43 Rumors – Page 2280 – Panasonic and Olympus Digital Camera News

(UPDATED with Popphoto review) Olympus E-5 DxOmark results

December 4, 2010
reviews
50 Comments

I am convinced that following DxOmark test results will start a heavy discussion on 43rumors! A week ago the DxOmark test came to the conclusion that the “old” [shoplink 14826]GH1[/shoplink] sensor is better than the new [shoplink 16254]GH2[/shoplink] sensor. Yesterday DxO posted the [shoplink 17163]E-5[/shoplink] sensor results: The E-5 sensor is almost equal in performance with the older E-3 sensor! DxO doesn’t take into account the imaging processor. Probably all improvements on new cameras are archived with the use of new processors and algorithms.

UPDATE: Popphoto posted a new E-5 review: “For DSLRs in this price bracket, if you’re looking for a powerful imaging tool with rugged construction and a lot of versatility, the Olympus E-5 may be your match.“.

What do you think about those results?

Olympus E-5 direct shop links:
Amazon US, BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon Deutschland and [shoplink 18114 ebay]eBay[/shoplink].

New Panasonic lenses available in Europe and Asia (but not in US)

December 4, 2010
deals
11 Comments

Do you remember the days when US shops were the first to have the stuff in Stock? These days are gone. We learned with the GH2 that European shops are getting the camera before the Americans. The same thing is happening with the new Panasonic lenses. Those shops are all having the lenses in Stock:

Panasonic 100-300mm:
Pixmania -> Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Netherland, Belgium, Poland
Amazon -> Germany, UK, France

Panasonic 14mm:
Pixmania -> Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Netherland, Belgium, Poland
Amazon -> Germany, UK, France

Panasonic 3D lens:
Pixmania -> Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Netherland, Belgium, Poland
Amazon -> Germany, UK, France

In US not a single store has them (Check Amazon US, Adorama, BHphoto).
For our US readers the only way to get them is through eBay (non US resellers):
[shoplink 17556 ebay]Panasonic 14mm f/2.5 eBay acutions[/shoplink] [shoplink 17618 ebay]Panasonic 100-300mm f/4.0-5.6 eBay acutions[/shoplink] [shoplink 17620 ebay]Panasonic 3D 12.5mm f/12 eBay acutions[/shoplink]

Looks like japanese companies are “preferring” the EURO over the DOLLAR currency.

(UPDATED) Reworked Sigma mirrorless camera. (Soon with Micro Four Thirds mount?)

December 3, 2010
Rumors
26 Comments

(Article updated)
A chinese photographer reworked the Sigma DP1/2, he removed the fixed lens to add a lens mount (The picture shows the Sigma with the [shoplink 18092 ebay]Leica Elmarit f/4 90mm[/shoplink]). According to the author:
1. He can put a M4/3 mount on it, then you can use mount adapter to convert to other mounts.
2. The author had tested drive an additional mechanical shutter to replace the original electronical one. He is ording parts from a Japanese factory.
3. The author vaguly mentioned possibility to drive AF lens, I don’t know if he/she had done any prototype or it is just doable.

Interesting!

(Source: Xitek)

(Deal dead) Olympus one day deal at BHphoto!

December 3, 2010
deals
4 Comments

UPDATE: the followigng deal is now dead:

Only for today BHphoto is offering the following deals:
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 9-18mm f/4.0 -5.6 Lens for $449.00 (Click here)
and
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-150mm f/4.0-5.6 Zoom Lens for $389.00 (Click here)
Free shipping!

GH2 (Body only) ships within 1-3 days at Panasonic.com store! (+E-P2 and 14-150mm deals)

December 3, 2010
deals
49 Comments

Panasonic.com has the Panasonic GH2 (Body Only) in Stock (UPDATE: Deal is DEAD now!). They are selling the Body Only version only, in black (Click here) and in silver (Click here). The Safari webbrowser doesn’t work well on Panasonic’s website. Use Explorer, Firefox, Opera or Chrome!

And here we have two new deals:
– Olympus E-P2 with 17mm lens for $567 at Amazon (Click here).
– And the Olympus 14-150mm f/4.0-5.6 Zoom Lens for $389.00 only at BHphoto (Click here).

43rumors note:
BHphoto confessed that they made a mistake with the yesterdays E-P2 price. There was an error with the online calculation system :(

Which is the best compact mirrorless camera? Thom Hogan gives you the answer…

December 3, 2010
reviews
18 Comments

[shoplink 14828]

[/shoplink]

Thom Hogan posted a new “Mirrorless Shootout“. He tested four compact mirrorless cameras, the [shoplink 14832]Olympus E-PL1[/shoplink], [shoplink 14828]Panasonic GF1[/shoplink], Samsung NX100 and the Sony NEX-5.

“The Panasonic and Samsung are the two serious photographer-friendly cameras in this bunch, while the Olympus has a little more compact gimmicky and the Sony is way over the top in changing the way you interact with a camera.”

Thom also explains why you shouldn’t wait for Canon, Pentax and Nikon to enter the mirrorless battle: “At the moment, neither Nikon nor Canon have chosen to play in the mirrorless arena. Nikon is likely to be the next entrant, and I expect to see their model hit the shelves by about March 2011. Ditto Pentax. No word on Canon. Frankly, I think waiting for a maker to enter this market is probably a waste of time. Why? One word: lenses.”

Conclusion? “I can wholeheartedly recommend the Panasonic GF-1” and there is a surprise: “I can’t really recommend the Sony NEX-5 directly“.

Read the full review at http://www.bythom.com/compactmirrorless.htm

(UPDATED) Panasonic GH2 in Stock in Europe (France, UK and Germany)

December 3, 2010
deals
17 Comments

Good morning and good news for us europeans folks! Thanks to our very observant readers we now know the GH2 is in Stock in some shops in France, Germany and UK.
Amazon France (Click here) has two GH2 in Stock. In UK Mathers of Lancaster already shipped a few cameras. In germany www.audiophilfoto.de has a few GH2 in Stock. A lucky german guy was informed by Amazon Deutschland that his GH2 has been shipped:

“Lieferung voraussichtlich: 7. Dezember 2010 – 10. Dezember 2010
Voraussichtlicher Versand dieser Artikel: 6. Dezember 2010 – 7. Dezember 2010
1 “Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH 2 Kit mattschwarz + 14-140 mm”
Elektronik; EUR 1.550,00”

UPDATE: Amazon.de has no GH2 in Stock yet. But at leats they shipped a few cameras to those guys that preordered it a few weeks ago. It looks like also Amazon France has no more GH2 in Stock!!!

For US guys. I was informed that Amazon US will start shipping the GH2 next week!

Help other 43rumors readers to find stores where the GH2 is in Stock by commenting this post! Thanks!

UPDATE2: The GH2 is REALLY in Germany (Foto Video Rutten in Wuppertal)