Last Sunday we all got this message from Olympus (Click here) and there is now but there are two small details to report:
1) Olympus UK just posted on Facebook “We would like to clarify some of the recent news. Olympus has not issued a press release but have made a statement at a recent meeting saying”
2) Olympus UK posted a new correct simple statement: “A new camera is under study in order to optimize the Four Thirds lenses“. Also DSLRmagazine (Translation here) that was present on the meeting reported the words from Mr. Michael Guthmann from Olympus: “we will continue to support the Four Thirds system with a camera“… and he added with emphasis: “however the camera looks like“.

In short, there was no official press release and the text spread by some journalists contained a misunderstanding. Watenabe was talking about a Four Thirds lens solution and not necessarily about a new E-7 camera. There could be also a new OMD model with some kind of new technology capable of taking full advantage of the Four Thirds lenses. Just one quick example that comes to my mind. Imaging full phase detection support (through on sensor AF pixels or special adapter like Sony with the LAEA2).

Reminder: Back in January Toshiyuki Terada (Product Planning, Olympus Imaging Corporation, Japan) said at Onfoto (Click here) that the Four Thirds adapter: “is one of the essential areas that we explore and study“.

UDPATE: Pekka Potka wrote: “One thing I´m allowed to say though. Mr Watanabe told me that Olympus is working on a body that will support the Four Thirds lens line-up”

All I know from trusted sources (also FT5) is that two new PEN cameras are coming. I have no info from super trusted sources about a new E-7.

An anonymous source juts sent me a message. He says he had the chance to test the new PEN cameras. He also says that there are “no spectacular changes, although the ergonomics have improved on the smaller models.”

I may ask the source if he can explain me the following sentence I got from another anonymous source saying: “updates to the EPL range should include some sort of viewfinder.“. Does it mean there is some kind of new external viewfinder or what?

Thanks for your help :)

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P.S.: Finally a great deal for my European colleagues: E-PM1 body for 199 Euro by [shoplink 33003 ebay]Fotoexperte on eBay Deutschland (Ships to all Europe)[/shoplink].

On Sunday Olympus released an official statement saying that a “Pro camera” is in the works. A 43rumors sent me this small info that may confirm that:

“This evening I took part in a survey about my last purchase of a DSLR/Mirrorless camera. I mentioned that it was from Olympus and in the next screen a list with all the actual system cameras made by Olympus came up. In this list where also mentioned E-6, E-650, E-PL4 and E-PM2. May be the author of that survey seams to know more about soon coming FT- and MFT cameras.”

The new PEN cameras are certainly coming so it sounds plausible that Olympus is thinking on an E-6 and E-650 release too. But for now trusted sources only confirmed the two PEN release now (and another OMD model months after Photokina).