(FT5) Olympus indirectly confirms the product launch date

Engadget Chinese (Click here) spotted that Olympus invitation card for an even on June 30th during 14:00 ~ 16:30 (Taiwan GMT+8). The event starts with speeches from Olympus managers and Photographers. At the end of the event there is a testing part with new products. No products have been specified in the invitation. But we already know what’s coming:
Three Pen cameras, the E-PM1, E-PL3 (with tilt lcd) and E-P3. Two new lenses, the 12mm f/2.0 and 45mm f/1.8. But there will be some other new stuff to and I am working to get details about that.
Via mu-43.com

Ulli
12 months ago |touch & try….i like the sound of that
Antonio
12 months ago |They should invite our admin!!
Inge-M
12 months ago |SSSSH. Admin is busy by new rumors when the happen
DD
12 months ago |The “touch and try” concept seems to be a Japanese invention! Years ago, when Toyota entered India with the first locally produced SUV, the initial discounted pricing offer was a “touch and try price”!
Mark
12 months ago |Admin
Any sense of how different the new E-p3 is going to be, or what kit lens it will ship with?
Thanks
admin
12 months ago |It’s like the actual E-P2. Very small differences!
sneye
12 months ago |Excellent. The E-P2 size, shape and feel are almost perfect for a street camera. The built-in flash is an important addition (for remote flash operation).
WT21
12 months ago |Built in flash, higher res LCD NOT a smaller battery, improved focus/sensor — that would all be great!
XA4
12 months ago |No tilt/swivel screen… disappointing.
Everything else looks great though.
Comments loading fast, with no error message, thanks Admin!
Henry
12 months ago |cool … I guess a new VF is presented … it says “EPSON” on the card …
Admin, any infos about a new VF?????
admin
12 months ago |Yes there should be one new VF. But I have no specs yet.
Gianluca
12 months ago |@Admin:
two questions:
Do you know if the new pen ep3 will have af assist lamp?
How about the mount of 45mmf1.8 metal or plastic ?
last but not least…
…stai facendo davvero un lavoro fantastico, complimenti!;)
admin
12 months ago |Grazie!
Non ho risposta certa alle tue domande…almeno per ora!
Inge-M
12 months ago |I hope a new EVF is compatible by my E-P2!
Not BIEVF, is maybe not bad for E-P3 if that can upgrade.
What if EVF is solid make in metal!
frosti7
12 months ago |*
Bob B.
12 months ago |Admin….this IS the most incredible rumor site on the web…you do more meaningful posts than any other site that I surf……you and your efforts are truly amazing. I am not happy with everything that you find out…LOL!!!!!! ….but you really do one hell of a job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Inge-M
12 months ago |+1000 HaHa LOL
Absolute; BoB B.
Nick Clark
12 months ago |Definitely! Best way to waste time on the web
Tobias W.
12 months ago |I wish I could speed up time. I am excited about the E-P3 with super fast auto-focus and also about the 45mm and the 25mm.
admin
12 months ago |Me too
Thomas Schindler
12 months ago |i really hope its a under 150$ EVF in retro design!
Sören
12 months ago |+1
frosti7
12 months ago |that wouldnt make sens, its better to introduce one of those new sleek 3mpx evf’s, and the current one would slash 50% of the price – then i’d complain less
Stefan
12 months ago |It’s the Chinese version of Engadget, and not “Engadget China”. The invitation to the said event was issued by Olympus and its rep here in Taipei, Taiwan. Please kindly stop associate Taiwan with People’s Republic of China, since we’re really a separate country with our own democratically elected government. Thank you.
Amin
12 months ago |It would be less confusing if Endgadget didn’t refer to it as “Engadget China”: http://www.engadget.com/2005/06/06/introducing-engadget-china/
Sergey
12 months ago |@admin
What do you think when will we be able to buy the new stuff?
admin
12 months ago |No idea about that. But usually Olympus is very fast in delivering the new products.
Tom
12 months ago |Admin,
It is not “Engadget China”, it should call “Engadget Chinese”.
Tobias W.
12 months ago |If there’s a new EVF that is less clumsy and doesn’t look and feel like a tumor on the PEN, then I’m in trouble because I might want to buy that one too…
Bob B.
12 months ago |Tobias..too funny perfect description….Technically the Oly viewfinder is heads above the Pany DMW-LVF1…but it does look like a tumor LOL!…(They need retro-boy to design the new one so that it flows with the Pen-Look)….I think the Pany is kind of cool looking (I own one and it is indispensable)…but that could use an upgrade too with much more resolution. Since that was named with a number one…maybe there will be a number two!?!
Simon
12 months ago |I wonder whether the new viewfinder will also work on the older PEN-models or is just useful when you buy one of the three new models. I hope that you’ll get some information about that soon
Tom M
12 months ago |@admin, do you know if Olympus are doing anything on the E-System front? I don’t want to abandon an OVF but I’d like to upgrade my camera back, come on Olympus, please?
admin
12 months ago |Got one single rumor (from anonymous source) about a possible E-xx.
Inge-M
12 months ago |Yepp, i only
Ross
12 months ago |That will be interesting to hear & bring a bit more hope to the 4/3′s line.
Inge-M
12 months ago |The is many so need upgrad own bloggs after the camera come.
Reza
12 months ago |Can someone who knows Japanese translate the line about EPSON please?!
weiaperture8
12 months ago |Actually, Chinese text but it doesn’t have anything to do with the event. It is just a line describing the career history of Photographer Olddo (who has been a quite famous supporter for Olympus and has been a presenter in many of Olympus launch events in Taiwan).
Felix
12 months ago |Yes, and 1450~1530 is “Sharing Experience (of photography)”. 1530~1630 is “Time of Taste (something)”. So people who get invite will need to wait one hour and thirty minutes to touch real machine. It just my guess.
Mike
12 months ago |Hope they also bring on an improved firmware for the XZ-1. This camera is a great companion to all the m4/3rds.
jeff
12 months ago |Hopefully the EVF has a locking mechanism for the hotshoe. I always worried about losing the VF2.
Ulli
12 months ago |+1
Gekopaca
12 months ago |You can put a little bit of rubber cement on the hot shoe. It will block the VF and it’s easily removable.
Boooo!
12 months ago |Any news about the sensor? We’re getting impatient!
Oh, how I wish they’d announce the E-650, the E-50 and the E-5 MkII with the new sensor as well…
admin
12 months ago |Hi Boooo!
That’s a real challenge for now. I got something yes, but it looks like nobody is really sure how deep Olympus modified the sensor. I am going to post a FT4 rumor about that next week. Hope to get some details about that in the meanwhile to bring the rumor on FT5.
Mark
12 months ago |Do you think the price of the E-p3 will be higher than the E-p2?
admin
12 months ago |I think it could be less.
sderdiarian
12 months ago |A lower price would make sense to leave room for the pro model (maybe to be introduced at Photokina in September?).
I’m very curious how they’re differentiating these models in substantive ways beyond just style. Seems their differences are cut quite fine and a bit arbitrarily:
- E-PM1: reduced to minimum size and cost by stripping features and buttons
- E-PL3: one step backwards by removing flash to reduce size, one step forwards by adding flip LCD
- E-P3: Sounds like no substantive changes beyond a flash and hopefully a new sensor and processor (shared by all three ?)
This appears their attempt to match Panasonic’s line and price points, but in a Pen body style. If the E-PL3 includes an EVF (still as an attachment) as part of a kit at the G3′s $699 intro price, they’ve accomplished something meaningful.
kesztió
12 months ago |E-P3: No tilt LCD! This is a more than serious weakness comparing to G3.
NoName
12 months ago |Of course you don’t “know what’s coming”.
amalric
12 months ago |Still I think that the most interesting feature is the predictive feature of the AF. If that alllowed to operate the ‘old’ CDAF lenses with a grip, it woulld be a very big step towards the fusion of the two systems.
Also I wonder if theey might have developed full HDR as a filter, and if the port connector/s had different modules, like the needed GPS.
If the E-P3 is a photographers’ camera that would be as defining as the retro aspect.
I would also love the real multi aspect, but then it should be a GHx sensor.
Grazie per il tuo lavoro pazzesco
admin
12 months ago |Grazie!
Schwarz
12 months ago |Do you know whether there’ll be any improvements to the video functions of the E-p3?
arashm
12 months ago |@ Sderdiarian
Fotokina is every other year, so no event this year.
But I’m very excited to see what Oly has for us at the end of this month
@ admin
Thank you for your hard work.
admin
12 months ago |Thanks!
thinker
12 months ago |Taiwan should be GMT+8.
Michael
12 months ago |The excitement continues to brew! If Olympus have re-designed the EVF to be more in line with the PEN styling, we could have an awesome camera on our hands.
Everyone says they want a built-in VF, but what they really want is a VF that looks like it is part of the camera and is secure (doesn’t fall off). Personally, I think having the ability to detach it gives us the best of both worlds. Just hope it’s a little more flush than the current VF-2.
Iain
12 months ago |Very true.
Also, I’m not sure if it’s the same everywhere, but I was trying to get the VF-2, and every time I go to order one, I get a call a few days later saying it’s actually out of stock, that they will call Olympus and find out when they will get them in… so hopefully they are planning on completely replacing the VF-2 (making the new one compatible with all the same models).
I have an E-PL1, and would much prefer to stick with it if they release a new VF, and plan on getting the 45mm f/1.8.
The only thing that concerns me is that the E-PL2 already had a different accessory port and accessories that weren’t backwards compatible with the E-P2 and E-PL1.
Gekopaca
12 months ago |IMO the question isn’t a removable EVF or not : the real improvment is an EVF in the body (for compacity) and most of all IN THE CORNER in order to shoot as with a rangefinder camera.
amalric
12 months ago |Gecko, I think you will get your BI EVF, but not this time, perhaps later this year.
The June event is a celebration of the E-P1 and the Pens, that explains that the E-P3 will be the same simple design.
The PL2 is more interesting for a street shooter, because a tilting LCD is ideal, even better than an EVF.
OTH Oly might be more innovative with the future Pens, think of the EVF, as a LEGO block, just like the PenPal or, I hope, the GPS.
That is in tune with the modular aspect of the Pens, and the ‘connected camera’ aspect. Perhaps Pens should have 2 ports.
Personally I wouldn’t mind a ‘closed camera’, a RF in the style of the X-100 or the E-300, a photographers’ camera with all the essentials, and not much else. It will come, although $$$.
BTW how much was your mod of the 12mm? Makers are beginning to ask serious money for their fast 12mm with native mounts. Not sure I want to bleed myself
agent00soul
12 months ago |Suppose they made the new evf attach to the left side of the camera. Problem solved. All that’s needed is an extra port and a screw hole on the side of the camera.
AndyOz
12 months ago |As per the way that the flash attaches to the body in the Olympus XA camera system (see the old XA with A11 or A16 flash). I have often wondered whether that would work with a viewfinder on a digital Pen. I wouldnt mind that solution at all. I am not sure if it would use the whole rectangular package space (ie the whole height) but the good thing with this solution is that perhaps a battery could come with it which would mean that EVF being on wouldnt lower the charge of the main camera battery. I doubt Oly would do it that way but imagine two viewfinders:
- a large high res for the E-P3 which attaches to the side
- a smaller cheaper hotshoe evf for E-PM1 and E-PL3
agent00soul
12 months ago |I think it would be the best of both worlds. It would not add anything to the canera’s height. Only make it a bit wider. And it would leave the hot shoe Free. If it was styled like an extension of the camera, you could leave it on at all times if you wanted. With a screw similar to the tripod mount, it would stay securely attached.
young-sun
12 months ago |Olympus annouced a XZ-2 with a 28-112mm F1.4(wide to tele) lens, ISO from 25-1600, an articulate 3.5in 960x640pixels screen in a package smaller than the XZ-1. There is also 1 lens ring + 2 main dials for adjustment.
OI OI Wake Up Wake Up
Its Only A dream!!!
Now Back to Sleep
george marinakis
12 months ago |Any news for DSLR??? DSLR LENSES, DSLR BODIES??? ONLY M4/3