43 Rumors – Page 2086 – Panasonic and Olympus Digital Camera News

(FT5) Panasonic GF5 will already ship in late April in Japan. G5 pic is real.

March 26, 2012
Rumors
72 Comments

The GF5 will soon be announced and the good news is that it unlike so many times before we will not have to wait a long time until it ships out from the fab. Trusted sources told me that it will be delivered to Asian stores in late April and in European and US stores a couple of weeks later.

I am still not sure when the other new m43 camera will ship, the G5. But all I have been told by other good sources is that the other G5 picture is definitely real:

$100 price drop on the Panasonic GX1. (+ new nauticam housing and Japan sales)

March 25, 2012
deals
30 Comments

[shoplink 29935 ebay]

[/shoplink] The camera that I suspect uses the same E-M5 sensor (LOL) just got a super price drop. It’s now sold for $599 by [shoplink 29935 ebay]Adorama on eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]. That’s $100 less than you can find it on Amazon (Click here).

If you were wondering how good the camera sells in Japan just look at the graph posted by Kakaku (Click here). The camera easily beats the direct competition like the [shoplink 26379 ebay]Sony NEX-5n[/shoplink] or [shoplink 23568]Olympus E-P3[/shoplink].

And Nauticam (Click here) just announced the new housing for the GX1.

More USA deals:
E-PL2 with kit lens for $399 at Amazon (Click here).
E-PL1 with kit lens for $289 at Amazon (Click here).
E-P2 body for $249 at Amazon (Click here).

UPDATED: SLRmagic versus Leica 50mm f/0.95 battle (Seb Farges).

March 25, 2012
reviews
38 Comments

The Shires from Andrew Reid on Vimeo.

UPDATE: Andrew from SLRmagic told us that Seb got a very early lens prototype that very likely has an issue. This means the video on top very likely doen’t show the full potential of the Hyperprime lens! A more represenative video has been shot by EosHD (Click here).

Seb Farges (Click here) tested the two lenses on the hacked [shoplink 16254]Panasonic GH2[/shoplink] and writes: “My opinion ? mmmm the Noctilux is an extraordinary lens, good rendering at f/0.95, smooth focus ring. This lens is a little smaller and lighter than the SLR Magic lens. It’s in M mount (Leica). The problem : the [shoplink 23018 ebay]Noctilux is too expensive for me, 8000€ (10600$)[/shoplink]!!! Please note that the SLR Magic I’ve used here is a prototype lens. It’s be available in september in M mount, it’s price is not fixed yet, but it will be around 2300€ (3000$), 3.5X less cheaper than the Leica. The SLR has more color aberration (purple fringing), mostly when the focus is not perfect.”

P.S.: The Leica Noctilux crazy price check on [shoplink 23018 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]. Speaking of our m43 0.95 lenses here are the links to:
1) [shoplink 15659 ebay]Voigtländer Nokton 25mm f/0.95 on eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
2) [shoplink 29927 ebay]Voigtländer Nokton 17.5mm f/0.95 on eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].
3) [shoplink 25691 ebay]SLRmagic 50mm f/0.95 on eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

Sigma 30mm review and 19mm test (cute pic on the E-M5)

March 24, 2012
reviews
72 Comments

Looking at the picture on top made by DSLRmagazine the new Sigma 30mm f/2.8 lens doesn’t look bad at all. But the naked truth is that the lens specifications aren’t appealing at the first look. But we are ready to get over this if the lens performance is top notch. So let’s read the latest review from Valentin at DSLRmagazine (Click here to read the translation). In short, the lens has no flaws. It performs well in every aspect with just a slightly Chromatic Aberration you can easily correct in post production. Overall this is not a bad lens you get for $200 at Hphoto.

Laoburi (Click here) posted a set of image samples taken with the other new Sigma 19mm f/2.8 lens. I haven’t yet found any preorder option of that lens.

Rankings: Silver E-M5 kits are still selling more than the black ones and than more than the Fuji X PRO 1 according to Amazon US rankings (Click here).

E-M5 preorders (Click on the names of the stores to see the product page):
Black E-M5 body at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, J&R, Warehouse UK, Digitalrev and Amazon Japan.
Silver E-M5 body at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, J&R, Warehouse UK, and Amazon Japan.
Black E-M5 body with 14-42mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto , Digitalrev and J&R.
Black E-M5 body with 12-50mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, J&R, Jessops, Amazon UK, Amazon Deutschland , Digitalrev and Amazon Japan.
Silver E-M5 body with 12-50mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, J&R, Jessops, Amazon UK, Amazon Deutschland and Amazon Japan.

EosHD video test: Panasonic GH2 versus new 5DmarkIII (support Vitaly NAB coverage)

March 24, 2012
reviews
50 Comments

[shoplink 16254]

[/shoplink] I know you guys are all waiting to hear more about the future GH3. But look at the hacked GH2 versus the super new 5DmarkII video resolution comparison posted at EosHD (Click here). The new super featured $3499 Canon 5D markIII (here on Amazon) is just marginally better than the $860 hacked GH2 camera. Of course the 5DmarkIII is vastly superior when it comes to still image quality but It has to be said that Panasonic does a great job when it comes to deliver a high quality video performance. It really makes me wonder what kind of surprise we should expect from the GH3!

Speaking of the hacker Vitaly, I kindly ask you to support him for the NAB show coverage (Click here). The NABshow is the biggest broadcast video event of the year (Click here to see the official website)

P.S.: From time to time the Gh2 gets some super deal like it was with the now ended [shoplink 29671 ebay]GH2 with 14-140mm for $899 on eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]. Drop me a message if you find more deals like that so that I can share it with other 43rumors readers! Thanks!
Here are some GH2 search links: [shopcountry 16254].

New refurbished PEN list…

March 24, 2012
deals
7 Comments

[shoplink 29889 ebay]

[/shoplink] [shoplink 22691 ebay]Olympusmarket[/shoplink] published a new list of refurbished PEN camera that European citizens can buy. The most interesting new stuff are the many complete E-P2 kits with lens and viewfinder/flash:

[shoplink 29879 ebay]Black Olympus E-PL1 with 14-42mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29880 ebay]Black Olympus E-PL1 with 14-150mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29881 ebay]14-150mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29882 ebay]Silver Olympus E-PL1 with 14-42mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29883 ebay]Black Olympus E-PL1 with double lens kit[/shoplink] [shoplink 29884 ebay]Black Olympus E-P2 body[/shoplink] [shoplink 29886 ebay]White Olympus E-PL2 with 14-42mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29887 ebay]Olympus 25mm Four Thirds lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29888 ebay]Black Olympus E-PL1 with double lens kit[/shoplink] [shoplink 29889 ebay]White Olympus E-PL3 with 14-42mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29890 ebay]Black Olympus E-PL1 with 14-42mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29891 ebay]Black Olympus E-PL2 with 14-150mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29892 ebay]Black Olympus E-P2 with 17mm lens and external flash[/shoplink] [shoplink 29893 ebay]Black Olympus E-P2 with 17mm lens and external viewfinder[/shoplink] [shoplink 29894 ebay]Silver Olympus E-P2 with 14-42mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29896 ebay]Silver Olympus E-PL2 with 14-42mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29897 ebay]Black Olympus E-P2 with 17mm lens and external viewfinder[/shoplink] [shoplink 29898 ebay]Black Olympus E-PL1 with 14-42mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29899 ebay]Olympus 9-18mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29900 ebay]Black Olympus E-PL1 with double lens kit[/shoplink] [shoplink 29901 ebay]Black Olympus E-PL1 with 14-42mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29902 ebay]Silver Olympus E-PL1 with 14-42mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29903 ebay]14-150mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29904 ebay]White Olympus E-PL2 with 14-42mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29905 ebay]Black Olympus E-PL2 with double lens kit[/shoplink] [shoplink 29906 ebay]Blue Olympus E-PL1 with 14-42mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29907 ebay]Black Olympus E-PL1 with 14-42mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29908 ebay]Black Olympus E-PL2 with 14-150mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29909 ebay]Black Olympus E-P2 with 17mm lens and external flash[/shoplink] [shoplink 29910 ebay]Black Olympus E-P2 with 17mm lens and external viewfinder[/shoplink] [shoplink 29911 ebay]Silver Olympus E-PL2 with 14-42mm lens[/shoplink] [shoplink 29912 ebay]Black Olympus E-P2 with 17mm lens and external viewfinder[/shoplink] [shoplink 29913 ebay]Black Olympus E-PL2 with double lens kit[/shoplink]

Good Luck!

New E-M5 review and X PRO 1 comparison.

March 23, 2012
reviews
113 Comments

The Singapore website Hardwarezone (Click here) published a full Olympus E-M5 review. The camera earns nine points out of ten: “We could list its specs: 16MP image sensor, 5-axis image stabilization, weather-resistant body. We could tell you how well the camera handles with the twin control dials, quick AF speed and easy AF point selection. We could wax lyrical about its gorgeous, retro-inspired look. We could look at its images’ beautiful colors and remarkable high ISO performance. But it’s when these elements are brought together that something altogether new is born: Charm. Any photographer would be hard-pressed not to have fun shooting with the E-M5. The mostly well-placed controls let you give it swift commands which are promptly obeyed. Its quick and accurate auto-focus, together with the excellent image stabilization and image quality at higher ISO speeds, conspire to help you catch the most fleeting of moments.”

Ok, we already know the E-M5 is a great camera but how does the image quality compare with the best of its class, the Fuji X PRO 1? Yesterday I published a probably not so fair E-M5 versus X PRO 1 image comparison at MirrorlessRumors (Click here). You can click that link to see the image of the full ISO comparison: http://i.minus.com/igOc5QWXHZSII.jpg. It’s not so fair because the E-M5 shots were taken with the kit zoom lens while the X PRO 1 used the very likely much better 18mm f/2.0 prime lens. So don’t care too much about the sharpness while noise will not be so effected by the lens quality. What do you think?