a little bit of everything…(with lots of reviews)

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The japanese website Itmedia (Click here) tested the new Olympus converters.
You can already preorder the converters in many stores:
Olympus Fisheye Converter at [shopcountry 21289].
Olympus Wide Lens Converter at [shopcountry 21292].
Olympus Macro Converter at [shopcountry 21293].

Reghardware (Click here) reviewed the GF2: “Recent additions, including the new DMC-G3 suggest Panasonic’s emphasis may have shifted to entice more cost conscious photographer to the MFT format. Whether the touchscreen is enough to compete with the likes of the [shoplink 18844]Olympus PEN E-PL2[/shoplink], remains to be seen. Still, with the Lumix DMC-GF2 Panasonic has succeeded in creating a clever and exciting camera.”
Click those links to check GF2 price and availability: [shopcountry 17361].

National Geographic Photographer Stephen Alvarez (Click here) also tested the GF2.

Fourthirds-user (Click here) compared the High ISO performance from cameras old and new cameras (Like for example the old Olympus E-1 and the newer Olympus E-5).

Panasonic G3 sample images at Focue Numerique (Click here). And the official Panasonic G3 gallery is also online at Panasonic.net (Click here). There is a hands-on report at Serious Compacts (Click here).

New Nauticam NA-XZ1 underwater housing for the Olympus XZ-1. Photorumors.

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BBC approved the Panasonic AF101 for full HD television acquisition (+ tested with Voigtländer)

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Good news for the Micro Four Thirds system. BBC approved the AG-AF101 as a HD specialist cameras. You may don’t know that only a few cameras are on the BBC list. That includes the much more expensive ARRI cameras, the Sony’s CineAlta F35 and the Red modular cameras. See the full (short) list of approved cameras -> Download .pdf. Low budget documentary filmmakers will be very happy to read that news. But there is only one “limitation”. You have to record the images on the external recorder to capture footage at 50Mbps via HDMI. (Read the article at Dvuser.co.uk)
You can get the AG-AF100(or 101 or 102) at BHphoto (Click here) or [shoplink 22129 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

Dvuser.co.uk (Click here) tested the Voigtlander 25mm F0.95 Micro 4/3rd lens on the Panasonic AF101 camcorder. Is the lens good enough for video? Nigel Cooper says :”I’ve been shooting with the Panasonic AF101 with the [shoplink 15659 ebay]Voigtlander 25mm MFT lens[/shoplink] for some weeks now and to say I’m impressed is an understatement. The quality that the Voigtlander optics produces is truly amazing. As for the Bokeh, it is truly amazing. At F0.95 you can achieve the shallowest depth-of-field; it’s incredible and it yields some incredibly artistic results.” The final rating is 5 start of 5! Thanks Nigel for your very detailed review!

The best thing is that now there are plenty of Nokton lenses in Stock in [shoplink 15659 ebay]European eBay stores (Click here)[/shoplink]. All new and with the normal price (which is 899 Euro). Click on the shop names: [shoplink 22125 ebay]Foto Mundus[/shoplink], [shoplink 22126 ebay]infoto2[/shoplink], [shoplink 22126 ebay]infoto2[/shoplink], [shoplink 22127 ebay]eu-shphoto[/shoplink], [shoplink 22128 ebay]deutscher-digitalhandel[/shoplink] (ships worldwide!). Our US readers can buy from Europe only because US stores do not have them in Stock. BHphoto accepts preorders (for a very good price) but they still don’t know when they will have them in Stock (that’s what they told to me).

UPDATE: In France you can find the Nokton for 749 Euro only at lapetiteboutiquephoto.com. Don’t know why they are much cheaper than other stores but I have been assured that this is a very reputable store!

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Some thoughts about the G3 from Vitaly (the hacker)

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Vitaly the hacker posted his thoughts about the [shoplink 22077]G3[/shoplink] on his website Personal-view.com (Click here). He doesn’t like the new G3 because….

“* Less buttons (you do not need AEL, right?).
* No eye sensor (You like play quest games enabling EVF via touch menu?)
* Noisier sensor compensated by math (read – more details blur).
* Intelligent resolution (read – more sharpness accentuating even minor flaws).
* And this magic button, ouch forget how it is called, something like Super-Druper-Auto-Everything-Intelligence-Not-From-This-Planet.
I think that it decides then you must take your pictures and prevents you to take any picture if it does not like this sour mugs ;-)
But I may misread something.”

And if you visit his website Personal-view.com (Click here) he also shows you the pink G3 :)

My two cent on that, I don’t think the G3 is a bad camera. Panasonic clearly targeted it for the amateurs. But along the G3 I would love to see a real Photo Camera too. A camera with less plastic, with more buttons and easier usability. What do you think?

 

P.S.: G3 preorders at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and Amazon UK (Click here).

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What the hell. Noktor is back! And allied with SLRmagic??? (+ Noktor on eBay)

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Suprise! Last week Noktor announced that they went out of business. But today they sent a new twitter message. Also their website is back online. My speculation is that SLRmagic will take over the Noktor business. And one more news. You can now find one Noktor lens (Number 0026) on [shoplink 22105 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].

Who is SLRmagic? A chinese company (Hong Kong) that currently offers manual, cheap and not high quality lenses. They have the (only) advantage that you can use them without the use of any adapter:
35mm f/1.7 [shoplink 20923 ebay](Click here to see that lens on eBay)[/shoplink].
26mm f/1.4 [shoplink 20919 ebay](Click here to see that lens on eBay)[/shoplink].

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Fuji X100 in Stock at BHphoto (But Michael Carpentier says the GF1 is a better choice)

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If you are looking to get a Fuji X100 you might take a look at BHphoto (Click here). UPDATE: Now out of Stock :(
There is an interesting note at Amazon US (Click here): “Note on Availability: This item is in high demand and supplies from the manufacturer are limited. Its availability will fluctuate, and if the item is not currently in stock, we cannot guarantee that we will receive additional quantities in a timely manner. We will not charge your credit card until we ship the product.”

P.S.: Photographer Michael Carpentier compared the Fuji X100 and the Panasonic GF1 camera. The original article has been written in french but click here to read the google english translation. You might be surprised to read that he considers the [shoplink 14828]GF1[/shoplink] a better choice than the X100. Image quality difference is minimal, and he is particularly disappointed with the Fuji’s lens performance at f/2.0. There is also a huge problem with focusing at short distance. There are also other quirks with the X100 but also some positive notes. Anyway the small image quality difference in favour of the X100 doesn’t justify the huge price difference. And if you really need that bit more of IQ you can still go for the Sony NEX-5!

To bad the GF1 is out of production. Click those links to see if you can find them at [shopcountry 14828].

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Panasonic Interview (Highlights)

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[shoplink 16340 ebay]

[/shoplink]Image on top: The current [shoplink 16340 ebay]Four Thirds Panasonic Leica branded 25mm f/1.4[/shoplink]

We had so many news yesterday! Today we have more time to take a closer look to the Panasonic interview and the future new Leica 25mm lens. Photographyblog (Click here) had a long talk with UK Product Manager for Lumix G John Mitchell (JM), plus Steve Lucas (SL), Product Specialist. Those are the most interesting news:

– Panasonic believes that mirrorless will cross the 50% share barrier in Japan within 2012.
– In UK people who bought Panasonic m43 cameras RE 50% novice AND 50% enthusiast or pro.
– Panasonic believes the G3 sensor closes the gaps witht the Sony NEX sensor (Really?).
– Between the G2 and G3 sensor at ISO3200 and ISO6400 and we have a 6 decibel and 9 decibel improvement
– The G2 production will continue throughout the coming year and we’ll just drop it down as our entry-level product
– Panasonic says the G3 uses an aluminium body (Didn’t know that!)
– The GF1 and GF2 are still being produced in Fukushima. But in fact production has now ceased on the GF1.
– And now the very interesting part: “Yes, here’s the first working sample of the 25mm f/1.4; really eagerly anticipated and not planned for launch until the second half of this year. It will be Leica approved and branded. For those looking for more affordable alternatives of course Sigma has recently announced that it’s going to start making Micro Four Thirds lenses. We’ve got a large following of consumers who are going to be looking for that affordability, and also the enthusiasts who want everything to be the highest quality. The factory is committed to three to four lenses every year so this won’t be the only product we’ll be showing you this year”

As I already told you there will be one more Panasonic product announcement in June. I am not sure yet but I assume that we are going to see that lens very soon!

Links:
The current Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 Four Thirds lens on [shoplink 16340 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink] Panasonic G3 at preorders at Amazon US (Click here) and Amazon UK (Click here).

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