Robin Wong posted the full Olympus 75mm review: “looking at the 100% crops, seriously the sharpness was outstanding, and beyond my expectations. I think this lens will set a whole new level of benchmark for resolution and sharpness tests.”

Dpreview posted new full size image samples taken with the Olympus 75mm f/1.8 lens. Same thing has been done by Imaging Resource.

Lens Rentals tested the 12-35mm X lens and proved that the lens resolution is second to the Olympus 12mm prime lens. They also compared the results with the Full Frame Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens: “I think there’s clearly a difference in favor of the Panasonic / Olympus combination here. Now, before any Fanboys have a  stroke and spit their beer, the Canon lens used was optically tested 3 days ago. It’s perfectly fine and has no problems.” The only real complain from Lens Rentals is about the high price. But essentially you get an excellent lens for what you pay for.

Panasonic 12-35mm X lens preorders at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon Germany, Amazon UK, Fotohanskeuzekamp, Amazon Japan and Digitalrev.
Olympus 75mm preorder and price check at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon Germany and Amazon UK.

SLRgear (Click here) is the first website posting a full and very detailed review of the new Olympus 75mm f/1.8: “Simply amazing results for sharpness, great resistance to chromatic aberration, very low corner shading and near-zero distortion. Add in excellent build quality and good looks, and you have a package that’s sure to please any photographer.”

Click on the shop name to check the Olympus 75mm page and price: Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, J&R, Amazon Germany, Amazon UK, Amazon France, Amazon Italy, Amazon Japan and on [shoplink 31284 ebay]eBay[/shoplink].

Meantime there is a super deal on the GX1. Body + lens for $519 at Adorama (Click here).

GX1 with Leica 14-150mm at Soundimagesplus. Lumix 20mm versus Sigma 19mm at Popco. GF5 conference in Taiwan (Nikkei). Wood grip for the E-P3 at Itmedia. 43rumors reader and m43 photographer Adam Thirtle gets interviewed at SmallCameraBigPicture. Giants vs Dodgers – Shots with Olympus OM-D at TheDigitalStory. E-M5 with Sigma 30mm lens at itmedia. Hennigards made a nice m43 lens database. Olympus OM-D E-M5 Video Test at The.me.

The 75mm with the optional lens hood

The conclusion from Pekka Potka tells it all: “I have very little more to write about this lens. When something is average, there are usually many sides you can ponder. Now there aren’t. Just add all the superlatives you can think of if you want to make this blog longer.” The lens is sharp in the center and in the border at any aperture. There are only negligible differences. It’s really the sharpest Olympus M43 lens ever released.
Here is a picture of the lens on the E-P3 and here a picture of the lens on the Black E-M5. Black camera with Silver lens doesn’t really look good. I hope Olympus will release a Black version too!

Click on the shop name to check the Olympus 75mm page and price: Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, J&R, Amazon Germany, Amazon UK, Amazon France, Amazon Italy, Amazon Japan and on [shoplink 31284 ebay]eBay[/shoplink].

Adorama has also the accessories: Olympus LH-61F, Metal Lens Hood (Click here) and the Olympus LC-61, Metal Front Lens Cap (Click here).

The video on top is made by SmallCameraBigPicture and shows the 12-35mm unboxing ritual. I hope you can leave that experience soon too!
Panasonic 12-35mm X lens preorders at Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon Germany, Amazon UK, Fotohanskeuzekamp, Amazon Japan and Digitalrev.

New E-M5 books coming:
David Busch is working on a guide for the OM-D and it should be finished in July. As you know he alreayd wrote an E-P2 guide you can find here at Amazon. The german Profibuch from Wagner should be in Stock very soon at Amazon Germany.

New E-M5 reviews and news:
ThePhoBlographer sold everything for the E-M5: “It perfectly embodies what I loved so much about the Fuji X100, but incorporates the usability and flexiblity of my Nikon D7000.”
Photographer Marc Rogoff is also testing the E-M5. A never seen OMD grip at Dpreview Forum.

In Stock status check:
In USA some overpriced kits are in Stock at Amazon and eBay. In Stock in Canada at Mostlydigital.
Europeans have a bit more luck. Amazon UK has also the Silver body in Stock, Amazon Germany the black E-M5.
All preorder links: Amazon, Adorama, B&H, Jessops, Amazon UK, Amazon Germany, Amazon France, Amazon Japan and Digitalrev.

Finally we can see the first real tests of that beast of an Olympus 75mm f/1.8 lens! Visit Four Thirds User, ePhotozine, Gabrielle Motola, Techradar, Photographyblog, Snappydiablog and ThisIsTanaka to see them! I will updated this post as soon as I find more links to tests.

FourThirdsUser writes: “Clearly, the 75mm lens beats the 45mm for sheer quality of background blur and bokeh, but the sharpness of in-focus areas at f/1.8 remains pretty much as good as the 45mm. You certainly don’t need to stop either lens down in order to get tack-sharp images.”

P.S.: The lens should be in Stock starting from this week. Here are some direct preorder and price check links: Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon Germany and Amazon UK.

M43.eu posted a self made black verison picture of the 12mm, 45mm and 75mm Black lenses.

It’s time for a short E-M5 recap:
E-M5 review at Digitalphotographyschool. E-M5 Ibis issues described by a user at Dpreview forum. E-M5 and Lightroom 4.1 expsoure article by Pekka Potka. On Assignment with the E-M5 by Giulio Scorio. Some thoughts on the OM-D by Soundimagesplus. E-M5 with 7-14mm Panasonic lens by Soundimagesplus and with Leica 14-150mm ([shoplink 31804 ebay]here on eBay[/shoplink]) again at Soundimagesplus. Full E-M5 review at Focus Numerique (Translation here).

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.

P.S.: I am out the full day. Don’t think I will have Intenret at 3.000mt where I will go now.