micro four thirds scenario

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Everybody is waiting for news from the micro four thirds world. This technology’s main purpose  is to produce small high quality cameras with small high quality lenses. The Pansonic GH1 is just the first step in this direction and it is still not a small enough digital camera for most users.

Wouldn’t it be nice to carry a camera with interchangeable lens in a pocket?

Rumors summary:

We begin from what we know, Olympus has already announced the first m4/3 camera will be available this summer. We have all seen the mock-up. We don’t know what kind of specs the camera will have. IS? Video? Flash? No idea :(

Some rumors say this year Olympus will release two or three m4/3 cameras. But that’s pure speculation…

Panasonic is working on a digital compact m4/3 model. The holy grail would be to make a LX3 sized camera with an interchangeable lens.

To produce a forecast is quite difficult. The economic crisis makes it difficult for companies to keep a clear roadmap. Canon and Nikon seems to slow down their update cycle for DSLR cameras. We don’t know if this is a good idea. It was quite surprising to see Olympus and Panasonic coming out with very respectable digital cameras like the Olympus E-620 and Panasonic GH1. The now announced Canon 500D is nothing special, we got still the same music plus a defective video feature (20p in 1080 WHAT THE HELL???).

What does 43rumors know?

We are getting some first information about the upcoming Olympus camera and will write soon about it. But we don’t have any certain info now.

We ask you to share your rumors if you have any!

What is for sure, from now to June/July we will get from day to day more excited!

A&M

43rumors.com

Lumix G 7-14mm & 14-140mm Japan release date & prices

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Hi all!

You can learn japanese and go the following link

http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/lens/2009/03/25/10534.html

or read the summary which was posted in dpreview forum:
From Yodobashi camera’s web site:

ï¿¥99,960 (about $1,020 USD) for the LUMIX G VARIO 7-14mm, out on 2009/4/24

http://www.yodobashi.com/ec/product/100000001001105171/index.html

ï¿¥84,840 (about $865 USD) for the LUMIX G VARIO HD 14-140mm, out on 2009/5/15

http://www.yodobashi.com/ec/product/100000001001105173/index.html

Thanks for sending us the information D.B.

(FT 3) UPDATE: Pansonic LX3 sized micro four thirds camera.

We remember you that there is an official Panasonic statement that increases the chance to see a compact micro four thirds camera from Panasonic:
From: http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk

Asked whether Panasonic intends to launch a more compact-style camera body, Ichiro Kitao general manager at Panasonic’s Products Planning Group, said: ‘It is one of the choices – a more entry-level piece than the G1 or a step up piece…In the coming years we would like to expand our G Micro [Four Thirds] system.

From what we know a compact camera could come end of the year (FT 3). Panasonic don’t want lag behind Olympus which cameras are probably out this summer.

first rumors tell us the camera should have 10-12 MPX (FT 3) and video recording (FT 3).

(FT 5) Olympus E-450

countdownapril

So here we are. We asked dealers and there is a shortcoming for the “old” E-420. They confimed us a new digital SLR from Olympus will be announced. We looked in forums, got emails, googled all the time.

Finally we got the security, the new Olympus E-450 will be announced in April.

And there is more, we give you a list of specs which are certain, and a list of specs which are just probable.

CERTAIN (FT 4):

1) The Olympus 450 will be very similar sized and designed like the old Olympus e-420

2) It will have Art-filter

PROBABLY (FT 3):

3) It will NOT have video capabilities

4) It will NOT have body IS (which surprises me a lot)

5) The same ammount of Megapixel

(FT 2) LX3 styled micro four thirds compact camera from Panasonic?

Got an email from unknown sources. So please don’t take it to serious ok? he wrote the email in japanese and this is the short translation…

Panasonic is working on a LX3 sized camera with micro four thirds sensor and interchangable lens. The camera is a little thicker then the original LX3, it is blue (but there will be cameras with different colors) and has built-in flash. The camera had the 20mm 1.7 lens on it. I’ve seen the rendered picture made by a designer group of Panasonic.”

We know Panasonic is working on a compact sized camera. So this is not a big news. I asked him to send the picture…