A fake and completely unrealistic G3 rendering (but I liked it) Source: Iffo.nl
I am on the road to Antwerp (Belgium) and it will take a few hours (exactly 11 hours drive) until I will be there. I hope I will not find any big traffic jam like the historic Florence jam in December (9 hours stuck in the snow) and the jam in Aachen in late December (4 hours…again snow.). It shouldn’t snow in Belgium at that time :) so I am quite confident I will be at my home in a reasonable time. I am writing this because I will have no Internet connection and comments that do need moderation will have to wait for my arrival.
And here is the news:
I asked my sources if they can give me some more details about the G3. I didn’t get a lot of info. First, the announcement will be made on May 11th (London time) and not on May 12th. Second, I got confirmation that the new 16 Megapixel sensor is NOT a multi aspect sensor. It’s a completely new sensor, but I don’t know yet if Panasonic managed it to improve the noise performance and dynamic range. Third, the design. Confess, you got a heart-attack when you first saw the image on top or not? Like you I am also hoping that Panasonic will sooner or later make a Micro Four Thirds version of the L1/LC1 camera ([shoplink 17020]Click here to see them on eBay[/shoplink]). That would kick in the xxx of the [shoplink 19929 ebay]Fuji X100[/shoplink] ;). Kill your dreams and let’s go back to the cruel real world. The G3 is not the L1/LC1 copy. Compared to the [shoplink 14834]Panasonic G2[/shoplink] the G3 is…more compact. It’s a bit like the difference between the [shoplink 14828]GF1[/shoplink] and the newer smaller [shoplink 17361]GF2[/shoplink]. Panasonic reduced the size, added more touchscreen options and removed some physical controls. Don’t know if you will like that change!
I didn’t hear anything yet about possible new “revolutionary” features and honestly I don’t think there will be spectacular surprises. The real new thing here is the 16 Megapixel sensor and the new design.
For the rest I am still trying to get some info about the next Olympus PEN. Sounds like it’s not in the near future (next 2-3 months). Don’t know yet if there was a delay or whatever. The good news is that I started to receive some info about the lenses. I am double-triple checking the specs with other sources. As usual if you can help me with rumors contact me at 43rumors@gmail.com or use the contact form on the right sidebar. You can avoid to send me your name and contact address and no IP-address gets stored. Thanks!
Links to the cameras discussed in that post:
UPDATE -> Link fixed: The dreamers camera, the LC1 search results at [shopcountry 17020 ebay] (don’t know if you can find it in Stock)
The older but very popular Panasonic GF1 at [shopcountry 14828].
The newer more compact and touchscreen Panasonic GF2 at [shopcountry 17361].
The Panasonic G2 at [shopcountry 14834].
P.S.: Message for Panasonic: take a look at the crazy expensive [shoplink 19929 ebay]Fuji X100 auctions on eBay (Click here)[/shoplink]. You might get an idea why we want the LC1 back :)
P.P.S.: First 43rumors mini-meeting in Antwerpen (Belgium) on Saturday 23 April at 15.00. Location: Bar 2 (Vrijdagmarkt). For those of you that want to participate please drop me an email at 43rumors@gmail.com.