As promised, Olympus has begun shipping its first OM-D camera in the US and other markets. The E-M5, a mirrorless camera that takes advantage of the Micro Four Thirds interchangeable lens system, initially arrived late last month, however the first run was limited to Japan.
Panasonic has formally revealed its GF3 revamp, the Lumix GF5 Micro Four Thirds camera, confirming the leaks that preceded its announcement. The camera incorporates a number of advancements over the GF3, but largely retains the same design. On the inside, the GF5 now sports a completely revised 12.1-megapixel Live MOS sensor paired with the latest Venus processor.
Lensbaby has begun shipping its Composer Pro special effects attachment for mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras. With it, a photographer can reproduce tilt-shift or another specific effect without having to turn to a full DSLR. The Composer Pro works with Panasonic and Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras, Sony's NEX line, and Samsung NX cameras.
A site called nPhoto has just shared what appear to be official photos of the upcoming Lumix GF5 camera from Panasonic. They follow up from yesterday's less formal photo leak, and the source confirmed that the ISO range will be the same as that offered by Canon's EOS 7D and 60D DSLRs. This would put it at 100 to 12,800.
Panasonic may have a quick refresh of the Lumix GF3 just a year after it first arrived. Skipping a whole version number out of superstition, the GF5 was briefly shown in an Instagram photo (direct link still active) from Panasonic brand promoter Angelababy of Hong Kong. On the surface, the Micro Four Thirds camera appears very similar to the small GF3, but the grip has come from the GX1.
Olympus has confirmed that it will ship its new Micro Four Thirds OM-D camera beginning March 31 in Japan. The OM-D E-M5 will be available in US markets beginning April 10 and is available for preorder now. The E-M5 is the first in Olympus' OM-D line. The E-M5 is a a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera that borrows its retro style from the classic OM-4 film camera.
Olympus ended rumors Tuesday by trotting out its highest-end Micro Four Thirds camera to date. The OM-D is consciously styled after the classic OM-4 film camera but, in place of the mirrors and optical viewfinder, has a 1.44-megapixel electronic viewfinder instead. It's billed as one of the few mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras to have its EVF in a more natural position above the lens, rather than at the corner on a camera such as the Sony NEX-7.
The Olympus OM-D had some of its details spoiled after Amazon Japan (cached) briefly posted a product page with photos. True to form, the Micro Four Thirds camera will be a tribute to the OM-4 with the retro look and tall box above the lens. Instead of a mirror system, though, this space would have the rumored 1.44-megapixel electronic viewfinder, putting it in a more natural position than the corner position on other mirrorless digital cameras.
Two Japanese camera lens manufacturers have signed onto the Micro Four Thirds standard pioneered by Olympus and Panasonic. They include Kenko Tokina and Tamron, while a third Japanese company, Astrodesign, has also jumped onboard, though it makes video measuring equipment and not lenses. This should give those how have bought into the new type of camera, which allows for interchangeable lenses on digital camera bodies that are smaller than DSLRs, more options for lenses.
The upcoming Olympus OM-D camera, due for an official unveiling on February 8, has now been seen, at least partially. 43Rumors shared a leaked image of some of the top of the camera, which will be the first digital shooter from Olympus' flagship OM series that dates back 40 years. The Micro Four Thirds camera appears to have a high-quality metal body.
Olympus is likely to unveil a new compact digital camera with a product called the OM-D, which was trademarked on January 3. While the camera hasn't officially been revealed, Olympus did tease its "latest Olympus masterpiece" is coming in a teaser ad. It is expected to be a modern, digital camera styled after the film OM-1 of the past and the more recent OM-2000.
Panasonic as anticipated switched its focus back to more experienced photographers with a new compact Lumix Micro Four Thirds camera. The GX1 is the first in the small-body series to get an upgraded 16-megapixel CMOS sensor and has better low-light performance along with an ISO 12,800 sensitivity ceiling. Customization is also once again more important: it now has C1 and C2 modes that support a total of four user presets, two programmable buttons, and a thumb wheel.
A Panasonic promo page (video below) has inadvertently tipped the company's hand for the launch of the Lumix GX1. As hinted, the camera should be a return to more professional-like control for Panasonic's smallest Micro Four Thirds body with a thumb wheel and other customizable controls. It will be the first compact MFT camera from the company with an upgraded sensor, likely taking the 16-megapixel sensor from the G3, and a likely updated Venus image processor.
Panasonic's shift back to experienced photographers became apparent early Saturday after a new leak of the GX1. The details caught by Mobile01 in Taiwan had it using both a 16-megapixel sensor and a new image processing engine, the combination of which could reach ISO 12,800. Dedicated controls and expansion make their comeback, such as a command dial on the thumb grip and a combination of both a pop-up flash and a hot shoe.
Nikon on Tuesday slipped out a teaser page giving a strong clue as to its mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. While just saying "I am coming," the page has a countdown that ends on Wednesday, coinciding neatly with the rumored launch date. The camera maker rarely ever builds up the public for a launch, either for its regular compacts or its DSLRs, supporting the notion that it's a genuinely new platform and not just a sequel.
Nikon's rapidly approaching mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras may be split into two models but carry some significant limitations that might rule them out versus Micro Four Thirds or DSLRs. Called the J1 and V1 (possibly 1J and 1V), both would shoot at 10 megapixels but use CCD sensors, Nikon Rumors said. The J1 would have a built-in flash while the V1 would go with a multi-purpose port for an external flash, but neither would have a real hot-shoe, blocking them from Speedlights and other standard camera gear.
As Olympus prepares to ship its latest PEN, the E-PM1, the company invited Electronista to try out the upcoming camera at the US Open tennis tournament in New York City. The new PEN represents Olympus' smallest Micro Four Thirds offering, bringing many features from the flagship E-P3 but with a slimmer body and significantly lower price tag.
Panasonic addressed one of the most common complaints of mirrorless interchangeable lenses, the mismatch in size between the body and lenses, with a new set of Lumix lenses and a new camera bundle. The Lumix G X 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 is just over an inch long, as thick as some pancake lenses, but still has the same fast focusing, stabilization, and optics as the original Micro Four Thirds kit lens. Instead of the traditional zoom ring, it has a motorized lever to reach its 3X range.
Olympus has announced the pricing on its forthcoming E-PM1 PEN Mini. When the Micro Four Thirds camera launches in early autumn, with retail for $500. The E-PM1 PEN Mini is the smallest in the Olympus MFT range and features an ultra-fast 35-point auto-focus system.
Sony was a relative latecomer to mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras, but when it arrived with the NEX line, it shot back with very small designs which were barely larger than compact cameras, although they sometimes controlled like it, too. The NEX-C3 is a second generation and brings a new 16.2-megapixel sensor, overall better performance, and an even smaller design. We'll examine in our review of the NEX-C3 if it's worth trading up from a point-and-shoot or as an alternative to rivals from Olympus and Panasonic.
The Olympus E-PL3 Lite camera introduced at the start of last month has just got an official release date and price in the UK. It arrives late this summer, priced at £550 (nearly $900) when bundled with a 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II R zoom lens. It will be available in black, white, silver or red.
Olympus finished off a series of launches early Tuesday through the addition of a pair of very bright Micro Four Thirds lenses and a new flash. Both a 12mm f2 ED lens and a 45mm f1.8 lens give the PEN camera line bright lenses more flexible than the 17mm pancake that has defined the line. Olympus envisions the 12mm being used for wide-angle shots and darker street photography, while the 45mm is more a portrait lens that can produce bokeh (soft backgrounds from shallow depth of field) while still keeping a typical distance.
Olympus early Thursday remade its entire PEN camera line and headlined it with the E-P3. The camera uses a genuinely new 12.3-megapixel CMOS sensor and the first dual-core TruePic VI processor to reach much faster autofocus performance than not just other Micro Four Thirds cameras but most interchangeable lens cameras. It can supposedly outperform its higher-end rival, the Panasonic GH2, as well as full-fledged DSLRs like the Nikon D3100 and even the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV.
Olympus went well beyond the E-P3 in its PEN camera introductions Thursday by launching two small models, one of which might claim a record for interchangeable lens cameras. The PEN Mini or E-PM1 is the star and is smaller even than the E-PL series, more closely approaching the size of a point-and-shoot camera. Even so, the Micro Four Thirds camera has the exact same upgraded 12.3-megapixel sensor and dual-core TruePic VI processor as the E-P3, giving both a very quick 35-point autofocus and better image quality.
One of the cameras part of Olympus' June 30 event was exposed in large form on Sunday after two slips provided details and photos. The E-P3 is superficially similar to the E-P2 but should bring much improved image quality. From what Photo Rumors was told, it would have a new 12-megapixel sensor with a higher ISO 12,800 sensitivity limit, the rumored faster autofocus, and a built-in flash that had previously been limited to cameras like the E-PL2.
Pentax has launched an entirely new camera system, labeled the Q. The platform aims to compete with Micro Four Thirds SLRs, but with Pentax's own Q-Mount lenses. The company claims it is offering the "world's smallest and lightest body" for an interchangeable design, constructed using a magnesium alloy. Like many small DSLRs, the Q lacks an optical viewfinder; users must rely on a three-inch LCD with 460,000-dot resolution and a viewing angle claimed to reach 170 degrees.
Olympus has quietly sent out invitations to a special event in Taiwan on June 30 that should bring out three new cameras. Along with the E-PM1, the camera builder is expected to introduce the E-PL3, a replacement for the E-PL2 that would add a tilting LCD, as well as an E-P3 that would keep the built-in flash and build quality of the E-P2. Their signature trick is expected to be much faster autofocus that would not only compete with Panasonic's Micro Four Thirds cameras but some DSLRs.
A photo of the Olympus PEN mini E-PM1 has been leaked to 43 Rumors. The new Micro Four Thirds format camera compares in size with the Olympus XZ-1, being slightly larger in width and comparable height and depth. Olympus has promised the new PEN camera will feature an ultrafast autofocus that the company says is faster than the Panasonic GH2 AF and many DSLR cameras on the market today.
Just months after unveiling the GF2, Panasonic has unveiled a third iteration in the Lumix GF3. The new model is just over 16 percent smaller and lighter than the GF2 and designed even more for those graduating from point-and-shoot cameras than pros. Its control set is simpler still, though this includes an improved touchscreen interface, and brings in a "miniature effect" (tilt-shift) art filter.
Panasonic appears to have briefly posted a promotional video for its upcoming GF3 camera ahead of schedule, though the segment was quickly pulled from YouTube. Several screenshots taken from the video show a compact design that may be smaller than the GF2. Helping to minimize dimensions, the new model eliminates a hot shoe from the camera body.
Panasonic confirmed rumors Thursday by launching its first third-generation Lumix, the G3. The camera is considered the smallest swappable-lens model to still pack a viewfinder and does so by moving some of its button and dial controls to its three-inch, swiveling touchscreen. Autofocusing is also much more powerful: it now can not only get finer-grained tap-to-focus control but has a new precise contrast AF routine that can lock in as quickly as a tenth of a second (on a 14-140mm lens) by doubling the CMOS sensor's live sample rate to 120FPS.
Panasonic will officially unveil its G3 Micro Four Thirds camera on Thursday, May 12, according to 43rumors. The successor to the current G2, the new camera is expected to be 25 percent smaller and get a 15.8-megapixel sensor. It will have ultra-fast autofocus and a maximum sensitivity of ISO 6400; it's not clear if it will get the improved low-light performance of the GH2.
A rumor surfacing from a business-to-business conversation suggested Fujifilm is hoping to expand its semi-pro line from the X100 to include at least one other model. Photography supplier Bob Todrick was reportedly told Fujifilm has decided to chase the "serious prosumer market" and would start with an X200 in the fall. The new model would be a simplified, point-and-shoot version of the X100. If it and the X100 did well, there could be an interchangeable lens camera sometime in 2012, Todrick said.
GE's General Imaging said in remarks that the company is branching out into the semi-pro segment with mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras. A spokesperson didn't say what it would entail but promised a Micro Four Thirds-like entry sometime by the end of 2011. The young camera maker has so far clung only to point-and-shoot cameras.
The Olympus E-PL2 is a still-rare sequel to a MILC (mirrorless interchangeable lens camera). It promises to once again offer a way for relative beginners to get into serious photography as well as a possible sidearm camera for veterans. Now in its fourth iteration, has this series of Micro Four Thirds cameras just scratched the surface or run its course? Our E-PL2 review finds out.
Canon Europe head of consumer imaging Rainer Fuehres says that Canon has no need to enter the mirrorless compact system camera (CSC) segment. In an interview with Amateur Photography, Fuehres argues that the segment has only evolved because manufacturers who have introduced them have failed to compete with Canon and Nikon in the DSLR segment. While not ruling out the possibility that Canon will introduce a CSC, Fuehres indicated that it would only likely happen if Canon could offer something different.
Nikon is reportedly planning on introducing its first mirrorless camera, possibly towards the end of March. First rumored in July last year, the new camera is expected to use mirrorless lens system similar to the Micro Four Thirds style or the Sony NEX series. In an interview, the head of Nikon Austria Wolfgang Lutzky has indicated that the March timeframe for such a product introduction is on the cards.
Coming hot on the heels of news that Carl Zeiss and Schneider Kreuznach have signed up to make Micro Four Thirds lenses, Sony has announced that it has opened up the NEX’s proprietary E-mount system to other lens makers. Moreover, in this instance Sony has opted not to charge a licence fee for the privilege, which given its history of pushing proprietary technologies at a fee is somewhat surprising. The NEX cameras compete in the same space as the Micro Four Thirds market of mirror-less compact-bodied cameras that aim to offer DSLR-like photo quality and interchangeable lens options.
The Micro Four Thirds format looks as though it is starting to gain momentum with Carl Zeiss joining the Micro Four Thirds System Standard group jointly founded by Olympus and Panasonic in 2008. Carl Zeiss now joins Schneider Kreuznach who also recently announced that they too have joined the standards group. Micro Four Thirds cameras use lenses that are interchangeable like DSLR lenses but lack a moving mirror and a traditional shutter.
German lens maker Schneider Kreuznach on Friday announced it has become the newest member of the Micro Four Thirds System Standard Group. As such, it will build lenses that support the standard, which was pioneered by Olympus and Panasonic. Micro Four Thirds cameras are digital cameras with interchangeable lenses, but unlike larger DSLRs, they lack a moving mirror and traditional shutter.
Panasonic today committed itself to pricing and ship dates for the Lumix GF2. Its smallest Micro Four Thirds camera will sell for $500 in body-only form, $600 for a kit with the 14-42mm lens and $700 for a version with the 14mm f2.5 pancake lens. The 12.5mm, f12 3D lens will be available by itself for $250.
Panasonic on Friday began shipping the Lumix GF2 to retail stores. The extra-compact Micro Four Thirds camera should be on store shelves now, although it hasn't said to what extent this includes the US. UK online retailers currently list the camera as in stock, but major American sites such as Amazon, B&H and J&R so far say it remains unavailable.
Panasonic's Lumix GF2 edged closer to launch today with a pre-order listing at Amazon. Just one version is on view and comes in black with Panasonic's own 14mm f2.5 pancake lens. The pricing is lower than expected at $700 for the full kit, although it doesn't have a release date.
Olympus took an aggressive turn at CES tonight and rolled out several new cameras headlined by two cameras for dedicated amateurs. The E-PL2 updates its entry mirrorless interchangeable camera with a better sensor that can handle ISO 6,400 sensitivity. In-body image stabilization and a new lens help as well: the new 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 kit lens is badged as Movie and Still Compatible and will quietly autofocus to avoid hurting a movie or giving away the photographer in a quiet photo shoot.
Olympus' E-PL2 has surfaced again in a second scoop that also gives it an uncharacteristic accessory. A hot shoe mount will give it two snake lights to illuminate macro subjects with shorter ranges. The add-on seen by 4/3 Rumors is LED-powered and will power entirely off the hot shoe.
A sequel to Olympus' entry E-PL1 mirrorless interchangeable camera has been tipped today that hints at a significant boost to its image quality and a unique sharing trick. The E-PL2 should have a slightly sleeker body but will focus on movies with a new 14-42mm, f3.5-5.6 kit lens designed to work more effectively with video capture. Its light sensitivity should jump to ISO 6,400, according to 4/3 Rumors, and the three-inch LCD will double in resolution to 460,000 pixels to better preview shots.
Panasonic has begun shipping the AG-AF100, a new camcorder based on the Micro Four Thirds system. The camera, which fits the professional market with a $4,995 price tag, offers a feature set focused on video recording, rather than the limited options available on many video-capable DSLRs based on the same MFT sensor.
Panasonic's Lumix GF2 Micro Four Thirds camera introduced at the start of November will soon arrive in Japan. Dated for December 3, the GF2 is expected to arrive stateside sometime in January. The camera, claimed to be the world's lightest with interchangeable lenses and of the Micro Four Thirds design, sports a three-inch touchscreen, a 23-point autofocus system and a 12-megapixel MOS sensor.
Olympus this morning shot back at Panasonic's GF2 with its own second generation compact, swappable lens camera. The E-PL1s is similar on the outside to the original but has widened the sensitivity from ISO 3,200 to 6,400. A new 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 kit lens has also reclaimed the title of lightest in the category by bringing the total weight of the body and lens to almost exactly one pound.
Panasonic tonight unveiled the Lumix GF2. The Micro Four Thirds camera is reportedly the lightest and one of the smallest swappable lens models in the world, having shed 19 percent of its size and seven percent of its weight. The pop-up flash remains and is designed to improve bounce flash results for close shots. It's also compatible with Panasonic's new 3D interchangeable lens, the Lumix G 12.5mm f12, making it capable of taking photos in 3D.
