First GF3 kit discontinued (US deals reminder)

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Panasonic US is clearing their GF3 stocks and the Brown kit has now been discontinued. For that price the GF3 is a nice deal unless you really need the minor upgrades the newer GF5 has to offer.

And here are the updated Panasonic US deals. Of course we non US readers can buy from those stores but you have to pay import taxes on any product. BHphoto has a nice calculator for that. If you find prices like that in Europe or Asia drop me a message at 43rumors@gmail.com. Thanks!

Panasonic camera rebateslist at BHphoto. Panasonic lens rebate page at BHphoto.
1) The 3D lens is in Stock for $49 only at BHphoto and for $67 at Amazon.
2) Panasonic GF3 with 14mm lens for $369 in White at Amazon and BHphoto.
3) Panasonic 14-140mm for $499 at Amazon and BHphoto.
4) The Panasonic 45-175mm X lens is now in Stock for $299 at BHphoto. For $282 at Samys.
5) The 14-42mm normal lens (not X!) is in Stock for $99 at Amazon and BHphoto.
6) The 14-42mm X lens is in Stock for $328 at Amazon.
7) The Panasonic 45-200mm lens sells for $199 at Samys.
8 ) The Black GX1 with X kit lens is in Stock for $739 at Amazon and BHphoto and $619 with the 14-42mm lens at Amazon and BHphoto.
9) Panasonic GF3 lens with 14mm pancake for $379 at Amazon.
10) GH2 body for $749 at Amazon. GH2 with 14-42mm lens is in Stock for $799 at Amazon. GH2 with 14-140mm lens for $1,179 at Amazon.

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New Panasonic 12-35mm X lens review (and new UK preorders)

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The German reviewers of Digitalkamera (Click here for the translation) tested the new 12-35mm X lens. They say that they never had such a small f/2.8 zoom in their own hands. The build quality is top of the notch. It has a violet color because Panasonic decided to mark preproduction lenses in that way. The Autofocus is “rasend schnell” which means it’s super fast. They sharpness test shows that center and border resolution are practically always on a high level at any aperture. Vignetting is only slightly visible at f/2.8 aperture and almost negligible distortion. Overall a superb lens!

I am now wondering how Olympus will respond to that lens. Will they offer a faster zoom? That is something Olympus can do and no other company managed to do with the [shoplink 25320 ebay]14-35mm f/2.0 (here on eBay)[/shoplink] and the [shoplink 25119 ebay]35-100mm f/2.0 (here on eBay)[/shoplink] Zuiko lenses….or at least I don’t know of any other fats zoom like these!

The Panasonic 12-35mm X lens can be preordered at Amazon (Click here), BHphoto (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Panasonic store (Click here), Amazon Japan (Click here), Digitalrev (Click here), Amazon UK (Click here) and [shoplink 31399 ebay]eBay (via Japan reseller)[/shoplink].

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Cameralabs: E-M5 sensor size is different from the GX1 size?

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CameraLabs posted the Olympus E-M5 vs Panasonic GX1 RAW noise comparison. While doing the test CamerLabs discovered something interesting: “But when framing and later analysing images from both cameras, it became obvious the E-M5 was capturing a fractionally smaller field of view to the GX1, suggesting a fractionally smaller sensor (…) The actual difference in field of view is sufficiently small not to have any significant impact on quality or coverage, but it does reinforce Olympus’ claim that the E-M5 uses a new sensor. Or at least uses it in a different way to preceding models from Panasonic.”

From a pure photographic point of view that question ins’t important. It would just have been interesting to know why Olympus is making a hype around the sensor by simply not disclosing the manufatcorer. Anyway, speaking of good photographic articles. As suggested by our reader “Dummy” (Thanks!) you have to read this: “Show Me Photographs, Not Gear: How to Improve Photography Without Upgrading Gear” by Robin Wong.

—
E-M5 shop search links at [shopcountry 29074].
GX1 shop search links at [shopcountry 26836].

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Panasonic GX1 review (first 12-35mm cheater price and full Panasonic US deal roundup).

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[shoplink 26836][/shoplink] Reghardware posted the full GX1 review: “Its superb build quality and ergonomics are matched with speedy performance and excellent image quality. It’s a little unnecessarily complicated to use and could do with a few more operational hints from the screen, but put in a little time with the manual and you’ll reap great rewards.” The GX1 like many other cameras and lenses got a huge discount thanks to the just launched Panasonic US June rebates. Something we Europeans cannot enjoy :(

First let’s say that the price “cheater battle” on eBay just started! The just announced 12-35mm Panasonic X lens is available for $1751 on [shoplink 31399 ebay]eBay (via Japan reseller)[/shoplink]. As usual Asian resellers will be the first to ship you the lens but it’s quite an extra you have to pay for it!!!

And now let’s see the opposite of a bad deal :) Take a look at the nice overview of all Panasonic camera rebates can be seen at BHphoto. And another Panasonic lens rebate page is also at BHphoto. I updated the list I posted yesterday including the new entries and the Olympus E-PL1:
1) Olympus E-PL1 for $251 at Amazon.
2) Panasonic 14mm pancake for $260 at Amazon.
3) The 3D lens is in Stock for $49 only at BHphoto and for $67 at Amazon.
4) Panasonic GF3 with 14mm lens for $369 in Brown at BHphoto and in White at Amazon and BHphoto.
5) Panasonic 14-140mm for $499 at Amazon and BHphoto.
6) The Panasonic 45-175mm X lens is now in Stock for $299 at BHphoto. For $282 at Samys.
7) The 14-42mm normal lens (not X!) is in Stock for $99 at Amazon and BHphoto.
8.) The 14-42mm X lens is in Stock for $328 at Amazon.
9) The Panasonic 45-200mm lens sells for $199 at Samys.
10) The Black GX1 with X kit lens is in Stock for $739 at Amazon and BHphoto and $619 with the 14-42mm lens at Amazon and BHphoto.
11) Panasonic GF3 lens with 14mm pancake for $379 at Amazon.
12) GH2 body for $749 at Amazon. GH2 with 14-42mm lens is in Stock for $799 at Amazon. GH2 with 14-140mm lens for $1,179 at Amazon.

 

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(FT5) It’s not all! More Olympus/Panasonic product releases in June/July

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We just had that Panasonic 12-35mm zoom and the Olympus 75mm 1.8 portrait lens announcements but it’s not going to end here. According to our sources there will be new Olympus/Panasonic announcements in June/July. But it could also be that those will have to do with the new compact camera introductions only (like the [shoplink 19904 ebay]XZ-1[/shoplink] successor). The Panasonic 35-100mm X lens and the GH3 are going to be announced in late August/early September so maybe Panasonic will announce the LX6 (or LX7) and the G5 in July?

Regarding Olympus, don’t know when the 60mm macro is coming and I don’t know if Olympus will launch a Four Thirds camera too. As you know Damian McGillyCuddy wrote “The new stuff I am playing with is even better than the E-5” but I really haven’t heard anything about a new FT camera! I hope to get some info about it soon. If you have some rumor to share contact me at 43rumors@gmail.com or send me an anonymous message by sing the contact form on the right sidebar. Thanks!

Preorders:
The Olympus 75mm lens can be preordered at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here). And Adorama has also the accessories: Olympus LH-61F, Metal Lens Hood (Click here) and the Olympus LC-61, Metal Front Lens Cap (Click here).
The Panasonic 12-35mm X lens can be preordered at Amazon (Click here), BHphoto (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Panasonic store (Click here), Amazon Japan (Click here) and Digitalrev (Click here).

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Full Nokton 17.5mm review at DSLRmagazine.

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The Nokton 17.5mm f/0.95 is one of the nicest Micro Four Thirds lenses and it just got reviewed by the Spanish DSLRmagazine (Click here for the google translation). The reviewer Valentin Sama is impressed by the lens quality. Already at full f/0.95 aperture the resolution is very good. You get the highest resolution at f/5.6. The lens has no weakness, it means center and border resolution are on high level at all apertures. A weakness may be the high vignetting at full aperture which is not surprising for such a fats lens. Vignetting almost disappears from f/2.0 upwards. Distortion is negligible if the subject is distant from the camera. Closer you get to the subject more distortion you will see. There is little CA (Chromatic Aberration) and little Astigmatism. In sumamry it’s a pretty soldi lens that is even better than the (alreayd good) [shoplink 15659 ebay]Voigtländer Nokton 25mm f/0.95[/shoplink].

I think Voigtländer deserves a lot of praise for the two lenses they made for the m43 system! it’s really not easy to find lenses like this (with a high quality and decent price) in any other system (DSLR or Mirrorless)!

So, where to find the 17.5mm lens in Stock? First look at [shoplink 30452 ebay]eBay (Click hee to see all acutions)[/shoplink]. You can find plenty of stores selling the lens. Also BHphoto (Click here) has it in Stock (from June 1st).

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Olympus to cut 2,500 jobs?

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Like so many other Japanese companies also Olympus may have to cut jobs in order to save on costs. Reuters reports that “The job losses, equal to about 7 percent of its total workforce, will come mainly from Olympus’s loss-making camera business and by consolidating its overseas plants, the Nikkei business daily said. They would be revealed on June 8, it added. Sony and Panasonic are the leading contenders to pump fresh equity in Olympus, the Asahi newspaper said, adding that the successful”

There were so many rumors about possible partnerships that we really have to be careful with those kind of news. I for sure hope it will not become true. I Cross the fingers for all Olympus employees!

 

P.S.: Not all companies are facing hard times. Fuji is doing well and I posted about that on MirrorlessRumors.

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