USA&Canada: Buy E-M5 and save up to $450 on lenses (And Los Angeles Time E-M5 article)

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Image courtesy: DSLRmagazine.

USA and Canadian readers can enjoy the next new Olympus deal. If you buy the E-M5 you can save $150 on every m43 lens you buy with it. You can buy up to three lenses and save $450 in total! To download the pdf go on Amazon (Click here) and than click on “get forms” and than when the pop up opens click on “Olympus Rebate Form” to download the pdf. A link to the E-M5 at Amazon is here. You can do the same on BHphoto (Click here) but there seems to be an issue when you try to download the pdf.

Meantime the Los Angeles Time published an article about the E-M5: “The Olympus OM-D E-5 with its retro look, is a great choice for someone moving up from a compact point-and-shoot who wants the feel of a full-size DSLR, but doesn’t want the size or weight. ”

DSLRmagazine (Translation here) compared the camera with the Samsung NX20. Samsung the giant against Olympus the traditional small photo company. On paper an unfair comparison…

More E-M5 bits: Olympus OMD EM5 M for mount street photography (TheF8blog). E-M5 pics from Frank Rückert (mind the horizontal scroll-bar). Olympus E-M5 first impressions at Shotslot.

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E-M5 preorder links:
Amazon, Adorama, B&H, Jessops, Amazon UK, Amazon Germany, Amazon France, Amazon Japan and Digitalrev.

E-M5 Case:
There is the official [shoplink 31898 ebay]CS-36FBC Olympus case[/shoplink]. A [shoplink 31899 ebay]leather half case from Hong Kong[/shoplink]. A full [shoplink 31900 ebay]leather case with strap from Cina[/shoplink]. Than we have half cases from two well known producers, [shoplink 31901 ebay]Zelenpol[/shoplink], [shoplink 31906 ebay]Kaza[/shoplink] and [shoplink 31902 ebay]Gariz[/shoplink].

E-M5 Batteries, and other things:
The [shoplink 31905 ebay]Olympus GS-4 strap[/shoplink] and the [shoplink 31903 ebay]DSTE E-M5 batteries[/shoplink] you have to use with an extra charger. There is an [shoplink 31903 ebay]E-M5 car charger[/shoplink] a [shoplink 31908 ebay]new E-M5 LCD screen[/shoplink] and a [shoplink 31909 ebay]Front Cover+ Top Panel[/shoplink].

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One month to go. Rumor roundup!

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New week starts and new rumors are (hopefully) coming. But before to post them here is a short roundup of all the stuff that is “rumored” to be shown at Photokina in mid September. One month to go guys! As usual keep in mind that those are rumors and not facts (for now):

Panasonic GH3
FT5: 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, external battery grip.

Panasonic GX2
FT3: Panasonic GX2 in November.

Panasonic 3-4 lenses
FT5: 35-100mm X lens and a Telephoto prime lens
FT3: Wide angle zoom (maybe a 7-28mm)
FT3: Another lens with unknown specs.

Olympus E-PM5 and E-PL5
FT5: E-PM5 (or E-PM3) and E-PL5 coming
FT3: E-PL5 with built in EVF

Olympus professional OMD
FT3: Coming a couple of months after…not at Photokina!

Olympus 2-3 lenses:
FT5: Cheap prime lens (not the 25mm lens!) and the 60mm macro.
FT3: 12-60mm zoom
FT3: 25mm macro (f/1.8)

Olympus XZ-2:
FT5: Coming in September.

Olympus E-7:
FT3: Small updates with same E-M5 sensor.

Sigma lenses:
FT5: New lenses specifically designed for m43.

 

I hope the real list will look even better than this one :)

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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

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14-42mm X lens review at Photozone (and lots of other new lens reviews)

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Image courtesy: Photozone.

I have plenty of new Micro Four Thirds lens review to show you today :)

Panasonic 14-42mm X:
Sebastian Milczanowski from Photozone (Click here) tested the 14-42mm X pancake zoom: “surprisingly compact albeit not superb kit zoom lens as some might have hoped from its “X” designation. Size- and weight-wise it is hard to beat so if you are looking for an ultra-compact standard zoom solution – well … this is it. The price is also alright considering the whole package.”
At the moment of posting this four X pancakes are for sale at $259 at Amazon (Click here). For that price this lens is a must go. I like the lens because of the compactness. If I really need top image quality than I will go for the lens below:

Panasonic 12-35mm X:
That this lens is good we already know. But if you still need to hear more nice words here is the 12-35mm X lens part five review at Soundimagesplus, the full review at Frugalfilmmakers and at Steve Huff.
In Stock and price check by clicking those links: [shopcountry 31225].

Olmypus 75mm:
The 75mm lens is still available in Asia only although some stores (like BHphoto) already shipped the first preorders. Here are the links to two “Asian” tests at Nikkei and at DCfever.
In Stock and price check by clicking those links: [shopcountry 31284].

Tokina 300mm and Panasonic 45-150mm:
Not a mainstream lens but it’s nice to have Tokina as partner of the m43 group with the new 300mm lens. It has now been tested at Camerastuffreview. One more small news: Panasonic Lumix Vario 45-150mm Sample Photos at ePhotozine.

 

That’s it!

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eBay madness! E-M5 for 10.000 Euro and Rodenstock 1.0 for m43. GF1 and L1.

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[shoplink 32718 ebay][/shoplink]

Sometimes readers send me some link to eBay crazy auctions. here are two of them:

1) Jjeing modified the Rodenstock Heligon 50mm f/1.0 you see here on top to make it fit without adapter on your Micro Four Thirds camera. Price? $549 ([shoplink 32718 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]).

2) We all like the E-m5 but for 10.000 Euro I would buy a Leica instead :) ….[shoplink 32720 ebay]Click here to see the crazy auction[/shoplink]!

3) The glorious GF1 camera can still be bought in new condition. But you still have to pay over $1000 for it! [shoplink 32722 ebay]Click here to see the auction[/shoplink]!

4) The absolute speed winner is that Leitz f/0.75(!) lens…[shoplink 32724 ebay]Click here to see the auction price[/shoplink].

5) Sooner or later Panasonic will have to make a m43 version of the L1 camera. You can still find them in almost new condition: [shoplink 32726 ebay]Click here to see the auction price[/shoplink].

…

remidner: Intelligent eBay search for m43 stuff at mirrorless-deals.com.

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Olympus Q1 report: compact camera market shrinks. Mirrorless sales doing well.

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Screenshot of the Imaging Business Q1 sales (Click on it to enlarge the image).

Olympus released the latest Quarter Financial results report. You can download it here: http://www.olympus-global.com/en/corc/ir/brief/pdf/n120809aE_n.pdf.

It’s not a surprise that the overall results are very negative. While the medical business is still growing all other divisions are reporting losses. The Imaging Division sold less cameras mainly because of the shrinking compact camera market. The good news is that Micro Four Thirds sales increased thanks to the [shoplink 29074]Olympus E-M5[/shoplink]! Results would have been even better if the Silver kits would have been available earlier (only now in Stock at [shopcountry 29074] for example).

For the next Quarter Olympus forecast sees a return to profit. Let’s hope this is true. Below one more interesting screenshot about the digital camera world wide market:

I would say Olympus has to reduce the number of compact camera models and focus on very specific markets. The Sony RX100 is a good example of what could work (it is on top of the Amazon rankings). And than focus on Mirrorless of course…

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Panasonic weatherproof SD cards for the GH3! Silver body in Stock via amazon itself.

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Before to start…for US readers:
First time ever Amazon itself has the Silver E-M5 in Stock (Click here). And it’s quickly climbing the mirrorless rankings (see here).

Back to the Panasonic news:
One of the few things we know for sure about the upcoming GH3 is that it is weather sealed. And so it may not be casual that Panasonic announced super resistant SD cards. As Engadget reports ironically the cards are soo good that they will probably outlast the photographers life too :)

“It resits at temperatures from -13F to 185F, immersion in 3.3 feet of water for half an hour . The cards are also built to survive zaps of electricity, proximity to magnets and exposure to X-rays. If it all becomes too much to bear, the design will even fuse on the inside to prevent fire burning the card from within”

Sounds perfect for our next GH3 or not?

Source: Panasonic Japan.

And here is a rumor roundup about the GH3:
FT5: 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, external battery grip.

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(FT3) Panasonic GX2 coming in mid November?

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In a bit surprising move Panasonic could announce the “GH3 only” at Photokina and according to one source the GX2 may be scheduled for a mid November release. I have no info about the new GX2 features yet. Recent Panasonic patents disclosed that image of a compact m43 body with integrated viewfinder (de facto like the long rumored Micro Four Thirds version of the[shoplink 23692 ebay]Lumix DMC-L1 camera[/shoplink]). The same patent described the camera having an in body sensor stabilization too. But as usual with patents they may are just here to protect a technology and not to release a real product. Anyway, the good news is that Panasonic engineers are actually thinking on it :)

UPDATE: In an interview made by Amateur Photographer Panasonic itself said that: “We will define more clearly what GH and GX means this year, so consumers have a better idea of what their characteristics are.”

Question to you guys. How should the GX2 be? Message to sources: Please define the release period as official announcement or official availability…Thanks! :)

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The Sony NEX-7 (Click here) and the Fuji X PRO 1 (Click here) are for now the only mirrorless cameras with such a rangefinder styled design.
The [shoplink 23692 ebay]DMC-L1 eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
The [shoplink 26385 ebay]DMC-LC1 on eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

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

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