There have been quite many news i these days and it’s time to highlight the most important aspects of all those Panasonic and Olympus statements. They clearly gave us some “signal” about what to expect in 2012:

1) The PRO market
Olympus: Olympus said that the [shoplink 29074]Olympus E-M5[/shoplink] is NOT a professional camera while the [shoplink 17163]Olympus E-5[/shoplink] is a professional camera. Don’t let’s discuss about when a camera can be defined as professional or not. What matters from a “rumor” point of view is that Olympus many times stated that they want to launch a professional Micro Four Thirds camera. And if they say the E.M5 is not THAT camera than we might can expect a launch of an even more advanced m43 camera by Photokina 2012.
Panasonic: Panasonic used big words and said a very high end model camera is going to be launched soon. Easy to guess that this will be the GH3. I don’t expect any revolution but rather a well thought evolution of the [shoplink 16254]Panasonic GH2[/shoplink]. The GH3 will certainly be weather sealed and probably sue a new global shutter sensor. In the past Panasonic said they want to focus on the electronic viewfinder development and here is on of the areas where we should see a major improvement.

2) The sensors future
Olympus: Olympus marketing is copying Nikon’s strategy. Also Nikon continually states that their new 36 megapixel sensor used for the Nikon D800 (Click here) is made by them although we can be 99% certain it has been factored and also largely developed by Sony. So I am pretty sure the E-M5 uses the same [shoplink 26836]Panasonic GX1[/shoplink] sensor with some Olympus engineered “tweaks”. While I heard that Samsung and Sony offered to make m43 sensors I don’t expect anything really revolutionary coming within 2012.
Panasonic: Panasonic has been very honest in their latest interview. They want to deliver better image quality through offering new high quality lenses rather than promising new miracles on sensor technology.

3) The lenses
Olympus: Olympus said they want to focus on new prime and new affordable lenses.
Panasonic: Panasonic wants to deliver more high quality lenses.

4) More TidBits
Both companies are committed to the Micro Four Thirds standard and have no plan to offer a new system based on larger sensors. And Both companies will keep developing and improving the contrast autofocus technology which they say is more reliable and faster than phase detection.

That’s it! Let me know if you think there is something more I didn’t mention here!

In an interview with Amateur Photographer Ichiro Kitao (director of Panasonic’s digital stills camera business) said “I want Panasonic to be known for very high-quality cameras, and we are currently restructuring the range of products that we offer to include a very high end model“. Easy to guess that he is talking about the GH3. He confirms that they will NOT change the sensor size as m43 offers enough space for good resolution and is only less than one stop behing the APS-C competition (…so he says).

Back in late 2011 we reported how Panasonic had no plans to enter the “professional market” with a larger sensor system: “to use a larger sensor means we’d have to compromise on the size of our lenses, and thus the size of our system. MFT cameras need to be smaller“. Editor’s note: Make no mistake, you are not more or less professional by using smaller or larger sensors :)

He said that “some” of the APS-C competition (I guess he means Sony) do offer very small bodies that have optical problems in the corners of the images. Panasonic is now focusing on improving the optical quality. the best prime lenses will continue to be branded with the Leica name and the best zooms will be branded with the new “X” mark. Panasonic will not extend the range of m43 cameras but “We will define more clearly what GH and GX means this year, so consumers have a better idea of what their characteristics are“. Panasonic also believes contrast AF and not phase autofocus is the future.

That’s it….some thoughts?