A source told me about the announcement time of the new E-P5. The camera will be announce in June and hit stores the month after. At the same time also the first Olympus f/2.8 constant zoom will be announced. More cameras will be announced in September. If the rumor is correct than it means that Olympus will wait 9 months (between September 2012 and June 2013) before to announce new products (I do not count the just upgraded 75-300mm lens).
Panasonic will announce the new GF and G cameras in Spring while there is a complete uncertainty about the GX. And the 42,5mm and 150mm lenses on roadmap are likely going to be shipped in early 2014 only.
Yesterdays news and interviews displayed a clear common challenge for Olympus and Panasonic Both are facing some economical challenges and both have to define a new product strategy. Not something we have to worried about, it’s in some ways also very normal. Panasonic is likely to move more and more in the upper more semipro and pro market. Olympus may will do exactly the same with the next High End OMD model.
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Rumors classification explained (FT= FourThirds):
FT1=1-20% chance the rumor is correct
FT2=21-40% chance the rumor is correct
FT3=41-60% chance the rumor is correct
FT4=61-80% chance the rumor is correct
FT5=81-99% chance the rumor is correct