The German website Photoscala (Click here) analyzed the first quarter results from Panasonic. The company had a net loss of 30.4 billion yen (approximately € 273.3 million) in the first quarter of fiscal year 2011/12. This is of course also the result of the Tsunami/Fukushima disaster.
The digital camera sales can be increased with 44.4 billion yen (about € 400 million) over the fourth quarter of last fiscal year by almost 34%. But it’s still 13% below the fiscal first quarter from last year.

There is a small rumor running in Japan (Source: etnews.com) saying that Olympus and Casio are ready for a partnership in the compact camera segment. It sounds like Olympus will develop future compact cameras together with Casio. Those compacts will use Olympus lenses and Sony sensors. I know it’s not a Micro Four Thirds related news but the most interesting bit of info is that Olympus would drop Panasonic sensors in favour of Sony sensors. At that point I want to remind you that trusted sources said that Samsung offered to make Four Thirds sensors for Oly. If we should give some credit to those rumors than Olympus is trying to become more independent from Panasonic sensors.

Image source: Jorginho (Dpreview forum user)

There are a couple of new interesting “mirrorless” rumors:

1) Nikon could announce their new mirrorless system on August 24. As you see from the image on top the sensor is smaller than the Micro Four Thirds sensor. How will the image quality be compared to m43 cameras? Thom Hogan says: “What if–and please, this is a what if, not a will–but what if Nikon was able to put a 10mp+ sensor into a Coolpix P7000-sized body ([shoplink 24280 ebay]Click here to see that camera[/shoplink]) that had an m4/3 level of image capability? I believe that’s in the realm of possibilities.”

2) Sony will announce a NEX-7 with built-in viewfinder by end of August. It should have an ISO range of 100 up to 25.600 (Source: SonyAlphaRumors).

3) There are also new NX200 rumors coming from Russia. No built-in EVF, no touch-screen, no tilt-lcd. Sounds boring! (Source: MirrorlessRumors)

I just found that image in my mailbox. It’s the picture of a new upcoming fullframe 50mm f/0.95 Noktor lens that I have been told will have an impressive image quality and can be adapted for us on Micro Four Thirds too! From the photo it seems to have a slide out hood and round aperture openning. I have no more details yet…

Reminder: As you know SLRmagic is the new owner of the Noktor company. They already made some lenses for m43:
SLR magic 11mm f/1.4 lens you can preorder on [shoplink 22154 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] Toy Lens 26mm f/1.4 lens on [shoplink 18603 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] SLR Magic 35mm f/1.7 MC lens on [shoplink 14881 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]

Image on top: The [shoplink 20740 ebay]Panasonic L1 with built-in viewfinder[/shoplink].

I am currently working on the next “set” of rumors. I know now from top sources that like Olympus also Panasonic will have two more major Micro Four Thirds announcement this year. One in late August and one by very end of the year. Our sources also told us that the GF PRO announcement has been delayed to end of the year 2011. So do not expect it to be announced in August!

I should soon get more info about the August announcement and about the GF PRO. I am still not sure if it will have built-in viewfinder like the [shoplink 20740 ebay]Panasonic L1 (Click here to see that cam on eBay)[/shoplink] or be more like the old popular [shoplink 14828]GF1[/shoplink] camera.

If can help me send me a text at 43rumors@gmail.com or use the anonymous contact form you can see on the right sidebar. Thanks!

P.S.: Keep sending me your renderings of the future PEN PRO and GF PRO cameras! And take some inspiration from the past:
See the [shoplink 24193 ebay]Zeiss Ikon ZM (Click here to see it on eBay)[/shoplink].
The amazing [shoplink 24194 ebay]Contax G2 (Click here to see it on eBay)[/shoplink]….very innovative camera!
The [shoplink 24196 ebay]Konica Hexar RF (Click here to see it on eBay)[/shoplink]…this was a better copy of the Leica M6!
The [shoplink 24195 ebay]Minolta CLE (Click here to see it on eBay)[/shoplink]…so small!

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

Just got this from a new source. As usual take it easy. I am still not sure if Fuji will join m43.

“Fujifilm’s Micro FourThirds prototype isn’t that dissimilar with their [shoplink 19929]x100[/shoplink] by the way. Many of the technologies will migrate to their maiden M43 camera. If everything goes according to plan, it is quite possible to expect an official announcement by Fujifilm before the year’s over. I’m fairly certain of this now although I cannot get confirmation about this”

UPDATE: The source is well known, I trust him a lot. But this is his first rumor! That’s why it is FT3 only…for now!

Fuji X100 camera links at [shopcountry 19929].

P.S.: I am still working on rumors. If all works fine I can give you soon some hints about the upcoming new Panasonic GF PRO camera which I hope will be similar to the [shoplink 20740 ebay]Panasonic L1 (Click here to see that cam on eBay)[/shoplink].

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

Without having it yet officially announced Olympus America does list the new VF-3 viewfinder with full specifications! Here is the official text:

Electronic Viewfinder VF-3 (Silver)
The VF-3 is a compact viewfinder that easily slides onto the accessory port and hot shoe of the Olympus PEN and XZ-1 to provide 100% field of view and .97x magnification. The VF-3, which is compatible with all PENs that have an accessory port, is quite useful for outdoor shooting, low-angle shooting or telephoto shooting.

Specifications:
Resolution: Approx. 920,000 dots
1.00″ (W) x 1.7″ (H) x 1.75″ (D) (25.6mm x 43.5mm x 44.7mm)
Approx. 1.0 oz (30g) without cover
100% field of view
Approx. .97x magnification (-1m¹, 50 mm Macro, at infinity)
Eye-point: Approx. 17.4mm (-1m¹)
Diopter adjustment (-3.0 to +1.0m¹)
Shoe-lock mechanism

As you can see from the roadmap on top Olympus has the plan to release a 50mm macro lens for Micro Four Thirds. We now have been told by our sources that Olympus delayed the release of that lens til end of the year to anticipate the release of the just announced [shoplink 23577]Olympus 45mm f/1.8[/shoplink] lens. I think that was a good move made by Oly because we already have a [shoplink 14794]45mm macro lens[/shoplink] from Panasonic. We have been told the 50mm macro will be on a very high level. Don’t know what you think, but Olympus is making a damn good job with lenses now! And I know there will be more lenses coming soon!

In the meanwhile check if the new lenses are available for preorder:
Panasonic-Leica 25mm f/1.4 search page at [shopcountry 23110].
Olympus 12mm f/2.0 search page at [shopcountry 23576].
Olympus 45mm f/1.8 page at [shopcountry 23577].