Photographyblog just published their veeery long Panasonic GF2 review (6 pages!). “Cheaper than the GF1 was on launch, the new DMC-GF2 takes Panasonic’s compact system cameras in a new direction, aiming to appeal to a wider base of users who are looking for DSLR-like results from a simpler and more compact design. While it’s certainly not a logical upgrade for current GF1 owners, the GF2 deserves to make a big leap forward both for Panasonic and for the Compact System Camera market as a whole.”
Photographyblog gives a very positive rating for the GF2 but the GF1 is still a very tempting camera and very cheap now ($599 at Amazon)

P.S.: Amazon just changed the status of the new Panasonic lenses from “usually ships in 1-2 months” to “temporarily out of stock“. This usually means that they started to ship the first preordered lenses :)
– Panasonic Lumix 14mm f/2.5 (Click here to check status on Amazon)
– Panasonic Lumix 100-300mm f/4.0-5.6 (Click here to check status on Amazon)

The polish website Optyczne (Impossible for me to spell it!) published the Panasonic 14mm lens review. Thanks to the magic help of the google translation tool I can post you the lens pro and cons list:

Advantages:
• robust and exceptionally compact design,
• very good image quality at the center of the frame,
• well corrected chromatic aberration
• decent image quality in bright light,
• negligible astigmatism.

Disadvantages:
• monstrous distortion,
• a lot of vignetting,
• image quality at the edge of the frame could be improved.

But we also have a native english review at m43photo.blogspot.com! Conclusion? “This is a very capable, fast focusing, sharp and compact lens. What’s not to like?”

Ok, I like that lens but we europeans (and you americans too) have to wait a few weeks before to have the lens in Stock. Click on those direct links to check price and avilability:
Amazon US, Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon Deutschland,Amazon Japan.

You can’t wait that much? Get the lens from japanese eBay resellers. They have all three new Panasonic lenses in Stock (but don’t forget taht you have to pay import taxes!):
[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]

According to the very reputable german website Fotomagazin.de the [shoplink 17163]Olympus E-5[/shoplink] is the third best DSLR camera ever tested! It’s only behind the much more expensive Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and Nikon D3s cameras. Impressive what Olympus did with the same [shoplink 14832]PEN[/shoplink] sensor. Can’t wait to see what they will do with the next generation Panasonic (or Kodak?) sensor. You can download their original image samples here : zip (59MB).

Reminder: The Olympus E-5 is finally in Stock at Amazon (Click here).

Letsgodigital reviewed the new [shoplink 17361]Panasonic GH2[/shoplink]: “Panasonic is creating a point of reference with the GH2 with which the competition can measure itself. Panasonic’s years of video experience are clearly visible and is very effectively integrated into an existing concept. Photo and video stand effortlessly together at a high level in the Panasonic Lumix GH2, and can live up to the competition.”

Hybridcams.fr interviewed Jean-Baptiste Lefournier, the director of “Lumix On The Road / GH2 From Paris to California” (Once clicked on the link scroll to see the english translation). Jean says about the GH2 that: “The incredible speed of the autofocus will remain the no. 1 innovation of the GH2, then its new range of ISO 160 to ISO 12 800, then the touch interface even though I think it is for users not necessarily  pro (but for the Q Menu touch which is very convenient). The software processing of the video image seems better (no more banding issues on the skies).”

We also found some full size GH2 iso shots at Dpreview forum and a Panasonic GH2 vs Panasonic GF1 on Flickr via Sunnyeva.

Check price and availability clicking on these Panasonic GH2 direct shop links:
Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon UK, Amazon France, Amazon Deutschland and [shoplink 17664 ebay]eBay[/shoplink].

Hirano San: Shot on Panasonic AF101 from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

Philip Bloom flew to Japan to test the new Micro Four Thirds [shoplink 16841]Panasonic AG-AF100/101[/shoplink] camcorder. And he became a big fan of the camera! “I saw no moiré on any shots. Check out the artist in the park at around 1:40 or so, look at his jacket. That would moiré on my Canons, not here. A joy! I also saw no sign of aliasing. Rolling shutter issues as expected were still present but way less pronounced that DSLRs. I did shoot out the side of the bus whilst moving and there was still some skew, enough for me not to use it but a lot better than what I have become used to.“

I really do believe that this camera will cement the Micro Four Thirds success. I am a filmmaker for myself and I not a few of my collueges already have preordered that camera. And I bet they are now playing with the idea to buy a Micro Four Thirds photocamera too!

Reminder: You can preorder the [shoplink 16841]Panasonic AG-AF100/101 at BHphoto (Click here)[/shoplink]. Even if you are european feelf ree to buy at BHphoto. They calculate shipping and tax costs for your country!

Mike Kobal posted that nice Panasonic GH1 + [shoplink 15659]Voigtländer Nokton 25mm f/0.95[/shoplink] test. One more video from Mike is available here: http://www.mikekobal.com/blog/?p=926

And finally Soundimagesplus posted the full [shoplink 15659]Nokton[/shoplink] review (part1 – part2 – part3). Those are some of the most interetsing statements:
– “there is some vignetting at f/0.95”
– “CA and fringing is present, but its much better than on many lenses I have.”
– “Wide open its very good, and moving through f/1.4 and f/2 the sharpness improves. I really wouldn’t have any problem using it at any aperture.”
– “I’m very happy with the colour rendition of the lens also and the contrast, all of which combine to produce nice punchy pictures”
– “Is it sharper than the [shoplink 14796]20mm f/1.7 [/shoplink] pancake? My gut reaction says it is”

I would say buy that lens if you can live with manual focus! There are three [shoplink 15659]Voigtländer Nokton 25mm f/0.95 lens for sale on eBay (worldwide shipment)[/shoplink]

I do totally agree with his prime lens philosophie: “By using a prime, you train both your brain and your eyes to think in their space. A zoom lens allows you to shift the lens-space to your brain-space. But with primes you’re stuck in their world. You become intimate with life within their frame until composition becomes second nature.”

And what does he say about the lens? “It’s a lovely, sharp, whisper quiet, quick to focus, unbelievably tiny, beautiful little prime lens. I highly recommend it.”

I soo enjoyed it to read that article. Thanks Craig for your awesome work. We want to see more of it ;)

You want to order the lens? Here you have a few direct links:
Amazon US, Adorama, BHphoto, Amazon Deutschland, Amazon UK