The japanese blog Egami (Click here) found a new Olympus patent desciribing the new “Liquid Lens” technology. I saw similar patent from Sony and Samsung in the past that’s why I can tell you the advantages of such lenses:

-non-movement glasses for zoom or AF
-less glasses inside the lens
-faster electrical response
-non-motor on the glass
-silence AF mode

In summary you can make much smaller lenses (perfect for pancakes) with ultra fast and silent AF. I hope Olympus will release such lenses as soon as possible!

Panasonic released the update for the two X lenses:

A) 14-42mm X lens update: http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/download/fts/dl/ps14042.html

1. Optimized operation when using Touch Zoom with DMC-GX1
2. Improved AF (Auto Focus) performance in photo / video recording

B) 45-175mm X lens update: http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/download/fts/dl/ps45175.html

1. Optimized operation when using Touch Zoom with DMC-GX1
2. Improved the stability of O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer)
3. Improved AF (Auto Focus) performance in photo / video recording

And Olympus announced a new firmware upgrae for the E-PM1 and E-PL3 (Version 1.1). It improves the “Reliability while using the Eye-Fi card“. Download: http://www.olympus.co.jp/en/support/imsg/digicamera/download/software/firm/e1/

Final note: Apple released the Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 3.9 which now brings support for the Olympus PEN E-PL1s, Olympus PEN E-PL3, Olympus PEN E-PM1
and Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ150. http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1473

Things are still not going well for Olympus. The once proud Japanese camera and medical equipment maker Olympus is readying to take legal action against its own executives. Any executive found to have been complicit in its multi-million dollar accounting scandal will be hit with legal action as well as possible criminal complaints, according to Reuters (via Electronista). And the UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has confirmed that it has launched an official investigation into alleged financial wrongdoing at Olympus (via AP).

But there is a massive positive reaction coming from Olympus employees: Koji Miyata is leading the olympusgrassroots.com campaign. I linked to the website two days ago and Koji now reports that there has been a “larger-than-expected response“. Super! And he outlines the things to do now:
“Overcoming that crisis in the limited time available will require resolute action. Our efforts need to focus on the following three initiatives.
— Apologize to Michael for the baseless aspersions cast on his character by Olympus executives.
— Call on Michael to return to Olympus and resume his duties as president.
— Begin working immediately to position Olympus as a world-class model of corporate excellence, including excellence in complying with the highest standards of corporate ethics.”

I am sure 99,99% of the company is healthy and 99,99% of Olympus employees are doing an incredible good job. 43rumors is only a very small website, but if Olympus employees are reading me I want to make it clear that I will fully support them in any way I can do it! Many companies went through tuff crisis and when you come out from them usually things will do much better than before!

P.S.: The Online Photographer also called all Olympus supporter for unite!

How are the GX1 preorder sales going? Watch at the hourly updated Amazon ranking (Click here). But still not as good as the main competitor, the [shoplink 26379]Sony NEX-5n[/shoplink].

There is a new short first impression review by Cnet Australia (Click here): “The GX1 should satisfy many current GF1 owners looking at upgrading their camera body. This is a new range within the G series of interchangeable lens cameras from Panasonic, incorporating full manual control in a body that looks a little bit like a souped-up GF1“. The bad news is that the GX1 will not available for Christmas in Australia. That happens because Panaosnic dosn’t want to sell t many camera. You know they don’t really care about sales :)

First look review at Pocket-Lint (Click here): “As we said, this wasn’t a final retail version of the camera, or final firmware, so we can’t judge the quality of the results, but we were impressed. The video is especially good, along with stereo sound, and we like the fact you now get the option to shoot in AVCHD or MPEG4, the latter being more universally supported. Unfortunately there is no conventional external mic input.”

Another first look review at Trustedreviews (Click here): “The Panasonic Lumix GX1 looks like it could well be the best Lumix G-series model to date. The lack of a built-in electronic viewfinder makes it physically smaller than the G3, while the all-metal construction makes it a more robust option with a more premium overall feel. Aside from that it looks to offer the same ease of use and, more importantly, deliver the same consistently high level of image quality“.

Starting from November 12th, Panasonic will be in selected Jacobs’ stores to demonstrate the new GX1 camera and providing consumers with their own opportunity for hands on with the camera, before it will go on general sale from mid December:
New Oxford Street, London: 12th, 19th and 26th November and 3rd December
London Road, Leicester: 19th and 26th November and 3rd December
Edinburgh: 12th, 19th and 26th November and 3rd December
Experts will be on hand to answer your product related queries between 10am-4pm each day. (via Photographyblog).

Preorder are now available on Amazon Uk and Japan too. That is the new preorder link list:
Black GX1 body at Amazon (Click here), Amazon UK (Click here), Amazon Japan (Click here) and Digitalrev (Click here).
Silver GX1 body at Amazon (Click here), Amazon UK (Click here) and Amazon Japan (Click here).
Black GX1 with 14-42mm X lens at Amazon (Click here), Amazon UK (Click here), Amazon Japan (Click here), Amazon France (Click here) and Digitalrev (Click here).
Silver GX1 with 14-42mm X lens at Amazon (Click here), Amazon UK (Click here), Amazon Japan (Click here).
Black GX1 with 14-42mm at Amazon (Click here), Amazon UK (Click here), Amazon Japan (Click here).
Silver GX1 with 14-42mm at Amazon (Click here), Amazon Japan (Click here) and Jessops (Click here).