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The weeks before a camera announcement rumors of all types are floating the forums. As usual I wouldn’t care too much about them. But I am posting that particular rumor in the hope trusted sources can confirm or deny it:

Inview (personal view forum) wrote: “Today I was at a photo equipment shop and the Panasonic salesman came, I am at Athens, Greece. I asked about the GH3 release and he said about November. But about in a month he could have a sample at the shop for preview. He said 16Mp sensor and weather sealed body. I asked what lens would be the kit lens, and he said a new [shoplink 14802]14-140mm[/shoplink] weather sealed lens. He said also a new battery grip. “They are trying to appeal to the pro market” he said. He said also the prize would be around 1700 euros. Oh well.”

I never heard of a 14-140mm weather sealed lens until now but it would make sense for Panasonic to release such a lens to be able to offer a cheaper alternative of the GH3 and [shoplink 31225]12-35mm X[/shoplink] kit (which should be priced slightly above 2.000 Euro).

Lens price comparison:
Panasonic 14-140mm at [shopcountry 14802].
Panasonic 12-35mm X at [shopcountry 31225].

oooops!!! A super trusted source made a mistake. It sounds like the limited edition lens is a Black [shoplink 23576]Olympus 12mm f/2.0[/shoplink] and NOT a 45mm lens!

Probably some kind of “Freudian Slip” :)

Current 12mm price check links: [shopcountry 23576].

What’s coming for sure for now (FT5!):
Two new PEN cameras (E-PM and E-PL)
15mm f/8.0
60mm macro
12mm Black

The camera world is clearly moving into “More WEB” direction. Sony will announce the new WiFi NEX cameras tomorrow and Nikon just announced the fully Android powered Nikon S800c. And I am now pretty sure the new Panasonic GH3 will be the first Micro Four Thirds camera with built-in Wifi support! Sources told us what we will be able to do with the GH3:

1) remotely control the GH3 with your [shoplink 33091 ebay]iPad[/shoplink] or [shoplink 33090 ebay]iPhone[/shoplink] or any other [shoplink 33092 ebay]Android[/shoplink] device.
2) It has a Cloud and and Backup service running through the Lumix Club
3) Of course fully integarated with social networks like Facebook.
4) Some other features (like wireless printing).

Just to be clear, the GH3 is not Android powered and you can’t install third party applications on the camera itself. I guess this is something we will see for sure on future cameras…sooner or later!

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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

According to two of our best sources the new Panasonic GH3 has a new 16 megapixel sensor. It is not the same of the [shoplink 32274]Panasonic G5[/shoplink]! Panasonic defined this as a “Wide Dynamic Range” sensor. As we know from past we have to see soem real test before to know if that is just a “marketing slogan” or a real major improvement. One source said firmware is not final but the dynamic range increase looks like to be more in the shadows than in the highlights. ISO goes up to 12.800.

Both sources said this is the definitely best hybrid stills&video camera they have ever seen. And they were so kind to give me the detailed bitrate: The GH3 can do “All-I 72 Mbps“.

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!

For readers: Don’t miss any news. Join our group on facebook and follow our tweets.

—

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

A couple of weeks ago I posted the first rumor about a possible new PRO OMD camera that could be announced this winter (not at Photokina!). Many 43rumors readers suggested some of the features such a cameras has to have in order to be defined as a real PRO m43 camera. I summed your list and here is the Poll:

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Reminder: When viewing the single poll option results the percentage means that from all total voters x% selected that specific option. The sum of all percentages is way over 100% because every single voter can choose up to seven options.

OMD camera history:
[shoplink 28221 ebay]M-1[/shoplink], [shoplink 28222 ebay]OM-1[/shoplink], [shoplink 28223 ebay]OM-1 MD[/shoplink], [shoplink 28224 ebay]OM-1N[/shoplink], [shoplink 28225 ebay]OM-2[/shoplink], [shoplink 28226 ebay]OM-2N[/shoplink], [shoplink 28227 ebay]OM-2S/SP[/shoplink], [shoplink 28228 ebay]OM-3[/shoplink], [shoplink 28229 ebay]OM-3Ti[/shoplink], [shoplink 28230 ebay]OM-4[/shoplink], [shoplink 28231 ebay]OM-4T/Ti black and chrome[/shoplink], [shoplink 28232 ebay]OM-10[/shoplink], [shoplink 28233 ebay]OM-20 (OM-G)[/shoplink], [shoplink 28234 ebay]OM-30(OM-F)[/shoplink], [shoplink 28235 ebay]OM-40 (OM-PC)[/shoplink], [shoplink 28236 ebay]OM-77AF (OM-707)[/shoplink], [shoplink 28237 ebay]OM-88 (OM-101)[/shoplink], [shoplink 28238 ebay]OM-2000[/shoplink].

Andrew from EosHD sent me the link to his latest post where he writes: “The GH3 is going to be more professional this time around according to my source in Asia. It is moving up the line and will be more expensive as a result. The camera has a high bitrate mode of around 70-80Mbit. Panasonic have decided to put the features we need in the box rather than risk unreliability with a third party hack. This is a very good move.”

It’s certain the GH3 will be a super videocamera but I have no info yet about the exact video specs. Would be surprised to see Panasonic moving away from the AVCHD 2.0 standard. On the other side Olympus decided to not use that file format on the [shoplink 29074]Olympus E-M5[/shoplink] because of his complexity. Hmm, filmmakers out there…what do you want?

Last Sunday we all got this message from Olympus (Click here) and there is now but there are two small details to report:
1) Olympus UK just posted on Facebook “We would like to clarify some of the recent news. Olympus has not issued a press release but have made a statement at a recent meeting saying”
2) Olympus UK posted a new correct simple statement: “A new camera is under study in order to optimize the Four Thirds lenses“. Also DSLRmagazine (Translation here) that was present on the meeting reported the words from Mr. Michael Guthmann from Olympus: “we will continue to support the Four Thirds system with a camera“… and he added with emphasis: “however the camera looks like“.

In short, there was no official press release and the text spread by some journalists contained a misunderstanding. Watenabe was talking about a Four Thirds lens solution and not necessarily about a new E-7 camera. There could be also a new OMD model with some kind of new technology capable of taking full advantage of the Four Thirds lenses. Just one quick example that comes to my mind. Imaging full phase detection support (through on sensor AF pixels or special adapter like Sony with the LAEA2).

Reminder: Back in January Toshiyuki Terada (Product Planning, Olympus Imaging Corporation, Japan) said at Onfoto (Click here) that the Four Thirds adapter: “is one of the essential areas that we explore and study“.

UDPATE: Pekka Potka wrote: “One thing I´m allowed to say though. Mr Watanabe told me that Olympus is working on a body that will support the Four Thirds lens line-up”

All I know from trusted sources (also FT5) is that two new PEN cameras are coming. I have no info from super trusted sources about a new E-7.