There is no vacation for a rumor website like me :(  Top sources just unveiled that Panasonic will have a major product announcement in early July. They didn’t share the “stuff” list but I was told that there are many new cameras. I am pretty sure we will finally see the new Panasonic G5. I am not sure about the LX6 yet. And I don’t expect any new m43 lens. The G5 should use the same [shoplink 22077 ebay]G3[/shoplink] 16 Megapixel sensor. What will change is the shape of the camera.

Stay tuned guys!

P.S.: I am moving to my new house in the middle of nowhere on the Pyrenees on July 5th. Please Panasonic no announcement on that day! :)

Links to the current G Panasonic models:
Panasonic G3 at [shopcountry 22077].
Panasonic G2 at [shopcountry 14834].
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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

Egami found a new Panasonic patent showing a motorized zoom teleconverter. Don’t know if we will ever see this for real! First we need an adapter with built in phase detection af and optical Viewfinder to attach on m43 cameras like the [shoplink 31778 ebay]Leica Visoflex (here on eBay)[/shoplink]. :)

Sometimes I think news agency are much worse in writing rumors than I do in my very amateurish way here on 43rumors. Every couple of weeks new agreement rumors are spreading through the world and getting posted on all newspaper from The New York Times down to my little local newspaper read by 2,000 farmers. Imagine if I would post a different GH3 rumor every two weeks…you would want my scalp :)

Anyway, I will report this news but as you have learned you have to take these “rumors” as they are…just rumors. Nikkei “reports that Olympus is in final talks with Sony to get a roughly 50 billion yen capital injection in return for a stake”. Olympus of course denied the existence of such an agreement.

Sony is a company in a very deep crisis and I really don’t know if that would be a good deal for Olympus. Let’s see, I still think Olympus is trying to find a way to avoid any partnership with other electronic giants like Sony, Panasonic or Fuji.

The OM modular camera concept by Maitani.

I still have no confirmation from top sources so please don’t get too serious about that until I havent’ got more info. Anyway, the french magazine 01net.com reports that Olympus will launch a “professional hybrid” (which mean mirrorless) at Photokina and with availability in 2013 (found the news via Lepidi).

Olympus already stated many times that for them a professional camera is a camera that has the advantages of both, Micro Four Thirds and Four Thirds technologies. An example of what Olympus could do is an OM camera with a special mirror adapter like the [shoplink 31778 ebay]Leica Visoflex (here on eBay)[/shoplink]. Back in December Mr. Ogama from Olympus  hinted about their future key technologies by saying: “All I can say is, when you look through the viewfinder, you’ll understand….“. Source: Impressjapan (Click here to download the pdf of the magazine).

At that point I am asking my sources to confirm the rumor I got from unknown sources. Will there really “something PRO” at Photokina? Cross your fingers 43rumors readers :)

New E-m5 and new lens (pre)orders:
E-M5 at Amazon, Adorama, B&H, Jessops, Amazon UK, Amazon Germany, Amazon France, Amazon Japan and Digitalrev.
Olympus 75mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon Germany and Amazon UK.
Panasonic 12-35mm X lens at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon Germany, Amazon UK, Amazon Japan and Digitalrev.

Reminder -> 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 infos unveiled by Olympus managers it is very likely that Olympus will release an All Black version of the current [shoplink 23576]Olympus 12mm f/2.0[/shoplink] and [shoplink 23577]Olympus 45mm f/1.8[/shoplink] lenses. The optical design will not change, just the color! The current Silver lenses really do not match well on Black bodies like the new Black E-M5.

The lenses will very likely be unveiled before Photokina and of course there will be also completely new lenses (like the 60mm macro f/2.8) but I still haven’t got the specs about them yet. Drop me a message if you know something about them! Thanks!

Olympus 12mm f/2.0 at [shopcountry 23576].
Olympus 45mm f/1.8 at [shopcountry 23577].

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Reminder -> 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

[shoplink 31739 ebay][/shoplink] The current [shoplink 16254]Panasonic GH2[/shoplink] with the [shoplink 31739 ebay]chinese Ownuser battery grip[/shoplink].

The GH3 battery grip:
The latest rumor I got says that the upcoming new Panasonic GH3 will (finally!) have an external battery grip. We long waited for this for the current [shoplink 16254]Panasonic GH2[/shoplink] but all we got was the [shoplink 31739 ebay]chinese Ownuser battery grip you see here on top[/shoplink]. I have no details about the battery grip specs but I have been told it’s weather sealed like the camera.

Currently I have some FT5 (80-99% reliability) and FT3 (40-60% reliability) rumors about the GH3:
FT5: Coming late August (early September), similar GH2 design, weather sealed, no global shutter, major improvements in AF speed and EVF quality, GH3X kit with 12-35mm X lens.
FT3: 15.5 mega-pixel sensor, Iso 160-12800 (extends to 80-51200), 6.7fps, 3.2″ inch LCD with 1050k-dots, EVF with 2.06 mega-dots, double SDXC slots, in-camera GPS.

Will the GH3 become as popular as the [shoplink 29074]Olympus E-M5[/shoplink]? I hope so, would be nice to have two top high end m43 models!

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New E-m5 and new lens (pre)orders:
E-M5 at Amazon, Adorama, B&H, Jessops, Amazon UK, Amazon Germany, Amazon France, Amazon Japan and Digitalrev.
Olympus 75mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon Germany and Amazon UK.
Panasonic 12-35mm X lens at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon Germany, Amazon UK, Amazon Japan and Digitalrev.

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Reminder -> 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

As you know Schneider is considering to develop a new 30mm f/1.4 and 60mm f/2.4 macro lens. These lenses should be unveiled in 2013. But is that what 43rumor readers do want? What would you want from Schneider?

Consider that:
1) Schneider will make prime lenses (not zooms) for now
2) The lenses will be expensive (1.000-1.5000 Euro)
3) They will high super high quality, autotofcus but no in body stabilization

Take into account the three points and let me know what lens the Germans should make to convince you to spend your money! Comment this post!

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Some nice lenses you can take inspiration of: