I am finally 100% sure that Olympus will announce not two but three new PEN cameras! They will all use the same new (Olympus redesigned?) Panasonic sensor (more about the sensor in future posts). And here is a short description of each camera:

1) E-PM1
“M” stays for “Mini”. It is smaller than the [shoplink 17361 ebay]Panasonic GF2 (Click here to see it)[/shoplink] and a bit bigger than the new [shoplink 23109]Panasonic GF3[/shoplink]. The good news is that the mini still maintains the built-in stabilization!

2) E-PL3
It is just a bit wider and thicker than the E-PM1. It’s thicker because for the very first time there is a tilt LCD screen! But it has no built in flash unlike the “older” [shoplink 18844 ebay]Olympus E-PL2[/shoplink].

3) E-P3
Has no tilt LCD but gains a built in flash. The advantage over the E-PL3 are the manual controls and body quality. It has almost the same body design as the current [shoplink 14830 ebay]Olympus E-P2[/shoplink]. No built in viewfinder a là [shoplink 22904 ebay]Olympus XA (Click here to see it on eBay)[/shoplink].

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After a first look on those models I can see three problems with the new PEN cameras:
1) E-PM1 is not noticeable smaller than the E-PL3
2) E-P3 is more expensive than the E-PL3 and has no tilt LCD (why?)
3) E-PL3 lost some of the manual controls of the “older” E-PL2 and has no built-in flash.

I am curious to hear your opinion on that!!!
Stay tuned! I am getting tons of rumors now and I will post more soon! And don’t forget to preorder the new amazing Leica 25mm f/1.4 lens at Adorama (Click here).

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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

UPDATE: In an interview with Amateur Photographer, Kitao said Panasonic is committed to the Micro Four Thirds system and has no plans to change the sensor format. “Once we launched the G system we have a responsibility to continue the system“. My personal take on that. Mr, Kitao, this sounds like “would like to change format but I can’t“! You should have answered something like that: “Why change sensor format? m43 is the best format to realize compact and good quality mirrorless cameras!” Better communication please ;)

Image courtesy: Quesbaesde

The nice guys from Quesabesde shared that screenshot that discloses Panasonic’s intention to unveil two more new lenses in autumn. According to our sources one should be a zoom and one a prime lens. And 1-2 current lenses should be updated.

Here are two more pictures. The picture on top shows the back of the GF3. And the picture below says the GF3 has the fastest light AF ever (when using the [shoplink 14802 ebay]Panasonic 14-140mm[/shoplink]).

We are very close to the official announcement. I will stay up the whole night to watch for news, previews images samples and other useful stuff. Keep following 43rumors!

And here it is the worlds first picture of the upcoming new Panasonic Leica 25mm f/1.4. I don’t know the exact price yet but it will be certainly below $1000 (some say even below $800). It has a diameter of 63mm and length of 54,5mm. That’s half the size of the older and discontinued Four Thirds version of the lens ([shoplink 16340 ebay]Click here to see it on eBay[/shoplink])

And the image on top shows the new GF3 with built-in flash! The GF3 has 12.1 Megapixel (so no [shoplink 22077]G3[/shoplink] sensor) and records FullHD!

The new Leica 25mm and the GF3 will be announced at 7am London time on Monday. As usual I will be here to give you all the links to previews, reviews, videos and other stuff like that. As usual help is appreciated! If you find some link or something I missed drop me a line at 43rumors@gmail.com! Thanks!

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

It’s not a secret that dealers already know the specs and price of the upcoming new Leica 25mm Micro Four Thirds lens. And it sounds like someone on Amazon (Click here) is making a bit of mess while preparing the new product page. The page from the old Four Thirds lens is getting elaborated. It says the item will be released on June 17 (that would be amazing if it would be true) and inside the product description it sayd the model is “25mm Micro Four Thirds“. The rest of the page still contains the info from the older four Thirds lens.

P.S.: You can help me to find some info by using google to find leaks about the lens. Drop me a line if you find something! Thanks!

P.P.S.: Fuji X100 preorders are back at Amazon (Click here).

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

And gone are the hopes that the GF3 might uses the same new [shoplink 22077]G3[/shoplink] sensor. The GF3 will use a 12 Megapixel sensors which looks likes to be the same as the one used for the [shoplink 17361]GF2[/shoplink]. The specs are the same as the GF2 (same video quality). So the GF3 is only about size reduction and nothing else.
The other news is that the new Leica 25mm and the GF3 will be announced at 7am London time on Monday. As usual I will be here to give you all the links to previews, reviews, videos and other stuff like that. As usual help is appreciated! If you find some link or something I missed drop me a line at 43rumors@gmail.com! Thanks!

Panasonic G3 preorder search links to [shopcountry 22077].
Panasonic G2 specs at [shopcountry 17361].