Mysterious things are happening around Olympus. Mysterious ads, mysterious packages and mysterious nuts are floating around the world :)
Good to know that I have some good sources explaining me what’s going on! One of them just sent me the info that Olympus is sending the first batch of 75mm f/1.8 Micro Four Thirds production version lenses to photographers and journalists. I hope to learn more about the Lens price and quality within the next few weeks. Of course there is more coming from Olympus, the Tough camera, the XZ-2 and maybe “something else“. If you have some secret news to share drop me a message by using the anonymous contact form on the right sidebar or contact me at 43rumors@gmail.com! Thanks!

More bits about the upcoming 75mm f/1.8 lens:
The good news is that it sounds like the lens could be announced soon (maybe in June). The lens is certainly NOT weather sealed, it will have about the same image quality of the [shoplink 23577]Olympus 45mm f/1.8 price (around 400 Euro/Dollars)[/shoplink] but at a bit higher price (some rumors from external websites said around $700-$800).
If the quality is good and the price around $700 this could become a real hotseller. It gives you a focal lenght of 150mm in terms of Full Frame. If you are a Full Frame camera owner you will know that lenses like the [shoplink 30743]Canon 135mm f/2.0 (Click here)[/shoplink] and [shoplink 30744]Nikon 135mm f/2.0 (Click here)[/shoplink] and the [shoplink 30745]Sigma 150mm (Click here)[/shoplink] do cost more and are a bit slower. But I doubt the new Olympus lens will reach the quality of the superb [shoplink 30746]Olympus 150mm f/2.0 ED[/shoplink] Lens!

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

Damian McGillyCuddy keeps posting some mysterious messages about an unknown new Olympus product. He got that huge package he marked with the tag “E-xxx“!  Damian writes: “I’m playing with some new and shiny stuff at the moment and as soon as I can I’ll let the cat out of the bag… promise ;0)  If I’m honest the new stuff I’m playing with is even better than the E5…”

I really haven’t got any rumor about a new imminent Olympus Four Thirds or Micro Four Thirds announcement. So please keep your feet on earth! But to me this sounds like he is testing a new E-7 or not? It’s certainly NOT an indication but there are only few E-5 cameras left in the largets online store…Amazon (Click here).

I hope my trusted sources can send me some info about the package Damian got from Olympus UK :)

P.S.: Here are the search links to the current E-5 at [shopcountry 17163].

The video teaser you see her eon top created quite a buzz! Time to make a summary of what’s going on. First, Olympus sent out nuts to many journalists (like Techradar and Photographyblog for example). Damian Mcgillicuddy received a big mystery package from Olympus. And than we had that new teaser at http://getolympus.com/worldsfirst/ (I posted the video on top of this post).
Olympus is known to make such campaigns for important camera releases (the last one was for the [shoplink 29074]Olympus E-M5[/shoplink] for example). So many here started to speculate that something BIG might will be announced soon. And also that “PRO image quality” statement sounds so good. There is even some chinese website listing the E-7 :)

But I think Olympus marketing is just playing a big game on the not so big (at least for me) Olympus TG-1 iHS camera that has been already leaked (via Photorumors). The video clearly suggest that this is a splashproof new Though camera (here is a list of these cameras on Amazon).

So should we give up all our hopes? The only thing that speaks for something really BIG is the package sent to Damian Mcgillicuddy.
He is a pro photographer and certainly not exactly the target customer for a Though camera! And looking at the size of the package he received this looks more like a big camera or big lens. I suspect he got an early production version of the 75mm f/1.8 or 60mm macro lenses. My sources told me that both lenses would arrive in early Summer. So may Olympus will soon give us the final specs and price and release date of these two jewels?

Getolympus just launhced a new teaser for a new camera you can see here: http://getolympus.com/worldsfirst/. It says “Pro image quality from a whole new perspective“. But don’t get too excited guys! After seeing the video on that website I think this may be the Olympus TG-1 iHS already leaked via Photorumors. Here is the picture:

It’s a shockproof and waterproof 12Megapixel camera with tiny 1/2.3″ CMOS sensor and a 4x zoom that starts with a fast f/2.0 aperture. All good and nice but is it worth a teaser like that?

Our friends over at Techradar (Click here) got that mysterious package from Olympus! The image on top (on courtesy of Techradar) shows the “Coming soon” message and the two nuts. I haven’t heard of any imminent product announcement yet. I know the new lenses and the [shoplink 19904 ebay]XZ-1 successor[/shoplink] will be announced around June. And than we also have the two 75mm and 60mm lenses that are coming soon. But why the heck is Olympus sending nuts? Can you imagine what this could have to do with a product announcement?

UPDATE: Also Damian Mcgillicuddy (Click here) received a mysterious package from Olympus. I now believe Olympus is sending out the two new m43 lenses (two nuts) to selected journalists and photographer!

P.S.: A couple of months ago Olympus said that it is possible to make a PEN with built-in viewfinder like the [shoplink 30663 ebay]Fuji X PRO 1[/shoplink] and [shoplink 25396 ebay]Sony NEX-7[/shoplink]. But I don’t think it this is coming now!

The Chinese company “ShenyangZhongyi” is developing a new 35mm/f/0.95 lens for Micro Four Thirds! The picture on top shows the lens design (rendering). But some first early image samples have been posted on Xitek (Click here). Click the thumbnails below to enlarge the size of the picture.

This would become the fourth m43 lens with f/0.95 aperture. The other three are the:
[shoplink 15659 ebay]Nokton 25mm (here on eBay)[/shoplink] [shoplink 30452 ebay]Nokton 17.5mm (here on eBay)[/shoplink] [shoplink 25691 ebay]Noktor SLRmagic 50mm (here on eBay)[/shoplink]

Finally I am getting first info about the upcoming new Panasonic GH3. A trusted sources told me that while it is true that Panasonic is working hard on the electronic global shutter technology they will not implement it within the new GH3. When the GH3 development started they had some hopes that they might achieve that goal but this will not happen. And he also told me that:
1) the camera is weather sealed
2) the major improvement will be the new Electronic Viewfinder and Autofocus speed
3) That the GH3 will arrive in late Summer (right before the Photokina show in September).

P.S.: Reminder: The Panasonic G5 announcement should be in May!

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