43 Rumors – Page 2200 – Panasonic and Olympus Digital Camera News

(FT5) Olympus E-P3, E-PL3 and E-PM1 to be announced on June 30th!

June 14, 2011
Rumors
338 Comments

I am finally 100% sure that Olympus will announce not two but three new PEN cameras! They will all use the same new (Olympus redesigned?) Panasonic sensor (more about the sensor in future posts). And here is a short description of each camera:

1) E-PM1
“M” stays for “Mini”. It is smaller than the [shoplink 17361 ebay]Panasonic GF2 (Click here to see it)[/shoplink] and a bit bigger than the new [shoplink 23109]Panasonic GF3[/shoplink]. The good news is that the mini still maintains the built-in stabilization!

2) E-PL3
It is just a bit wider and thicker than the E-PM1. It’s thicker because for the very first time there is a tilt LCD screen! But it has no built in flash unlike the “older” [shoplink 18844 ebay]Olympus E-PL2[/shoplink].

3) E-P3
Has no tilt LCD but gains a built in flash. The advantage over the E-PL3 are the manual controls and body quality. It has almost the same body design as the current [shoplink 14830 ebay]Olympus E-P2[/shoplink]. No built in viewfinder a là [shoplink 22904 ebay]Olympus XA (Click here to see it on eBay)[/shoplink].

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After a first look on those models I can see three problems with the new PEN cameras:
1) E-PM1 is not noticeable smaller than the E-PL3
2) E-P3 is more expensive than the E-PL3 and has no tilt LCD (why?)
3) E-PL3 lost some of the manual controls of the “older” E-PL2 and has no built-in flash.

I am curious to hear your opinion on that!!!
Stay tuned! I am getting tons of rumors now and I will post more soon! And don’t forget to preorder the new amazing Leica 25mm f/1.4 lens at Adorama (Click here).

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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

Leica 25mm priced 599 Dollars at Adorama (+ new tests!)

June 14, 2011
deals
98 Comments

You can now preorder the Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 lens for $599 at Adorama (Click here).

There are unboxing pictures and full size image samples at omuser.com. On picture on top you can see the image comparison with the older [shoplink 16340 ebay]Four Thirds version[/shoplink]. The tester said the af is fast but not as HD fast. Motor sound is quiet, but still noticeable if you pay attention. One huge pro is incredible details even in low light.

Here are the direct links to the pictures (Click on thumbnails)

43rumors is back and on the new server (+ explanation of the malware warning)

June 14, 2011
news
23 Comments

We are BACK!!!!!

As you know yesterday a malware attacked a couple of servers in Northern Europe. Many websites were affected (not only 43rumors). When the malware attacked us it changed a small script which made you crash the browser. We located the attack location, blocked it and removed the dirty code. The problem was that google banned all the affected websites. We quickly asked for re-approval from google but it took 10 hours to be back online without that WARNING message. And because we are smart (LOL!) we used that time to transfer the whole website on a new server! So now ladies and gentlemen you are visiting the 43rumors website on a 3 to 4 times faster server. It will finally allow me to upgrade the 43rumors theme with new option and at the same time we can fix some of the issues.

Please be kind and remind your friends and forum colleagues that we are back online. Also explain them that it was not a 43rumors problem only. We reacted very fast but google kept the warning for hours even if we were a safe website :(

Now I have to catch up with news and rumors. See you soon!

Good news folks! Leica 25mm lens will cost around 73.500 YEN (around 650 Euro)!

June 13, 2011
news
105 Comments

Image courtesy: Quesabesde.

There have been a lot of confusing info about the price of the lens. Some European websites initially did unveil a price tag of 899 Euro while some other websites (Dpreview, Focus Numerique) said that the final price will be announced before the market release. Things are much clearer in Japan where DC.watch said the price will be 73.500 YEN which is 675 Euro or 950 Dollars (but you know that the price in dollars will be much cheaper). The japanese store Yodobashi sells the lens for a street price of 58.800 YEN which is 610 Euro!!! That has been confirmed by the swedish magazine Fotosidan (650 Euro). The older Four Thirds lens did cost 1099 Euro/Dollars ([shoplink 16340 ebay]it costs less now on eBay[/shoplink]).

That’s good news!

P.S.: Leica 25mm still not available for preorder on Amazon (Click here to see the search results).

(FT5) UPDATED: Panasonic will release an advanced GF camera!!! And a new GH successor!

June 13, 2011
Rumors
129 Comments

[shoplink 20740 ebay]

[/shoplink] Ichrio Kitao from Panasonic confirmed to PhotoRadar that “Panasonic plans to split the GF series into two lines and release a GF camera aimed at experienced photographers.”
That fits perfectly with the rumors I received saying that Panasonic is working on a Micro Four Thirds version of the popular [shoplink 20740 ebay]Panasonic L1 (Click here to see that cam on eBay)[/shoplink]. And one more hot news: “Kitao told us that the company’s next priority is the GH series and bringing out a successor to the [shoplink 16254]GH2[/shoplink]” and “Improving EVF resolution and refresh rate is a priority and Panasonic intends to liaise with its supplier, Epson, to achieve this.”
I also received some news about that and will write more soon on 43rumors. Stay tuned! Lot’s of Olympus rumors coming too ;)

UPDATE: In an interview with Amateur Photographer, Kitao said Panasonic is committed to the Micro Four Thirds system and has no plans to change the sensor format. “Once we launched the G system we have a responsibility to continue the system“. My personal take on that. Mr, Kitao, this sounds like “would like to change format but I can’t“! You should have answered something like that: “Why change sensor format? m43 is the best format to realize compact and good quality mirrorless cameras!” Better communication please ;)

(Continually updated) Panasonic GF3 and Leica lens announced!

June 13, 2011
news
139 Comments

I will continually update this page. Latest additions will be on top of each category!

HOT! Preorders available!

Black GF3 with 14mm lens at Amazon (Click here).
White GF3 with 14mm lens at Amazon (Click here).
Red GF3 with 14mm lens at Amazon (Click here).
Brown GF3 with 14mm lens at Amazon (Click here).
Leica 25mm still not available for preorder on Amazon (Click here to see the search results).

Hot details

Compared to the GF2 the GF3 has a high-speed contrast AF (approximately 0.18 seconds). Burst speed has been increased 3.8 seconds at full resolution screen as the shutter is re-designed. No hot shoe! The GF3 has the VII processor engine.
The GF3 is available from July in black, red, white and brown for a suggested retail price of 550 Euro-including 14-42mm kit lens. 599Euros (or 699 dollars) with the 14mm lens.
HOT! According to DC.watch websites the Leica 25mm F/1.4 Summilux will retail for 73.500Yen (630 Euro) and will like the Lumix GF3 be available around July.
The lens uses nano coating technology and also has a new UHR (Ultra High Refractive) index lens.

Previews and Reviews

Hands-on at Quesbesde (google translated).
HOT! MTF resolution chart and image samples on Panasonic’s website.
HOT! First Leica lens review at Dslrmagazine (google translated). The lens has a very good resolution and contrast!
Hands-on preview at Photographyblog.
Preview at Techradar.
Preview at Imaging Resource.
HOT! Preview at DPreview.
Hands-on at Reghardware (with ISO-test!)

Image samples

Panasonic GF3 image samples on Flickr. Leica images on Flickr.
HOT! Full size image samples in JPG and RAW at Quesabesde.
Full size image samples at lenstip.
HOT! First RAW pictures on Photographyblog.
Image samples taken with the Leica lens at Photographyblog.
Techradar.
Reghardware.
First images on Bestproduct.nl.

Videos on youtube and vimeo

Russian presentation on youtube.
First testvideo taken with the GF3 on youtube.
GF3 and Leica lens presentation video on youtube (dutch Beste Product).
First video on youtube (by italian PMAstudio).

Panasonic GF3 specifications

Image Sensor 12.1 MP LIVE MOS
Engine Venus Engine VII HD
ISO setting 160-6400
AF speed Approx 0.18 seconds
Burst shoot: 4 fps (12.1MP)
Movie recording: AVCHD HD (1080i, sensor output 25fps)
LCD Screen: 3.0″, 3:2, 460K dots Touch LCD
Size: 107.5 x 67.1 x 32.0mm
Weight: 222g
Built-in Flash: GN6
Interface: HDMI, Digital AV Out

Poll

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(FT5) Panasonic will announce two new lenses in autumn!

June 13, 2011
Rumors
17 Comments

Image courtesy: Quesbaesde

The nice guys from Quesabesde shared that screenshot that discloses Panasonic’s intention to unveil two more new lenses in autumn. According to our sources one should be a zoom and one a prime lens. And 1-2 current lenses should be updated.