Sometimes sources do send me info about camera prototypes and future technologies. As you can imagine it is very difficult to check if those info are correct or not.
Last week a new Olympus patent (Click here to read the article) confirmed that one of our source were right when he told me that Olympus had a prototype camera with semi-transparent mirror. The same sources also gave us a list of other technologies Olympus is working on:

– Sensor Shift with Rotation
– Larger Multi-Format Sensor (think [shoplink 16254]GH2[/shoplink])
– New Battery Grip with Audio & Video I/O
– Single Shot HDR Capability
– Same Video Ability as [shoplink 14826]GH1[/shoplink]

The most amaizng feature is certainly the “Single Shot HDR Capability“. We already saw a few Olympus patents about this. But as we all know, we are talking about technologies we might see in a few years only!

I am still waiting to get more news about the upcoming Panasonic G3 camera that should be announced in one month. But my sources already gave me some hints about the next Panasonic Micro Four Thirds camera that is going to be announced after the G3! We have no specs yet but the camera will be announced in late August. It will not be a GH camera and not be a new GS model (which we suppose to be the Micro Four Thirds version of the [shoplink 19791 ebay]DMC-L1[/shoplink]). This should be also the last Panasonic m43 camera that will be announced within 2011!

P.S.: The G3 has a new sensor, new design and can take FullHD videos (but not at 24mbit/s like the new [shoplink 16254]GH2[/shoplink]).
Link: DMC-L1 at Amazon and [shoplink 19791 ebay]eBay[/shoplink] Reminder: “FT5” stays for 80-99% reliable info!

UPDATE: Olympus will soon announce three new compact cameras:

SZ-30  24x optical (25-600mm), 1080p movie, Can capture full res photos & video at the same time, Can shoot two videos at the same time
SZ-20  12.5x optical, 1080p Movie, 460k screen, 9FPS Continual shooting
TG-810 Crushproof, Waterproof, Shockproof, GPS & Electronic Compass, 920k dot screen

P.S.: Didn’t know what kind of image to post along this article and I have randomly chosen the [shoplink 19825 ebay]Olympus Pen F[/shoplink].

I just got the price info from two separated sources. The new 25mm f/1.4 Micro Four Thirds lens which is coming from Panasonic will cost around $750-800. That’s a bit less than the price of the Four Thirds Panasonic/Leica 25mm f/1.4 lens ([shoplink 16340 ebay]Click here to see price on eBay)[/shoplink] and in the same price league of the [shoplink 20015]Panasonic 8mm f/3.5 Fisheye[/shoplink] and [shoplink 14794]Panasonic 45mm f/2.8 macro[/shoplink]. The question now is if unlike the 8mm and 45mm lenses the 25mm will become a real bestseller.

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Reminder:
– It has double the size of the [shoplink 14796]20mm f/1.7 pancake[/shoplink] – Unlike the [shoplink 16340 ebay]Four Thirds Panasonic/Leica 25mm f/1.4 lens[/shoplink] it is not Leica branded
– It has no OIS.
– It should be announced late March/early April (but I am not sure about that yet!)

I have no info about the other lenses on the road map (see image on top).
– Bright zoom (this is the new video lens we are waiting for!)
– Bright Wide-Angle

Someone can send me info about those lenses ? :)

Thanks!

Links:
– 25mm f/1.4 Four Thirds lens at [shopcountry 16340].
– 20mm f/1.7 at [shopcountry 14796].
– 8mm fisheye at [shopcountry 20015].
– 45mm f/2.8 at [shopcountry 14794].

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

I receied a rumor from an anonymous source that is not related to any (Micro-)FourThirds product. I thought I should post it because:
1) The person has been so nice to send me the rumor (Thanks!)
2) Because we are talking about a somewhat strange camera and it might be a sign that Fuji will not join the Micro Four Thirds system.
3) It’s fun to read how the source catched the info!

That’s the message:
“I was sitting in a German restaurant yesterday and listened to a conversation of a Japanese guy with a German guy in -broken – English about Fujifilm working on a digital [shoplink 20225 ebay]Fuji TX[/shoplink] / [shoplink 20223 ebay]Hasselblad XPAN[/shoplink] like panorama camera with a larger extra wide sensor and the possibility to switch to normal image ratios. The special point was about a nearly doublewide sensor for improving panorama image quality.
Have you heard something about such a camera already?”

So is Fuji going to make another “special” camera after the [shoplink 19929]Fuji X100[/shoplink]?
This is the second “restarant-rumor” I got in 2 years of 43rumors. The first one was about the [shoplink 16885]Olympus E-P1[/shoplink] having video…..and it was correct! So if you ask me that’s FT5! :)

Links:
[shoplink 20225 ebay]Fuji TX on eBay[/shoplink] [shoplink 20223 ebay]Hasselblad XPAN on eBay[/shoplink]

UPDATE: We got many confirmations that there will be an Olympus announcement on March 2th. That’s why we upgraded the rumor from “FT3” to “FT5”. They also confirmed that there will be no new Micro Four Thirds product but just some kind of new compact cameras.

If you know something more about the announcement or can deny/confirm it feel free to drop us an anonymous message using the contact form on the right sidebar. 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

There are tons of new reviews! So take a break from what you are doing right now because this is going to be very long reading!

DCresource just posted the full Olympus E-PL2 review: “Even with a few annoyances (mostly minor, or typical for a camera in this class), the Olympus E-PL2 is a well-designed interchangeable lens that’ll appeal to beginners and enthusiasts. It’s packed with easy-to-use features, tons of manual controls, HD movie recording with decent continuous AF, and lots of optional accessories.” There is another E-Pl2 at the japanes (or chinese? or korean) DC.fever website
Check the E-PL2 price and availability at [shopcountry 18844].

Olympus E-5 Review at Digital photography school: “For me, this is an excellent camera for an enthusiast or a semi pro. Fully blown pro photographers will probably turn up their noses at the feature list. But hey! Look at the price.”
Check the E-5 price and availability at [shopcountry 17163].

There is three part Panasonic GF2 review at Hybridcams…in french! (one – two –three)
Check the GF2 price and availability at [shopcountry 17361].

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 : le test (Forum Olympus France).

Olympus 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II M.Zuiko Digital tested at SLRgear: “The Olympus 14-42mm ƒ/3.5-5.6 II M.Zuiko fared very well in our tests, showing that Olympus lens designers have not been idle. The complete redesign of the lens has proven very effective, though if you’ve been happy with your version I lens, you probably don’t need to rush out and get the new version.”
Check the 14-42mm price and availability at [shopcountry 14816].