You can get the Fuji X100 right now at Amazon US (Click here). In Stock for the normal price $1199!
It is still not in Stock in Europe…Only one European reseller has two Fuji X100 on [shoplink 21826 ebay]eBay UK (Click here)[/shoplink].
P.S:: ISO Test GH2 vs X100 (Dpreview forum)
The Fuji X100 Very First Look (Steve Huff).
Let me make a quick roundup about the news of the most popular camera of the moment, the Fuji X100.
Reghardware (Click here) tested the X100: “In these days of interchangeable lens, electronic viewfinder cameras, what possible appeal can a fixed-lens camera like this hold? Surprisingly, the answer is: quite a lot.”..”Finding a compact that forces you to engage with manual photography is a novelty that doesn’t wear off, and the result is a camera that’s intensely satisfying to use. But at a thousand pounds it’s next to impossible to recommend.”
The Fuji X100 shipment has started in many US stores. I got reports that Amazon (Click here) and Adorama (Click here) were the first to ship. The next stock of X100 cameras will arrive in two weeks. If you are willing to pay more than the normal price than you can find it in Stock right now at Amazon (Click here) via third party resellers.
In Europe shipment hasn’t started yet (Amazon UK still says “temporarily out of stock”). Only one European reseller has two Fuji X100 on [shoplink 21826 ebay]eBay UK (Click here)[/shoplink].
P.S.: Fuji is a member of the Four Thirds coalition but has yet to release any 43 or m43 camera (let’s hope they will join us sooner or later).
Olympus has revised it’s business results forecasts for the fiscal year that ended on March 31. The net sales are 2,1% lower than expected and the net income has fallen by 50%. Olympus said the decline of digital camera sales is caused by intensifying market competition and by the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Yesterday I had a talk with three of my best sources. All do confirm that Olympus and Panasonic will soon go back to 100% full production capability. There are only minor problems with external suppliers that could delay the way back to the “normality”. Olympus and Panasonic plants were not particularly damaged by the Tsunami disaster. They don’t have to face the huge problems Nikon Canon and Sony do have. I don’t want to sound cynical (that’s just a pure marketing and business information) but Olympus and Panasonic could take advantage of the situation because it looks like Canon-Nikon-Sony too will not be able to produce enough cameras to avoid a price increase on their cameras. Is that a chance for Oly and Pana to increase their market share?
P.S.: I expect new product announcements next week by Panasonic and in June by Olympus. So stay tuned!
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If you ever thought a long time ago what would happen if you attach a telescope or a spotting scope to a Digital Camera? Well I can tell you its still been done today and if you got the will to do it then all you need is £150 to start you off! Take for example the [shoplink 16254]Panasonic GH2[/shoplink]. It can be attached to a 75x Telescope for zoom ranges up to 5500mm. Yes thats a huge zoom. Its not the same quality as dedicated zoom lense but if your ok with that then just keep reading. You can buy a starter kit for the Panasonic GH2 with telescope + adaptors and all you need to get you started.If you want to learn more about the use of telescopes on the Panasonic GH2 read the review on Luminous Landscape (Click here). They used the $1600 [shoplink 21816 ebay]Vortex Razor HD[/shoplink] spotting scope.As you can see the image quality s very good. So if you need a lens to spy a bit around like Jeff did in “Rear Window” from Hitchcock you might get one of those lenses ;)
Links to the Vortex Razor lens at Amazon, BHphoto and [shoplink 21816 ebay]eBay[/shoplink] And the links to the GH2 at [shopcountry 16254].
Goyo (Click here) made five new C-mount primes lenses that do cover the whole 4/3 sensor! Those are 12-16-25-35-50mm f/2.0 primes! To bad they don’t have a native m43 mount because otherwise this would be an amazing news. You will need to buy the C-mount adapter ([shoplink 21797 ebay]You can get them here on eBay for $8-$20[/shoplink]) to use those lenses.
On their website you can find sketches of the optics (no real pictures). They look pretty big. But finally we have some new lenses we can play with :)
There are no info about availability and price. And I didn’t fin any Goyo Lens on [shoplink 21799 ebay]eBay (only…”Toyo”! Is it the same?)[/shoplink]. That’s the list of the new lenses you can find on Goyo’s website:
Links:
C-mount adapter on [shoplink 21797 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
Goyo and Toyo lenses on [shoplink 21799 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
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Bob Atkins posted the Olympus E-5 review on Photo.net (Click here): “In this price class (under $1700) it goes up against cameras like the Canon EOS 7D, which has a larger sensor, more pixels, 1080HD video, a faster frame rate and ISO setting up to 12800. The E-5 is more expensive then either the EOS 60D or Nikon D7000, both of which also have larger sensors, more pixels and higher ISOsettings (with lower noise), along with a much wider range of available lenses (including extensive 3rd party support). Of course there’s much. much more to a camera than counting pixels or even sensor size, but those cameras would still have to be strong contenders in this price class (perhaps along with the Pentax K-5) for those who are not current Four-Thirds system users.”
Get the E-5 at [shopcountry 17163].
M43photo.blogspot (Click here) compared the Panasonic 14mm and 20mm bokeh performance: “The 20mm pancake lens shows the most non-circular highlights…the 14mm pancake has the most consistent appearance.”
Direct links to the 20mm lens at [shopcountry 14796].
Direct links to the 14mm lens at [shopcountry 16258].
Today Olympus America launched the new E-PL1 deal. You can get the camera + les for $399. Click those direct links to get the E-PL1: Amazon, Adorama, B&H, J&R.
The Olympus 14-150mm lens sells for $50o instead of $599 on Amazon (Click here).
Adorama launched a $50 to $200 instant rebate offer on the GH1 and the G2:
Panasonic GH1 with 7-14mm lens at Adorama (Click here).
Panasonic GH1 with 8mm lens at Adorama (Click here).
Panasonic GH1 with 14mm lens at Adorama (Click here).
Panasonic GH1 with 14-42mm lens at Adorama (Click here).
Panasonic GH1 with 14-45mm lens at Adorama (Click here).
Panasonic GH1 with 14-140mm lens at Adorama (Click here).
Panasonic GH1 with 20mm lens at Adorama (Click here).
Panasonic GH1 with 45mm lens at Adorama (Click here).
Panasonic GH1 with 45-200mm lens at Adorama (Click here).
Panasonic GH1 with 100-300mm lens at Adorama (Click here).
Panasonic G2 with 7-14mm lens at Adorama (Click here).
Panasonic G2 with 8mm lens at Adorama (Click here).
Panasonic G2 with 14mm lens at Adorama (Click here).
Panasonic G2 with 14-42mm lens at Adorama (Click here).
Panasonic G2 with 14-45mm lens at Adorama (Click here).
Panasonic G2 with 14-140mm lens at Adorama (Click here).
Panasonic G2 with 20mm lens at Adorama (Click here).
Panasonic G2 with 45mm lens at Adorama (Click here).
Panasonic G2 with 100-300mm lens at Adorama (Click here).
