43 Rumors – Page 2010 – Panasonic and Olympus Digital Camera News

Continually updated: Panasonic G3 announced! Preorders available now!

May 12, 2011
news
95 Comments

This post gets continually updated. Latest addition are on top of each categories. UPDATE: preorders now available!

Links to preorders

Preorder the black,white, red or brown G3 at Amazon US (Click here)
Now preorders in Europe too! At Amazon UK (Click here).
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 14-42mm Lens Kit at Bhphoto (Click here)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 Camera Body at Bhphoto (Click here)

Reviews and Previews

First look at Amateur Photographer.
Full review at Techradar: “Panasonic appears to have a winner on its hands. The Panasonic G3 manages to combine the best elements of the G2 and GF2 and as a result is a camera that is likely to find favour with many enthusiasts, especially those who like street and reportage photography.”
Systemkameraforum.de G3 test (You need to be a registered member)
First Impressions Review at ePhotozine.
Hands-on preview at Dpreview.
HOT! Full G3 review at Photographyblog. And the camera earns 5 of 5 stars!!! It’s an “essential” camera: “The Lumix DMC-G3 is the most well-rounded Panasonic compact system camera to date”
HOT! Interview with Panasonic at Photographyblog (Nice job Photographyblog!). Panasonic confirms they will launch the m43 version of the [shoplink 16340 ebay]Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 Four Thirds lens (Click here to see that on eBay)[/shoplink]. And there is a small surprise, it will be Leica branded!
G3 unboxing (Photographyblog)
G3 size comparison (Photographyblog)

Image and video samples

Test images at Imaging Resource.
Image samples on Flickr (taken with beta firmware).
Panasonic G3 presentation from Panasonic Uk on youtube.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 hands-on and interviews at London 2012 HQ on youtube.
Panasonic DMC G3 first look from PhotoRadar on youtube.
Another G3 presentation video (italian) on youtube.
Stuio scene comparison at Dpreview.
Samples gallery at Dpreview.
ISO test at Focus Numerique
First video sample on youtube

Official press release

Le monde de la photo.
Engadget
Amateur Photographer
Photoscala.de
DSLRmagazine
Quesabesde
Fotointern.ch
Focus Numerique
Photographyblog
Hybridcams

Hot new features of the G3

16.3Mp Compact System Camera
3.0″ Free Angle Touch Enabled LCD
Micro Four Thirds 14-42mm Zoom Lens
Electronic Eye-Level Viewfinder
Multiple Lens Options Including 3D Still
Intelligent Auto Plus

Poll

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(FT5) Panasonic confirms the Leica branded 25mm f/1.4

May 12, 2011
Rumors
32 Comments

Photographyblog posted a very long and very interesting Interview with Panasonic (Click here). And Panasonic confirmed the 25mm f/1.4 lens is coming, but there is a surprise. It will be Leica branded!!! So we will finally have an exact m43 version of the current [shoplink 16340 ebay]Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 Four Thirds lens (Click here to see that on eBay)[/shoplink]!

“Question: And there’s a new lens to go with the G3 isn’t there?

JM: “Yes, here’s the first working sample of the 25mm f/1.4; really eagerly anticipated and not planned for launch until the second half of this year. It will be Leica approved and branded. For those looking for more affordable alternatives of course Sigma has recently announced that it’s going to start making Micro Four Thirds lenses. We’ve got a large following of consumers who are going to be looking for that affordability, and also the enthusiasts who want everything to be the highest quality. The factory is committed to three to four lenses every year so this won’t be the only product we’ll be showing you this year.”

(FT5) Pictures of the G3 on Bhphoto!

May 12, 2011
Rumors
8 Comments

Click here:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 14-42mm Lens Kit at Bhphoto (Click here)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 Camera Body at Bhphoto (Click here)

Product Highlights

16.3Mp Compact System Camera
3.0″ Free Angle Touch Enabled LCD
Micro Four Thirds 14-42mm Zoom Lens
Optical Image Stabilization
Electronic Eye-Level Viewfinder
Multiple Lens Options Including 3D Still
Intelligent Auto Plus

Dimensions	3.29 x 4.54 x 1.84″ / 8.3 x 11.5 x 4.6cm
Weight	11.84 oz / 335.6g

Surprise: Panasonic announces a 14 Megapixel sensor!!!

May 12, 2011
Rumors
15 Comments

Right before the G3 announcement Panasonic announced a new 14 Megapixel sensor that will be sold in December 2011!!!

PRESS RELEASE:

“Current high-sensitivity MOS image sensors suppress unevenness in brightness. CCDs have low color-mixing characteristics that suppress color unevenness. The rapidly expanding market for digital cameras with higher image quality and a slimmer body has resulted in greater demand for a stable supply of image sensors that offer both high sensitivity and uniform picture quality.

Panasonic has achieved both MOS image sensor’s high sensitivity and uniform picture quality using the new MOS image sensor technologies, enabling digital cameras and camcorders as well as cameras incorporated in smartphones and other mobile terminals to be slimmer with higher sensitivity and improved picture quality.

The new MOS image sensor has the following features:

-The fine process technologies provide a sensitivity of 3050 el/lx/sec/μm2, the industry’s highest as a MOS image sensor.
-The new light-focusing structure significantly expands the incident light angle, ensuring uniform and high picture quality, as well as produces a slimmer camera.
-The simple manufacturing process is based on the current MOS image sensor structure, ensuring a stable supply.

The new MOS image sensor has been created using the following Panasonic technologies:
-The 32 and 45 nm (nanometers) leading-edge semiconductor process technologies lower the wiring layer profile, expand the opening area, and increase the photo diode volume.
-The low color-mixing characteristics are enhanced by light-focusing structure design technologies that use a three-dimensional wave optics design to minimize light leakage at the structural boundaries.
-Image sensor mass-production technologies allow stable production of MOS image sensors with high picture-quality.”

One hour and 20minutes to go!

May 12, 2011
Rumors
15 Comments

Good morning dear readers (or Good Night in US and Good Afternoon in Asia). It’s 6:38 am (London time) and I am now here to follow the G3 announcement. I will take 10 minutes of to drink a capuccino and a to eat a cornetto.

The G3 looks like a GF2 with a viewfinder in the middle. It’s actually a pretty nice camera and the price is also very good…in dollars. I hope Panasonic will not cheat us europeans by keeping a 1:1 ratio between dollars and euros :(

The most interesting aspect of the camera is the new sensor. I am very curious to see the first image samples! So stay tuned, at 8:00 am (London time) we will finally see the camera!

See you :)

G3 will be in Stock in July (+US deals summary)

May 11, 2011
deals, Rumors
9 Comments

The Panasonic G3 should start thw worldwide shipment in July. Let’s see if Panasonic can keep the “promise”. In US the GH2 is still out of Stock. Amazon US (Click here) says that it “Usually ships in 1 to 2 months“!

I am now going to bed but I will check for news every couple of hours. Reminder, the G3 will be announced on 8 am London time. So be sure to be here on 43rumors! Good night!

Here is the summary of the current US deals:
The G2 gets a discount at Adorama (Click here) and so the Olympus E-PL1 at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), B&H (Click here) and the GH1 at Amazon (Click here) and Adorma (Click here).
The Olympus 14-150mm lens sells for $50o instead of $599 on Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), B&H (Click here).
Olympus 9-18mm lens for $599 at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), B&H (Click here).

(FT5) Panasonic G3 leaked!

May 11, 2011
Rumors
90 Comments

The new Panasonic G3 is going to be announced tomorrow (May 12) at 8:00 am London time. And here is the first picture! The new G3 is 25% smaller than the current [shoplink 14834 ebay]Panasonic G2 (Click here to see that camera[/shoplink]). It features a new 15.8 Megapixel sensor but unlike the [shoplink 16254]GH2 sensor[/shoplink] it is not a multiaspect sensor. It records in FullHD, has the same ultra fast autofocus of the GH2 and goes up to 6400 ISO. It takes pictures at 4 fps (frame per second) and has a 3 inch articulating LCD. The G3 is a much more touch oriented camera than the G2. The left dial is gone, the Q-button moved on the trash button (just an example on how Panasonic tried to remove as much button as possible). The G3 will be priced at $649 with kit lens. One of the biggest changes is the design. It has a bit of [shoplink 19190 ebay]Samsung NX10[/shoplink] touch what do you think? It has the “G” mark only and not “G3″…interesting.

And that’s not all guys! In June Panasonic will announce the real hot stuff so stay tuned on 43rumors! But do not cross the finger for a Micro Four Thirds version of the [shoplink 21906 ebay]LC1 (Click here ot see that camera on eBay)[/shoplink]. That’s the only 100% sure thing I know for sure about the June announcement.

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