Panasonic GH2 tested with the macro extension tube: “SLR Magic (they create the famous Toy Lens) asked me to test their prototype macro extension tube for 4/3 sensor camera’s. I ended up with creating “Blossom” It’s all shot within 1 or 2 hours in and around my office and privite house. Postproduction was done in less then a day.“

New automatic retractable lens cap for the XZ-1 (DC.watch).

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ20 Review (Photoradar)

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5 (Cnet Australia).

Samyang 35mm/1.4 + NEX5 + Canon 550D + Lumix G2 + Samsung NX10 (Dpreview forum).

Sensor Size Doesn’t Matter (Seriouscompacts).

0.95 NOKTON a test by Dario Viola (Vimeo)

The Nokton i in Stock in Belgium at pch.be (Click here), in US at Photovillage (Click here) and of course on [shoplink 15659 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

Lomo Effect – Olympus E-PL2 vs Lomo LC-A ([shoplink 21930 ebay]Click here to see the Lomo on eBay[/shoplink])

Review of the Pinwide Pinhole “Lens” for Micro Four Thirds Cameras (TheDigitalStory).

Advantages of DSLRs over video cameras (EosHD).

A new german Fuji X100 forum (http://www.fuji-x100-forum.de/). Visit it! ;)

NAB 2011 – Odds ‘N’ Ends (ProVideoCoalition).

Mails from our readers

1) toto22: “Not a rumor, unfortunately, :-)!
Maybe this will be interesting to someone visiting your site. A group of Russian enthusiasts made a trip which very close to the one made 100 years ago by Sergey Proskurin-Gorsky, the first Russian phorographer made the pics of the Russian countryside in color. There is a dedicated website now, which compares old and new pics of the same locations along the way. The address is as follows:
http://nashural.ru/Starina/chusovaya-100-let.htm
Cheers and good luck!!!”

2) Melvin: “No rumor, but a blog post on micro and 4/3rds usage and the new sensor rumor.
If you think it is a nice read, a link in a little bit of everything post on 4/3rds romors is appreciated.
Thanks very much! enjoy reading your site, keep the good work up!
http://bit.ly/mmU2nm”

P.S.: Today I am out with my family all the day. Will not be able to answer your emails! Have a nice Sunday!

Solomon Chase announced the dead of Noktor on Twitter: “Sadly, Noktor has come to an end. Thank you to all our customers and supporters. On to bigger and better things!“. The Noktor.com website has been shut down. It’s pity. They had a huge momentum at the time of the launch. They didn’t manage to exploit it. I have one of the Noktor lenses and I use it for mainly for video production. Wide open it isn’t good enough for stills. The [shoplink 15659 ebay]Voigtländer Nokton 25mm f/0.95[/shoplink] is definitely the much better choice.

The only place were you have some chance to find a Noktor is [shoplink 15629 ebay]eBay (No auctions yet)[/shoplink]. What are the alternative lenses you can buy? Easy:
1) There are plenty of fast  50mm C-mount lenses on [shoplink 21920 ebay]eBay (Click here and you will find plenty of Navitron, Angenieux, Canon and Noctilux lenses[/shoplink]). They are far cheaper than the Noktor but you also have to buy an adapter.
2) JJeying sells reworked 55mm f/1.0 Kowa lenses on [shoplink 21919 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]. You don’t need any adapter.

We Thanks Solomon Chase for his work and we wish him all the best for the future!

P.S.: The Voigtländer 25mm is in Stock at Amazon France (Click here) for 749 Euro only (UPDATE: sold out now!). More links to the lens:[shopcountry 15659]

A couple of months ago the italian website qtp.it launched the Four Thirds Alive Petition (Click here). They now got an answer from Olympus: ”

Dear Mr./Ms. qTp.it, Italian Photocommunity,
Thank you for your e-mail regarding our E-system products.
First of all, we are very grateful for your loyalty to Olympus and for all the support you have given us for over these many years since [shoplink 21891 ebay] OM-system [/shoplink].
Here are our idea and plan for the future:
In regard to the demanding requirements of professionals and high-level amateurs, the durability and speed, the PEN is still unable tocover the Four Thirds fully. Therefore we need the Four Thirds.
Therefore, when users of the E-system want to make a replacement purchase, we recommend the high-end Four Thirds series like the [shoplink 17163]E-5[/shoplink] for the durability and speed, the PEN for consumer-friendly, small and lightweight. We will make efforts to meet customers’ requests in these series.
We will be constantly making efforts to improve our products and services, and your continued support for Olympus would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Best regards,”

Thanks qtp.it for your effort!

Links:
– The OM system on [shoplink 21891 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] – The Olympus E-5 at [shopcountry 17163].

Plan séquence filmé au GH2 avec le [shoplink 14818]9-18mm d’Olympus[/shoplink] et le glidecam hd 1000 ([shoplink 21882 ebay]Click here to see the glidecam auctions on eBay[/shoplink])

Japan’s factory not back to normal until autumn (AmateurPhotographer).

Olympus SZ-20 Digital Camera Review (ePhotozine).

ReWo GH2 cage full review (EosHD).

Olympus EP-2 or FujiFilm X100: Which Photo is Which? (ThePhoBlographer). Fuji X100 preordes at [shopcountry 19929].

Nokton for sale at LL-forum, photovillage and [shoplink 15659 ebay]eBay[/shoplink].

Ahhhh! The Cliq photoshow 2011 in September has been deleted (Source: PDN, Found via: Photorumors). The Cliq show will mere with the CES show! That’s a short excerpt form the press release: “The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and PMA International have agreed in principle to move the 2011 PMA International Convention and Trade Show (aka CliQ 2011) to colocate with 2012 International CES, January 10-13, 2012, in Las Vegas, Nev.”

So where are all big camera makers going to show their cameras? I have a huge garden in front of my house. I could organize a barbecue with Olympus and Panasonic. Joke apart. A wonder what’s the reason behind that decision. Sounds like some of the big ones maybe would not have participated or would not have announced new products?

Good news for all Panasonic GH2 owners! Vitaly (the hacker) managed to dump the firmware of the Panasonic GH2! He can now start the reverse engineering process. It will take some time to understand the GH2 code. But we now have to right to dream the new features we would love to add to our GH2 (50/60P for example?).

There is also one more good news. Unlike the GH1 the GH2 video uses the RAM instead of ROM. You could be able to update the hacked software without to have to install one firmware hack update after another! Go Vitaly go!

Follow the forum post form Vitaly at www.personal-view.com

P.S.: Don’t forget to support Vitaly’s work with a small (or huge) donation!