Our reader Francis (Thanks!) found an the price and availability info of the new Olympus 17mm f/1.8 lens on Yahoo Taiwan. I don’t know yet if the info listed there is correct, But it says that the price will be $16,900 NTD,which is about $565 USD or 435 Euro. And it will be available from mid November.

If the info is correct than this is definitely good news! The lens is supposed to have the same superb build and optical quality of the [shoplink 23576]Olympus 12mm f/2.0[/shoplink] which costs most more! Check out the 12mm price at [shopcountry 23576].

At that price I am certainly going to buy it and you?

Egami (Tranlsation here) spotted a new Olympus patent describing the design of three new wide angle lenses:
8-20mm f/2.8-4
8-35mm f/2.2-4
8-74mm f/2.8-4

From the description you will notice that this are actually Fisheye lenses! Right now only [shoplink 34168 ebay]Canon (with the 8-15mm)[/shoplink] and [shoplink 34169 ebay]Tokina (10-17mm)[/shoplink] have this kind of lenses on market. Is that something we need for the Micro Four Thirds system? Certainly not a priority lens but it’s always nice to expand the lens horizon.

I got multiple mails from different sources saying that Black Magic is working on a new version of their Micro Four Thirds mount camera. Unlike the current model (available here on BHphoto) this one will have “active m43 mount” which means it supports electronic contacts for zoom, aperture and focus control. It will also have phantom XLR, larger capacity battery and an external battery mount. And that’s not all! There will be an improved RAW coded and a slightly different design.

The camera should be announced in early 2013!

Editor’s note: This is a rumor based on “non-facts”. There is no official news from Blackmagic. So go for the actual Blackmagic M43 model if you want it. Don’t base your shopping intention based on rumors. If the current model is good enough for you buy it. If you absolutely need to have electronic contacts and support than wait and let’s hope the rumor turns out to be true!

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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

Months ago I already published rumors about a possible GX1 successor coming after Photokina. Now rumors are getting stronger. According to multiple anonymous sources a Panasonic announcement is scheduled for the first half of November. One of the sources said that the GX2 has some “major differences” from the current GX1 and has “the same [shoplink 33624]PGH3[/shoplink] sensor“. The current GX1 got multiple price drops during the last weeks. The GX1 with kit lens (Click here) costs less than the “supposed to be cheaper” GF5 with same lens! I am still not sure if the camera will have a built-in viewfinder liek the [shoplink 23692 ebay]DMC-L1(Click here)[/shoplink] or not.

P.S.: I also heard that there will be no new lens announced along the GX2.

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Special GH3 page at Amazon (Click here) and a full Olympus presentation page at Amazon (Click here).
The Sony NEX-7 (Click here) and the Fuji X PRO 1 (Click here) are for now the only mirrorless cameras with such a rangefinder styled design.
The [shoplink 23692 ebay]DMC-L1 eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
The [shoplink 26385 ebay]DMC-LC1 on eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

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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

Pekka Potka (Click here) had an one hour chat with Mr. Terada from Olympus. Here are just some of the info you can read on his website:

– Once again Olympus confirmed that there will be new bodies that will bring full Af support on FT lenses. And once again notice that they do not say “FT body”…but just “body”
– There is the possibility of a new lower OMD and a higher OMD than E-M5 model. Which one of these will be coming first was not answered.
– Technologies like PDAF (phase detecting auto focus) on sensor and focus peaking are available for them, although “no decision yet” about usage.
– And an OM-D Monochrome sensor would cost too much. Note. the Leica Monochrome is the only camera currently having this and costs $8000 at Amazon(!).

Fulla rticle at pekkapotka.com.

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As you know Olympus temporarily suspended the firmware updated version 1.2 download (See Olympus America).

Just got that news from an anonymous source: “E-M5 firmware version 1.2 had been finalized and is ready for use in cameras.” Olympus now started the testing period. If all works fine the firmware update could be released in October. One of the bug that will be fixed is the “not recognizing” of some lenses.

And our friend Tyson Robichaud (Click here) wrote a long fw update wishlist. I agree on all points and Olympus should read the full article :)

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There is a $80 gift card deal on all Olympus cameras (Click here to see the detailed deal page on Amazon).

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

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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].

It’s done! After months of speculations the Olympus and Sony deal has been officially announced. Wall Street Journal reports: “Olympus said Friday it will raise ¥49 billion ($631.6 million) by issuing new shares to Sony Corp. With the capital tie-up, Sony will effectively become Olympus’s biggest shareholder, with a stake of 11.5% in terms of voting rights. The two companies also plan by the end of December to set up a joint venture to develop medical devices and to study collaboration in compact digital cameras.”

The last sentence is what we care about most: “collaboration in compact digital cameras“. I guess both will keep staying and competing with their own systems and share the sensor, oled and lens technology.

UPDATE: Engadget reports: “The deal also includes a component-sharing agreement in the photography space, with Olympus mirror cells and camera lenses being given to Sony, while image sensors (where Sony is very strong) will go the other way.”

UPDATE_2: Here you can download the offical press release text (.pdf).

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