A couple of readers sent me a link to that image. It is coming from the Nauticam Europe Wholeslae store. On the image and within the text specification you can read many times GH-3. So what the heck is that? A huge error? Or…they know the GH3 is coming soon?
I think this is probably a marketing trick to promote the [shoplink 30926 ebay]Gibson Underwater Housing by BS Kinetics (for sale here on eBay)[/shoplink].

Canon concept mirrorless camera by David Riesenberg (Click here)

From time to time it’s good to report some bigger news coming from the competition. Particularly when the name of the competitor is Canon :)

Canon released the Q1 earnings call and included some info about the future strategy. Canon says that they will launch compact cameras “offering the image qualities that approaches SLR cameras, with improved design and network connectivity features“. This sounds like they are close to launch the interchangeable mirrorless system. And that word” approaches” may give us the hint that they will use the Four Thirds sized sensor of the [shoplink 30863 ebay]Canon G1X[/shoplink].

UPDATE: CanonWatch (Click here) just released a new rumor saying that “Canon will showcase their mirrorless ILC to selected customers in Australia during PMA Australia at the end of May. The new camera should then be announced in June.”

My two cent: While Fuji and Nikon and Sony have all released different and somewhat unique systems they weren’t really able to dethrone the Micro Four Thirds domination. I am curious to see what Canon will bring!

Egami (Click here) spotted another Olympus zoom patent. It’s a 12-120mm f/4-5.6 lens. The patent contains many variations all with the similar aperture range but with different focal lengths. As usual with patents they are mostly not made to become real products. But I hope that one day I will find some patent showing f/2.0 zooms too! :)

You 43rumors reader already expressed your opinion in favour of fast zooms like the superb (and expensive) Olympus [shoplink 25320 ebay]14-35mm f/2.0 (Click here to see them on eBay)[/shoplink] and the [shoplink 25119 ebay]35-100mm f/2.0 (Click here to see them on eBay)[/shoplink] Zuiko lenses. Let’s see if Olympus will do that!

Last week I told you that Olympus is sending out the 75mm f/1.8 lens for testing to journalists and photographer. Today we have the next good sign for a not so far away lens announcement. The Micro Four Thirds pdf catalog (Click here) has been updated and now includes the lenses. I hope Olympus will announce them in June along the new XZ-2! The 75mm f/1.8 is particularly intruiguing also because Olympus states that this is the “highest imaging performance M.Zuiko” lens. It means it beats the already very good [shoplink 23576]Olympus 12mm f/2.0[/shoplink]!

Curiosity: The Panasonic 12-35mm and 35-100mm X lenses are NOT included in the pdf.

Via Four-thirds.org

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?