43 Rumors – Page 2093 – Panasonic and Olympus Digital Camera News

(FT5) GF5 camera coming within months and similar GF3 shape.

March 7, 2012
Rumors
65 Comments

[shoplink 23109]

[/shoplink] Trusted sources keep sending me confirmations that the next [shoplink 23109]GF3[/shoplink] replacement will arrive within the next 2-3 months. The camera has no major design changes and a very similar GF3 shape. It will feature a new sensor (very likely the same 16 Megapixel sensor from the [shoplink 22077]Panasonic G3[/shoplink]). But if you are considering to buy the GF3 you may buy it anyway. Vitaly is working on the GF3 hack that will bring you even more new features!

While the GF3 might not be the sexiest camera I really like it because of one main reason….the size! The GF3+14-42mm X lens (Click here) is probably the best compact camera with zoom lens you can carry with you all the time. Canon is the only one offering something similar, the [shoplink 29545 ebay]G1 X (Click here)[/shoplink]. But it is bigger, uglier, more expensive and has a fixed zoom lens only. Wondering if someone will spend $800 for this…

One more thing: The next Panasonic announcement will be made in early/mid April. The new m43 camcorder will be announced and hopefully the two new X zoom lenses too. I don’t know (yet) if there will be something else too.

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Shop search links to the three hackable Panasonic cameras:
Panasonic GH2 at [shopcountry 16254].
Panasonic GF3 at [shopcountry 23109].
Panasonic GF2 at [shopcountry 17361].
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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

(UPDATED with Robin Wong review) New Olympus E-M5 and 12-50mm reviews

March 7, 2012
reviews
90 Comments

UPDATED: Robin Wong posted his first part of the E-M5 review (Click here). He tested the dynamic range, resolution and sharpness of the images and that is what he writes: “I cannot believe what I have just said there !! Olympus camera, ISO6400, with no traces of chroma noise, with non-ugly luminance fine grains only. The first time I saw the images, my eyes almost popped out of the sockets too, I know.” Read his review to check out if that is really true! :)

E-M5
The polish website M43 (Click here) tested how effective the new image stabilization works. Up to four stops the image stabilization is very effective. Only from the fifth images really can get blurry.
Full size JPEG and RAW image samples can be seen and downloaded at Photographyblog (Click here). Some more images at Yugatech (Click here). And E-M5 image samples of the Auto Geneva show have been posted by Sulanto (Click here).

Lenses
Also the 12-50mm kit lens has been reviewed at ePhotozine (Click here): “The compact size and excellent splash-proof build are both excellent features of this lens, but I can’t help but feel a slightly larger lens with a maximum aperture of at least f/5.6 at the telephoto setting would be more appealing.”
Sigma 30mm f/2.8 EX DN Photos at Photographyblog (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, Redcoon Germany and Amazon Japan.
Silver E-M5 body at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, J&R, Warehouse UK, Redcoon Germany, and Amazon Japan.
Black E-M5 body with 14-42mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto and J&R.
Black E-M5 body with 12-50mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, J&R, Jessops, Redcoon Deutschland, Amazon UK, Amazon Deutschland 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.

Superdeal: GH2 body now for $579.99 only!

March 6, 2012
deals
47 Comments

[shoplink 29524 ebay]

[/shoplink]

I knew the price of the GH2 would fall further but this guys is an amazing deal! You can find the GH2 body only (NEW!) for $579 on [shoplink 29524 ebay]eBay (Click here to grab that superdeal!)[/shoplink]. That’s $300 less than at Amazon (Click here to check)! Buy it and hack it! ;)

It is a Topseller form eBay so definitely not fake. If true this really may be a sign that the GH2 is slowly being faded out of production. I never saw such a price before!

Canon explains why Four Thirds is better than APS-C :)

March 6, 2012
Rumors
83 Comments

Olympus and Panasonic do often explain the advantages of a Four Thirds sized sensor over the classic APS-C format. But it’s nice to hear that Canon is on the same wavelength! As you know Canon is using a Four Thirds ratio sensor (just a tiny bit bigger than “our” m43 sensors) for their just launched Canon G1X (CLick here to see tha cams pecs). David Parry, from Canon UK explained at Techradar (Click here) why they didn’t opt for the APS-C sensor: “We managed to create a four times zoom in a very compact body, and really it has the biggest sensor that we could use and also get decent coverage from the lens. If you made the sensor any bigger, the lens would have to be a lot bigger and it would be much more difficult and expensive to produce.”

Sounds almost like Canon wants to join the Micro Four Thirds system :) Hey it’s a joke and not a rumor! ….at least for now :)

For all film users. No more Kodak slide film in future.

March 6, 2012
news
61 Comments

I guess that many of you still own or even use a Film camera. I still use the [shoplink 28309 ebay]Mamiya 7[/shoplink] on almost daily base. And even the [shoplink 28229 ebay]OM-3Ti[/shoplink] sometimes. So this is a very bad day for all of us because Kodak dropped and already removed all(!) slide films from their stores. The E100VS ([shoplink 29513 ebay]here on eBay[/shoplink]), E100G ([shoplink 29514 ebay]here on eBay[/shoplink]) and the Elite Chrome Extra Color 100 ([shoplink 29515 ebay]here on eBay[/shoplink]).

Is this the end of Film? I don’t think so, but it could be the end of Kodak :(

And I never asked you that questions:

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I am so curious to know how many of you are like me…still a bit of “old” time photographer :)

The E-M5 jpeg quality is better than the GX1 and as good ad the NEX-5n!

March 5, 2012
reviews
205 Comments

The ISO comparison from Quesabesde (Click on it to enlarge)

Our Spanish friends from Quesabese (Click here) tested the E-M5 image quality and wanted to know if the “mysterious” [shoplink 29074]E-M5 sensor[/shoplink] performs as good or better than the [shoplink 26836]Panasonic GX1[/shoplink]. Their test shows that the E-M5 not only beats the GX1 but also is damn close to the [shoplink 26379]NEX-5n (Sony’s bestseller cam)[/shoplink]! I really don’t know who made that E-M5 sensor but one thing is sure, the E-M5 really catched up with the best APSC sensor. And I am really happy for Olympus! But I think the GX1 image quality in RAW will almost catch up with the E-M5. Panasonic always had been a little behind Olympus in terms of Jpeg rendering.

Two more E-M5 news: Full size JPEG samples to download at FourThirdsUser (Click here). New image samples by Gabrielle Motola (Click here). The Silver E-m5 is the most preordered at Amazon (Click here to see the ranking).

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, Redcoon Germany and Amazon Japan.
Silver E-M5 body at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, J&R, Warehouse UK, Redcoon Germany, and Amazon Japan.
Black E-M5 body with 14-42mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto and J&R.
Black E-M5 body with 12-50mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, J&R, Jessops, Redcoon Deutschland, Amazon UK, Amazon Deutschland 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.

(FT3) New m43 camcorder with a super 35 sized sensor?

March 5, 2012
Rumors
68 Comments

image showing the sensor size comparison

The Las Vegas NAB show will start on April 14th. And of course we can expect new Panasonic (and other?) Micro Four Thirds camcorders. The questions only is….what kind of surprise should we expect? According to one of our sources there will be a new Micro Four Thirds mount camcorder with Super35 sized sensor! I haven’t got any detailed specs yet but I have been told all current m43 lenses will work fine on the new sensor size. For reference only, the Sony NEX-FS100 uses a super 35 sensor that which has a length of 23,6mm and a height of 13,3mm. The Micro Four Thirds sensor has a length of 17,3mm and height of 13mm.

I hope to get more specs about that soon. And as this is a major broadcast event I really hope Panasonic will finally release the new 12-35mm and 35-100mm f/2.8 powerzoom X lenses too :)

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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