Let’s start with the bad news first. The same sources that told us that Olympus was working on a modular camera now told us that Olympus is keeping on hold the project. Olympus is focusing their resources on the development of new Micro Four Thirds cameras and lenses. The good news is that we can finally show you a REAL proof that our sources were telling us the truth. Olympus filled a new patent (Click here to read it at freepatentsonline) that shows 8 different modular bodies! Every single concept has three different parts (camera body, sensor unit and lens). It looks like a more advanced concept compared to the [shoplink 16935]Ricoh GXR design were lens and sensor do part of a single unit[/shoplink].

Let’s start with the official patent description:

“There is known a camera capable of exchanging an imaging element with another imaging element of a different size according to the purpose (refer to Patent Document 1). This camera has a horizontally-long box-like camera body and a photographing lens for silver salt single-lens reflex camera. As the camera body, a camera body for silver salt single-lens reflex camera is used without modification. As a back lid, one for silver-salt camera and one for digital camera are prepared. When the back lid for digital camera is attached to the camera body, this camera can be used as a digital camera. Further, this camera has a configuration allowing exchange of a CCD substrate and thus different types of digital cameras can be realized by one camera body.”

One of the most interesting apsects of the patent is the “conversion optical system” (On picture the part number 4): “The conversion optical system is an optical system that forms an intermediate image (primary image). Thus, even when a subject image is enlarged, an aberration-free image can be obtained.”

The third modular camera variant (Figure 3) shows “the optical unit 21 includes an imaging optical system 22, the optical path division means 8, and the moving mechanism 9. The optical unit 211 through the attachment/detachment portion 2 and thereby a subject image is formed on the imaging element 3 through the imaging optical system 22 and the conversion optical system is connected to the imaging body 4“

Feel free to add your thoughts about the patent by commenting on this post. As usual keep in mind that patents are not a guarantee that there will really be a product like that.

43rumors and Mirrorlessforum launched a new poll which is available at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ml_survey. We are curious to see the average profile of our readers. It’s an anonymous poll, and there is no commercial use for it. The results will be published here on 43rumors after closing the poll and you will finally learn how many of us are using mirrorless cameras!

Yesterday I received a new message from a dutch camera reseller: “A representative of Olympus in the Netherlands came to our shop and told me that Olympus will not produce anymore Dslr camera’s. they will only produce the [shoplink 17163]Olympus E-5[/shoplink]. So pretty soon we can no longer order any Dslr except the E-5. and of the E-5 we can only order four at a time wich we have to sell first before we can order another four.
They will only concentrate on M 4/3. and by 2012 they will have renewed there whole compact line-up except for the superzoom cameras.
Are the same thing’s happening in other country’s to ?”

The answer is yes! A few other dealers had small talks with Olympus reps. And they also have been told that this could be the last DSLR.

A reminder, Olympus said that they will contnue to develop Four Thirds products until Micro Four Thirds can deliver the same performance as Four Thirds cameras.

(UPDATE) Two more retailers sent me messages:

1) “Three weeks ago i was at an “open house” at a photo dealer with all of the reps there. I spoke to the Olympus rep for 15-20 minutes. Just prior to this open house he had had a meeting with one one of Olympus’ designers. He told me that Olympus will continue designing and producing a “flagship” E-X. The E-5 was not the end of the line. Olympus has not designed a system to do away with mirrors and that they were not even close. He said that all of the other series were dead. The modular E-series would not happen but he smiled when I mentioned a “pro” micro body.”

2) “in my country it is the same with E5 as in others. Only a few at a time.”

Nokton+GH2

Some [shoplink 15659]Voigtländer Nokton 25mm f/0.95[/shoplink] test shots (Dpreview forum)

Ein Augenblick für die Panasonic GH2 (ThePublicEye).

A photo of a working E-P2 on really extreme conditions. Taken in Oymakon (Russia) on the Pole of Cold: http://yfrog.com/484313031020f8b4f7d325oj

Olympus Japan announced the official launch of the E-PL1s.

Panasonic GF2 test at cameramedia.jp.

Panasonic GH2 unboxing pictiures at dockti.me.