Just got this press release from Kenko about brand new extension tubes. The cool thing is that these have electronic contacts for AF and Auto Exposure! There is an auction on [shoplink 37607 ebay]ebay UK (Click here)[/shoplink]. Here is the press release:

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Kenko Tokina USA, Inc. is proud to announce the availability of the new Kenko AF Extension Tube Set for Micro 4/3rds and Sony E mount. The tube set consists of a 10mm and 16mm extension tubes that can be used individually or together4.
The Kenko extension tubes have all the contacts and circuitry to maintain communication between the camera body and the lens. AF (within the limited macro range) and auto exposure are maintained with these extension tubes1.
Extension tubes are designed to enable a lens to focus closer than its normal set minimum focusing distance. Getting closer has the effect of magnifying your subject (making it appear larger in the viewfinder and in your pictures). They are exceptionally useful for macro photography, enabling you to convert almost any lens into a macro lens at a fraction of the cost while maintaining its original optical quality.
The DG extension tubes have no optics. They are mounted in between the camera body and lens to create more distance between the lens and film plane. By moving the lens father away from the sensor in the camera, the lens is forced to focus much closer than normal. The greater the length of the extension tube, the closer the lens can focus.

Specifications:
Aperture Coupling: Electronic
Included Sizes: 10MM and 16MM
Mount Availability: Micro 4/3rds mount for Olympus and Panasonic Sony E mount for NEX system
Warranty: 1 year limited warranty

Notes:
1. Depending on available light and due to a very shallow depth of field manual focusing may be required if the lens AF will not lock focus.
2. Focal length of the lens should be longer than the focal length of the tube for proper operation.
3. Also, Kenko recommends using a tripod for sharper results during macro photography.
4. Stacking is not possible with the Panasonic 45MM Macro and PZ 45-175MM lenses. However all Panasonic and Olympus lenses work with either the 10mm or 16mm separately. If an error message is displayed when trying to use the tubes together on one of these lenses or any other please use one or the other extension tube separately.

Kenko Tokina USA, Inc. is the exclusive U. S. distributor for Tokina lenses, Hoya filters, Kenko photo accessories and SLIK camera support systems. Kenko Tokina USA provides marketing, sales, distribution, and technical/consumer service and support. Kenko Tokina is located in the original Surf City USA, Huntington Beach, CA and on the Web at www.Kenkotokinausa.com.

Kascarade – Notebook – Acoustic version recorded in Bradford from kascarade (with the new SLR Magic 25mm f/0.95 lens).

Olympus 60mm macro test at Quesabesde and DC.watch.
GH3 Nauticam case now available for order at Nauticam.
Olympus Stylus XZ-10 Sample Photos at ePhotozine.
XZ-10 firmware update at Olympus.

Thiago: “Acabo de perceber que você fala Português! Que incrível!Eu sou brasileiro, e já morei na Alemanha (estudei em Heidelberg). Muito legal saber que você fala a minha língua e eu falo a sua língua ;) Adoro o site, e leio diariamente! Sou um grande fã de M4/3 e principalmente da lente BCL-1580. Meu tumblr blog ( bodycap.tumblr.com ) já conta com 100 imagens, atualizadas diariamente!” 43rumors answer: Obrigado ;)

Nicolas: “I just posted a series on taking macro pictures with a cheap close-up filter. The first post is a general introduction (http://drinkcat.blogspot.com/2013/03/macro-photography-cheap.html), and the second gives more details on how to fix the chromatic aberration introduced by the filter (http://drinkcat.blogspot.com/2013/03/macro-photography-correcting-chromatic-aberration.html).”

Graham: “Some photos and video I shot using the E-PL1+9-18mm and underwater housing: http://vimeo.com/62043562 and http://www.flickr.com/photos/grahamgibson/sets/72157633007251459/”

Richard: “I’m a professional wedding photographer that uses Nikon DSLRs, but recently I’ve bought a OM-D E-M5 (my 2nd m43 camera) and I’m really pretty happy with the camera. So i’ve wrote a little review on my website: http://www.photobyrichard.com/photobyrichard/2013/03/olympus-om-d-e-m5-review/”

Mathieu: “Would you consider sharing our mini video documentary filmed with the GH3 the next time you do an ‘a little bit of everything’ post? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=as9W0cW3n5U”

Hendrik: “I wrote a little review for the EM-5 and the 45mm M.Zuiko on my blog and wanted to share it with you. Maybe you can mention it in a future post or something :) Would be great. http://johnsson-photography.jimdo.com/reviews/olympus-om-d-em-5/”

Luc asked me if the Nokton and SLR magic f/0.95 lenses are the fastest you can get for MFT. Actually the answer is no! Kenko Ibelux for example will launch a new 40mm f/0.85 lens by end of this year (save this Slidoo search to get notified when it will be for sale on eBay). Price isn’t set yet.

And on eBay there are plenty of fast lenses and some of them you could use with adapters on MFT cameras (althaugh they will vignette and have a creamy image rendering). Right now for example you can find the [shoplink 37538 ebay]Zoomar IRAN f/0.8 (acution here)[/shoplink], the [shoplink 37539 ebay]Japanese Apollo 25mm f/0.85 (acution here)[/shoplink] and the [shoplink 37540 ebay]Leica Leitz 65mm f/0.75 (acution here)[/shoplink].

The video on top explains the tech behind the new innovative Panasonic “Micro Color Splitters” sensor. Panasonic said that new technique allows to “approximately double the color sensitivity in comparison with conventional sensors that use color filters.“.

I hope we will not have to wait to wait a long time to see it on use on a Micro Four Thirds camera!

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P.S.: Thanks to the anonymous sender and to Tim for sending the link!

SLR Magic launched a new MFT lens. Here is the full press release:

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NEW: SLR Magic Monster Lens II 12-36×50 ED Spotting Scope for mFT Digiscoping

Hong Kong, China (Mar 28, 2013) – SLR Magic introduces the second edition SLR Magic Monstor Lens 12-36×50 ED Spotting Scope lens for Digiscoping and expands their Micro Four Thirds lens lineup.

The SLR Magic 12-36×50 ED Spotting Scope for Digiscoping gives you the highest resolution and brightest view possible by three key elements. It features an over sized eye relief, utilized Extra-low Dispersion optics, as well as fully Multi coated glass to help you with spotting the rare bird species. The SLR Magic 12-36×50 ED Spotting Scope alsooffers stacked, dual-focus controls, so you can make both rapid and fine-tuning adjustments.

The main difference from the first edition include improvements in image quality due to a new mFT adapter objective offering increased sharpness and contrast over the first edition.

The field of view of this spotting scope on the micro four thirds camera corresponds to a a 840-2520mm lens in 35mm format. The user friendly design allows you to attach your camera by mounting it like any other camera lens. Everything you need comes with the package and there is no need to have a compatible lens to use it. This is the perfect solution for amateur digiscopers who want to take photos or video of wildlife.

The 12-36×50 ED Spotting Scope will be available from authorized SLR Magic dealers by June 2013.

Technical Data

SLR Magic 12-36×50 ED (Premium Extra-low Dispersion glass) for mFT
Lens Type: Spotting Scope
Compatible Cameras: All micro four thirds mount cameras
Magnification: 12-36x

35mm equivalent focal length: 840-2520mm
Objective: Φ50
Lens Coating: Multi Coated
Close Focus: 15 ft.
Weight (oz./g): 28.2/800, 45.86/1300 (with mFT adapter objective)
Water Resistant/Fog proof: Yes
Eyepiece: Straight Zoom
Eye relief: 23mm

Accessories: mFT adapter objective with tripod collar

MSRP: $799

Andrew Chan
Product Manager

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These are the other SLRmagic lenses for sale on eBay:

Current SLRmagic lenses for Micro Four Thirds:
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 SLRmagic 50mm on [shoplink 25691 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]

You can finally download the new firmware for the GH3 and three Panasonic lenses at http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/pressrelease/gh3_lens_firmware/

Let us know your findings if you have the time to test the new improvements! Thanks!

The new improvements list expected with the GH3 firmware update

Let me catch up with two news:

1) Very very very soon Panasonic will announce the new GH3 firmware update. I am curious to see if focus peaking will be one of the new features!

2) ThePhoBlographer reports that “Olympus’s former head, Tsuyoshi Kikukawa, is facing five years in prison due to manipulating account balances and we should expect a final hearing within a couple of weeks. He has already pleaded guilty to the crimes. Kikukawa won’t be alone in prison though–other managers also pleaded guilty but they won’t be getting as harsh a sentence.” P.S.: Woodford is now selling his book about the Olympus scandal on Amazon (Click here).