43 Rumors – Page 1990 – Panasonic and Olympus Digital Camera News

GF5 gets a $70 discount. LX5 and XZ-1 deal reminders.

November 5, 2012
deals
12 Comments

The last two months Panasonic was impressively active with deals on the US market. Here is the next one. The GF5 with 14-42mm kit lens now sells for $449 at Amazon (Click here). That’s about $70 less than you pay at BHphoto.

And if you are going to grab the deal than don’t forget that you can save even more when you buy it along another MFT lens:

$50 off the Lumix 14-42mm lens: DMC-GH2, DMC-GX1, DMC-GF5, DMC-G5.
$75 off the Lumix G X Vario PZ 14-42mm lenses: DMC-GH2, DMC-GX1, DMC-GF5, DMC-G5.
$75 off the Lumix G X Vario PZ 45-185mm lenses: DMC-GH2, DMC-GX1, DMC-GF5, DMC-G5.
$100 off the Lumix 100-300mm lens: DMC-GH2, DMC-GX1, DMC-GF5, DMC-G5.
$200 off the H-HS12035 Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm lens: DMC-GH2, DMC-GX1, DMC-GF5, DMC-G5.

UPDATE: The LX5 is available discounted at $249 at BHphoto (Click here). The XZ-1 sells for $199 at Amazon.

A new MFT lens is in Stock for the first time. The Mitakon 35mm f/0.95.

November 5, 2012
news
83 Comments

[shoplink 34694 ebay]

[/shoplink]

I don’t know if you knew it but there is a new Mitakon 35mm f/0.95 Micro Four Thirds lens that is now for sale for the very first time on [shoplink 34694 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]. Actually this lens has been designed to cover even larger APS-C sensors and is available in X and E mount too (Full list of Mitakon lenses on Slidoo eBay).

The only image samples I found where made on the Sony NEX and posted at Xitek Forum (Translation here) and MFlenses. Let me know if you have some image samples ot share!

Panasonic announces the new AG-AF100A!

November 5, 2012
news
30 Comments

AV.Watch (translation here) reports that Panasonic will release the new AG-AF100A on November 15th. New features include 10-bit HD output via SDI port, 18Mps data rate, Full 1080/60p recording, new focus assist and 16bit LPCM audio. This sounds more like a nicely upgraded AG-AF100 rather than a complete new camera. Here is the press release:

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Panasonic Introduces The AG-AF100A Series Micro Four Thirds Camera Recorder Featuring Full HD Progressive Recording And 10 Bit 4:2:2 Camera Live Output Via SDI Terminal

Osaka, Japan (November 5th, 2012) — Panasonic Corporation will release the new AG-AF100A Series Memory Card Camera Recorder in November 2012.

The AG-AF100A Series is the professional HD camera recorder with a Micro Four Thirds mount. As with the conventional model AG-AF100 Series, AG-AF100A Series can use a wide range of lenses* including Micro Four Thirds compatible DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) lenses and Cinema lenses with a mount adapter. AG-AF100A Series also features two-channel XLR audio input terminals and more functions to meet the professional needs.

In addition to the professional high quality PH mode (average approx. 21Mbps, maximum 24Mbps), AG-AF100A Series complies with the AVCHD ver. 2.0 (AVCHD Progressive) standard in its new PS mode (average approx. 25Mbps, maximum 28Mbps) for recording, playing and outputting (via HDMI only) Full-HD progressive (1080/59.94p, 1080/50p) images. The PS/PH modes support uncompressed 16 bit LPCM 2-channel audio recording.

The AG-AF100A Series can newly output HD signals with 10 bit 4:2:2 quality via the camera’s live output function and record onto the external devices, such as P2 Recorder, compatible with 10 bit high quality recording through SDI. P2 Recorder also syncs Rec Start/Stop with the AG-AF100A series trigger.

The AG-AF100A Series is newly equipped with the expand focus assist function, which enlarges the center of the displayed image, and 2.39:1 (cinema scope size) safety zone marker.

The AG-AF100A Series will be available in November 2012 at an open price in Japan.

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Full Olympus 75mm f/1.8 review at ePhotozine.

November 4, 2012
reviews
60 Comments

On left the Olympus lens, on right the [shoplink 31293 ebay]Zeiss Biotar 75mm f/1.5[/shoplink].

ePhotozine posted the full Olympus 75mm f/1.8 review. And it’s not a surprise that this lens gets another big appraisal: “It’s amongst the sharpest lenses currently available for any camera system, it’s well built and a pleasure to use. The price is actually quite good value when such high optical performance is delivered. It can certainly give the Zeiss’ and Leica’s a run for their money.”

The only real downside for them is that it is not weather sealed and that you have to pay extra for the original hood. At least some third party hoods are already made on sold in US ($7 on amazon), US ($32 better quality), [shoplink 34663 ebay]Germany (ebay)[/shoplink] and [shoplink 34664 ebay]Hong Kong (ebay)[/shoplink].

The lens itself can be found at [shopcountry 31284].

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Olympus Lens alternatives (if you don’t care about the missing autofocus and electronic contacts):
1) [shoplink 31292 ebay]Dallmeyer 75mm f/1.9 (Here on eBay)[/shoplink]. This is an extremely expensive lens and I don’t know why it is so. Only crazy guys would buy that :)
2) [shoplink 31293 ebay]Leica Summilux 75mm f/1.4 (Here on eBay)[/shoplink]. Extraordinary high quality lens for an extraordinary price (although it’s still less expensive than the mysterious Dallmeyer). It’s the fastest of all 75mm lenses
3) [shoplink 31293 ebay]Zeiss Biotar 75mm f/1.5 (Here on eBay)[/shoplink]. Fast and also a bit exotic lens made for the Exacta series.
4) [shoplink 31294 ebay]Leica Summarit 75mm f/2.5 (Here on eBay)[/shoplink]. High quality and relatively compact lens. A bit slow compared to the Olympus (f/2.5).
5) [shoplink 31295 ebay]Voigtlander Heliar 75mm f/1.8 (Here on eBay)[/shoplink]. Probably the best alternative of the new Olympus 75mm f/1.8 lens. Same aperture, superb high quality and cheaper.
6) [shoplink 31324 ebay]Fujinon 75mm f/1.8 (Here on eBay)[/shoplink]. This is a very cheap TV lens and I don’t expect the quality to be very good. I wouldn’t buy that unlike your really need that focal length and you have a very low budget.

And a G5/G3 price drop.

November 4, 2012
deals
16 Comments

The G5 kit just got a $100 price drop at Amazon (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here). But the real topsellers are the discounted G3 and GX1 (Click here to see the ranking).

Readers work roundup (alJazeera, hacked GH2, Pakistan…)

November 4, 2012
news
4 Comments

D600 vs OMD comparison at Soundimagesplus.
Four refurbished FT lenses at Oly market: [shoplink 34673 ebay]35-100mm[/shoplink], [shoplink 34674 ebay]50-200mm[/shoplink], [shoplink 34675 ebay]12-60mm[/shoplink], [shoplink 34676 ebay]150mm[/shoplink].

Elena (and her E-PL1) are telling us more about the Greek-Suisse scandal at Greekdiaries.

Gregory: “I’m a regular follower of your blog, which I open each morning before drinking my coffee :), and I was wondering if you could mention mine, which presents my urban photography work in Istanbul – most exclusively taken with a GF1 or E-M5. www.semiocity.com”

Sam: “I just wanted to share some shots from an amazing website/blog I follow: http://www.alpineexposures.com/blogs/chamonix-conditions/6796926-charakusa-valley-pakistan On his last expedition to Pakistan, his 5D MkII died upon arrival. Luckily he brought an OM-D E-M5 as backup. He’s amazed by the quality. I’m into mountaineering myself, where everything has to be as lightweight and small as possible. My GF1 and pancake lenses have proven to be the perfect companion for this type of use.”

Andrew: “shot with a hacked GH2, intravenus apocalypse now patch, shot in 720/60p https://vimeo.com/52519478”

Plochmann: “No rumor, sorry. I just finished a blog about using the GH2 for a videography camera. I compare it to the FS100, its stiff competition, and I also mention things in light of the GH3s immediate release. I haven’t read anything thorough on using the GH2 for event video work, so I thought it would be worth sharing. http://www.production1studio.com/2012/09/29/880/”

Lazar: “noticed that you sometimes show published work taken with Oly cameras. I’m a freelance photojournalist and one of my first stories shot with the OM-D E-M5 (except for the second photo that was taken with a Pentax K-5) is now on Al Jazeera: http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2012/10/20121031112633999227.html”

Atom: “Not a rumour, but good news for the often neglected Australian and Kiwi consumers. Olympus Australia has just announced three promotions for AU and NZ, running from 1 November until end of January.
– 20% rebate of RRP on some of the lenses (I’ll be getting a rebate on the 60mm macro I bought on Thursday)
– bonus 15mm lens cap and leather strap with E-M5 (body or kit)
– bonus 8Gb FlasAIR card with E-PL5 or E-PM2 (tempted to get the E-PL5 as a back-up body now)
Details are at http://www.olympus.com.au/Learn—Explore/Current-Promotions.aspx“

Panasonic 35-100mm X lens review at Lensrentals….

November 3, 2012
reviews
90 Comments

The Panasonic average resolution diagram posted by Lensrentals (please visit the website to see full test)

Roger Cicala from Lensrentals tested the Panasonic 35-100mm X lens: “At 35mm the lens is awesomely sharp; every bit as good as the 12-35 f/2.8 OIS is at 35mm. There was a slightly different story at 100mm, though, where resolution dropped significantly (100mm mtf50 is 86% of what it is at 35mm, hence the article title). This is still good, but it’s not what I was hoping for.”

Sgoldswoblog also posted some new 35-100mm X lens image samples: “On the basis of today’s experience I’m willing to assert both that the 35-100 is sharp but also that it provides shooting opportunities that wouldn’t arise with primes. Clearly the price for that is a limited low light performance and (subjectively) inferior bokeh.”

The Panasonic X lens is certainly a good quality lens but from these early tests it still doens’t 100% match the exceptional Oly FT zooms. In case you don’t care about the big size than you may be interested in getting a refurbished (but faster and super high quality) Olympus 35-100mm f/2.0 lens at [shoplink 34656 ebay]Adorama (Click here)[/shoplink] or here at [shoplink 34657 ebay]Olymarket Europe (Click here)[/shoplink]. A full list of acutions are availebl on Slidoo eBay.

The Panasonic 35-100mm X lens is in Stock at Technikdirekt Germany, Wex UK and preorders are available at Amazon (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here), Panasonic US and eBay (here on Slidoo).