[shoplink 23568][/shoplink] Image on top: The [shoplink 23568]Olympus E-P3[/shoplink]

In an interview with Techradar (Click here) Olympus Japan’s Toshiyuki Terada said: “Looking at product lifespan, I think the next issue will be a new PEN.”

That isn’t really a surprise as we all expect new PEN cameras before the end of the year. I take the chance to remind Olympus that we don’t need many new cameras and more redundant products. Think easy, a new entry level cheap PEN and a a more advanced PEN are more than enough. In short…a new E-Pm2 and an E-P5 (having the tilting LCD of the [shoplink 23567]E-PL3[/shoplink]). My two cent: A new 12 Megapixel sensor based on the current [shoplink 29074]Olympus E-M5[/shoplink] sensor technology would be amazing!

Links to the current PEN and OM camera list:
Olympus E-M5 [shopcountry 29074].
Olympus E-P3 [shopcountry 23568].
Olympus E-PL3 [shopcountry 23567].
Olympus E-PM1 [shopcountry 23565].

Something else: Tsutomu Omori, managing director of Olympus India has been found death (suicide). My condolences to the family and to Olympus. More info at Indiatimes.

The Russian website Onfoto (Click here) published a new interview with Toshiyuki Terada (Product Planning, Olympus Imaging Corporation, Japan). Some interesting bits:
1.) A built-in viewfinder is not exclusive for the OM-D line. Future PEN camera can have built-in viewfinder maintaining the current form factor. Personal note: I guess this means that PEN can have a sort of rangefinder styled viewfinder like the Sony NEX-7 or even better, like the Fuji X PRO 1.
2.) The E-M5 cannot be considered like a professional camera because “Reliability for E-5 is much higher than the OM-D.” and “I can not tell you how many shots will slide OM-D, whereas for the E-5, we guarantee that at least 150,000.”
3.) When asked if the sensor is from Panasonic he answered: “We do not disclose any information about the sensor manufacturer. Maybe so, and otherwise. We do not say yes or no.”
4.) The E-M5 LCD rotates in only one axis to keep a compact size.
5.) About the Four Thirds adapter: “this is one of the essential areas that we explore and study“.
6.) About future Four Thirds products: “We already have started studying a successor of  [shoplink 17163]Olympus E-5[/shoplink].”
7.) Olympus sees no difference between using 12bit or 14bit RAW files.

Summary: PEN with built viewifnder is posisble, E-7 will arrive sooner or later, and a professioanl OM-D is also veyr likely to be developed. That’s a great plan or not? Question:

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More E-M5 bits: Image samples at Lydogbilde (Click here). Olympus E-M5 preoders search(!) links at [shopcountry 29074].

Something else: Tsutomu Omori, managing director of Olympus India has been found death (suicide). My condolences to the family and to Olympus. More info at Indiatimes.

Some reader is complaining why I don’t post Four Thirds rumors. The truth is that in three years on 43rumors there was only one Four Thirds product announcement (the [shoplink 17163]Olympus E-5[/shoplink]). So there wasn’t really a lot to work on that front. Of course I talk with my sources about the future of Four Thirds and I want to give you my modest view on the future of the Four Thirds system. Like it or not, ALL sources I have are telling me the same things:

1) The future is Micro Four Thirds, not Four Thirds. Olympus itself is promoting their m43 system when getting in touch with big stores and retailers. There is almost no effort to promote and sell the Four Thirds stuff.

2) Olympus new Four Thirds lens release keeps getting postponed without to set a precise time table. An example is the long announced and never released 100mm Zuiko lens. P.S.: The last three years only [shoplink 28695 ebay]Samyang (Click here)[/shoplink] released some nice lenses for the Four Thirds system.

3) Olympus goal is to merge the Four Thirds system within the Micro Four Thirds system. That means Olympus is trying to bring full support of Four Thirds lenses on Micro Four Thirds cameras. In concrete they are working to have super fast AF when using 43 lenses on m43 cameras. A solution could come by the use of a special adapter with built-in mirror and prism system (with phase detection AF). P.S.: Something similar (with the translucent mirror) has been done by Sony with the [shoplink 29290]LAEA2 adapter[/shoplink].

In Summary, you shouldn’t be worried for your Four Thirds lenses. I know from top sources Olympus is working on making them fully compatible with the m43 system. But the release of a new E-7 camera now depends from how fast Olympus engineers can realize a professional m43 camera. If all works fine, we can may expect a sort of E-M7 professional camera at Photokina. But that’s just a speculation for now…

There have been quite many news i these days and it’s time to highlight the most important aspects of all those Panasonic and Olympus statements. They clearly gave us some “signal” about what to expect in 2012:

1) The PRO market
Olympus: Olympus said that the [shoplink 29074]Olympus E-M5[/shoplink] is NOT a professional camera while the [shoplink 17163]Olympus E-5[/shoplink] is a professional camera. Don’t let’s discuss about when a camera can be defined as professional or not. What matters from a “rumor” point of view is that Olympus many times stated that they want to launch a professional Micro Four Thirds camera. And if they say the E.M5 is not THAT camera than we might can expect a launch of an even more advanced m43 camera by Photokina 2012.
Panasonic: Panasonic used big words and said a very high end model camera is going to be launched soon. Easy to guess that this will be the GH3. I don’t expect any revolution but rather a well thought evolution of the [shoplink 16254]Panasonic GH2[/shoplink]. The GH3 will certainly be weather sealed and probably sue a new global shutter sensor. In the past Panasonic said they want to focus on the electronic viewfinder development and here is on of the areas where we should see a major improvement.

2) The sensors future
Olympus: Olympus marketing is copying Nikon’s strategy. Also Nikon continually states that their new 36 megapixel sensor used for the Nikon D800 (Click here) is made by them although we can be 99% certain it has been factored and also largely developed by Sony. So I am pretty sure the E-M5 uses the same [shoplink 26836]Panasonic GX1[/shoplink] sensor with some Olympus engineered “tweaks”. While I heard that Samsung and Sony offered to make m43 sensors I don’t expect anything really revolutionary coming within 2012.
Panasonic: Panasonic has been very honest in their latest interview. They want to deliver better image quality through offering new high quality lenses rather than promising new miracles on sensor technology.

3) The lenses
Olympus: Olympus said they want to focus on new prime and new affordable lenses.
Panasonic: Panasonic wants to deliver more high quality lenses.

4) More TidBits
Both companies are committed to the Micro Four Thirds standard and have no plan to offer a new system based on larger sensors. And Both companies will keep developing and improving the contrast autofocus technology which they say is more reliable and faster than phase detection.

That’s it! Let me know if you think there is something more I didn’t mention here!

In an interview with Amateur Photographer Ichiro Kitao (director of Panasonic’s digital stills camera business) said “I want Panasonic to be known for very high-quality cameras, and we are currently restructuring the range of products that we offer to include a very high end model“. Easy to guess that he is talking about the GH3. He confirms that they will NOT change the sensor size as m43 offers enough space for good resolution and is only less than one stop behing the APS-C competition (…so he says).

Back in late 2011 we reported how Panasonic had no plans to enter the “professional market” with a larger sensor system: “to use a larger sensor means we’d have to compromise on the size of our lenses, and thus the size of our system. MFT cameras need to be smaller“. Editor’s note: Make no mistake, you are not more or less professional by using smaller or larger sensors :)

He said that “some” of the APS-C competition (I guess he means Sony) do offer very small bodies that have optical problems in the corners of the images. Panasonic is now focusing on improving the optical quality. the best prime lenses will continue to be branded with the Leica name and the best zooms will be branded with the new “X” mark. Panasonic will not extend the range of m43 cameras but “We will define more clearly what GH and GX means this year, so consumers have a better idea of what their characteristics are“. Panasonic also believes contrast AF and not phase autofocus is the future.

That’s it….some thoughts?

(The two fake GH3 images)

I just found these two small pieces of images showing the possible future Panasonic GH3 camera. I am 99% sure these images are fake! If you compare it with the images of the [shoplink 16254 ebay]Panasonic GH2 (see below)[/shoplink] you see many (faked) differences. I posted this because I am sure soon these images will be all over the web and you will send me hundreds of emails asking me if these images are real. So here is my answer…no! :)