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Oly’s last big news teaser was for a small update of a slow zoom lens. So… I think we better don’t hold our breath

Do you think I should hold off buying an OM-D E-M5? Just as I approach enough savings to buy (body only) — this comes up.. Any thoughts?

12/3?

Olympus weakest point is their marketing, especially in the US. But at the risk of not participating in the latest campaign hype… One, Two, Three, OM-D, four, five, six, {you fill in the blank}. Whatever it is, it needs to be a major followup. They’ve garnered enough momentum with the E-M, if there’s not a major new addition that both complements and expands their pro-sumer line, they lose. I’m very interested in a hybrid FT-MFT camera since it will preserve my investment in an E-3 body, E-M5 Body and lots of FT/MFT glass.

I can tell you what it won’t be. It won’t be anything that any of us wants…

For example I would like more weathersealed lenses.

3 more cracks in the bezel, of which they will not take care of

My guess: ONE TWO THREE OM-D E-M3

Olympus hinted at a lower OM-D model in 2013. So, possibly an E-M3. That leaves room for a higher model above E-M5 later, probably E-M7.

Your guess is as good as mine what they might leave out. My guess is that weathersealing will go, more plastic body, maybe LCD instead of OLED screen, could even be fixed screen. Integrated EVF will stay. It’s a central feature of the design. 5-AXIS IBIS has to stay too IMO. It’s the defining feature of the OM-D so far and sets it apart from Lumix G and APS-C mirrorless, since real image output sensor performance across the board is all very similar (see recent Camera Labs reviews).

To make up for the ommissions, AF will be ever slightly improved, but still no hybrid AF (reserved for a higher model), improved processing and sensor tweaking but nothing dramatically different to the E-M5, E-PL5 and E-PM2 output. Priced lower of course, but in what bracket? E-M5 is already discounted to around $900 body only price in some countries. E-M3 would have to be $699 or lower to distinguish it from E-M5 and also to compete with Lumix G5. But that price also is too close to the E-PL5 which doesn’t have an integrated EVF. E-PL5 sales may suffer. This is a dangerous game for Olympus. They left themselves with not much room to move having to juggle both OM-D and PEN lines with overlapping prices and sharing so many similar features. With E-P5 coming this year too, it will be a real roadjam in the sub $900 mirrorless category. Will be interesting to see how it all turns out by year’s end.

1. Please Buy us one omd
2. two lenses in a combo
3. We not hate gh3