land of sicilia from emeric on Vimeo.

This is a post that contains emails from 43rumor readers. Here is the list:

1) Made a short film on the killer whales of the North Sea. Used the GH2 during gale force wind, upto 38 knots. GH2 and zuiko 12-60 and 35-100. Manual focus.
If you like it, nice to add it on your website for a break in between the rumors. The camera has some troubles since I used it, the salt wind, rain and sea water probably reached the electronic components. (but it was worth it) Here is the link. http://youtu.be/Cc2tNVrhAUA
Best Wishes, Melvin

2) I don’t know if its interesting for the gang or not but I recently shot some sample images with my G2 using the Novoflex adapter, a Canon FD 70-210/f4 and a Canon Extender FD 2x-B. You can find the sample under http://der-eigene-blickwinkel.blogspot.com/2011/11/samples-with-canon-fd-70-210f4-on.html

3) Fotofinlandia is THE premier photo contest in Finland. It is now organized every third year.  I have some info on it at my site. The finalists were announced today. My series of images is one of those lucky 12. Your 43rumors readers might be interested to know that this series is shot with E-P2 and D.Zuiko 50mm f/2 Macro.  I had another series among TOP 35. Same equipment. All in all there are some 8000 photographers who have right to participate. The finalists can be seen here: http://www.fotofinlandia.fi/ehdokkaat/
If you click on “KAIKKI EHDOKKAAT” you can see those 33 series (not 35) who were in semi-finals.

4) “Hi Sir, I am a member of 43rumors, I read everyday your articles, specially the Olympus ones :) because since I was a child I have been taking pictures with OM cameras and now with four thirds and micro fourthirds cameras. My dream will be working for Olympus one day :). I have submitted a picture to National Geographic taken with an Olympus E-1 and Zuiko Digital 14-54 lens. I wonder if you could publish an announcement of the picture in National Geographic taken with the OLYMPUS E-SYSTEM. Maybe people like it and can press I like it or write a comment. If I had a minimum chance to win, could you believe it? OLYMPUS in NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC! :) I really wish Michael Woodford can manage to get rid of this problem right now. I truly believe in MFT!!! It´s the future. Anyway I´ll understand if you can´t publish it.
Best wishes,
David Irisarri Vila
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/photo-contest/2011/entries/96818/view/”

5) I see alot of people have been asking how the new Leica 25mm lens serves as a portrait lens. I recently took some pictures that shows how wonderful its bokeh is, and I disagree with those who says it is not a good portrait lens. Anyway, if its something that might be worth sharing, feel free to do so:)
Cheers from Japan
Here’s the link to the pics btw: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nipponbasse/sets/72157628018874014/

6) Rise Up 2011 ABS 13 Bouldering Comp with GH2 and Leica 25mm on youtube.

7) SLR Magic HyperPrime 12mm f/1.6 Test (vimeo).

Amateur Photographer (Click here) published an Interview with ex-CEO Woodford. There is an interesting part concerning the camera business. W. thinks that “The camera business is stronger than it’s been for several years but we have to see where Olympus’s future goes“. And Woodford hinted that he would have felt differently had he been in charge three or four years ago.

Woodofrd also sees a bright future for high-end superzoom compact cameras.

And than he talks about the mirrorless system: “I am a great believer in product… we make world-beating cameras, wonderful lenses, sexy-styled bodies. We can do that – that’s what I’ve learned as I’ve got closer to the camera business.” However, he expressed frustration that Olympus did not have more resources to invest in a market that is becoming ever more competitive, and now pitching up against the likes of camera giant Nikon in the CSC arena. 

Just my two cent: I fully agree with him! Olympus (and Panasonic) created a great system but missed to bring more innovations. And now cameras like the Sony NEX-7, Nikon 1 and Fuji upcoming LX are bringing some REAL innovation (hybrid viewfinder, built-in EVF, High ISO quality and so on). But I don’t want to sound to negative. I think the m43 sensor size is the best choice to keep a good quality-camera size balance. And we also have some incredible nice lens other companies cannot offer. But I would lvoe to see less camera reiteration!

Everyday there are more and more true (or false?) news about the Olympus fee scandal. As usual take all news with a grain of salt. It’s so hard to understand what’s REALLY happening behind the scenes. There might be some kind of “obscure” interest that we are not aware of. The only thing I hope is that Olympus can soon take action to stop the never ending negative media reports.

The New York Times (Click here) writes that “In a memo prepared by investigators and circulated at a recent meeting of officials from Japan’s Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission, the Tokyo prosecutor’s office and the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, officials say they are trying to determine whether Olympus worked with organized crime syndicates to obscure billions of dollars in past investment losses and then paid them exorbitant sums for their services.” and “The memo says investigators believe that over half of that amount has been channeled to organized crime syndicates, including the country’s largest, the Yamaguchi Gumi. The memo does not make clear whether Olympus knew about those links. But if confirmed by investigators, an association with organized crime could prompt a delisting of Olympus shares from the Tokyo Stock Exchange, under the exchange’s rules.”

There is another huge surprise coming out via Z3n.tv (Click here) reports that Goldman Sachs earned $26 million by short selling “approximately 830,000 Olympus stocks the day before Woodford was dismissed“. As you see there are so many obscure interests behind the story! If we really would put a Lupe on all companies and banks we might discover that the whole finance world is a mess. But as I said many times, I am a small writer living in the middle of the alps. My only hope is that Olympus employees will not be affected by that mess.