The E-M5 developer team gets interviewed at DC.watch (and new comparison).

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The japanese website DC.watch (Click here for the terrible google translation) interviewed the Olympus E-M5 developer team. Sadly the google translation tool makes a bad job and it’s quite frustrating to read the text. From what I understood there is no BIG info. But may you read it and let me know if you found something I missed. P.S.: They said that there is no significant difference between the amount of Silver or Black E-M5 pre orders. At the same time DC.watch posted an E-m5 review too!

Meantime DSRLcheck keeps posting new mirrorless camera comparisons:
RAW ISO comparison between the XPRO 1, NEX-7, E-M5, GX1 and E-PM1: http://dslr-check.info/2012/0416.jpg
50mm JPEG comparison between the X PRO 1 and E-M5: http://dslr-check.info/2012/0418b.jpg

Japan is already shipping the E-M5 and it is the most sold mirrorless camera at Amazon Japan (See the links below to open the charts):

Today Rankings:
USA: E-M5 on position 8/10/12/17 (Click here)
UK: E-M5 is on position 19 (Click here).
Germany: The E-M5 is on position 12/15 (Click here).
France: not available (Click here to see rankings anyway).
Japan: E-M5 on position 1/9/10/13 (Click here).

E-M5 (Pre)order links (Click on store name): Amazon, Adorama, B&H, Jessops, Amazon UK, Amazon Germany, Amazon Japan and Digitalrev.

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E-M5 firmware udpate and first camera in Stock in USA (Adorama)

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The first E-M5 camera is now in Stock at Adorama (Click here). And BHphoto (Click here) changed the status from “available April 16th” to “releasd in limited quantity“. But keep an eye on that superdeal: Panaosnic 45-200mm zoom lens is now in Stock for $199 at Amazon (Click here). That lens also got a firmware update…see Panasonic Japan (Click here).

For those of you that own (or will soon own) the Olympus E-M5 there is a new firmware update (Source: Olympus Imaging). These are the new features/fixes:

  • Issue of updates stopping while updating firmware has been resolved.
  • Image stabilizer function when using the following lenses has been modified: ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 8mm F3.5 Fisheye, ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 18-180mm F3.5-6.3, LEICA D VARIO-ELMAR 14-150mm

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Is that the GH2 sensor or something new?

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Panasonic released a new pdf document (Click here to download it) that includes the presentation of a Micro Four Thirds sensor. As our readers pointed out this could be the description of the current GH2 sensor. It has:

• 4:3 aspect ratio (diagonal: 21.9 mm optical format) with 17.78 million pixels.
• Effective pixels: 5,054 (H) × 3,518 (V) = 17,779,972
• 3.80 μm square pixels
• Capable of full-HD video at 59.94 frames/sec (pixel addition mode)

It’s a bi weird that the [shoplink 16254]GH2[/shoplink] image-sensor’s pixel size is 3.63 Microns and the [shoplink 26836]G3/GX1[/shoplink] image-sensor’s pixel size is 3.75 Microns. So is this really the GH2 sensor description? What’s also interesting is that Panasonic is using a new term I never heard before… “Micromachined cell technology” that delivers high resolution performance! It has a 12 bit ADC with high Singal to Noise ratio.

And there is also one more graph showing the new Imaging Processor:

Would love to hear your thoughts on that. And maybe our more expert readers can find out more?

 

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A first video shot with the 17.5mm f/0.95 Nokton lens.

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The new Nokton 17.5mm f/0.95 is now shipping in some German and Asian stores. And what you see here on top is actually the first video test shot with that lens.

P.S.: The lens ships (or can be preordered) at:
[shoplink 30300 ebay]Fotomundus (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 30373 ebay]Bayern Foto (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 30374 ebay]Shphoto (Click here)[/shoplink].
[shoplink 30375 ebay]Photoalps (Click here)[/shoplink].

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Olympus E-M5 versus Fuji versus Sony (28mm and 300mm lens test)

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The Japanese website DSLRcheck made a double focal length test comparing the [shoplink 29074]Olympus E-M5[/shoplink], the Fuji X PRO 1 and Sony NEX-7. The image on top (Click on it to enlarge) compares he three cameras at 28mm. The image below compares the JPEG results from the E-M5 and NEX-7 at 300mm. As usual keep in mind that there are so many variables when doing such comparisons. You really don’t have to take them as gods truth! The only general (and pretty obvious) conclusion I can draw from these comparisons is that when it comes to talk about image quality the lens really matters almost more than the camera you chose!

The E-M5 will ship in USA within the next days and it will may be able to dethrone the current NEX-7 besteller (at Amazon). Let’ see if Olympus will get some cahs through the E-M5 sales. They really need (and deserve) it!

USA+Canada:
Black E-M5 body at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here), J&R (Click here), Henrys (Click here).
Silver E-M5 body at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here), J&R (Click here), Henrys (Click here).
Black E-M5 with 12-50mm lens at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here), J&R (Click here), Henrys (Click here).
Silver E-M5 with 12-50mm lens at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here), J&R (Click here), Henrys (Click here).
Black E-M5 with 14-45mm lens at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here), J&R (Click here), Henrys (Click here).

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Panasonic is considering the use of Android?

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As you may know Polaroid announce an Android powered camera. And Barney Sykes from Panasonic told TechRadar (Click here), “We had a little bit of a discussion around having Android as the operating system. One of the issues is that we have so much optical technology in the cameras, even in compacts, we have Leica lenses. When you download something, it’s got to be able to work with the optics of the camera. But it is very interesting, in particular when you look at some of the apps you can download, the filters, the effects you can make, it’s an interesting step. It’s always good to see innovation.”

I think Panasonic and Olympus will sooner or later have to open their software for third party applications. The advantages are so great that it’s worth to “take the risk”. And if they are going to use the Android platform they would have an immense access to photography apps. I believe this IS the future! I am pretty sure Samsung will do it the Japanese companies will be “forced” to follow soon after!

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E-M5 is Olympus best shot (says CNET). And more new reviews…

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Lori Grunin from Cnet US (Click here) is testing the E-M5 and says that it is “Olympus’ best shot yet“. The final review will be posted soon.

The German website Digitalkamera tested the E-M5 (Click here for the not so good automatic google translation). In short they say that if you buy the E-M5 you will hardly regret it :)

An E-M5 review at DC.view (Click here for the translation). Another review at Itmedia (Click here for the translation). A model shooting at Photogenicweekend (Click here for the translation).

Damian Mc Gillicuddy (CLick here) is testing the E-M5: “I know the nay sayers will say “Oh micro 4/3’s – not enough guts”, “tiny sensor”, “quality not good enough”… blah, blah, blah!!!  There will even be people who will say, “It just doesn’t look like a professional camera”,  “its too small”… I say RUBBISH!!! ”

An E-M5 report by Phototravelasia (Click here): “It will be interesting to see how the image quality reviews but I have to say that for my purposes as a travel cam this thing looks perfect and its rugged build and out and out usability have me itching to get it on the road for a more thorough workout.”

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USA+Canada:
Black E-M5 body at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here), J&R (Click here), Henrys (Click here).
Silver E-M5 body at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here), J&R (Click here), Henrys (Click here).
Black E-M5 with 12-50mm lens at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here), J&R (Click here), Henrys (Click here).
Silver E-M5 with 12-50mm lens at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here), J&R (Click here), Henrys (Click here).
Black E-M5 with 14-45mm lens at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here), J&R (Click here), Henrys (Click here).

Europe:
Black E-M5 body at Amazon DE (Click here), Amazon UK (Click here), Jessops (Click here) and Warehouseexpress (Click here).
Silver E-M5 body at Amazon DE (Click here), Amazon UK (Click here), Jessops (Click here) and Warehouseexpress (Click here).
Black E-M5 with 12-50mm lens at Amazon DE (Click here), Amazon UK (Click here), Jessops (Click here), [shoplink 30334 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] and Warehouseexpress (Click here).
Silver E-M5 with 12-50mm lens at Amazon DE (Click here), Amazon UK (Click here), Jessops (Click here), [shoplink 30333 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] and Warehouseexpress (Click here).

Asia:
Black E-M5 body at Digitalrev (Click here).
Silver E-M5 body at Amazon JP (Click here).
Black E-M5 with 12-50mm lens at Digitalrev (Click here) and Amazon JP (Click here).
Silver E-M5 with 12-50mm lens at Amazon JP (Click here).
Black E-M5 with 14-45mm lens at Digitalrev (Click here) and Amazon JP (Click here).

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