The new E-PM1 compared with the [shoplink 19904]Olympus XZ-1[/shoplink] (Click on image to enlarge).

As you know Olympus will announce three new PEN cameras and the 12mm f/2.0 and 45mm f/1.8 lenses on June 30th (Click here to see the official Olympus invitation). And on top you can see the very first image of the tiniest of the three PEN’s the Olympus E-PM1! The other two cameras will be the E-PL3 (with tilt-screen) and the E-P3 (no tilt screen, built-in Flash). The main new feature of the Olympus cameras will be the new ultrafast autofocus that will beat the already fast [shoplink 16254]Panasonic GH2[/shoplink] AF and it will be even faster than the AF of most current DSLR cameras!!! Also the sensor and imageing engine will be new (I hope to get some more news soon about that). Don’t miss any rumors: Join us on Facebook and Twitter! Subscribe our RSS feed!

A good source had the chance to play a little bit with the new smallest PEN. And this is his hands-on report (I have rewritten the report to hide the language style):
“The E-PM1 is really very small. The body size is very similar to the [shoplink 19904 ebay]XZ-1 (Click here to see it)[/shoplink] (similar depth and height, and a little less wide. Autofocus speed is awesome (faster than the [shoplink 21666 ebay]E-30/E-5[/shoplink] by any means). And the AF is not only fast, it’s accurate! It has touchscreen, but it also has enough buttons like the [shoplink 14832 ebay]E-PL1[/shoplink].) Overall it is a camera you can handle very easy. Looking at the size of the E-PM1 it might will not sue the [shoplink 23257]BLS-1/5 battery[/shoplink], I am not sure about that but I think it could use the [shoplink 23258]Li-70B battery[/shoplink] from the XZ-1?
All three new PEN cameras do have touchscreen and a new circuitry that reduces power consumption and increases the battery autonomy.

Editor’s note: The new Panasonic GF3 is a bit smaller than the E-PM1 but that camera doesn’t come with built-in image stabilization and doesn’t have the same usability (the E-PM1 has more buttons).

Questions to sources: Do you know the price of the camera?

Links cameras/accessories mentioned in that article:
Olympus XZ-1 at [shopcountry 19904].
Olympus E-PL1 at [shopcountry 14832].
Olympus E-30 at [shopcountry 21666].
Olympus BLS-1/5 battery at [shopcountry 23257].
Olympus Li-70B battery at [shopcountry 23258].

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

Our sources are pretty exited with the new upcoming Olympus 12mm f/2.0 high grade lens. First the build quality is amazing, it’s an all metal piece of goodness! And the lens has a distance scale! According to my sources the lens has the best image quality (resolution, color rendering) tested to date. Someone said there is nothing to envy to any Leica lens! Compared to the Leica 24mm f/3.8 ([shoplink 23253 ebay]Click here to see that lens on eBay[/shoplink]) the Olympus will cost $1.700 less and has a much faster aperture! Another source that this is one of the lenses that will birng new sex appeal to the Micro Fur Thirds system (yes he used those words). The 12mm lens will be available a couple of weeks after the June 30th announcement. So check your piggy bank savings, you need around $850 for that lens!

In summary:
– Olympus 12mm f/2.0 coming on June 30th
– It’s the very first High Grade lens for Micro Four Thirds and is made in Tatsuno (Japan)
– All metal construction with distance meter.
– 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)

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

Engadget Chinese (Click here) spotted that Olympus invitation card for an even on June 30th during 14:00 ~ 16:30 (Taiwan GMT+8). The event starts with speeches from Olympus managers and Photographers. At the end of the event there is a testing part with new products. No products have been specified in the invitation. But we already know what’s coming:

Three Pen cameras, the E-PM1, E-PL3 (with tilt lcd) and E-P3. Two new lenses, the 12mm f/2.0 and 45mm f/1.8. But there will be some other new stuff to and I am working to get details about that.