(FT5) Sources explains why “The GX1 is much better than you think”.

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Fake GX1 designed by our friends from Blog.livedoor

As you know a new Panasonic GX1 camera will be announced on November 8 in Japan. It has not a built-in viewfinder a la [shoplink 25396]NEX-7[/shoplink] and not a brand new sensor (same sensor as the [shoplink 22077 ebay]Panasonic G3[/shoplink]. Two of my top sources had the chance to play with the new Panasonic GX1 camera. After reading your comments on 43rumors they contacted me to say that the camera is actually much better than “your readers do think”.

First: the Panasonic GX1 has a very sexy looking and very high quality body. It’s a camera that feels extremely robust and well in your hands. The quality of the buttons for example is higher than the buttons from the [shoplink 16254 ebay]Panasonic GH2[/shoplink].
Second: Semi-pros that loved the [shoplink 14828]Panasonic GF1[/shoplink] will like the new GX1. It is not a revolution but more a very well thought evolution of the GF1.
Third: The image quality beats every Panasonic camera to date. It has the same G3 sensor but also a new much improved processing engine. One of my soruces said that i his opinion this is the camera with the best image quality to date.

In summary, some of us may be disappointed to know that this is not a [shoplink 25396]NEX-7[/shoplink] competitor with built.in viewfinder. But the sources are pretty sure that you will like the new camera anyway because it’s a real advanced and mature photographic tool.

I should soon get more details about the GX1. Feel free to help em to find rumors on the www. If you get some interesting news drop me a message at 43rumors@gmail.com or use the anonymous contact form on the right sidebar. Thanks! And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook!

P.S.: I asked one of the sources why Panasonic didn’t make a camera with a built-in viewfinder like the [shoplink 26385 ebay]Panasonic LC1 (Click here to see that cam on ebay)[/shoplink]. His opinion is that Panasonic didn’t want to compete against his own [shoplink 22077]Panasonic G3[/shoplink]. If that opinion corrisponds to truth than Panasonic is making a huge mistake (that’s now my personal opinion!).

 

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

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New Olympus E-P3 firmware.

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[shoplink 23568][/shoplink]

Today all current E-P3 owners can upgrade to firmware version 1.1. It will bring following fixes:
1) The issue of the buttons not working when the Monitor (Touch screen) is touched while using the Electronic viewfinder has been resolved.
2) The issue of the AF target not displaying while using the Eye-Fi card has been resolved.

Firmware upgrade instruction: http://www.olympus.co.jp/en/support/imsg/digicamera/download/software/camera/cameraupdate.cfm

The E-P3 is currently in Stock at [shopcountry 23568].

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Photo competition by Olympus UK (and latest Olympus refurbished camera deals).

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Ian Burley from Fourthirds-user.com kindly sent me this:
Dear 43rumors
I want to make sure that you don’t miss out on an opportunity to enter either (or both) the new photo competitions we are currently running in conjunction with Olympus UK and featured on our two Four Thirds and Micro Four Thirds interest sites:.
The first is aimed at Olympus Pen and other Micro Four Thirds camera users using Olympus m.Zuiko lenses.You can find full details here:
http://e-group.uk.net/forum/showthread.php?t=17394
The second is for Olympus E-System DSLR users and other Four Thirds DSLR photographers using Zuiko Digital lenses. Details are here:
http://fourthirds-user.com/2011/10/update_olympus_esystem_fans_this_competition_is_for_you.php
Each competition has a top prize of £500 worth of Olympus camera gear of your choice. But even if you don’t get the big prize, you have a very good chance of receiving a copy of a limited edition photo book that will feature many of the images entered.
The competition closes at the end of the last day of this month, so there is no time to waste!
Good luck!
Ian Burley

And here are the very last refurbished Olympus camera and lens deals europeans can buy at [shoplink 22691 ebay]Olympusmarket[/shoplink]:
[shoplink 26452 ebay]Olympus E-PL1 with double lens kit[/shoplink] [shoplink 26453 ebay]Olympus E-PL1 with kit lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 26454 ebay]Olympus E-450 with kit lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 26455 ebay]Olympus E-PL2 with double lens kit[/shoplink] [shoplink 26456 ebay]Olympus 17mm pancake[/shoplink] [shoplink 26457 ebay]White Olympus XZ-1[/shoplink] [shoplink 26458 ebay]Black Olympus XZ-1[/shoplink] [shoplink 26459 ebay]Olympus E-450 with double lens kit[/shoplink] [shoplink 26460 ebay]Olympus E-PL1 with kit lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 26461 ebay]Olympus E-PL2 with kit lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 26462 ebay]Olympus E-450 with kit lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 26463 ebay]Olympus E-PL1 with kit lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 26464 ebay]Olympus E-PL1 with kit lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 26465 ebay]Olympus E-PL1 with 14-150mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 26467 ebay]Olympus E-PL1 with kit lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 26468 ebay]Olympus E-PL1 with kit lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 26469 ebay]Olympus 14-150mm lens[/shoplink]

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US deals: Panasonic 20mm for $329 (and 45-175mm X lens at Amazon and BHphoto).

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The most requested of all Micro Four Thirds lenses has seen a price drop at Vanns (now $329 Click here) and Amazon ($336 Click here). That price drop made jump the lens on first position at the Amazon mirrorless ranking sales (Click here).

The new X-lenses: The white 45-175mm X lens is in Stock at Amazon (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).The black version is in Stock at BHphoto (Click here) only. The Black 14-42mm X lens is “temporarely out of Stock” at Amazon (Click here). The white 14-42mm X lens is in Stock via Japanese third party resellers on Amazon (Click here). But you have to pay an extra $150 for it.

Hot deal reminder: The Olympus E-P2 body is in Stock for $299 only at Amazon (Click here). That’s definitely one of the best deals I have ever seen.

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Micro Four Thirds versus NEX-7 and Pentax Q.

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When testing “non m43 cameras” many reviewers like to compare it with the mother of all mirrorless systems, Micro Four Thirds :)

Let’s start with Pentaxforums (Click here) that posted an incredibly long and detailed Pentax Q review. They included many comparisons with the [shoplink 23567]Olympus E-PL3[/shoplink]: “The new sensor technology employed in the Q has raised the cap for the image quality possible from a small sensor, but size still matters, and the Q cannot produce the same resolution and low noise as the 8 times larger sensor of our four thirds camera, the Olympus E-PL3. We chose to compare the Q to a four thirds system camera since the price is about the same and this is the closest interchangeable lens competitor in sensor size.

Steve Huff (Click here) wrote a full NEX-7 review and compared the camera with the [shoplink 23568]Olympus E-P3[/shoplink]: “The 7 has a larger APS-C sensor, the E-P3 has a smaller 4/3 sensor. In all fairness the E-P3 is more fun to shoot and provides results that you just can not complain about. It has a cool factor and some serious mojo even with its limitations and I own it and am keeping it. BUT the NEX-7 is more serious with more potential. NEX has to win this if we are taking body to body. Lenses, Oly wins but then again“.

While I am not a big fan of the [shoplink 26437]Pentax Q[/shoplink], I have to admit the [shoplink 25396]NEX-7[/shoplink] looks very promising. Anyway, the limit of the NEX system are the quality, range and size of the lenses and the future NEX lens roadmap isn’t really appealing me. I hope Olympus and Panasonic will soon understand the potential of a camera like the NEX-7! It was on the bestseller list of Amazon US (Click here) for weeks until preorders have been stopped because of the terrible flood in Thailand that stopped the NEX-7 production. The Pentax is quite popular in Japan but not so in the rest of the world.

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Also FBI is investigating the Olympus advisory fee story.

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Sorry to wake you up with another bad news for Olympus. The story is developing very fast and there is a news that will bring more worries for shareholder. Reuters reports that the “U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation is probing the massive advisory fee paid by Japan’s Olympus Corp in its takeover of a British company“.
And what is Olympus response? “Olympus has today denied reports that the fees controversy engulfing the firm could be linked to the criminal underworld (Source: AP).

Wow! Olympus you have to do more than that. Your shareholders are not believing in you anymore! Even today you lost $6,81 of your value (see screenshot on top. Source: Bloomberg.). If the shares keep falling like that an acquisition by others could become likely…

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Olympus 45mm f/1.8 review (and in Stock at BHphoto).

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The Olympus 45mm f/1.8 lens is now in Stock for the first time at BHphoto (Click here). The lens is alreayd in Stock in Europe and Asia at Amazon Germany, France, UK and Japan.

And there is a new lens review at ePhotozine (Click here): “The low price may be a little misleading at first glance, as this lens is a very capable optic. Those looking for a fast aperture prime lens for portraits, photography in low light, or for greater control over depth of field will not be disappointed“.

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