New E-M5 asian sound noise test and NEX-7 and GX1 comparison.

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Click on the image to see the full size version!

Some E-M5 news are coming from Asia today! As you can see here on top Dslr-check (Click here) posted a E-M5 vs NEX-7 vs GX1 vs E-PM1 Jpeg comparison (all pics at ISO 400 and f/4 with zoom kit lens). I leave any judgment to you :)

A Japanese friend of mine that got the E-M5 did some testing to find out more about the so called “IS sound noise”. Here are his findings:
1) The noise is here, but you hear it only when you are closed in a complete noiseless room. In normal situation you don’t hear it at all.
2) The noise almost goes away when you switch to movie mode. That’s good news as this will avoid any “contamination” while recording video.
3) My sources told me the noise is related to the 5 axis system but even if you switch off the IS system the noise remains there.

Overall all I can say is that I understand customers reaction when hearing that noise for the first time. It’s something a bit…annoying! But it looks like this is a NON-issue when shooting videos or photos in real world conditions. I hope to get my hands on the E-M5 soon. Want to check that for myself!

One more news: As you know Asian stores like Amazon Japan and Digitalrev are already shipping the cameras. So guess who are the next lucky guys getting the E-M5? USA?….nope…Germany?…nope… it is Canada! Henrys just informed some of our 43rumors early pre ordered that the E-M5 will ship to their houses next week! Lucky guys!

(Pre)orders: Amazon, Adorama, B&H, Jessops, Amazon UK, Amazon Germany, Amazon Japan and Digitalrev.

Today Rankings:
USA: E-M5 on position 11/13/15 (Click here)
UK: E-M5 is on position 4/10 (Click here).
Germany: The E-M5 is on position 20 (Click here).
France: not available (Click here to see rankings anyway).
Japan: E-M5 on position 7/10 (Click here).

 

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Official: Sony, Fujifilm and other companies ready for partnership with Olympus!

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Two great cameras side by side. The [shoplink 29074]Olympus E-M5[/shoplink] and the now in Stock Fuji X PRO 1.

Our reader Berend just sent us the link to the well known German magazine Der Spiegel (Click here). The new Olympus president Hiroyuki Sasa officially reported that he has more than three partnerships offers on his table including Sony, Fujifilm and Terumo! After months of rumors and speculations it is official that two giants like Sony and Fujifilm want to work with Olympus. I know from a poll I posted here months ago that you would prefer a Fuji partnership instead of a Sony. And honestly, I also think so!

I know Fuji is more interested in the medical business but I hope there will be a great partnership in the digital camera business too! Fuji could share his sensor technology with Olympus…that would be great! A Fuji X PRO 1 in m43 version :)

By the way, for those of you interested in the X PRO 1. it’s now in Stock at Amazon US (Click here) and in UK at Jessops (Click here). grwta camera, but with many quirks and flaws (see autofocus for example).

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(UPDATED) POLL: Vote your future Micro Four Thirds wish list.

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UPDATE: This is the final call! Vote now if you haven’t done it yet. I will close the poll tomorrow!

It’s now time to send a message in the bottle for Olympus, Panasonic, Sigma, Samyang and Voigtländer. Here is a wish list of lenses from our readers. Before to vote please read the following text:

1) The poll contains a filtered list of lenses suggested by 43rumors readers (Click here to read all your suggestions). Please be aware that I had to pickup a selection from your suggestion. Every reader wants slightly different versions from the same focal length and I counted over 1.000 different lens options :)

2) This is not a scientific poll. The goal is to get a very general idea about the lenses 43rumors readers would love to see. If you don’t find your suggested or preferred lens please choose the lens that is as close as it gets to what you need.

3) Be sincere and realistic. Some of the lenses will be very expensive. Don’t vote them if you like them but can’t afford to buy them.

4) You can select a maximum of ten lenses. After sending your vote you will see a percentage number close to every lens option. A number like 14% for example means that 14% of all single voters choose that lens. Be aware that the sum of all single percentages is well over 100% because every voter can chose up to ten lenses!

Now let’s start!

Select a maximum of ten lenses:

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

P.S.: Thanks to all readers for your lens suggestions!

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(UPDATED) E-M5 sound issue? Shipment delay in Europe (video roundup)

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E-P3 Video Test in Quiet Room feat. E-M5 from Michael Gakuran on Vimeo.

The new [shoplink 29074]Olympus E-M5[/shoplink] is shipping in Asia and first user are reporting some “sound noise” issues. At Amazon Japan you can find two reviews describing the noise starting when you power the camera on. It remains there until you completely shut down the camera. I tried to find some evidence of the issue but at least from the video I found on youtube (Click here) I really hear NO noise at all. I have been told by my sources that the very low noise you here is coming from the 5 axis IS. And it is much lower during movie shooting (you will not hear it while recording the audio). It’s unusual in the beginning but you will forget it when working with the camera.

We Europeans and our Americans readers will have to wait a bit longer for our cameras anyway. Amazon UK issued the following statement: “We’re sorry to let you know that your order will take longer to fulfil than originally estimated. Our supplier has notified us that there is a delay in obtaining stock of this title. We now expect to dispatch your order by April 23, 2012.” :(

As I said, Japanese are already receiving their cameras and they are posting new video on youtube. Here is a set of short clips made by PortableTV and some ads made by Olympus itself:

PortableTV
Burst mode on youtube (Click here).
Rolling Shutter test on youtube (Click here).
Power ON/OFF on youtube (Click here).
IS test on youtube (Click here).
Af speed test on youtube (Click here).

OlympusOMD commercial (weird voice!)
Af speed on youtube (Click here).
FPS speed on youtube (Click here).
EVF on youtube (Click here).

Preorders: Amazon, Adorama, B&H, Jessops, Amazon UK, Amazon Germany, Amazon Japan and Digitalrev.

Rankings:
USA: E-M5 on position 5/7/9 (Click here)
UK: E-M5 is on position 4 (Click here).
Germany: The E-M5 is on position 15 (Click here).
France: not available (Click here to see rankings anyway).
Japan: E-M5 on position 8/16/17 (Click here).

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For USA readers: New GH2 and GX1 price drops!

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Panasonic just launched a new instant rebate program for US stores! And these on the two most advanced Panasonic m43 models.
1) The GH2 with 14-42mm kit lens is now in Stock for $799 at Adorama (Click here) and $865 at Amazon (Click here).
2) The GX1 body only is now priced at $649 at Adorama (Click here) and $661 at Amazon (Click here).
3) The GX1 body with 14-42mm kit lens is now priced at $699 at Adorama (Click here) and same price at Amazon (Click here).

Other ongoing deals:
E-PL2 with 14-42mm lens for $359 at Amazon (Click here).

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(UPDATED to FT4) New Lumix cameras and camcorder presentation on April 5!

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Some of our sources are telling us that Panasonic is preparing a huge event where they claim that they will show “new Lumix cameras and camcorders“. Of course we know that at least a new GF5 and a new m43 camcorder will be announced. It has to be seen if there will be something else too but I have no hope that there will be a GH3.
I think it’s Panasonic strategy to not announce too many new products on the same day. That’s why the G5 could be announced in May.

UPDATE: More sources confirmed the announcement will be made on Thursday April 5th (Japan time).

One more thing: Of course this is just my personal wish but I am still waiting for my Micro Four Thirds [shoplink 23692 ebay]Lumix DMC-L1[/shoplink] camera to become real! That is a beauty of a camera! I know Panasonic is reading me that’s why from time to time I am writing that message :)
P.S.: You can still find some DMC-L1 cameras on [shoplink 23692 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

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New Panasonic 45-175mm and Nanoha lens reviews (+french GX1 test)

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Klaus from Photozone (Click here) posted a new Panasonic 45-175mm lens review on Photozone: “The Panasonic lens is a good albeit not superb telephoto zoom lens as some might have hoped from its “X” designation“. The problem is that the X lens has huge vignetting and pronounced Chromatic Aberration. But overall Klaus says: “There is much to like about the Panasonic lens – also from a price/performance perspective.”

Digi163 (Click here) posted a Nanoha lens review. The bad news is that the review is made in Japanese and google translation tool doesn’t work on that website. But you can still look at the nice image samples!

Felix from ThePhoBlographer (Click here) tested the Zeiss 50mm Planar ZM on the E-P1 and G1: “The colors, contrast and bokeh are equally pleasing when used on Micro Four Thirds as they are on the Leica.“. The lens can be found [shoplink 30081 ebay]here on eBay[/shoplink].

Our french colleagues from Hybridcames (Click here to read the translation) also published a new Panasonic GX1 review.

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