A couple of readers sent me info that they are getting info from their Store or Olympus dealers that the E-5 is running out of Stock. The only thing I heard from a trusted sources is “the E-5 successor is defintiely coming…but not yet! it will be on market the second half of 2013!”

The next announcement will come in very early 2013 and be for at leats one new camera and one new MFT lens.

A person I know heard from his sources that Olympus will announce a professional video&still hybrid camera at the CES show in January 2013. Don’t know if that is correct or not yet. I posted this with a very low FT2 value and as usual I hope sources can confirm or deny the rumor like they did on the busted 40-150mm f/2.8 rumor.

Certainly video performance is not what Olympus is famous for. But will they really try to compete against the [shoplink 33624]Panasonic GH3[/shoplink]? Hard to believe!

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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

[/shoplink] Image on top shows the current [shoplink 33626]Panasonic 35-100mm f/2.8 X lens[/shoplink] lens.There is no f/2.8 from Olympus now.

For three weeks now rumors are floating around the web saying Olympus would launch a 40-150mm f/2.8 lens. That rumor has been circulating for a relatively long time before I decided to pick it up and post it with a FT3 value on 43rumors. Finally a trusted source contacted me to say that there will be no new 40-150mm f/2.8 lens. He said that this lens is not on the roadmap of Olympus for 2013.

UPDATE: Two more trusted sources confirmed the rumor is false. One of them also said “something else” is coming soon.

Certainly a fast zoom is something we are missing from Olympus. That 40-150mm rumor may was part of a collective subconscious need of fast zooms :)  Good that we still have some trusted sources bringing our feet to ground. By the way, the source only added one more info. There is really a LOT(!) to come from Olympus the next few months!

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The two superb Zuiko f/2.0 zooms:
14-35mm f/2.0 on [shoplink 25320 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] and via Slidoo eBay.
35-100mm f/2.0 on [shoplink 25119 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] and via Slidoo eBay.

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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

“Panasonic will be passing on kits for the GH3. However they will be running lens rebates when purchasing the camera, so it will offset the price to match what a kit would end up being priced at. As far as flashes go. There will be some new revamps to the line over the next year. The GH3 offers wireless flash control, so their line will be updated to include this feature more effectively.”

UPDATE: The flash he is talking about is the new DMW-FL360L that will start to be shipped form mid-December in Japan (Source: DC.watch).

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EU, US and Canada links to the GH3:

12-35mm GH3 kit:
Wex UK, Wex DE, [shoplink 35309 ebay]Photoexpress UK[/shoplink], FotoHansKeuzekamp (NL),

14-140mm GH3 kit:
Wex UK, Amazon UK, [shoplink 35310 ebay]Photoexpress UK[/shoplink], Wex DE, Amazon FR,

Body only:
Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Panasonic store, Samys, Henry, Vistek, Wex UK, FotoHansKeuzekamp (NL), Amazon FR, [shoplink 35311 ebay]Webdistirbution FR[/shoplink],

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All current GH3 auction on eBay (via Slidoo).

How to  “trick” a sort of focus peaking mode on the E-M5

I just got a message from a source saying that there will be a new E-M5 firmware update rolling out mid-December. It adds several more options to the menu regarding EVF info and “one exciting feature that is sure to please users. ;)”

I don’t know yet what this feature is but my guess is that it is focus peaking! Or do you have another feature in your mind?

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P.S.: Bernt sent me this: “Amateur Photographer, Dec 1 2012 issue reviews the E-PL5 and gives it a score of 83%. The OM-D E-M5 is no. 21 on PC World’s list of best products of 2012, http://www.pcworld.com/article/2015065/the-100-best-products-of-2012.html”

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E-M5 order links:
Amazon, Adorama, B&H, Jessops, Amazon UK, Amazon Germany, Amazon France, Amazon Japan and Digitalrev.

E-M5 Case:
There is the official [shoplink 31898 ebay]CS-36FBC Olympus case[/shoplink]. A [shoplink 31899 ebay]leather half case from Hong Kong[/shoplink]. A full [shoplink 31900 ebay]leather case with strap from Cina[/shoplink]. Than we have half cases from two well known producers, [shoplink 31901 ebay]Zelenpol[/shoplink], [shoplink 31906 ebay]Kaza[/shoplink] and [shoplink 31902 ebay]Gariz[/shoplink].

E-M5 Batteries, and other things:
The [shoplink 31905 ebay]Olympus GS-4 strap[/shoplink] and the [shoplink 31903 ebay]DSTE E-M5 batteries[/shoplink] you have to use with an extra charger. There is an [shoplink 31903 ebay]E-M5 car charger[/shoplink] a [shoplink 31908 ebay]new E-M5 LCD screen[/shoplink] and a [shoplink 31909 ebay]Front Cover+ Top Panel[/shoplink].

There is someone (and it’s not me!) having fun spreading fake images on websites and forums! Yesterday we had that fake 40-150mm f/2.8 lens and today we have that fake OMD rangefinder design camera. It could be a sort of entry level OMD that is more compact than the real [shoplink 29074]Olympus E-M5[/shoplink]. I don’t really like that design. I would have taken inspiration from the [shoplink 34932 ebay]Olympus 35 series (here on eBay)[/shoplink] or the [shoplink 35221 ebay]PEN F (here on eBay)[/shoplink].

Let’s have some fun—Feel free to share your design of a “rangefinder design” camera! let’s see what you want form Olympus (or Panasonic) :)

A 43rumors from Malaysia (Thanks Joo!) likely spotted the very first fake image of the new Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 lens…yep a fake! :=) This really looks too close to the current Black M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 R (here on Amazon). The aperture mark on the pictured lens says f/2.8 but it is likely that it has been modified. And that gold ring also looks a bit strange. So be warned if you see that pic on other websites and forums. It is false :(

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There is one real new Cyber Deal on the Olympus 12mm lens. You save $50 on the 12mm prime at Amazon (Click here) and Bhphoto (Click here).

Today new Cyber deals roundup at Amazon (cameras), Amazon (all stuff), Adorama, Bhphoto, J&R, TigerDirect, Bestbuy and eBay. In Europe at Amazon UK and at Amazon Germany.

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The two superb Zuiko f/2.0 zooms:
14-35mm f/2.0 on [shoplink 25320 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] and via Slidoo eBay.
35-100mm f/2.0 on [shoplink 25119 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] and via Slidoo eBay.

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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