |That’s generous of you and I’d hope more were so liberally minded. My take is that RF-like cams should have a different ethos or slant from dSLR-like ones. The latter were born as general purpose or all-purposes devices and therefore got incredibly complex with all their accessories.
Digital RF must be kept simple. Their ergonomics should be steered towards street shooting or journalism. Therefore they must be v. reactive, with settings instantly changed if need be.
A large VF is a must, but body must be unobtrusive. Let’s see if Oly solved the equation. The X-E1 is a v. fine example, suffering from system quirks, so Oly could easily improve on that.
I still hope it might introduce a new small 25/1.8 since it would be a classic match.Failing that the 17/1.8 in a discounted kit.
mooboy
5 months ago |Already have the E-PM1 is smallest size is biggest concern. I’d actually like to see opposite approach. That is, something is anything slightly larger than the OM-D (though not DSLR size like GH2) with better ergonomics.
Already having an OM-D and a GH2, what would make me want to rush out and buy a new body is (not that I expect any of this):
- Dual SD Card slots
- Better ergonomics – I still feel OM-D a bit cramped. Would like
+ more custom buttons
+ removal of the mode dial and instead be more Nikon pro like (dedicated buttons for WB, ISO and Mode interacting with a dial)
+ little joystick approach instead of 4 buttons for setting focus point.
+ quick switches to change from manual to auto focus and shooting mode (sequential, single etc)
- Better video – so don’t have to feel like need GH2 and an OM-D if want best of both video and still images.
Some nice to haves would be:
- Better EVF
- Focus peaking
- Wifi
And I’d never expect it, but would love an oversized multi aspect square sensor.
cosinaphile
5 months ago |WHAT IS NEEDED IS A RANGEFINDER FORM FACTOR, em5 level af performance and sensor stabilization… evf in the corner position …inbuilt flash [olys weakness]and a better grip to house a better, stronger battery ….it is time for olympus to stop bullshitting and fulfill its mirror-less destiny
…and while they ate cleaning up their act bet some black lenses at sane prices
OM-4
5 months ago |I bought a Sony NEX-6 for video (GH-3 a bit too expansive), my EP-2 is lacking video features.
Both cams are similar in size yet Sony could put in EVF and flash in that thin body.
Oly must get of there butt and kick back with something with built in EVF and flash. 3-axis IS is fine if 5-axis is too bulky to fit. But please support PAListan shooters and nice bitrate like Fuji.
This can be a killer stealth cam for stills AND video. Oly is really missing out on the video crowd. If the OM-D had better codec and focus peaking, they’d owned the lowbudget video market. That cake is devided by Pana/Canon. Sony just starting to get their act together.
BTW, focus peaking on Sony is nice but a bit overrated.