Sony didn’t wait long time to respond the latest Micro Four Thirds group announcements. Sony said that they will share the basic E-mount specifiactions with third party companies. Read more at Mirrorlessrumors (Click here).
Cameralabs (Click here) published their Panasonic GH2 test results. And after heavy testing they came to the conclusion that: “The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 delivers one of the most satisfying and uncompromised experiences from a hybrid camera to date. Still photo quality is as the best we’ve seen from the Micro Four Thirds standard and keeps-up with APS-C sensors at low to mid sensitivities even with its boost in resolution, while autofocus is very snappy, proving contrast-based systems can actually out-perform phase-change systems while avoiding potential front and rear focusing errors.”
The camera gets highly recommended with a score of 87%. By comparison the E-P2 earns a 83% and the Nikon D7000 a 88% rating.
CLick those direct GH2 links to order the check price and availability of the new GH2: [shopcountry 16254]
Although this is not a Micro Four Thirds related news it is interesting to note that Olympus announced their first 3D compact camera with super zoom. Don’t know if that means that future m43 cameras will be able to do 3D too. Don’t know why I can’t get excited about 3D…and you?
Read more at Engadget!
Photographyblog (Click here) just posted their XZ-1 review. There’s alot to like: “The camera ticks all the boxes that any experienced photographer is looking for – “sensible” pixel count, a very fast lens, raw file support, a reliable multi-point AF system and a well implemented manual exposure mode complete with an optional live histogram“…”In summary the Olympus XZ-1 is a very attractive and well thought-out – if a bit expensive – digital compact camera that appeals to a wide range of users and presents a real threat to the likes of the Canon Powershot S95, Panasonic Lumix LX5 and Samsung EX1.” The camera gets Highly Recommended!
XZ-1 direct shop links: Amazon US, Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon FR
With all that “excitement” for the Zeiss and Schneider press releases we didn’t discuss two more “hidden” info that have been given to us.
1) The Zeiss-Olympus press release contains the following Olympus statement: “Olympus Imaging Corp. will continue to develop and enhance the product lineup for both standards to meet the diverse needs of our customers.“. So once again Olympus underlines that they will continue to develop both the Micro- and the Four Thirds system!
2) We didn’t talk a lot about it but also Komamura joined m43! Komamura is a “Japanese camera manufacturer / imaging company founded in 1933 as Komamura Brothers & Co. It develops multiple imaging-associated products including battery systems, color management systems and filters as well as professional-oriented cameras and lenses.” I confess that I didn’t know the company. But once you check their website (Click here) you quickly get the impression that they are a very professional company. I didn’t know they make the famous [shoplink 19679]Horseman[/shoplink] cameras! A wonder what kind of M43 products they will make! Can you think on any interesting “thing” they could do? That’s a very intriguing question!
Links:
– The supporting companies at four-thirds.org
– Horseman cameras on [shoplink 19679 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]
[shoplink 15756]
[/shoplink]The [shoplink 14826]Panasonic GH1[/shoplink] with [shoplink 15756 ebay]Zeiss Cp+ lenses[/shoplink] shown at Photokina 2010 (Thanks Terry!)
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After Schneider Kreuznach also Carl Zeiss AG joins the Micro Four Thirds System Standard Group! This is not a surprise, Zeiss already announced months ago that they would add an exchangeable m43 mount for the compact Prime CP.2 lenses (Click here to read our article). Those lenses are very expensive $3.900 each at [shoplink 15756 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]. Two anonymous sources also told us that Zeiss is taking into consideration to make a Micro Four Thirds version of the current 15.5-45mm f/2.6 Zoom lens. The lens could be available by mid 2011 (But keep in mind that those are rumors from unknown sources!).
PRESS RELEASE:
“Announced jointly by Olympus Imaging Corp. (President : Masaharu Okubo) and Panasonic Corporation in 2008, the Micro Four Thirds System standard has rapidly grown in popularity. Now, support for the standard is expanding with the decision of Carl Zeiss AG to join the Micro Four Thirds System standard, and the company is releasing lenses compliant with the standard.
For more than 160 years, the lenses of Carl Zeiss AG have been defining the state-of-the-art in optical technology. Now, as Carl Zeiss AG joins the Micro Four Thirds System group, ZEISS HD Video lenses will be available to users of Micro Four Thirds cameras, contributing to a vastly expanded product line and enhancing the joys of digital imaging with the Micro Four Thirds System.
As the originator of the Four Thirds System and Micro Four Thirds System standards, Olympus Imaging Corp. will continue to develop and enhance the product lineup for both standards to meet the diverse needs of our customers.”
As you see the press release clearly mentions “ZEISS HD Video lenses“. It doesn’t sound like they are going to make “normal” m43 lenses (would love to see some [shoplink 19666]zm-lenses[/shoplink] for m43!).
Links to:
– Press release: http://www.olympus-global.com/en/news/2011a/nr110207zeisse.html
– CP+ lenses at BHphoto
– ZM lenses at [shopcountry 19666 ebay]
P.S: All good things come in three, so after Schneider and Zeiss…who is next?
Short break from Panasonic/Olympus news. It really looks like Canon will be the last company the join the new mirrorless market. Today they announced new Rebels. The Canon QL-D1 mirrorless camera rumor was abviousely fake (read the rumor at mirrorlessrumors.com). Sum the Canon news with Schneider Kreuznach and Zeiss joining the m43 group and with Pentax making a tiny small sensor mirrorless system. What do you see? A bright future for Micro Four Thirds :)
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