The [shoplink 23577]Olympus 45mm f/1.8[/shoplink] got tested by the team from DxOmark (Click here): “We have here another very fine and impressive lens, and one that is fully capable of holding its own against APS-C cameras and also against certain full-frame models. The results are convincing: in terms of image quality, these micro 4/3 modules are a clear success. Olympus certainly appears to have risen to the challenge of combining compactness with quality!”
DxO really loves m43 lenses :)
The Olympus 45mm f/1.8 is a nice and relatively cheap lens: [shopcountry 23577].
Something else: The Fuji X PRO 1 is shipping in Japan and it already reached a “cheater value” of $2,699.99 on [shoplink 29268 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]. I will mark the price and see what the cheater price on the [shoplink 29074]Olympus E-M5[/shoplink] will be….I think it will go close to the X PRo 1.
At Personal View (Click here) you can find the new PTool v3.64d available for download. And for the first time you can hack your [shoplink 17361]Panasonic GF2[/shoplink] too! Here is the enw features list:
GH2:
Support for v1.11 firmware
Added many AVCHD related patches
Some patches improved
GF2:
Initial release with features identical to GH2, except 24p support
General:
Import/export patches possible to plain ini files, not archives only.
Few fixes
Websites are now daily publishing new [shoplink 29074]E-M5[/shoplink] tests and FourThirdsUser (Click here) published a very interesting ISO comparison between the E-M5 and E-P3. Just look at the the 12800 ISO comparison (here the E-M5 and here the E-P3). The difference between the two cameras is impressive! At least one stop, probably even a tiny bit more! What do you think? After seeing the RAW files, and now these JPEG comparison I assume that the E-M5 is on his way to (may) become the m43 camera with the best JPEG quality. I like that [shoplink 29074]E-M5[/shoplink] and you?
Too bd the price is so high because otherwise this lens would be mine! The lens is currently available for preorder on [shoplink 29193 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] for 1.299 Euro. The specs of the lens are amazing but I am surprised no big website posted any single image sample taken with it! So I spent some time to find them for myself. I got two images:
1) Full size image taken at full f/0.95 aperture on Flickr (Click here). There is a visible longitudinal chromatic aberration but the lens is very sharp and contrast is also good.
2) A small size image is available at Mapcamera (Click here). Aperture is unknown.
The [shoplink 15659 ebay]Voigtländer Nokton 25mm f/0.95[/shoplink] lens is smaller and lighter than the 17mm. And here is the lens on the GX1 and the lens on the E-M5. Let me know if you can find more image samples! Thanks!
P.S.: A cheaper alternative is the [shoplink 29238 ebay]Schneider 17mm f/0.95 (Click here to see it on ebay)[/shoplink] C-mount lens.
The german website Photoscala (Click here) posted a short preview of the E-M5 camera. They liked the electronic viewfinder and particularly the „high response“ mode which reduces the resolution but allows a double speed (240 B/sec instead of 120 B/sec).
Also Quesabesde (Click here) likes the electronic viewfinder performance. But the autofocus performance wasn’t that stellar as promised by Olympus. In low light conditions and with moving objects there were some focusing errors. As Photoscala writes, the ultra fast Autofocus works best on non moving objects. The very good news is that Quesabesde has been positively surprised by the image quality of the “new” 16 megapixel sensor. And there are new image samples at ePhotozine (Click here) and Four Thirds User (Click here) if you need to check for yourself.
Haruo Ogawa, Manager of Marketing Division, talked about the new E-M5 on the Olympus OM-D facebook page: “The OM-D development began with a strategic aim to create an entirely new market. In 2007, we conducted a survey among camera (or SLR users – need to define the “users”) users and were able to identify the needs and wants of a camera system that were not being met with existing products. The PEN (E-P1), released two and a half years ago, was developed according to the results of this study. At the time we received the results of the user survey, we had also identified a different audience from the one targeted by the PEN. This was identified as “serious photographers with creative attitude”. With this information, the idea for the OM-D was born. The OM-D is a product for camera-loving photographers, and is also a great choice for Four Thirds users. We will continue to further the OM-D system development and the Four Thirds system as well.”
Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12mm f/2.0 gets DxOmarked (Click here): “With its extraordinary sharpness for a micro 4/3 lens, the [shoplink 23576]Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12mm f/2.0 is a winner.Pitted against the Nikon 1 NIKKOR 10mm f/2.8, this Olympus 12mm holds an overwhelming advantage. Even more impressive is the fact that this lens can compete with much bigger lenses, such as the Canon 24mm L-series mounted on a 7D. In short, it really does seem that a high-quality, fully micro 4/3 camera-lens combination is perfectly capable of replacing an APS-C combination”
Honestly, I couldn’t agree more!!!
Olympus 12mm price check: [shopcountry 23576].
P.S.: A couple of days ago they posted the Panasonic 14-42mm X lens review (Click here to read it)
The new Sigma 30mm f/2.8 for Micro Four Thirds is now available for preorder at BHphoto (Click here). The price is $199. I don’t know how many of you will buy that lens :)
A much more interetsign offer is the $200 rebate on selected lenses when purchasing the GX1 body at BHphoto (Click here).
And don’t forget that Olympus launched a massive price drop on many cameras and lenses:
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