The German company Ibe Optics announced a new 26mmf /1.4 lens. You can download the Lens – Datasheet, German (2347kB) to read more about the specs. And yes, this is the same company that created the Ibelux 40mm f/0.85 lens with Kenko.

Source: ibe-optics.com

As you have read Panasonic is considering to make some serious changes in the future of the G camera series. Now I would like to you to come up with your suggestions for the future Panasonic camera and lens strategy. I just make some example of what could be done:

– GX series should have an integrated viewfinder…
– Launch a larger FF sensor system with new FF lenses that are compatible on MFT cameras too
– Get rid (or simplify) the G, GF, GH, GX definitions.
– Make entry level GH and high level GH cameras.
– Create fully and fast-af electronic adapters for Nikon and Canon lenses to allow Canon-Nikon pros to easily switch over to G cameras.
– Offer cameras with hybrid OVF and EVF viewfinders.
– Tighten the partnership with Leica and create a real Leica-Panasonic camera with a few real Leica lenses
– Follow Fuji’s route and create a “old style” designed camera.
– Create a pro service and network of pro photographers to advertise it.
– Focus effort on a partnership with Sigma to further develop the Foveon sensor

These are just examples. But please let me know your key strategy points and I will put the on vote in a poll I am going to post in a few days. Thanks!

Panasonic Mangers Michiharu Uematsu and Yoshiyuki Inoue have been interviewed by the DPreview team (Click here). Here are some interesting points:

1) It is not possible to add Focus Peaking and Zebra Pattern on the GH3: “We haven’t been able to offer it – because of the limits of resources and of the Venus Engine processor.”

2) And Panasonic also admits that they are rethinking the whole G product strategy. Something I suspected after the “non-GX2 release” in late 2012: “We are considering the next GX, that’s all I can say. It’s been better received than the GF series in European countries. Our first thought was that the people who would want our cameras were step-up users from compact cameras. Outside of Japan this hasn’t been true and some high-end amateurs have accepted the cameras.”

3) About the future compact camera strategy: “Maybe we should have a premium model, maybe with  bigger sensor. However, that takes engineering resources and you have to worry about price and the extra quality it will offer people – if we can sell 100,000 or 200,000, we will make it”

4) And than some very honest words about marketing: “We have to consider how to market image quality. Other people can say “we have a bigger sensor,” but a combination of a not-so-big sensor and a brighter lens can be maybe better, but you have to explain F-number – it’s very difficult.‘”

Yep, we know it…it’s hard to make people understand that sensor size is just one of the many factors that do matter for image quality. I believe that usability and well thought features are now more important than a tiny difference in image quality. But as a filmmaker and photographer I can say that even most of my so called (pro) colleagues do not really understand this. And they keep wondering when tey see me using the [shoplink 28308 ebay]Olympus E-P1[/shoplink] with a [shoplink 15659]Nokton 25mm[/shoplink] lens!

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Panasonic (Click here) just announced a new sensor Technology for Highly Sensitive Image Sensors Using Micro Color Splitters. That new technique allows to “approximately double the color sensitivity in comparison with conventional sensors that use color filters.“. The trick to achieve that is the complete removal of the color filters that “usually block 50 – 70% of the incoming light before it even reaches the sensor“. Full description of the tech cna be read here: http://panasonic.co.jp/corp/news/official.data/data.dir/2013/02/en130204-6/en130204-6.html

I hope that’s the reason why Panasonic dind’t unveil the GX1 successor last year :)

You remember the time when we were excited about all these new f/0.95 lenses? Now we have five of them (3 Nokton and 2 SLR magic). It’s time to set new frontiers, we want it all and we want it faster! Guess what? It’x coming…the IBELUX 40mm f/0.85! This lens has been co developed by the Japanese company Kenko and the German IBE. The lens will be priced at around 1,000 Euro or Dollars and hit the stores in July. It’s a long time til July and you may save this Slidoo search to get notified when it will be available on eBay.

There is yet no image samples or specific info about the lens design. I wouldn’t expect a stellar performance wide open. And good luck when trying to focus on the right spot!

For the record. These are the five f/o.95 lenses:
Nokton 25mm f/0.95 ([shoplink 36580 ebay]here one Bay[/shoplink]).
Nokton 17.5mm f/0.95 ([shoplink 36581 ebay]here one Bay[/shoplink]).
Nokton 42.5mm f/0.95 (not in Stock yet, save this search for notification).
SLRmagic 50mm f/0.95 ([shoplink 29455 ebay]here one Bay[/shoplink]).
SLRmagic 25mm f/0.95 (not in Stock yet, save this search for notification).

Well known Olympus Manager Toshi Terada got interviewed by the Dpreview team (Click here). Here are just a few interesting points:

– The OMD helped to increase sales in the yet not so mirrorless enthusiast US market.
– He also said “Direction-wise, we’d like to produce products for Four Thirds and Micro Four Thirds within this year. Because we have to provide a product for users with SHG and HG lenses. And there are people using E400, 500 and 600-series DSLRs, we have to provide products for them to keep enjoying their photography.”
– A future high end compact camera from Olympus may have an 1″, 1/1.7″ sensor. Certainly not APS-C because it’s impossible to make a compact camera with that sensor size.

As you can read no real big news here. I still have my very personal suspect that Olympus could merge FT into the MFT system soon. And there may be just one High End camera by end of the year merging the advantages of the two systems. Compact size and full reliable and fast autotofocus for all MFT and FT lenses.

How many times did we read these endless Full Frame vs Micro Four Thirds equivalence discussions? And I am sure they will come back again and again and again. But next time we may all be more prepared when discussing about it thanks to the great article posted by Jordan Steele on Admiringlight (Click here): “I’ve heard many times “Yeah, your 75mm f/1.8 is crap – it’s like a 150mm f/3.6.”  No, it’s not, it’s a 75mm lens with an f/1.8 aperture and a field of view that is the same as a 150mm lens on full frame.”

It’s a must read! Thanks Jordan!