Double Panasonic X 14-42mm lens review!

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You can now read the first Panasonic 14-42mm X lens review at ePrice (Click here for the google english translation). The image on top is enough to make me say WOW what a lens! A month ago would you ever have thought it would be possible to make a zoom lens that has almost the size of the [shoplink 14796 ebay]20mm f/1.7 pancake[/shoplink]? I guess the answer is NO! ePrice posted a couple of image samples and some youtube videos. And if the google translation tool is annoying you to much there is another good news. The guys over at Clubsnap (Click here) wrote a short 14-42mm X lens preview in native English! More image samples have been posted by Reality Scanner here on Flickr.

Overall I am impressed by this lens. Image samples do look very good, powerzoom is smooth and responsive and it’s so tiny! I already preordered this lens which will be available soon in October!

Here are the direct search links to [shopcountry 25104].

And below you can find all the shops I usually check to see if a the lens is in Stock:
[shoplist 25104]

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Nikon’s new system development started before the first m43 camera (+ Olympus interview).

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Techradar (Click here) had a small chat with Mark Thackara (national marketing manager, consumer products for Olympus UK). They talked about the new Nikon mirrorless system: “There will be the usual debates about the various performance pros and cons relating to image quality, flexibility and so on, but my view is that it will be the overall system that is vital to success and battle lines are drawn“. And “It is not size however that Thackara believes will be paramount to compact system success, but the quality of the system as a whole“.

The probably most interesting news is coming via Imaging Resource (Click here). They interviewed MR. Masahiro Suzuki (General Manager R&D, Nikon). He said the Nikon 1 system development started four years ago; just before the Micro Four Thirds announcement. They worked quite a long time on it!

 

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New Eos to m43 adapter with aperture control.

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Redrock announced the new LiveLens MFT’s control touchpad that allows the full control of EF lens aperture! The aperture ring can be open and closed in increments as small as 1/3 stop. (Imaging Resource). That is definitely a more advanced (but also much more expensive) solution than using the manual Kipon adpater ([shoplink 20746 ebay]click here to see them on eBay[/shoplink]).

P.S.: And Birger will also announce a new product soon (Maybe a new Eos to m43 adapter?).

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More Nikon versus Micro Four Thirds articles!

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Cnet Asia (Click here) wrote a first take test about the new Nikon 1 V1 and clearly said that it cannot compete against m43: “The company tells us it aims to target entry-level users with the introduction of the J1 and V1. But we wonder if compact upgraders will choose Nikon over other brands such as Panasonic’s feature-rich Lumix series and Sony’s NEX series with their larger APS-C sensors. In an already crowded ILC segment, Nikon will need a clear marketing strategy in order to reach out to shutterbugs. ” You can see an image quality comparison on their Website.

Laurence Kim (Click here) says the Nikon is an epic fail: “My guess is that 5 years from now, Nikon’s lineup will not equal what m4/3 has available today.”

Image Quality comparison at EosHD (Click here). It includes a G3 vs V1 comparison.

Nikon V1 vs Olympus PEN E-P3 vs Sony NEX-7 at Techradar (Click here): “The Olympus PEN E-P3, at the moment, seems to offer the best compromise. It has neither the biggest or smallest sensor, offers a decent range of lenses, has nifty features such as the touchscreen and comes in at the best price.”

I repeat once again, I am certainly not a fanboy when I am say I do not like the new Nikon’s. Will it sell well? The new Sony NEX cameras made it into the top twenty of the Amazon Bestseller (or preorder) ranking (Click here to read the list). Just to say that it’s not just me and the reviewers being bad to Nikon :)

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(FT5) And here are the first GX1 product codes!

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Image on top: The NEX-7 could get a strong competition from the Panasonic GX1?

I got one more prof that the rumored Panasonic GX1 camera is real! One of my trusted sources sent me the official product codes of the camera:

DMC-GX1k: That’s a camera with lens (no idea which one)
DMC-GX1x: That’s the camera with the new [shoplink 25104]14-42mm X lens.[/shoplink].

Usually when I get the product codes we can expect the new camera to be announced within the next 3-4 months. I bet the camera will be announced right before the CES which starts in early January in Las Vegas.

I have no specs about the camera yet. The big question is if the camera has a Sony NEX-7 (Click here to see that camera) alike built-in viewfinder. A sort of m43 verison of the [shoplink 23692 ebay]Panasonic L1 (See that cam on eBay)[/shoplink]. If you have some rumor to share feel free to send me a text by using the anonymous contact bar on the right sidebar! Thanks!

P.S.: EosHD got some specs about a camera he calls GFX1. It should have a built-in EVF, 920k LCD, new sensor, Full HD video at 60p and 24p and Same battery as the GH2. One of my trusted sources said that the rumor is wrong.

 

Links to the new X lenses and kits:
Black 14-42mm X lens is available for preorder at Amazon (Click here) and Amazon Germany (Click here).
Silver 14-42mm X lens is available for preorder at Amazon (Click here) and Amazon Germany (Click here).
Black 45-175mm X lens is available for preorder at Amazon (Click here) and Amazon Germany (Click here).
Silver 45-175mm X lens is available for preorder at Amazon (Click here).
Black GF3 with 14-42mm X lens at Amazon (Click here).
Red GF3 with 14-42mm X lens at Amazon (Click here).
White GF3 with 14-42mm X lens at Amazon (Click here).

Reminder -> 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

 

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New Noktor 12mm f/1.6 image samples.

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SLRmagic sent out a press release for the new 12mm f/1.6 Noktor lens.

PRESS RELEASE:

“Here are samples of the Noktor HyperPrime 12mm F1.6 by SLR Magic. For the first time ever we decided to design a lens based on a public vote. Many people helped us on this forum http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1041&message=36104678 . We would like to thank all who has participated in the thread on Aug 2010 by putting their “most wanted micro four thirds lens” into production.

We had requests such as:

1) 12mm Wide Angle Prime
2) Make the aperture as wide as you can for creative possibilities
3) Low distortion
4) Macro
5) Round aperture opening
6) Depth of field scale
7) $500- Budget

It sounded like a lens no one has ever seen before but here is what we have to offer!

1) 12mm Wide Angle
2) F1.6 Max Aperture (Best performance is at F4 but we were told to make this lens as wide aperture as possible)
3) ~2% distortion (optical distortion correction for natural perspective when taking photos of people)
4) 0.15m Minimum Focus Distance
5) 12 Step less Aperture Blades for always round aperture opening like a cinema lens for better compatibility with GH2 and AF-100
6) Depth of field scale included
7) $499 MSRP

Here are some sample photos to compare bokeh quality at different aperture openings. We have attached one full sized photo sample as well.
The Noktor HyperPrime 12mm F1.6 by SLR Magic will ship around the end of October 2011.
Kind rgds.,
Andrew Chan
SLR Magic Product Manager”

And those are the full size image samples at different apertures (Click on it to enlarge):

There are no available preorders yet but you will find them soon on eBay. These are the links to the other current lenses:
SLR magic 11mm f/1.4 lens you can preorder on [shoplink 22154 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] Toy Lens 26mm f/1.4 lens on [shoplink 18603 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] SLR Magic 35mm f/1.7 MC lens on [shoplink 14881 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] Noktor 50mm f/0.95 lens on [shoplink 25691 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]

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Full Olympus E-PM1 review at ePhotozine.

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There is a new complete E-PM1 review at ePhotozine (Click here): “Image quality of the Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1 is excellent with excellent detail from the 12 megapixel sensor, with low noise and great colour. The PEN Mini E-PM1 is the most compact of the Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras yet still gives you fairly quick access to controls through on screen functions, and three of the rear buttons can be customised“.

The camera gets “Highly Recommended” by the reviewer! Also the German website Digitalkamera (Click here) tested the E-PM1 and they seem to like it a lot.

The E-Pm1 is the last of the three new PEN cameras that are now in Stock. Check at [shopcountry 23565]. Time for a new PEN Oly! Where is my digital [shoplink 22259 ebay]Olympus 35[/shoplink]? ;)

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