(FT4) Olympus E-3 successor will be unveiled in 2010.
Since weeks we try to get some more infos about the long awaited E-3
At the beginning of the year we thought to know the E-3 successor will be unveiled at the end of 2009. It should be an upgraded E-3 camera. Now our sources told us that the huge MicroFourThirds success may has changed their roadmap. Of course there will be an E-3 successor but the release may has been postponed. Probably there will be NO! E-3 successor this year. One new source said “this will be a complete new developed camera“. A trusted source told us that “the E-5 will be a revolutionary camera, not just an E-3 evolution“. Anyway all sources do confirm that Olympus will continue their engadgment in classic FourThirds cameras and lenses.
Some of our sources do believe the E-5 will be a mirrorless High-End camera.
In summary (remember it is a rumor!):
1) there will be no E-3 successor this year
2) The E-5 may be a mirrorless High-End camera
3) classic FourThirds camera and lens development will continue but Olympus priority is to develop new MicroFourThirds products.
4) After the Olympus is ready to announce the second MFT camera on October 31th 
Thanks to all our sources for sharing their infos.
The 43rumors team
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Recent comments
Comment from finaloption: As a amature nature shooter and new to O...
Comment from Thanos: I am a E-510 owner and I am waiting for ...
Comment from Stan_Fox: We sometimes loose our way with the thou...
Comment from Csabi: P.S. to the above:
Oly FT lenses are GO...
jk
3 years ago |bad news …
I’ll wait for the E-5 to make a big upgrade from a E-330.
The pixel diff. between the E-330 and the E-3 is to low for the price, and the E-30 has enough pixel but no weather-sealing.
I think many waiting for a E 30 in a E-3 body
So if there is no Official announcement until the end of 2009, I’ll be thinking about switching the system …
achiinto
3 years ago |If it is mirror less, doesn’t that make it a mft as well? Very disappointing news.
Maybe no Olympus E-5 until next year, how about Four Third system fate?
3 years ago |[...] 43 rumors, site dedicated for publishing news and rumors related to four third and micro four third system reported that it might be no successor to Olympus E-3 this year. Olympus E-5, a camera that widely anticipated by Olympus DSLR fans will probably will be released next year. [...]
Enche
3 years ago |Because this is rumors, let treat it as rumor instead of news.
If it becomes news, than it is very bad news for four third system users. It means there will be very slow improvement for 4/3 lens and cameras.
it will probably mark the end of the four third system too. Because so far, most of FT cameras relies on flagship in technology and innovation.
So if E-5 is a micro four third. then FT system will be over.
Chris
3 years ago |Before everyone starts whining about the E-5 being mFT, keep in mind the Trine CCD story post a week or so back. There’s no way you can fit 3 sensors plus a prism AND a mirror in the same mirror box as a traditional Oly DSLR. To fit the Trine CCD sensor system into a FT DSLR you have to remove the mirror in order to keep the same flange focal distance intact.
If the E-5 is a mirrorless camera and not a mFT camera, then it has to contain the Trine CCD sensor system. In this case, it wouldn’t be the end of the FT system, and the E-5 would truly be a revolutionary camera that relies on flagship innovation.
Danz
3 years ago |The end-October should be good. Or else.
Enche
3 years ago |Chris, if that is true, then will the AF speed or other operation speed/performance will be affected?
Chris
3 years ago |Enche: I’m not sure… don’t know too much about that, but I’m sure if they’ve got a prism splitting the light into 3 separate directions they could possibly have the prism shift some of the light to a beamsplitter for phase detection autofocus.
I’m not a camera expert, though, so I don’t know. I’d imagine Olympus will find a way to keep the autofocus speed the same or improve it somewhat.
Snowbird_UT
3 years ago |The end of October may be the end! No 4/3 Flagship = Consumer Grade Only and I will say goodbye to Oly.
Winder
3 years ago |If what is has been said is true it tells me a couple of things.
1. Olympus does not have the ability to develop two separate product lines at the same time. If they did 4/3 & m4/3 would move in parallel.
2. Olympus totally miss understood the market and the success the EP-1 would have.
3. Olympus is just wandering around in the dark. Their “roadmap” is nothing more than a rough idea and changes month to month.
I really find it hard to believe that Olympus is in such bad shape they can not develop 2 products at the same time, or that they are totally surprised by the success of the EP-1.
Why would anyone invest in a system from a company that can’t meet its own product deadlines, anticipate market demand, or develop a business plan that can be carried out?
dMS
3 years ago |Don’t panic. Maybe not an E-3, but why not a E-30 successor, It’s more logical. If they launch all the time the middle range camera after the top level, the improvements on the second one, will kill profits of the first one. Look to what happened to the E-3 after the E-30 launch. It’s not easy for Olympus to sell and justify a more expensive top-pro camera, with less features. In 2010 they can announce an E-5 with all the features of the E-50 and more.
There is mine heart to speak, not my brain.
Tim
3 years ago |Good job with this rumor guys. There are people all over the place getting ready to unload all of their Olympus equipment.
I’m sure this is exactly the kind of response Olympus is looking for.
This is absolutely ridiculous. Market very expensive lenses and then completely drop the 4/3 professional support for little consumer cameras. I’m pretty mad if this turns out to be true. I made a substantial investment in 4/3 and for Olympus to take a big crap on us is not only insulting but infuriating.
I’ll be watching closely, and if they don’t support the professional photographer then I’m quickly moving on to Canon or Nikon.
I should have done it that way to begin with, I just thought Olympus would keep getting better, not quit on us.
Tim
3 years ago |Also, FYI I liked Jason’s rumor a lot better. The one he said to quote him on about a new model with all of the latest stuff and video.
Torstein
3 years ago |The rumors say nothing about lenses. I have still hope for some new 4/3 lenses like the 100mm macro. And by the way, I rather wait for a revolutionary new E-5 instead of another small upgrade the the E-3. In addition, I may be able to purchase the 50-200 instead of that new body this year…..
Matteo
3 years ago |i think if is a mirrorless camera probably will be a 4/3 camera with three different sensor R G B
(looks olympus patents with 3 sensors )
they need 4/3 depth because the second and third sensor need a mirror but there is no space for a pentaprism mirror.
if this is true
it will be a big revolution
achiinto
3 years ago |If this is true, I wonder what will happen to the viewfinder. A electronic one will not do well for wildlife, unless something really amazing is developed.
Rick
3 years ago |I, for one, don’t really see the point in the continual bellyaching about the latest body, and what’s next, and whether it spells the death of this or that system. It’s silly, and almost entirely meaningless.
The glass is the key, and the Oly glass is phenomenal. The standard grade lenses are far better than the standard grade lenses from any other manufacturer I’ve seen. The high-grade lenses are as good or better than the “pro” glass from most other brands, and the super-high grade lenses have no equal.
The bodies are all gradually gaining incremental improvements, but nothing Earth-shattering. The mid-range Oly bodies (E-5xx, E-6xx, and E-30) all do a fantastic job, and all have plenty of pixels for huge enlargements with fantastic image quality. They have IS. They have live view. They have a fantastic aspect ratio for cropping to fit every standard enlargement size without throwing away nearly as much of your image as the 3:2 aspect folks have to.
If you need weather sealing, buy the E-3 or a used E-1. Otherwise, buy whichever of the current bodies (E-520, E-620, or E-30) has the particular set of “bells and whistles” that floats your boat, and fits your hand the best. 10 MP vs 12 MP is, of course, completely irrelevant (only about a 9% difference in pixel numbers in each dimension), so don’t even worry about it.
Spend your money (and your time and energy) on Oly glass, and you will not be disappointed. Your investment is both worthwhile and safe.
Bodies may come and go, but once you meet a certain minimum feature and quality threshold (which the very first four-thirds body, the E-1, easily surpassed for 99% of the shooting situations out there), the differences are largely negligible. Pick whichever current body matches best with your own desired feature wish list, and you’ll be quite happy.
– Rick
Jim Couch
3 years ago |You guys all sound the same, all around the net –
If Nikon doesn’t release a D3 replacement by **/** I am switching to Canon, If Canon doesn’t release and improved wide angle zoom, I’m getting a Sony, If Olympus…
I guess the grass is always greener on the other side, even when it isn’t .
Same bitch, different camera.
Jim Couch
(FT2) New source says “not the E-P2 but the E-3 successor is coming”
3 years ago |[...] know this rumor says the exact opposit as the rumors we posted before. But we don’t know everything. My bet is that by end of October we will have 80% chance to [...]
Rumors summary
3 years ago |[...] The E-3 successor will not be announced now (maybe early 2010). The E-5 will be not be an “upgraded” E-3. It will be a completely [...]
Rob
3 years ago |Jim.. I am with you. The fact of the matter is none of these guys actually buy these cameras or lenses and if they do, they rarely if ever shoot anything besides test targets.
Dan
3 years ago |Rick summed it up pretty well.
As for the Trine 3CCD array. It is neither here nor there. CDAF focusing has come a long way since its inception (in dSLR’s) so expect a camera based on this specification to utilize it. As far as I can see there is no way of placing a splitter to include a phase detection system. As for image quality that will depend on the MP count of each sensor. In theory you could produce an ultra low noise 12mp array by utilizing 3 4mp sensors. Alternatively you could produce an 18mp system by using 3 6mp sensors.
Simone
3 years ago |No more rumors? I’m a fan of 43 and awaiting news from the top of the 43 rank…… anyone know nothing?
Csabi
3 years ago |I sold my E-3 for a Canon 5D Mii.+24-105 kit. Major regret. The E-3 is lighter, way more ergonomically designed and fun to use. Its picture quality and pixel count is more than most of us need, let’s face it.
Picture this: the 5D produced BETTER images with the 10MP setting! 20MP is overkill, unless you have SUPERB lenses.
I don’t think Oly will abandon classic 4/3, unless they have a BREAKTHROUGH technological invention up their sleeves. Like a mirrorless design with never-before-seen topnotch, killer refresh rate night vision EVF. Which is most unlikely.
Photographers like to look through real glass, real time, don’t forget that! Reality, not Bytes!
In the MFT arena, watch out for Panasonic, I wonder if they can scramble a meaningful camera together without Leica.
Csabi
3 years ago |P.S. to the above:
Oly FT lenses are GOOD. Really good. The aforementioned Canon EF L red ring zoom is a world apart from the blue ring Oly 12-60 / 2.8-4, not to mention the Zuiko primes, like the sluggish and shoddy but amazing 50/2 macro. And that is a great asset and sound enough reason for Oly to keep the 4/3 line going.
MFT is an interesting arena of experimentation but not yet alluring for professionals.
Rick above is right. Well roared, Rick: 10MP is plenty, see how Canon reduced the pixel count on the G11! I think the pixel war is about to be over. MFT @ 10-12 MP is way more than any demanding amateur ever needs. I shot mag covers with a 5MP Digilux 2 and spreads with the 10MP E-3. What are you guys up to? Printing giant posters of your cats and running feet on outdoor media? I mean, get real: most of those wonderful keeper shots of sunsets and kids’ parties never leave the realm of your screen or a flickr slide show!
So, the bottom line: if you are about change gear or upgrade, grab an E-3. If you shoot a lot, get a spare batt and bang on a grip. Get an adapter and some cheap OM Zuiko primes. Play around. Fantastic gear.
One more thing that is missing from the whole FT and especially the MFT scene: F A S T l e n s e s!
Oly, Pana, read my lips: FAST means f:2 and below. Your average Canonet had a 1.7 prime in the seventies! OK, now you have ISO 1600 but fast means DOF too.
If I evewr buy into MFT, it will be to put my Leica M glass on for portraiture. F2 wide open.
Stan_Fox
3 years ago |We sometimes loose our way with the thought process of “If only I had a newer version, I could do great things…”
My friend Jay Dickman got me involved with the original E-1, which for many years provided (and still provides) great images, including a triptych of three eight foot panels (from a 5mp image!) of Eric Bostrom on the Ducati 999 wining at Laguna Seca back in 2005. The E-3 has worked well too, and I have to agree with Csabi that we really need some fast aperture primes to round out the kit. Both the 14-35 & 35-100 provide beautiful results, and even the 12-60 works wonders for weddings.
I would be happy if Oly wouldn’t worry too much about creating huge files, but focus on extended dynamic range. Don’t get me wrong, there are times that I lust for a 1Ds MkIII with their 50 & 85 f/1.2′s as well as their 24. The E-3 is a real bargain, when you consider the cost difference for the 5D or the 1Ds.
If you seem to be having a problem with getting anything good out of a 4/3 image, you may want to look at investing in some UHG lenses and deal with a professional lab!
Thanos
3 years ago |I am a E-510 owner and I am waiting for a tough 4/3 camera that is weather proof and can shoot 6-7 frames per second while being noiseless up to ISO 1600 and maintaining a high dynamic range .. I think that 12 MP is fine and anything more than 15 MP would be too much. I really hope that the E-5 will NOT be mirorless… The E-510 is a really good camera and I would not change my gear for another manufacturer’s, i like Olympus and I hope they will not dissapoint us with a mirorless camera. I also do not care about video..
finaloption
3 years ago |As a amature nature shooter and new to Olympus since November 2009 with an e600, I’ve determined that an E3 would be a welcomed upgrade. I’m hesitant however of purchasing an “old” camera without knowing what’s around the corner. It appears from my research that folks with the e3 are very satisfied. I would enjoy the weather resistance and larger body. For the future E3 I would agree completely with what Thanos wrote above, especially about the mirror-less design. I do have a question however…why is there no talk of a “pro” type body? You know the kind with the intergral vertical grip. Seems if you had to add the vertical grip accessory it could be a failure point for weather sealing.