[shoplink 25320 ebay][/shoplink] Image on top: The [shoplink 25320 ebay]Four Thirds Olympus 12-35mm f/2.0 lens[/shoplink].

We are getting closer to the big Photokina event in September and I am sure Olympus and Panasonic will announce many new cameras and lenses. There is one big question I have for you. The Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 lens is a great lens but I keep reading that some of you want an even faster zoom like the Four Thirds Olympus [shoplink 25320 ebay]14-35mm f/2.0 (Click here to see it on eBay)[/shoplink]. I am sure Olympus is interested to know if you would prefer such a lens (in m43) version over the new Panasonic 12-35mm.

Let’s say Olympus would do a lens like that:
12-35mm f/2.0 (2mm wider than the Four Thirds version)
weather sealing, power zoom (not available on the Panasonic),
no Image stabilization (unlike the Panasonic that has in lens OIS)
Almost Twice as big as the Panasonic lens
Price $2300 like the current 14-35mm lens price at Amazon (Click here) and $1,000 more than the Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 (at Amazon).

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Please send a honest answer! :)

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Panaosnic 12-35mm X lens preorders at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon Germany, Amazon UK, Fotohanskeuzekamp, Amazon Japan and Digitalrev.

I was looking on vimeo and youtube for some nice new video samples to post within my next “a little bit of everything” article. And I found this, the most boring test video (on the E-M5) ever made. I haven’t learned anything from the video and you?

EU Nokton deal:
We Europeans can’t enjoy many deals like in US but Le Petit Boutique on [shoplink 31690 ebay]eBay France (Click here)[/shoplink] is selling the Nokton 17-5mm f/0.95 with a huge 160 Euro discount…for Europeans only :)

GF5 and 14-24mm X lens reviews:
Full Panasonic GF5 review at ePhotozine: “The Panasonic Lumix GF5 is a worthwhile upgrade, resolving a number of our original complaints about the GF3, and the addition of improved effects, menus systems, and built in scene modes with guides for beginners are a useful addition for beginners. The screen looks great and the camera feels better than ever with an improved rubber grip and body styling. The GF5 is certainly an appealing camera, particularly with improved noise performance in comparison to the predecessor”
GF5 shop links at [shopcountry 30485].
Lenstip posted the full 14-42mm X lens review: “The results of our test show that, when it comes to the optics, we deal here with a typical ‘kit’ lens which doesn’t stand out against the rest of contemporary devices of this type which are added at almost no charge to the reflex and mirrorless cameras of its rivals. The quality is something that makes the Panasonic stick out, though. It is a device produced in Japan, made of solid components with a metal mount.”
Lens shop links at [shopcountry 25104].

More news
Cool Olympus advertising pictures at Behance (Click here).
E-P3 + PENTAX-110 50mm F2.8 at DC.watch.
Olympus 9-18mm firmware update (DCwatch).
New grips for the E-P3 at DC.watch.
Panasonic GF5 presentation event in Japan (DC.watch).

Something else:
Forgot to mention that you can subscribe Elena’s Greekdiaries feed by saving that link: http://www.greekdiaries.me/feed/. And she was busy with the children yesterday. She will answer your comments today ;)

I have a very good friend who’s name is Elena. It’s not her real name but because of safety reasons I can’t unveil her real name andinstead  I will give you the name she has chosen to be named with. She grew up in Antwerpen but she has Greek origins and she now lives in Greek with the husband and two children. If you would know her you would agree that she is a wonderful women. So why am I writing about Elena here on 43rumors?

For years now we got bombarded by a huge amount of information about Greece. And it is for years now that I weekly and sometimes daily talk with Elena about the very daily and normal aspects of her life in Greece. She told me so many little stories that I never read on any newspaper. She unveiled me the real struggle to live in a situation like that as a mother of two children.

I thought it’s pity that we don’t hear/see/read that kind of stories in our newspaper, TVs or radio’s. So an idea came to my mind. I bought an [shoplink 14832]Olympus E-PL1[/shoplink] for very cheap at [shoplink 22691 ebay]Olympusmarket[/shoplink] and sent it to her. She got the camera yesterday. And I asked her to share the stories she usually tells me with the 43rumor audience.

She is not a journalist nor a writer and she is very shy. So she still needs time to get comfortable with the writing. She wrote a couple of test articles on her website and I still feel she needs you reader to push her, to be less formal and less focused on the big themes we hear every day of.

She still has to learn how to write in order to communicate what I know she has inside her feelings. I ask you to help her to get out the most from her stories. Make questions, criticize and she will learn and open you a little and deep world.

So invite you to visit the website which is http://www.greekdiaries.me/. As I told you, if you are interested int he matters push her, contact her and ask here to show some pics done with the E-PL1. I feel what’s happening in Greece may be important for our future too!

Thanks guys!
Your 43rumors admin

UPDATE: I just created the facebook page for greekdiaries. It’s here: https://www.facebook.com/Greekdiaries. Click on “like” to follow the stories :)

Finally Schneider announced the first Micro Four Thirds lens, it is the 14mm f/2.0 Super Angulon and it looks great on these picture! :)
The lens will be available in Autumn.  Schneider also said that they plan to release more m43 lenses next year. The 14mm lens will be made in Germany. The lens has to compete against the 2mm wider [shoplink 23576]Olympus 12mm f/2.0[/shoplink] lens. There is no info about price but usually Schneider Angulon lens price is really high…over $2,000 at Amazon (Click here to see it). But this m43 version has no T/S and I am sure it will be much cheaper.

Press release at Photoscala (Click here for the english translation), Fotointern (Translation here) and SystemKameraForum (Translation here).

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As you know the E-M5 is showing some banding issues when coupled with the [shoplink 14796]20mm f/1.7 lens[/shoplink]. Olympus just issued an official text: “After checking every possible combination of a body and a lens, we found the phenomena only with this combination (OM-D, E-M5 coupled with the Panasonic 20mm pancake lens). We are continuing to study how we can eliminate this and we recommend for our customers using E-M5 with Panasonic 20mm pancake lens to keep a low ISO to avoid this problem for the time being.” (via Dpreview)

And Olympus confirmed once again at DC.watch that the Four Thirds system stays well alive. Not a surprise but we need to see some new camera and lens to believe you Oly :)

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New E-m5 and new lens (pre)orders:
E-M5 at Amazon, Adorama, B&H, Jessops, Amazon UK, Amazon Germany, Amazon France, Amazon Japan and Digitalrev.
Olympus 75mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon Germany and Amazon UK.
Panasonic 12-35mm X lens at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon Germany, Amazon UK, Amazon Japan and Digitalrev.

Diyphotography (Click here) build his own Frankenstein Lens to create the Polaroid-GH2 hybrid camera. Check his website to read the full report and see some weird image samples :)

And Repairnotes (Click here) disassembled the Panasonic LC1. You can find that camera [shoplink 26385 ebay]on eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].