What you see on top is the front of the well known [shoplink 23568]Olympus E-P3[/shoplink] and this is more or less the same design you have to expect from the new E-PL5. I have been told the back of the camera still has a more [shoplink 23567]Olympus E-PL3[/shoplink] alike design and button layout. Basically what Olympus is going to do is to merge the best from the E-P3 and the E-Pl3 in one camera. Combine that with the [shoplink 29074]Olympus E-M5[/shoplink] sensor and you have a nice package! 599 Euro/Dollars fro body and kit lens is what you have to pay for it.

P.S.: Despite every new generation of cameras that came out the E-PL1 is as usual the most sold PEN camera at Amazon US (Click here). It even sells mroe than the new Fuji X-E1. May we don’t need new PEN’s after all :)

Image via ePhotozine.

There is a new post from the Olympus-ePhotozine teaser story. Now they showed to us the first piece of the new E-PL5 cameras showing us the…Hot Shoe :)

Image via ePhotozine

Olympus likes to tease us :) The nice guys over at ePhotozine revealed a cryptic message saying “we’ve been testing these new Olympus PENs for the last couple of weeks and thought you’d want to see them. So here’s a sneak peak at the colours available. There is also a green PEN available, but we were unable to show it, due to it being chewed by someone in the office. Feedback from those who have used the PENs has been extremely positive, with some office members saying it’s the best PEN they’ve ever used. They said they particularly liked the colours compared to other pens they’ve used.”

Now back to some real homemade rumor:
We have been told that the 15mm f/8.0 is officially marked as “accessory” and not as part of the Zuiko lens line. It’s a body cap lens that has three modes, covered, up to 30cmm focus and up to infinity focus..

The patented Konica-Minolta 43mm f/1.4 lens design.

Egami spotted a patent with a surprising content! Konica Minolta patented the design of a 43mm f/1.4 Micro Four Thirds lens! The patent has been filled in 2011. Right now Konica-Minolta is not part of the (Micro-) Four Thirds group but this could change soon. Konica and Minolta have a long history of lens design for rangefinder cameras. Konica designed the [shoplink 33268 ebay]Hexanon M-mount Lens series (here on eBay)[/shoplink]. That includes the superb [shoplink 33269 ebay]Hexanon 50mm f/1.2 (here on eBay)[/shoplink]. Minolta made the famous [shoplink 33270 ebay]Rokkor M-mount lens series (here on eBay)[/shoplink]. That includes for example the [shoplink 33271 ebay]40mm f/2.0 pancake (here on eBay)[/shoplink].

This is just to say that Konica-Minolta would add a very high value to the whole Micro Four Thirds system! So let’s hope this is one of those few patents that will make it into…reality :)

Here are the images of the 40mm lens (left) and 50mm Hexanon (right):

[shoplink 23567][/shoplink]
Image on top: The current [shoplink 23567]Olympus E-PL3[/shoplink].

As you already know the new E-PL5 (and E-PM3) will have the same [shoplink 29074]Olympus E-M5[/shoplink] sensor. A source shared some more E-PL5 info. The camera plus 14-42mm kit lens will be priced at around 599 Euro/Dollars which is exactly the price of the current [shoplink 23567]Olympus E-PL3 (Click here to check)[/shoplink]. The source also “heard” that there will be a “large kit” version and it’s easy to guess that this will include the soon to come 15mm f/8.0 lens too! The major changes on the E-PL5 are the new sensor and a better ergonomy.

For my European colluegues: If you don’t care about getting the latest stuff and want to save some money there is a new bunch of refurbished PEN cameras at [shoplink 22691 ebay]Olympusmarket[/shoplink]. This includes for example:
[shoplink 33244 ebay]Olympus E-P3 with lens (CLick here to see the auction)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 33246 ebay]Olympus E-PL3 with lens (CLick here to see the auction)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 33245 ebay]Olympus E-PM1 with lens (CLick here to see the auction)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 33247 ebay]Olympus E-P2 with lens (CLick here to see the auction)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 33248 ebay]Olympus E-PL2 with lens (CLick here to see the auction)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 33249 ebay]Olympus E-PL1 with lens (CLick here to see the auction)[/shoplink].

P.S.: The E-PL1 is used by my friend Elena to tell you stories about the greek life (greekdiaries.com).
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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

Image courtesy by the mysterious “nanoloop” :)

An anonymous source sent me this pic of what he claims to be the back of the new Olympus 15mm f/8.0 lens. As I told you before this is not a pinhole lens like the [shoplink 32795 ebay]SLRmagic m43 pinhole (here)[/shoplink]). This has  three lenses inside (you see them on the picture). Right now the smallest m43 lens is the [shoplink 16258]Panasonic 14mm[/shoplink] that is 2.06 cm thick and weights 55g. The “Plastic” and “supercheap” 15mm f/8.0 lens will be announced along the new PEN cameras. I am not sure yet but I think it will be part of the kit lens on the new E-PM3 and E-PL5. These are the specs:

Focal lenght: 15 mm (equivalent to 30 mm on a 35 mm camera) :
Aperture: F8 fixed
Dimensions :Max.dia.Ø56(2.2in.)× length 9 (0.4 in.) mm
Design: 3 groups, 3 lenses
Focus: 0.30 m (11.8 in.) to infinite. Manual Focusing (Three settings)
Weight: 22 g (0.8 oz.)

UPDATE: One more picture:

P.S: Similar in size is the famous [shoplink 32796 ebay]Leica Perara Triplet (you can find some of them here on eBay)[/shoplink].

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Something else: My friend Elena posted E-PL1 Pictures from a ‘panigiri’ (greekdiaries).

Photkina is getting closer and the new Panasonic GH3 is probably the “hottest” new Micro Four Thirds product. Quite many sources contacted me saying that this is an incredible nice camera. And very likely the first camera that can be considered as “pro” level camera. It is aimed to compete against all high end DSLR APS-C cameras like the Nikon D7000 or Canon 7D. But we know well…we have to see it to believe it :)

At least I finally I can share the Panasonic GH3 specs. Many trusted sources confirmed that these are correct. So here they are:

– 16 Megapixel “Wide dynamic range” CMOS Sensor.
– New Venus 7 engine
– electronic shutter
– ISO 100-12.800
– 6fps
– Fastest AF of any interchangeable lens system camera.
– Video Bitrate 50Mbps (72Mbps ALL-I)
– 30p/25p in MP4, MOV and AVCHD
– 3.5 Mic in
– built-in stereo mic
– Audio out
– Pc control
– Time Code
– 1740k OLED LVF, Touch Monitor OLED 610k.
– external battery grip
– Wifi with remote control through iOS and Android Applications
– external XLR accessory
– Focus Peaking
– Interval shooting and slow motion. Slow Movie extension (40%, 50%, 80%) Fast 160/ 200 / 300%
– Magnesium alloy body. Body is bigger than the [shoplink 16254]Panasonic GH2[/shoplink].

I still don’t know the price yet. The only rumor I got says the GH3 with 14-140mm lens will cost 1700 Euro/Dollars (But this hasn’t been confirmed by any of my trusted sources yet!). Based on those specs I would like to hear from you:

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For sources: Sources can send me anonymous info at 43rumors@gmail.com (create a fake gmail account) or via contact form you see on the right sidebar. Thanks!

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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