List of necessary GH2 firmware improvements.

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Vitaly (the GH1/Gh2) hacker add a list of possible new Panasonic GH2 features that would be nice to be added with the future hack or by Panasonic via firmware upgrade (Source: GH1-hack):

3D

  • Complete syncronization after remote shutter press in both stills and video (this allows to build cheap 3D rig using two GH2 bodies).

AVCHD encoder

  • 23.8Mbps in all modes available
  • 720p encoder improved with B frames.
  • In camera 2.39 (1920×805) and 2.0 aspect ratio (1920×960)

AVCHD/sensor

  • 1080p60 (most probably it is impossible).
  • 1080p25, 1080p30.
  • v720p24, 720p25, 720p30
  • 1:1, 1.2:1, 4:3, 1.37:1, 1.59:1 and 21:9 aspect ratios.
  • More variable frame rate options.
  • Ability to use wheel with Fn key to adjust frame rate during recording.

MJPEG

  • Spanning of files (unlimited recording time)
  • 50(SH)/75Mbps(SSH) modes
  • 422 color mode
  • 1080p24 mode
  • 720p24, 720p50, 720p60
  • 4K 30-40fps mode (with higher compression at about 75Mbps).

General

  • PAL/NTSC switchable
  • Ability to select any language .
  • Shortcuts with modifier (Fn key + any other key allow to call any function).
  • Saving/Restoring of all user settings up to 10 slots on SD card.

HDMI

  • Proper 59,94 mode for HDMI output for 60i (or special 60i sensor mode if selectable in menu).
  • Proper 24p output.
  • Audio enabled (doubled in USB/av in analog form).
  • 720p and ETC enabled.

Menu

  • Ability to setup My menu to exact user needs.

Sensor related

  • Banding fix (if possible)

Stills

  • Unlimited bulb mode
  • Improved bracketing capabilities (whole pictures using one shutter press, more bracketing options, etc)

Video

  • AF-Tracking working in video mode
  • Predefined AF zones
  • Audio meter visible during playback
  • vShooting information visible during video playback (requires metadata to be added to video files).
  • Safe zones markings.
  • Video streaming over USB to PC (up to 120Mbps).
  • Tethering for stills via USB.
  • Zebras selectable level (60-70-75-80-85-90-95-100 IRE).
  • Focus assist in video mode (peaking or center zoom to 1:1 mode).
  • More contrast options (to preserve highilights or shadows).

Amazing if that would be possible!

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Olympus E-5 tested at DPreview (new E-PL2 tests)

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[shoplink 17163][/shoplink]

You can read the full Olympus E-5 review at DPreview (Click here): “The E-5 is a tough and capable camera that is fun to shoot with…but the E-5 isn’t the game-changer that we always hoped Olympus might come up with“.
Click on the store name to directly check price and availability of the E-5: Amazon US, BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon FR.

Leonard Goh from CNET Asia tested the Olympus E-PL2: “Shutterbugs who are looking to buy a mirrorless ILC should really keep the E-PL2 in mind because it offers plenty of useful features in a compact body.”
Also Steve Huff tested the E-PL2: “The E-PL2 is basically a “Hot Rodded” E-PL1 and it really is a fantastic photographic tool.”
Click on the store name to directly check price and availability of the E-PL2: Amazon US, Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon FR

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Black and Silver Panasonic GH2 in Stock at Adorama (+ Panasonic bad financial results)

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Five months (!) after the GH2 announcement Adorama is having the Black Panasonic GH2 in Stock (Click here). Also the Silver Panasonic GH2 (Click here) is in Stock. Also Amazon will soon have the Silver GH2 in Stock (Click here).

The five months delay may explains why Panasonics digital camera sales have fallen across all three fiscal quarters by 8.6% over the previous year (Source: Photoscala). We not only need good cameras, we also need to buy them within a reasonable time frame!

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Pentax doesn’t want to compete against m43 :)

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[shoplink 18968 ebay][/shoplink]

Pictured above: The [shoplink 18968 ebay]Pentax Auto 110[/shoplink] analogue camera.

We just published a few details on MirrorlessRumors.com about the ucoming Pentax mirrorless system. The huge suprise is that it will use a 5.6 crop sensor taht is even smaller than the one used inside the new Olympus XZ-1. So Pentax is not going to compete against the m43 system. I guess it would have been better for Pentax to join the m43 coalition!

More about the Pentax system at www.mirrorlessrumors.com

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Panasonic 14mm f/2.5 lens tested at SLRgear.

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SLRgear published their Panasonic 14mm f/2.5 test. The lens is very sharp, Chromatic Aberration is somewhat high for this lens, Vignetting and Distortion are negligible. And their conclusion is very short: “With sharp results and only slight issues with CA, Panasonic has produced a very nice walk-around lens “. Read the full review (with image samples and graphs) at SLRgear.

M43photo.blogspot compared the Panasonic 20mm with the new 14mm lens.

Check the price and availabiltiy of the lens:
USA: Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, eBay
Germany: Amazon.de, Pixmania.de, eBay.de
France: Amazon.fr, Pixmania.fr, eBay.fr
UK: Amazon.uk, Pixmania.uk, eBay.uk

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An FT5 rumor about Pentax coming soon at Mirrorlessrumors.com

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As you know a few months ago I started Mirrorlessrumors.com. I needed a place where I can “park” the rumors I do receive about our competition. I didn’t write a lot on that website but now that Nikon and Pentax are coming with their systems it will become very interesting to follow the website.

To celebrate our first Pentax rumor we created a countdown like we did in the old days of when we started 43rumors ;) In a few hours we will post a few (but surprising) info about the upcoming Pentax mirrorless cameras. Take a look here: http://www.mirrorlessrumors.com/hot-pentax-mirrorlessrumors-countdown/.

If you want to read all future rumors about all mirrorless system:
– Subscribe thee MirrorlessRumors RSS feed (Click here)
– Follow MirrorlessRumors on Twitter (Click here)
– Join the MirrorlessRumors Facebook group (Click here)

P.S.: Pentax will not join Micro Four Thirds (at leats not for now).

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