Pictured above you can see the new Olympus E-P3 with 12mm f/2.0 lens. Cute or not?

The last couple of weeks I posted so many info that it’s time for a rumor recap! Olympus is going to announce the new products on Thursday June 30th at 6am London time. You can follow the announcement live on 43rumors where I will post all news, reviews and image samples we can find. If you want to help me send me interesting links at 43rumors@gmail.com. Thanks!

Those are all the products Olympus will announce on Thursday:

1) Common features of all three new PEN cameras
– Very fast autofocus
– Truepic VI engine
– New Olympus designed sensor
– All three PEN cameras do have AF assist lamp
– Old lenses will focus faster on the new Pen cameras (although not as fast as when using new lenses).

2) Olympus E-P3
– It has the new Olympus “tweaked” 12 Megapixel Sensor
– Truepic VI engine (two processor in one)
– ISO 100 to 12.800
– 1080i 60frs AVCHD or JPEG video
– 35 point autofocus
– OLED touch Display (610k resolution). Sounds like it is almost the same screen used for the [shoplink 19904 ebay]Olympus XZ-1[/shoplink].
– pop up live guide
– dual dials
– flash is remote trigger capable, but no free bounce like [shoplink 14832]Olympus E-PL1[/shoplink].
– fastest AF to date for any mirrorless cam (and I have been told that it is considerably faster that the [shoplink 16254 ebay]Panasonic GH2[/shoplink]!).
– updated art filters
– effects to combine with art filters (like starlight)
– 3D still images
– built-in Eye-Fi support for controlling the Eye-Fi cards ([shoplink 23437 ebay]Click here to see the cards on eBay[/shoplink])
– Interchangeable grip. I have been told there are two different grips you can buy (and more will come after).
– Design changes: The top dial is now placed instead of the ON/OFF button of the E-P2. To make room for the built-in flash. There is a video recording button over the AEL button.
– Price somewere between $799 and $899 dollars

3) Olympus E-PL3
– Same sensor and af speed as the E-P3
– no built-in flash (Will have bundled external flash that uses the hotshoe+accessory port)
– tilting LCD screen
– Screen is LCD and not OLED.
– looks EXACTLY like the Olympus XZ-1 ([shoplink 19904 ebay]Click here to see that camera[/shoplink])

4) Olympus E-PM1
– It is as small as the Olympus XZ-1
– No tilt screen, no built-in flash

5) 12mm f/2.0 lens
– It’s the very first High Grade lens for Micro Four Thirds and is made in Tatsuno (Japan)
– All metal construction with distance scale. You see the distance scale when you pull the focus ring from autofocus to manual mode.
– Lens size similar to the new Panasonic Leica 25mm f/1.4.
– Filter size 46mm
– Already in production since April and will be in Stock in July.
– Close focusing 20cm (0.67 feet)
– Price around $799

6) 45mm f/1.8 lens
– No macro
– Price around $299

7) New Olympus FL-300R
It works like the Sony’s F20AM ([shoplink 23438 ebay]Click here to see the Sony flash on eBay[/shoplink]). For example you fold down to turn off.

8 ) New external EVF
– cheap build quality, cheap price (Compared to the current [shoplink 23321 ebay]VF-2 viewfinder (around $279.95)[/shoplink]).

9) Olympus 14-42mm II R
Same price and optical performance as the current 14-42mm lens but with a much faster autofocus performance.

10) Olympus 40-150mm II R
Same price and optical performance as the current 40-150mm lens but with a much faster autofocus performance.

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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

Here are the first pictures of the upcoming new Olympus E-P3 with 12mm f/2.0 lens attached! As you see the E-P3 is very similar to the [shoplink 14830 ebay]Olympus E-P2[/shoplink]. The main difference is the new built-in flash. We have been told the 12mm lens has a focus ring you can pull in a different position to allow manual focusing. Once pulled the focus ring on manual position you will see the distance scale! Cool!!! And as you see the new 12mm f/2.0 lens has almost the length of the [shoplink 14794 ebay]Panasonic 45mm macro[/shoplink].

Those are the full E-P3 specs:

– It has the new Olympus “tweaked” 12 Megapixel Sensor
– Truepic VI engine (two processor in one)
– ISO 100 to 12.800
– 1080i 60frs AVCHD or JPEG video
– 35 point autofocus
– OLED touch Display (610k resolution). Sounds like it is almost the same screen used for the [shoplink 19904 ebay]Olympus XZ-1[/shoplink].
– pop up live guide
– dual dials
– fastest AF to date for any mirrorless cam (and I have been told that it is considerably faster that the [shoplink 16254 ebay]Panasonic GH2[/shoplink]!).
– updated art filters
– effects to combine with art filters (like starlight)
– 3D still images
– built-in Eye-Fi support for controlling the Eye-Fi cards ([shoplink 23437 ebay]Click here to see the cards on eBay[/shoplink])
– Interchangeable grip. I have been told there are two different grips you can buy (and more will come after).
– Design changes: The top dial is now placed instead of the ON/OFF button of the E-P2. To make room for the built-in flash. There is a video recording button over the AEL button.

A source just told me that the E-P3 has built-in Eye-Fi support for controlling the Eye-Fi cards ([shoplink 23437 ebay]Click here to see the cards on eBay[/shoplink]). And as you know there will be a new flash too (the Olympus FL-300R). A new source told me that it works like the Sony’s F20AM ([shoplink 23438 ebay]Click here to see the cards on eBay[/shoplink]). For example you fold down to turn off.

And now a couple of confirmations:
1) A couple of sources confirmed that the 40-150 II R is coming too.
2) Sources are now certain the sensor is designed by Olympus (and produced by Panasonic). Olympus goal was to improve the dynamic range, color fidelity and autofocus speed.
3) New and known soruces keep saying AF speed is amazing :)