I am convinced that following DxOmark test results will start a heavy discussion on 43rumors! A week ago the DxOmark test came to the conclusion that the “old” [shoplink 14826]GH1[/shoplink] sensor is better than the new [shoplink 16254]GH2[/shoplink] sensor. Yesterday DxO posted the [shoplink 17163]E-5[/shoplink] sensor results: The E-5 sensor is almost equal in performance with the older E-3 sensor! DxO doesn’t take into account the imaging processor. Probably all improvements on new cameras are archived with the use of new processors and algorithms.

UPDATE: Popphoto posted a new E-5 review: “For DSLRs in this price bracket, if you’re looking for a powerful imaging tool with rugged construction and a lot of versatility, the Olympus E-5 may be your match.“.

What do you think about those results?

Olympus E-5 direct shop links:
Amazon US, BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon Deutschland and [shoplink 18114 ebay]eBay[/shoplink].

Thom Hogan posted a new “Mirrorless Shootout“. He tested four compact mirrorless cameras, the [shoplink 14832]Olympus E-PL1[/shoplink], [shoplink 14828]Panasonic GF1[/shoplink], Samsung NX100 and the Sony NEX-5.

“The Panasonic and Samsung are the two serious photographer-friendly cameras in this bunch, while the Olympus has a little more compact gimmicky and the Sony is way over the top in changing the way you interact with a camera.”

Thom also explains why you shouldn’t wait for Canon, Pentax and Nikon to enter the mirrorless battle: “At the moment, neither Nikon nor Canon have chosen to play in the mirrorless arena. Nikon is likely to be the next entrant, and I expect to see their model hit the shelves by about March 2011. Ditto Pentax. No word on Canon. Frankly, I think waiting for a maker to enter this market is probably a waste of time. Why? One word: lenses.”

Conclusion? “I can wholeheartedly recommend the Panasonic GF-1” and there is a surprise: “I can’t really recommend the Sony NEX-5 directly“.

Read the full review at http://www.bythom.com/compactmirrorless.htm

Diwa labs compared the two new Micro Four Thirds tele-zooms:
– Click here to see the Panasonic 100-300mm f/4.0-5.6 test results
– Click here to see the Olympus 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 test results

After a quick look on the graphics I can’t see any big difference between the two lenses. The Olympus lens has more Chromatic Aberration and Geometric Distortion. The Panasonic has more Luminance Blur. Resolution is quite similar. So now it is up to you to choose between the two lenses!

Panasonic 100-300mm direct shop links:
Amazon US, Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon Deutschland, Amazon UK

Olympus Zuiko 75-300mm direct shop links:
Adorama, BHphoto, AmazonDE, AmazonUK.

The video has been made with the GH2 using the Blackmagic HDMI capture.

Letsgodigital reviewed the [shoplink 16254]Panasonic GH2[/shoplink]: “Panasonic is creating a point of reference with the GH2 with which the competition can measure itself. Panasonic’s years of video experience are clearly visible and is very effectively integrated into an existing concept.” The camera gains the “Excellent” rating with 84%.

P.S.: You can download a few RAW image samples at megaupload (dpreview forum)

P.P.S.: A 43rumors readers is selling his [shoplink 16582 ebay]Apollo High Speed Lens 25mm F/0.85 lens on eBay[/shoplink].

Luminous Landscape(LL) had the chance to play a little bit with the [shoplink 15659]Voigtländer Nokton 25mm f/0.95[/shoplink]. That is what LL says about the Build Quality: “Simply put, this is a $900 lens that could easily go to a masked ball as a $3,000 Leica product, at least when it comes to visible and tactile fit and finish.” And LL doesn’t have any problem with the fact that the Nokton has no AF: “Because it takes about the same amount of time and effort to focus the Nokton on an MFT camera as it does to use AF technology properly“.

About the image quality: “Indeed in every shot that I took with the Nokton wide open I unfailing was impressed with its ability to not let me down and turn into glowing mush.” And there is also room for a surprise. At f/1.4 aperture the Nokton has slightly more contrast and is slightly more shaper than the [shoplink 16340]Panasonic/Leica 25mm f/1.4[/shoplink] lens!

The only minor issue is: “If your shots have any light sources, like all ultra-fast lenses the Nokton will show some considerable glow.”

Conclusion: “If you’ve gotten the impression that I really like the Voigtlander Nokton f/0.95, you’re right. It creates a quite unique way of viewing and recording the world that can really get one’s creative juices going.”

You can get the Nokton at Cameraquest or on [shoplink 15659]eBay (via german and asian resellers)[/shoplink].

Thanks Luminous Landscape for your nice work!

Panasonic GH2 1:1 crop mode MACRO from Andrew Reid.

Andrew Reid from EosHD posted the first part of the Canon 60D versus Panasonic GH2 Review. He pays a particular attention to the crop mode: “1:1 crop mode enables you to change between a portrait field of view and extreme telephoto at the press of a button, and the telephoto view comes without sacrificing detail (quite the opposite!) and maintains the aperture of the lens, so a Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 for example becomes a Zeiss 400mm F1.4 yet for $500 and the size of a beer can.”

Andrew finds the video quality of the GH2 better than the 60D: “What is frustrating for Canon now, is that the GH2 is going to go pretty much unchallenged on the market for a good few months. Even the Canon 5D Mark II has a sensor which is really crippled by poor image processing relative to the GH2, so you will get a much higher resolved and more detailed image from the GH2 than on the 5D Mark II. And it’s not just detail – dynamic range, colour – everything suffers if the image processing is not up to snuff.”

Thanks Andrew for posting the review but your conclusion makes us even more crazy that we can’t buy the GH2 yet! Right now you can only buy the japanese GH2 on [shoplink 17664]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]. And there is one more bad news for US readers: Amazon changed the Panasonic 100-300mm availaibility status to “This item will be released on January 1, 2011“. I hope that’s just a mistake because european stores like Amazon Deutschland and Amazon UK already do have the lens in Stock and even [shoplink 17618 ebay]eBay has some of them on auction[/shoplink].