Yesterday we had that interetsing new Olympus statement. There is a small addition via AP that reports a phrase from Akira Watanabe saying: “We haven’t discontinued the E-5, E-30 or E-620“.

This is an official(!) Olympus press release (Source: Olympus UK).

“Olympus working on new body for top-pro lenses
Interviewed today, Akira Watenabe said that active development is under way. No other details yet. Immediate Release Olympus working on new body for top-pro lenses:
Akira Watenabe, manager of Olympus Imaging’s SLR planning department, confirmed today that the company is definitely working on a body to deliver the focusing performance expected by users of the Top Pro lens series like the ground breaking 90-250 f2.8 fixed aperture zoom (Editor: Click here to see). Watenabe has been delighted with the success of the OM-D which has pushed the boundaries of performance for system cameras but acknowledged that it did not deliver with the legacy high end lenses from the E-System. Whilst further information were not forthcoming, he was keen to emphasise that Olympus is actively developing a solution and will announce more details in due course.”

So there is really an E-7 with [shoplink 29074]E-M5[/shoplink] sensor coming soon ;)

—

P.S.: Meantime the 35-100mm lens got an up to $450 discount when purchased along the E-M5. Search(!) Links o the current E-5 camera: [shopcountry 17163].

—

Press release also posted on Four Thirds User,  Whatdigitalcamera and more…

An anonymous source just sent me this: “New cheap olympus M43 body on his way and goes along with the cheap f8 lens, maybe a dual lenses combo“. I take the chance to ask him (and other sources reading this) if the E-PM is going to be announced next week along the 60mm macro or in September. Thanks :)

Anyway, as I wrote before I am really curious to see that lens on the new E-PM2 (or E-PM5).  It’s defintiely one of the weirdest rumors I ever received :)

I still have no info about the price of the lens but here 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.)

I have been told there is no data communication between camera and lens.  For reference the until now smallest m43 lens is the [shoplink 16258]Panasonic 14mm[/shoplink] that is 2.06 cm thick and weights 55g. I have no diea how Olympus will market this lens. WOuld be nice if they give it to tu fro free on any future m43 camera you buy! :)