The patented Konica-Minolta 43mm f/1.4 lens design.

Egami spotted a patent with a surprising content! Konica Minolta patented the design of a 43mm f/1.4 Micro Four Thirds lens! The patent has been filled in 2011. Right now Konica-Minolta is not part of the (Micro-) Four Thirds group but this could change soon. Konica and Minolta have a long history of lens design for rangefinder cameras. Konica designed the [shoplink 33268 ebay]Hexanon M-mount Lens series (here on eBay)[/shoplink]. That includes the superb [shoplink 33269 ebay]Hexanon 50mm f/1.2 (here on eBay)[/shoplink]. Minolta made the famous [shoplink 33270 ebay]Rokkor M-mount lens series (here on eBay)[/shoplink]. That includes for example the [shoplink 33271 ebay]40mm f/2.0 pancake (here on eBay)[/shoplink].

This is just to say that Konica-Minolta would add a very high value to the whole Micro Four Thirds system! So let’s hope this is one of those few patents that will make it into…reality :)

Here are the images of the 40mm lens (left) and 50mm Hexanon (right):

[shoplink 23567][/shoplink]
Image on top: The current [shoplink 23567]Olympus E-PL3[/shoplink].

As you already know the new E-PL5 (and E-PM3) will have the same [shoplink 29074]Olympus E-M5[/shoplink] sensor. A source shared some more E-PL5 info. The camera plus 14-42mm kit lens will be priced at around 599 Euro/Dollars which is exactly the price of the current [shoplink 23567]Olympus E-PL3 (Click here to check)[/shoplink]. The source also “heard” that there will be a “large kit” version and it’s easy to guess that this will include the soon to come 15mm f/8.0 lens too! The major changes on the E-PL5 are the new sensor and a better ergonomy.

For my European colluegues: If you don’t care about getting the latest stuff and want to save some money there is a new bunch of refurbished PEN cameras at [shoplink 22691 ebay]Olympusmarket[/shoplink]. This includes for example:
[shoplink 33244 ebay]Olympus E-P3 with lens (CLick here to see the auction)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 33246 ebay]Olympus E-PL3 with lens (CLick here to see the auction)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 33245 ebay]Olympus E-PM1 with lens (CLick here to see the auction)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 33247 ebay]Olympus E-P2 with lens (CLick here to see the auction)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 33248 ebay]Olympus E-PL2 with lens (CLick here to see the auction)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 33249 ebay]Olympus E-PL1 with lens (CLick here to see the auction)[/shoplink].

P.S.: The E-PL1 is used by my friend Elena to tell you stories about the greek life (greekdiaries.com).
—

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

Image courtesy by the mysterious “nanoloop” :)

An anonymous source sent me this pic of what he claims to be the back of the new Olympus 15mm f/8.0 lens. As I told you before this is not a pinhole lens like the [shoplink 32795 ebay]SLRmagic m43 pinhole (here)[/shoplink]). This has  three lenses inside (you see them on the picture). Right now the smallest m43 lens is the [shoplink 16258]Panasonic 14mm[/shoplink] that is 2.06 cm thick and weights 55g. The “Plastic” and “supercheap” 15mm f/8.0 lens will be announced along the new PEN cameras. I am not sure yet but I think it will be part of the kit lens on the new E-PM3 and E-PL5. These are the specs:

Focal lenght: 15 mm (equivalent to 30 mm on a 35 mm camera) :
Aperture: F8 fixed
Dimensions :Max.dia.Ø56(2.2in.)× length 9 (0.4 in.) mm
Design: 3 groups, 3 lenses
Focus: 0.30 m (11.8 in.) to infinite. Manual Focusing (Three settings)
Weight: 22 g (0.8 oz.)

UPDATE: One more picture:

P.S: Similar in size is the famous [shoplink 32796 ebay]Leica Perara Triplet (you can find some of them here on eBay)[/shoplink].

—
Something else: My friend Elena posted E-PL1 Pictures from a ‘panigiri’ (greekdiaries).