UPDATE: The new black Panasonic GF2 + 14mm pancake lens WAS in Stock at Amazon (Click here). Now SOLD OUT!
The XZ-1 is finally in Stock at Amazon US (Click here) via Ritz. And it is also in Stock at Amazon Germany (Click here) and Amazon France (Click here). Don’t know how long the camera will be in Stock!
More stores check at [shopcountry 19904].
P.S.: Panasonic G2 for $499 at Amazon (Click here).
So finally we know when to expect the next new Olympus Micro Four Thirds products. According to many (yes many!) of our trusted sources Olympus scheduled a press release in late May. We will definitely see new lenses (plural!) like the one they have shown us at the CP+ show. There should be two new high quality fixed lenses (12mm and 50mm?). But according to one of our sources Olympus will not present the pro Olympus m43 camera at that event. It is very likely they will announce it 2-3 months later! We are currently investigating if there could be an E-P3 announcement instead. The E-P2 (Check [shopcountry 14830]) price is very close to the current E-PL2 (Check [shopcountry 18844]) price. That makes us very suspicious :)
Talking with our sources we got the “feeling” that everybody is going a bit slower than it should. A wonder why (Nikon mirrorless? financial crisis?). Anyway, nothing to worry about. What matters is that Olympus releases exactly the pro lenses and camera we need! Maybe our digital [shoplink 17129]Olympus RC[/shoplink] dream will become truth ;)
I do hope Olympus did carefully read what Thom Hogan told us about the Olympus future. Despite the very critical (and in my opinion justified) analysis I have no doubt Olympus has the power and knowledge to improve their product strategy and marketing and to develop new stunning products. Let’s hope I am right!
Links to [shoplink 17129]Olympus RC auctions at eBay[/shoplink] and the All E-PL2 black kit (camera+lens+flash) that has a $100 price drop at Amazon (Click here).
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
[/shoplink]
The french website Focus Numerique posted the Olympus XZ-1 review (Click here to read the google english translation). Here is the list of what they like and what they don’t:
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With a bit of surprise I notice that Amazon.co.uk (Click here) says that the XZ-1 will start shipment on March 31. That’s bad news because the camera was supposed to start shipment in February. It looks like Olympus got the Panasonic syndrome ;)
Check the estimated availability of the XZ-1 at [shopcountry 19904] (Click on store name to visit the XZ-1 product page)
UPDATE: Almost finsihed XZ-1 review has been posted at Photoradar.
Image on top: The first mirrorless lens form Sigma, the 30mm 2.8 for NEX (Mirrorlessrumors.com)
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Our friends from DSLRmagazine interviewed MR. Kazuto Yamaki from Sigma. There is a part concerning the future Micro Four Thirds lens development (google translation!):
1) “The lenses will have a completely new design.”
2) “We have the challenge that some of these lenses should be optimized for taking videos. That requires a special internal mechanism. Therefore it is more difficult to achieve extreme focus, brightness and high correction. For video applications may be interesting to have change of focal power, and therefore not only optics but mechanics should be different.
At this point, we think there should be two different sets of lenses, one optimized for video and one optimized for stills.”
Asked if Sigma could make a mirrorless camera Mr. Yamaki answered that “our resources are limited“. And he also added an interesting note. he said we should not call those cameras “mirrorless” because “less” meaning is that “something is missing” and for Sigma this is a negative connotations!
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Sigma made a lot of Four Thirds lenses and I would love to see some of them redesigned for Micro Four Thirds (Click on lens name to see current auctions on eBay):
[shoplink 18947 ebay]Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6[/shoplink]
[shoplink 18948 ebay]Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8[/shoplink]
[shoplink 18948 ebay]Sigma 18-50mm f/3.5-5.6[/shoplink]
[shoplink 18949 ebay]Sigma 18-125mm f/3.5-5.6[/shoplink]
[shoplink 18950 ebay]Sigma 24mm f/1.8[/shoplink]
[shoplink 18951 ebay]Sigma 30mm f/1.4[/shoplink]
[shoplink 18952 ebay]Sigma 50mm f/1.4[/shoplink]
[shoplink 18953 ebay]Sigma 50-500mm f/4-6.3[/shoplink]
[shoplink 18955 ebay]Sigma 55-500mm f/4-5.6[/shoplink]
[shoplink 18956 ebay]Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8[/shoplink]
[shoplink 18957 ebay]Sigma 105mm f/2.8[/shoplink]
[shoplink 18958 ebay]Sigma 135-400mm f/4-5.6[/shoplink]
[shoplink 18959 ebay]Sigma 150mm f/2.8[/shoplink]
[shoplink 18960 ebay]Sigma 300-800mm f/5.6[/shoplink]
In US it’s difficult to find the GH2 in Stock and it is almost impossible to find the Black model. Right now Wolfe’s Camera has 6 of them in Stock but you have to pay a $100 extra to get them at Amazon (Click here). If you are tired to wait than you might buy it. At least this is much better than the over $2.000 other third party shops are asking for it right now! The Black GH2+14-42mm will be in Stock within the next few weeks at Amazon (Click here). Other direct shop links: [shopcountry 16254].
Meanwhile the all E-PL2 black kit (camera+lens+flash) had a $100 price drop at Amazon (Click here).
Veyr interesting. All new Olympus accessories like the MAL-1 led and Penpal module are still NOT available for preorder anywhere! Not in US and not in Europe. Weird, because they were supposed to be in Stock late January/early February…
The Micro Four Thrids competition isn’t sleeping and there are a few interesting rumors you should read. I remind you to follow the new MirrorlessRumors website I am working on. There will be many rumors and news about Pentax and Nikon coming soon! Subscribe the RSS feed (Click here), Follow Twitter (Click here), Join the Facebook group (Click here).
1) The first Zeiss lens for the Sony NEX system will be annunced within a few months and it will be a 24mm f/1.7 (more at SonyAlphaRumors).
2) First pictures of the upcoming Smasung NX lenses (MirrorlessRumors.com)
3) Another Nikon mirrorless rumor message sent by a Nikon manager (MirrorlessRumors.com)
Image credit: EosHD
Oh what a surprise! The german website Slashcam.de tested the new Panasonic AG-AF100 (or AG-AF101 in Europe) and their final verdict is very positive. The [shoplink 16841]AG-AF100[/shoplink] is more “practical” and has less Moirée and Rolling Shutter than any HDSLR out there. But a closer look reveals how the GH2’s was able to resolve more detail, with less moire and aliasing than the AF100 (via: EosHD). That tiny cheap [shoplink 16254]GH2[/shoplink] really rules ;)
Slashcam also compared the GH2 vs the Canon 60D and Nikon 7000: “Our comparisons show a significantly higher native resolution of the GH2. Even the noise performance and the artifact formation at higher ISOs is much better“…”the Panasonic GH2, as expected, is the current slashCAM reference in the video DSLRs“.
Panasonic has a real winner with the GH2 but I don’t know how much they are aware of it. The GH2 is still out of Stock in US (hey 6 months after the announcement!!!) and the fast zoom lens is still missing (why delay the 12-50mm zoom?). Anyway, once again thanks to all Panasonic engineers for making such a nice camera! Thanks!
Panasonic GH2 direct shop links: [shopcountry 16254] Panasonic AG-AF100 direct shop links: [shopcountry 16841]
