(FT5) New PEN camera to be announced in late April.
Multiple trusted sources now confirmed that a new Olympus announcement has been scheduled for late April. And it is also confirmed that there will be a new PEN camera and there will be no new OMD of Four Thirds camera. I am still not 100% sure yet but it looks like the new PEN has no integrated viewfinder and price will be at around $1,000 with kit lens. So no digital PEN-F guys…and for $1,000 I hope it has at least a new generation sensor 
There will be a new external viewfinder instead with 2,44 Million dots. This one is made by Epson.
Panasonic announcement will be in early April. At least two new MFT cameras are going to be announced. So better for you to stay tuned on 43rumors!
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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
ChristianG
4 months ago |Any word on when it will be available for purchase?
Farrukh
4 months ago |I have a bad feeling that the reason it will cost $1,000 is because it comes in black :p
observer
4 months ago |No need to worry, the black paint will fall off soon enough to expose the silver plastic underneath.
Farrukh
4 months ago |Perfect it’ll match my EP1 and EP3 :p
lnqø-M
4 months ago |Hope the is white anyway.
Marck
4 months ago |So no new Oly lenses will be announced in April?
Chaitanya
4 months ago |Cant wait for announcement. In last couple of months oly and panasonic have released excellent cameras and lenses.
Miroslav
4 months ago |Good, at least the wait won’t be that long…
If the VF is detachable and has a hotshoe, like on this concept camera http://davidriesenberg.com/archives/262 , I might be interested.
joojoo
4 months ago |Love that design you link to. Just wow!
tomas
4 months ago |thats nice looking camera!!!
thumbs up
amalric
4 months ago |I had the same vision yesterday. A pyramid like shape would make the add on EVF much more sturdy.
ph
4 months ago |But the piramyd-like shape would also make the EVF unnecessarily tall. That’s a bad thing.
ph
4 months ago |I meant ‘pyramid-like’.
Tim
4 months ago |never saw this design before and love it! not only a lower hight then with the VF2-and i really love the Hotshoe wich is just lifted a lil bit.
If the Canon M would look like this-maybe the slow AF wouldnt be a problem
Ulli
4 months ago |the concept is nice, but it does not keep in mind if its possible to put all the hardware in such small evf unit, while keeping it modular. Thats prob the difference between this designer and the designers who have to keep the practical issues in their mind.
Miroslav
4 months ago |You are probably right, but there are some “tricks” that could make it a bit smaller. One is to make a hotshoe a bit recessed, 5-10 mm lower than the top of the camera for example. The other is to move some of the VF parts backwards, so that the back part of the VF is some 20-30mm behind the back of the camera when mounted. They can also put some of the electronics in body (thus making it not compatible with the older models).
The point is to design it in such a way that it looks like an integral part of the body when mounted. I believe that a look at least similar to Nikon V2 can be achieved. But, apart from E-M5 Oly has shown little imagination in m4/3 since E-P1 announcement.
lmqø-M
4 months ago |Yah, if Canon EOS M had design like this camera can we say Mmmm to, but i think a VF-x need have good grip so the is easy to take on and off.
che
4 months ago |Both current olympus and leica (they are the same) EVF’s are made by Epson.
joojoo
4 months ago |I think many now would expect that they would be using Sony’s EVF. Either way they’re both fantastic as far as the tech goes.
omdowner
4 months ago |To justify such high price, if there is no integrated viefinder, there is necessary”
- new sensor, significant better then OM-D sensor (to ba able to compete with Fuji sensors)
- much better AF-C
- more movie formats
- some additional functionality (over OM-D)
digifan
4 months ago |What are you smoking.
The current OM-D’s IQ is not far behind the Fuji.
Olympus has always had tweaks done to sensor even if it was the same physical sensor, so no need to worry, IQ will be slightly better in case of no new sensor.
Man, people here are so insecure.
I hope the Pen is small (optional grip etc) and is weather sealed so it can be a backup for the OM-D.
Hopefully the Continuous AF has improved (better algorithmes).
OMDowner
4 months ago |You have now:
- EPL-5 600$
- OM-D 1200$ (but is time to lower price)
- Sony NEX-6 1000$ (camera with internal EVF)
- Fuji XE1 1400$ (but better lens f/2.8-4 and better sensor)
Why new PEN will cost 1000$ (more then 1 year after presentation OM-D)?
New Fuji sensors have better results then micro43 from Sony.
Ulli
4 months ago |lets wait untill the camera’s specs and price are offcial…everything here is just rumor. If you really want the same low iso performance as the fuji, its more realistic to get their camera instead.
Ulli
4 months ago |i mean ofcourse high iso
Jekyll&Hyde
4 months ago |No, it is “low ISO”. There are tests that claime a better performance of OMD in HighISO.
Here are same testfotos
http://photographie.de/cms/test_und_technik/downloads/ph_01_2013_spiegellos_gluecklich.zip
From this german page: http://photographie.de/cgi-bin/adframe/test_und_technik/article.html?ADFRAME_MCMS_ID=993
Ulli
4 months ago |i find the XE-1 iso6400 better then the OMD iso6400, when checking both your link or dpreview site.
hesanob
4 months ago |he wants for MEGApeeeexals!!!
Kevin Purcell
4 months ago |The Fuji X cameras have a custom Sony sensor (the same one as in the D7000, D5100, Pentax K-01) with a different CFA (pull aprts show the sensor contact layout … it matches).
The pixel tech is (essentially) identical to the Sony sensor in the OMD but the pixels are a little smaller.
The difference is in size and that’s worth just over 1dB SNR.
You can measure that but you can’t see it (without ABXing two images from the two cameras one after the other).
Go to DxOmark and compare the D7000 with the X100 in the Measurements tab,
Milan
4 months ago |Yes, if it’s an EM-5 without EVF, without 5 axis IBIS, without tilting screen, without weathersealing, cheaper build… and for the same price, it just won’t cut it.
What I think is that the price will include the EVF, whether it’s integrated or external.
I wouldn’t expect a new sensor, though maybe they will include PhD autofocus to improve AF-C.
Matthias
4 months ago |Maybe (I hope so, then there would be a new better zoom lens) it will cost so much because the kit lens is the new 2.8 Oly zoom
Yun
4 months ago |This is great .
Although I’m unlikely to get a PEN but it’s nice to see a new PEN series . For that kind of 1K pricing , it must equipped with new generation sensor .
But I still eager to see Oly’s rangefinder camera with build in viewfinder that everyone is yelling .
BLI
4 months ago |Having used the external EVF 95% of the time on my PEN E-P3, I personally enjoy the built-in EVF on the OM-D. Although I was initially quite negative to the hump of the OM-D, the OM-D is both smaller and more convenient than the PEN + EVF.
Although the OM-D serves my needs and I have no immediate plans for a new camera, I am quite curious as to the specs of the new PEN: the indicated high price certainly suggests exciting new technology — if not I will be disappointed. It would surprise me if there is not improved connectivity support (wi-fi, etc), as an example.
Ross
4 months ago |Yes, I am curious too. After all, they might make it better than my OM-D & we can’t have that!
bobthewrecker
4 months ago |I think PENs, a little bit like compacts, are a good testing ground for Oly – bits and pieces of functionality appearing and disappearing in a semi random manner between different PEN iterations eventually make it into the higher end bodies. Personally I think the E-P2 was the last PEN I really liked, build quality wise. The E-P3 is not the same although it is in many respects a better camera.
Any new model will be a welcome addition to the PEN family, whether it has an integrated EVF or (likely) not.
Admin – any background noise about Oly fast zooms?
amalric
4 months ago |What is meant by kit zoom? The 12-50? That would make sense, although it makes the camera not pocketable.
I expect and hope that there will be a body only version for less.
The only advantage that the E-Px has towards the X-E1, sizewise, is that it is less tall.
Another important matter: I hope it has a tilting screen but in the 4:3 aspect. Big mistake to do it in the 16:9, although the Camea Joshi might think differently.
Pierre
4 months ago |The only thing which matters is an Evf! Hopefully as a rangefinder!
-
4 months ago |“And it is also confirmed that there will be a new PEN camera and there will be no new OMD of Four Thirds camera.”
huh.. no new OMD or FT in April or at all?? So the rumour about those in the late summer is still in charge, isn’t it?
Mar
4 months ago |I would expect EP3 with new sensor or same as omd but with PDAF.
However, it might include new power zoom collapsible lens, hence the price.
Numberwang
4 months ago |I hope Olympus doesn’t charge $450 for the new EVF just because Nikon can for their OVF.
in my opinion
4 months ago |Price is OK if it will be new version of EP3 (new sensor from Sony) with new kit-zoom 14-54 f/2.8-3.5.
Otherwise – too expensive. NEX-6 for 1000$ has EVF and is very, very good.
J Shin
4 months ago |Any word on whether the new viewfinder would work with older PENs, and whether older viewfinders would work on the new PEN?
safaridon
4 months ago |So what is new about this rumor? Admin yesterday promised lots of rumors coming but this is just a recycled one including the replies?
ph
4 months ago |+1
AMVR
4 months ago |+1000
This just is just getting more and more depressing as rumors come, this is bad for Olympus, they’ll end up disappointing a lot of people just because they’re too cheap to go all out and confront Sony and Fuji directly. This will be as disappointing and disheartening as when they promised a ¨new sensor¨ which ended up being the same old tweaked 12MP one. I feel dumb for just now starting to realize how full of BS Olympus is.
Ross
4 months ago |It’s only disappointing if you take this rumor without knowing all the specs & facts. Don’t get so carried away with something that isn’t known yet.
AMVR
4 months ago |It’s better to get my hopes low and be surprised later than to get my hopes high and get utterly disappointed (as it has happened before when rumors talked about new sensors and it ended up being the 12MP sensor, or the revolutionary VF, RF-body, ¨one beatidul system,¨ built-in flash, etc, etc…)
More details on the upcoming PEN (E-P5?) - Blog for micro four third and competing cameras
4 months ago |[...] Source: http://www.43rumors.com/ft5-new-pen-camera-to-be-announced-in-late-april/ [...]
crystal ball
4 months ago |maybe it works with FT lenses?!
JimD
4 months ago |Your crystal ball is full of fog.
peevee
4 months ago |What kind of kit lens is it? If it is the old 14-42/3.5-5.6, then $1000 is way too overpriced as you can get E-M5 or NEX-6 kit for that money, both with EVFs!
Given the progression E-PM2 kit for $599, E-PL5 kit for $699 (MSRPs, of course you can buy they $100 cheaper), E-P5+14-42 kit should not be more than $800-850. $1000 maybe with the new 17/1.8, or if EVF is included.
avds
4 months ago |That EM5 level price looks so inadequate for an andvanced EPL5 that it really drives me curious as to how they are going to justify it – even though the chance of me buying one without an integrated VF hardly exceeds zero! NOEVFNOBUYOKTHXBYE
Dummy00001
4 months ago |Probably the weather-sealing?
Otherwise I’m puzzled how they are going to outdo the recent E-PL and E-PM models.
Ross
4 months ago |Either that or maybe the price might include the attachable EVF. I guess we will eventually find out.
Anonymous
4 months ago |Price seems quite high without an integrated viewfinder. Maybe this is the price for the BODY + LENS + LENS-HOOD?
Numberwang
4 months ago |Olympus is offering an $80 rebate on VF-2 and VF-3 when purchased together with EPL5 or EPM2 now thru March 30. Looks like Oly is getting rid of the old to make room for the new, and could possibly confirm the rumor of an announcement of a new EVF in April.
james70094
4 months ago |I wonder if this will have phase detect AF on sensor.
camaman
4 months ago |New Epson EVF as VF4 or whateva, tweaked E-M5 sensor, maybe 5axis IBIS, “new” tweaked kit lens.
Thats my prediction…
bobthewrecker
4 months ago |…makes me wonder how video is delivered via the accessory port. What if it’s HDMI? Maybe if there is an EVF upgrade coming, there is also going to be a “new” accessory port – AP3? My VF-2 still does its job well, and I don’t use legacy lenses that much any more, so not that important for me.
But yes, probably E-M5 style IBIS ans some further sensor “tweaks”. Couldn’t care less about kit lenses, but I don’t think so, they haven’t upgraded all lenses to the “R” versions yet. A new kit lens would probably only come if they managed to simplify the manufacturing or make it cheaper somehow.
Ross
4 months ago |We now have USB 3, so why not AP-3?
true homer
4 months ago |So wait…for 300 more dollars the gh3 is “ridiculously expensive” and this viewfinderless plastic camera is ok for 1000$?
Fanboys? Here?! Nooooo way, thats silly
AMVR
4 months ago |I agree, also there’s no justification for the $1000 prices, even if it comes with 5 axis ibis and weather sealing, which I doubt. What would be the point of that, it’s no better than PL5 because there’s no EVF and if those features are important, for that money you could just jump to the EM5 AND have the EVF. This is the most stupid move Olympus has made in years, I thought Olympus had become wiser after the EM5 but it seems they’re as stupid as they were when they promised new sensors for quite a few PEN generations and only delivered the old 12MP, or when they promised a revolutionary new VF technology and it ended up being just a higher refresh rate, or when they promised a ¨One Beautiful System¨ or whatever…you get the point, Oly has no idea what they’re doing
Numberwang
4 months ago |If Panasonic has any intention of jamming the GH3 sensor in a GX1-type body with corner viewfinder, the time to do so is this year while the depression over the omission by Olympus is till high.
amalric
4 months ago |I agree entirely. I might be tempted to jump brand without jumping system, since it still has the largest choice of lenses.
AMVR
4 months ago |Ditto, that’s about the only option for me not to jump ship and join Fuji right now, either Pany gets on with the times and releases an equivalent to the Nex 6 or the benefits of m4/3 lens catalog will start to look insufficient for me. I’m willing to wait for Fuji to develop their lens line up but I’n not willing to wait more years for Oly to to the most stupidly obvious upgrade to the PEN line and get their act together
quangzizi
4 months ago |That’s not a fair comparison, we don’t know the specs of the EP5 yet while the GH3 has been out for some time.
Mediator
4 months ago |I honestly think that all of you are looking for excuses to hate on each other, and are ignoring the fact that it matters not a single bit what another person thinks about these cameras. Deal with fact, people, not opinion.
Dogbytes
4 months ago |E-P1 with OM-D sensor and weather-sealing would be perfection. And Gorilla glass for the screen please!
John
4 months ago |Perfect timing. New camera for the summer period
disso
4 months ago |This should really solve my problem with new camera body. I have been using E-P1 for long time, and I really love the thumb wheel and sturdy feel of camera.
I almost purchased E-PM2 or E-PL5, but there was something missing. OM-D is bit too overpriced for my budget.
Now when the prices are going lower for OM-D and new high-end Pen coming soon, it is intresting to see which one to get.