Yesterday (read here) we told you that the Olympus E-3Olympus E-3Olympus E-3Olympus E-3Olympus E-3Olympus E-3Olympus E-3Olympus E-3Olympus E-3Olympus E-3Olympus E-3Olympus E-3 successor could become Olympus first “modular” camera.

With the help of our readers we discovered that our Olympus guru Maitani had already developed such a prototype long time ago (for film cameras).

You can find more about it here: maitani-fan.co.cc
“The MDN prototype was the first Olympus SLR designed to be a full-featured, multi-functional system that could be used for a wide range of purposes by assembling different units, each with a single function. It was developed before the OM-1.
For example, the film is in a single film pack, and the shutter provides just the focal plane shutter function. The mirror is a mirror and has just one function. The user can combine the desired functions to create a single camera.
In designing a system that can be put together in any configuration, it is extremely difficult to design the mounts used to connect the items.
There is also a cheap, mass-market camera as one of the units in the system. Three units are combined together to create a camera. This is the MDS. This camera is made first and later becomes the M-1 or OM-1.
M=Maitani, D=dark box, N= normal, S=simple”

43rumors wants to thanks the Maitani Fans for mantaining such an important website about our legendary inventor!

Our friend Tyson Robichaud analyzed the current situation of MicroFourThirds and in general mirrorless system. He ends his post with an open request to Panasonic and Olympus:

“My plea to both Panasonic and Olympus:
Panasonic: Now offering 3 different “small” dSLR style body lines that are barely smaller than a Rebel? Really? This is ludicrous in my mind….Please continue to advance the GF platform
Olympus: Please oh please have someone redesign your menus and interface.
To both (my rant): For the love of all that is holy, get some new, fast, reasonably affordable, small lenses to market to compliment the kit lenses you’ve already released.”

I do agree with his “analysis” and you?

Read the article: tysonrobichaudphotography.wordpress.com

Download the Adobe Camera Raw 6.1 Plug-in: http://labs.adobe.com/wiki/index.php/Camera_Raw_6.1

Reminder: The new Adobe CS5 suite is now shipping! On photoshopuser.com/cs5 you can see a very well done list of the new features.

USA:
Adobe CS5 suite on Adobe US / Amazon / BHphoto / Amazon Canada

Europe:
Direct links to the pre-order page on Adobe UK / Adobe Deutschland / Adobe France / Amazon Deutschland / Amazon UK / Amazon France

Asia:
Amazon Japan