June will be an amazing month! Panasonic and Olympus will announce at least three new cameras and three new lenses. In summary there will be:

– An ultra-small Panasonic GF3. It will be 15% smaller than the current GF2, same G3 sensor.
– The Panasonic-Leica high quality (and high priced?) 25mm f/1.4 auto-focus lens.
– The Olympus PRO E-P3 (with integrated EVF? and new Olympus sensor?).
– The mini PEN (XZ-1 style?).
– The 12mm f/2.0 SHG pro lens (expensive).
– The 50mm f/1.8 portrait lens.

Those are info based on rumors, so there is still room for changes or unexpected additions. But now it’s your turn. Let us know what kind of product you will buy (I included the new Panasonic G3)!

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Stay tuned on 43rumors! It’s really an exciting time now!

[shoplink 21235][/shoplink] Image on top: The current [shoplink 21235 ebay]Olympus Four Thirds 50mm f/2.0 macro[/shoplink] lens.

I know from our trusted sources that Olympus developed two different portrait lens prototypes. A 45mm f/1.7 and a 50mm f/1.8 lens. I am still not sure which one is coming but a new sources contacted me to say that the Olympus 50mm f/1.8 lens will be announced along the E-P3 in late June. The retail price will be $499 (499 Euro). I am also getting some other reports saying that the lens will not be a macro lens like the [shoplink 21235]Four Thirds 50mm f/2.0[/shoplink] or the [shoplink 14794]Panasonic Micro Four Thirds 45mm f/2.8[/shoplink] lens. And it will be very compact. But please keep in mind that those specs and price are from a new source! Take it for what it is, an unconfirmed and yet not reliable rumor! I hope other sources can confirm or deny that rumor soon.
Meanwhile thanks to the anonymous sender for sharing the tip. All 43rumors readers should hope that new source is telling us the truth also because he said the E-P3 will have a built-in Viewfinder :)

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P.S.: Another source told me that the Olympus 12mm f/2.0 SHG (Super High Grade) will be very expensive. He didn’t send me the price but I hope he will send me that info after reading that post :)

Here is a list of current Olympus SHG Four Thirds lenses (all made in Tatsuno):
14-35mm f/2.0 ED ([shoplink 22406 ebay]Click here to see that lens on eBay[/shoplink]).
35-100mm f/2.0 ED ([shoplink 22402 ebay]Click here to see that lens on eBay[/shoplink]).
90-250mm f/2.8 ED ([shoplink 22401 ebay]Click here to see that lens on eBay[/shoplink]).
150mm f/2.0 ED ([shoplink 22404 ebay]Click here to see that lens on eBay[/shoplink]).
300mm f/2.8 ED ([shoplink 22405 ebay]Click here to see that lens on eBay[/shoplink]).

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

[shoplink 14830][/shoplink] Is the new PEN light almost as small as the [shoplink 19904]Olympus XZ-1[/shoplink]?

It’s very hard for me to get a clear picture about the upcoming Olympus products. But after a long work with many sources (Thanks!) I can share some pieces of reliables rumors with you.

(FT4) It’s almost certain that there will be two new PEN cameras in June. A couple of new sources even said there are three new PEN’s coming. But according to two of our known sources that doesn’t sound to be right (or only two of them will be announced in June, and the other model some time after?).

(FT4) One camera will be a very LIGHT Pen. And it sounds like it will be placed BELOW the actual E-PL2!!! It has a completely new design. I don’t know how it will look but I wouldn’t be surprised if it would take the shape and form of the current [shoplink 19904 ebay]Olympus XZ-1[/shoplink]. But that’s my speculation only for now. Hope to learn more about the design soon. I got no specs about that camera from my known sources (new sources said that there will be a new 12 Megapixel sensor).

(FT5) I am almost 98% sure the [shoplink 14830]Olympus E-P2[/shoplink] is going to be replaced by the newer E-P3. It will be announced in late June. My trusted anonymous sources said that this is a “PRO” model. But that’s all I got from them. I hope the word “PRO” defines a camera that it is a step above the actual E-P2. To me the new E-P3 has to be very different from the current E-PL1/2 line otherwise it doesn’t make sense at all! Let’s hope Olympus will not repeat the product reiteration they had the last two years. The big question is: Does it have an integrated viewfinder or not? Will the E-P3 resurrect the old [shoplink 22259 ebay]Olympus SP rangefinder[/shoplink] design? I didn’t get a definitive answer on that until now. If some of my sources knows something than please send me a message using the contact form on the right sidebar. Thanks! :)

I really do hope Olympus will make it right with both new models. An ultrasmall PEN makes sense to me and it will compete against the upcoming GF3. Let’s see if Olympus manages it to keep the in body IS or not. And than let’s also hope the new Olympus E-P3 will be one of those cameras that can hurt the current [shoplink 19929]Fuji X100[/shoplink] hype. that would be something amazing!

P.S.: I got some rumors about the second portrait lens from Olympus. Hope to get some confirmation form other sources too!

Links to cameras discussed in that article:
Olympus E-P2 at [shopcountry 14830].
Olympus E-PL2 at [shopcountry 18844].
Fuji X100 at [shopcountry 19929].
Olympus SP on [shoplink 22259 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

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