43 Rumors – Page 2145 – Panasonic and Olympus Digital Camera News

(FT3) Panasonic GX1 (GF1 successor) coming in mid November!

October 19, 2011
Rumors
140 Comments

Another fake GX1 design that looks like the [shoplink 23692 ebay]Panasonic L1 (See that cam on eBay)[/shoplink]. Source: Yahoo Via: E-P1.net.

According to one of our sources the [shoplink 14828]Panasonic GF1[/shoplink] successor will be named “Panasonic GX1” and be the first line of a new kind of camera. And the good news is that will be announced in one month (around mid November). It will have a new sensor, a new design and probably the most intriguing news I got is about a sort of new designed viewfinder (I should receive some details soon). All I can say for now is that we are now entering a new “rumor” period thanks to Panasonic. I hope to get more news about the GX1 as soon as we go closer to the announcement! Stay tuned!

All I know for sure (That’s FT5) is that the new amazing [shoplink 25104]Panasonic 14-42mm X lens[/shoplink] will be the kit lens of the GX1.

Links to mentioned cameras/lenses:
Panasonic GF1: [shopcountry 14828] Panasonic L1: [shoplink 23692 ebay]eBay[/shoplink] Panasonic 14-42mm X lens: [shopcountry 25104]

Reminder -> 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

First 14-42mm X lens sharpness test and new 45-175mm X lens video.

October 19, 2011
reviews
52 Comments

ice skating shot with gh2 + panasonic lumix g x 45-175mm from Roderick Kar on Vimeo.

The Japanese website DSLR-check (Click here) posted a set of image comparisons between the [shoplink 25104]14-42mm pancake X zoom[/shoplink] and other lenses. What’s really interesting with the test is that he used the lens on both Panasonic and Olympus camera. As you know Panasonic has a lens correction while the Olympus has not. You really can see the difference! At first glance I wouldn’t recommend that lens for the use on an Olympus camera if you shot JPEG’s only. Otherwise the lens performs very well on the Panasonic cameras! And keep in mind how tiny that zoom lens is, that makes the image quality of the lens look even more impressive!

You can click these links to search for 14-42mm X lens preorders: [shopcountry 25104] The Panasonic 45-175mm X lens is in Stock in some stores. Check at [shopcountry 25103].

Olympus 45mm for $399 at Amazon and Ritz! (Panasonic-Leica in Stock at Adorama).

October 18, 2011
deals
17 Comments

Good news dear US readers. The amazing new Olympus 45mm f/1.8 portrait lens is in Stock for the normal price ($399) at Amazon (Click here) and Ritzcamera (Click here). If you need some review to convince yourself to buyt the lens read here at Monumentphoto or Steve Huff or Dpreview or Lenstip :)

And the new Panasonic-Leica 25mm f/1.4 lens is back in Stock at Adorama (Click here)! Don’t knwo how much that deal will last!

P.S.: In Holland the E-PL1 is in Stock for 149 Euro only at fotohanskeuzekamp.

Interview with Woodford (and Olympus shares keep losing value).

October 18, 2011
news
142 Comments

You can see three (very similar) Woodford interviews made at Financial Times (recommended!), Bloomberg (on youtube) and Channel4 (on their website). Mr Woodford said that he sent a report to the Serious Fraud Office in the UK. That’s going to be a tuff and long battle. Meanwhile the shares are losing another 8% today (Source: Bloomberg).

First Nanoha 5x macro lens video

October 18, 2011
reviews
29 Comments

Our friend Seb Farges shot this video with the new Nanoha 5x macro lens: “I’ve just receveid the Nanoha Macro 5X lens, micro 4/3 mount! It’s an amazing lens that is opening to me the very macro world. It has a lighting LED unit, you can plug it with USB cable, on your computer for example. You also have a target holder to maintain the object in front of the lens to avoid motion blur. I did not use it on this movie, except on the euro bill shot and the alone hair. Not so easy to film nano objects, the D.O.P is very short. The focusing point is 11mm from the lens top. You can adjust the point about 8mm with focusing ring. The magnification will be changed between x5 to x4 with focusing. This is a first quick test, hope you will enjoy it.”

More info about the lens here: yasuhara.co.jp/nanoha/index-e.html. P.S.: Yasuhara is known for making [shoplink 26291 ebay]M-mount lenses and cameras[/shoplink].

One more thing: Someone sent me the link to a mysterious Lo-fi 25mm f/1.4 M43 lens (Photojojo). To me it looks like this is a copy of the [shoplink 20919 ebay]SLRmagic 26mm f/1.4 toy lens (Click here to see that lens)[/shoplink].

Panasonic GF3 review at Popphoto and Cameralabs (and G3 and 12mm lens reviews)

October 17, 2011
reviews
5 Comments

[shoplink 23109]

[/shoplink]

Popphoto (Click here) posted the full Panasonic GF3 review: “The Olympus E-PL2, which can still be found at some retailers, matches the GF3’s performance in many ways, but is larger and doesn’t focus quite as fast. In short, the GF3 offers plenty of bang for the buck and is pretty much the camera to beat in this class“.
A second review of the GF3 has been posted by Cameralabs (Click here): “Panasonic’s repositioning of its GF range as ‘consumer’ models aimed at casual photographers looking to upgrade from a point-and-shoot has long been apparent and, in my view, they’ve succeeded admirably“.
The GF3 is in Stock at [shopcountry 23109].

DigitalPhotographySchool (Click here) tested the Panasonic G3: “excellent colour capture with images as sharp as a tack”
The G3 is in Stock at [shopcountry 22077].

The german SystemKameraBlog (Click here) posted a full Olympus 12mm review. You have to be a member to download the review (in german).
Also ePhotozine (Click here) tested the Olympus 12mm lens: “Although this lens comes at a premium price point, you get premium build and premium optical quality. The wide aperture is very useful for taking images in low light conditions and this dinky metal lens makes a perfect companion for street photography due to its compact size and excellent performance at fast apertures.”
Click these shop links to check the price and availability of the Olympus 12mm lens: [shopcountry 23576].

Woodford says: “company needs to be cleaned up”. Huge -23% value drop of Olympus shares.

October 17, 2011
news
135 Comments

What you see on top is a screenshot taken a couple of minutes ago (14:00 London time). It shows the market reaction after the latest ex CEO Woddofrd statement at Bloomberg: “The whole board is contaminated and that company needs to be cleaned up. The whole board have had discussions and vote unanimously and no one asks anything. It’s just complete and utter obedience to Kikukawa.” And “There were $800 million in payments to buy companies making face cream and Tupperware. What the hell were we doing paying $800 million for these companies?”. And there is more coming from W.: “The eventual cost of the Transaction to Olympus is extremely significant and is as a result of a number of actions taken by management which are questionable and which give cause for concern. We were unable to confirm that there has been improper conduct, however, given the sums of money involved and some of the unusual decisions that have been made it cannot be ruled out.” The end of MR.W interview sounds a bit dramatic: “I was extremely concerned for my safety and well-being, left Japan on the first available flight to London via Hong Kong on Friday afternoon.”

What I didn’t know until today is that Woodford recommended Kikukawa and Mori resign from the board in an Oct. 11 letter!!! And only three days later Woodford was fired.

No matter who is right, the market believes in Mr. Woodford story. Goldman Sachs Group Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Nomura Holdings Inc. cut Olympus’s ratings after the ouster. Something has to change inside Olympus, because many out there are not trusting them anymore!