Black, and brown Panasonic G3 in Stock.

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The Black G3 with 14-42mm lens is in Stock at Amazon (Click here). And so is the Brown G3 with 14-42mm lens at Amazon (Click here).

And today I noticed another small price drop on the Olympus XZ-1 at Amazon (Click here). Look like every day the price is dropping by $3-$4! My guess is that the upcoming E-PM1 will be priced at around $499 and the XZ-1 needs to be cheaper than that camera.

Reminder: The Panasonic 100-300mm lens is available for $513 only at Amazon (Click here).

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(FT5) New 14-42mm IIR Olympus kit lens coming! (+40-150mm IIR coming too?)

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[shoplink 14816 ebay][/shoplink] Image on top shows the [shoplink 14816 ebay]Olympus 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6[/shoplink] which is going to be replaced soon with the “IIR” version.

Olympus will not only announce two new lenses (the 12mm f/2.0 and 45mm f/1.8) but also one (or maybe two) reworked kit lenses! There will be certainly a new 14-42mm IIR lens. It has the same size and optical design of the current [shoplink 14816]Olympus 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6[/shoplink] kit lens. But the new “IIR” version boost the autofocus speed to much higher (I repeat “much”!!!) speed than the [shoplink 16254]Panasonic GH2[/shoplink] + [shoplink 14802]14-140mm[/shoplink] combo! It is so faster that you “feel” it. It’s not just a marketing “blabla”!

One of our sources also told us that there will be also a new 40-150mm IIR coming too. But that has to be confirmed by other sources. Your older lenses will also focus faster on the new PEN but not as fast as you can do on the new lenses.

In summary, Olympus will announce three cameras (E-PM1, E-PL3, E-P3), a new Flash, two new prime lenses (12mm and 45mm) and two reworked zooms (14-42mm and 40-150mm). Is there somehting else Oly? :)

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List of refurbished Olympusmarket auction ending today (E-620, E-450, E-PL1, E-P1 and lenses).

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There is now plenty of refurbished items back in auction at [shoplink 22691 ebay]Olympusmarket[/shoplink]. Reminder, they do deliver to European countries only! The first ending auctions are on top:

Olympus E-450 ([shoplink 23395 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).
Olympus E-PL1 ([shoplink 23352 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).
Olympus E-PL1 double lens kit ([shoplink 23397 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).
Olympus 40-150mm ([shoplink 23396 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).
Olympus FL-36R flash ([shoplink 23399 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).
Olympus E-P1 ([shoplink 23401 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).
Olympus E-450 ([shoplink 23400 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).
Olympus E-PL1 ([shoplink 23353 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).
Olympus E-450 ([shoplink 23398 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).
Olympus E-PL1 double lens kit ([shoplink 23404 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).
Olympus E-P1 ([shoplink 23405 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).
Olympus E-620 ([shoplink 23406 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).
Olympus 40-150mm ([shoplink 23407 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).
Olympus 9-18mm Four Thirds lens ([shoplink 23408 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).
Olympus 17mm ([shoplink 23409 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).
Olympus E-450 double lens kit ([shoplink 23410 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).
Olympus E-450 ([shoplink 23411 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).
Olympus E-PL1 ([shoplink 23354 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).
Olympus 9-18mm lens ([shoplink 23412 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).
Olympus 14-42mm lens ([shoplink 23413 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).
Olympus E-620 double kit ([shoplink 23414 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).

Those are all ending today!

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(FT2) Will Fuji announce a Micro Four Thirds camera in September?

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A couple of months ago the Fujiguys promised that there will be some exciting news in September 2011. Now Photorumors got a rumor from an unknown source saying that there will be probably “some kind of a mirrorless solution with a sensor probably smaller than APS-C, something in the m4/3 range.” I don’t know how reliable the source is, what I know for certain is that Fuji wants to make a mirrorless camera that takes interchangeable system. One of my sources also told me months ago that there was a meeting between Olympus and Fuji. I hope that source will know come back to me and tell me if that rumor is true or not ;)

Meanwhile Fuji released the new firmware for the X100 you can download here: http://www.fujifilm.com/support. And click those links if you want to check price and availability of the X100: [shopcountry 19929].

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(FT4-5) All PEN’s with the same new Olympus (!) sensor. Same AF speed. And more rumors!

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Our sources do of course read your comments and they send me their answers. Some of my sources are new, some are well known, that’s why you see a different FT ranking (See the ranking explanation on the bottom of the article to learn more).

(FT4) Source_1:
1. the grip is just that – a grip. but it will come in different sizes to support the longer lens.
2. the sensor is Olympus own – its not sharing anything with Panasonic.
3. there is a dedicated, zoom button for zooming in when you are in the green box mode? button location below the record button.
4. flash is remote trigger capable, but no free bounce like [shoplink 14832]Olympus E-PL1[/shoplink].
5. the other two cameras will have bundled external flash that uses the hotshoe+accessory port.
6. the front of the new EPL looks EXACTLY like the Olympus XZ-1 ([shoplink 19904 ebay]Click here to see that camera[/shoplink])
7. the 45mm is about as big as the new [shoplink 23110]Panasonic-Leica 25mm f/1.4[/shoplink], maybe a bit more smaller in width.

(FT5) Source_2:
1. All three PEN cameras do have AF assist lamp

(FT5) Source_3:
1. All three cameras do have touchscreen (but only the E-P3 is using the OLED 640k screen. The other two do use a 460k LCD)
2. AF is terrific. Very fast and accurate.

(FT4) Source_4:
1. Old lenses will focus faster on the new Pen cameras (although not as fast as when using new lenses).
2. AF really faster than the [shoplink 16254]Panasonic GH2[/shoplink] (tested in daylight)

(FT5) Source_5:
1. There is no final firmware yet (it’s still 0.9), but I can say images do look better than the GH2.
2. E-PM1 is smaller than [shoplink 17361]Panasonic GF2[/shoplink], but bigger than [shoplink 23109]Panasonic GF3[/shoplink].

(FT5) Source_6:
1. Damn fast AF!
2. E-P3 has same design as E-P2. The E-PM1 and the E-PL2 do have a completely new design.

 

Feel free to make questions, they will might send me the answers to post on 43rumors!

 

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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Olympus ED 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 SWD Review (Photographyblog)

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[shoplink 23304][/shoplink] It doesn’t happen very often to see a Four Thirds lens or camera review. That’s why it’s worth to mention the new [shoplink 23304]Olympus ED 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 SWD[/shoplink] lens review made by Photographyblog (Click here). That lens is made in Tatsuno, the same fab that is currently producing the 12mm f/2.0 Micro Four Thirds lens that will be announced on June 30th. And as you can read the lens is a very good performer:

– “Build quality is outstanding, with a solid construction and superb fit and finish.

– “It’s also very good in the optical department, showing pretty consistent sharpness results across most of its aperture range. The moderate vignetting, lack of chromatic aberrations, and good close-up performance

– “At first sight, it may look bulky and heavy, but when you remind yourself that it covers an angle-of-view range similar to that of a 100-400mm lens on a 35mm camera, you immediately realise that it’s actually quite compact, especially if you factor in the bright maximum aperture, too.”

Click on shop name to see the lens search results at [shopcountry 23304].

Now let’s hope Olympus will make such nice zooms for the Micro Four Thirds system!

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