We have a new update about the Olympus modular camera. Few weeks ago we told you that there are three possible scenarios:
1) They release the Olympus E-5 at Photokina and the first modular camera by end 2010-early 2011.
2) They will skip the Olympus E-5 release and announce a semi modular camera (it means with not all the planned features)
3) Olympus makes the miracle and the modular camera should come with all the new features.
UPDATE: According to new infos we received from our sources the fully modular camera (scenario 3) will come in 2011 only.
Another source told us that the long awaited 100mm macro FourThirds lens will not be released at Photokina (click here to see the .pdf with the FourThirds roadmap)…and at that point we doubt it will ever be released 🙁
REMINDER: Those are rumors only and not official Olympus news. Keep it in mind when you discuss our rumors on 43rumors or other blogs and forums!
38 Responses
What? Skip the E-5. I don’t think so…
Disapointed! Disapointed! Disapointed! I will not invest on Olympic’s lens anymore.
If Olympus skip the E-5 release this year, my guess is, that’s curtains for them in terms of any brand loyalty whatsoever. The E-3 is a nice camera, but getting very long in the tooth even when compared to cameras like the E-P2 & E-PL1.
The E-5 could well be the modular camera that is being rumoured, if not, I bet they will still release an E-5 this year with an early 2011 release for the modular camera.
No removable sensor? it dont mean a thing..
This rumers person`s have not info by E-5 all, only E-Mx (olympus modular system).
I m tink E-5 coming Q4 2010, and E-Mx coming next yaer.
I know the camera geeks are excited at the prospect of a modular camera but to me this sounds like a disaster in the making. I think it might be slightly more successful than the Ricoh camera, the implementation makes a bit more sense, but I do not see the public getting behind such a camera. Guess we’ll have to wait and see. But I predict failure for this camera. Now that upcoming Panny fixed lens, if the price is right I think that will be a success. Actually, even if it’s fairly expensive I think it will be a success.
I see cooler heads are prevailing at Olympus. The fully modular camera would have been a disaster if launched without more market research. Looks like what they’re now envisioning is something similar to the modular SLRs from the 70’s where you could swap mirror boxes, grips, drive motors, etc. which makes more sense and could be pretty cool depending on the implementation.
olympus needs to release the E-5 this year and “show off” the ideas they have for the modular system at photokina and get lots of feedback before they take the plunge
I dont see the point in making a modular system in the first place if you cant swap sensors down the line when they improve.
If they want to make a solid camera they will have swapable EVF/OVF , Swapable sensors , And swapable lense mounts. Not to mention with every new sensor they would have to add features via sofwfware update.
Still wishing for an open source camera
Option #2 sounds like a disaster to me. Of course, speculation on that option is a little short on details – what is this “modular camera” supposed to be? Midrange? High end? A replacement for everything? If it’s a replacement for everything, why would they need to release an E-5 later? If it’s not, what the hell does it replace?
Unless they are going to make the modular a digital MF then what’s the point? I love modular camera systems like the Mamiya, but I definitely wouldn’t carry a bigger camera around just because I could swap out a lens mount. Go big, as in big sensor Olympus, or go home.
not releasing the e-5 @ photokina, will be a disaster for oly.
i am ready to further invest in oly , but definately not for a “semi-pro-game-boy”…last chance oly, do not miss it, prolens-customers like me will not wait any longer for a going-pro sign !
Admin, please clarify. Are you saying that a camera will be introduced this year with an interchangeable mount+VF, and that another camera will be introduced in 2011 that will be fully modular?
to be honest i just want a nice new DSLR that replaces the e-3 so i can use my wicked olympus lenses and jst make it better! e-5 with better high iso handling would be a huge blessing! not to bothered about this modular thing i got my mamiya 645 medium format film camera, love it and that will do!
Uhhh??
No E5 at Photokina’10 = Game Over for Olympus.
The Modular-System might be nice but thats for … I’ll quote… “semi-pro-game-boy”.
B
@ I.M.Feoyon, good call on the model name for the modular model. Olympus should use the E-Mx naming convention.
I’m glad to hear the sensor is not modularized. A removable mirrorbox and modular mount is all that’s required here. As long as future models can use the same modules, there is no reason at all for the mirror box and mounts to be replaced when a new camera body is purchased.
What I’m hoping for is a smallish system which can take photos that look like their full-frame equivalents but at higher shutter speed- and the Olympus patents show that such a camera is indeed possible.
If they could, I’d really like the square body and the SLR body to both be produced. I miss that medium format camera design. It really was quite useful. I really like the current Mamiya offerings but don’t need it to be so dang big.
Now, there’s a difference between removable sensors and modular cameras. If you think of the camera grip, body, sensor and LCD as one module, the mirror box /4/3 mount as another module, a micro four thirds mount as a module, then it makes sense not to separate the sensor from the CPU and LCD. It also makes sense for the body to hold the flash shoe so as not to strain the other modules with the moment arm of a flash and battery.
“The next camera will have a fixed sensor (non changeable). What we have to understand is if the mount+EVF will still be modular so that you will be able to use both FourThirds and MicroFourThirds lenses. ”
Oh but such a camera is already here, more than one in fact! They’re called …. E-P(L)1/2 !!!
It’s interesting to see people worked up hearing about this “modular concept”!
damn it. i have invested in buying Oly’s lense and now they are going to abandon 4/3?
wth
@Reza..,,,,,”Oh but such a camera is already here, more than one in fact! They’re called …. E-P(L)1/2 !!!
It’s interesting to see people worked up hearing about this “modular concept”!
Fine if you want a PEN series camera, I do not. Like Gary ( 6 above this one), I want the E-5 to be a REAL “Pro Level” DSLR. I am not so woried by high ISO capabilities, 800 is fine for my work, don’t care about (or even want) video, just a hard working replacment for my well used E-1. I, like others, have need to expand my lens colection, but untill the E-5 is released I will not be investing anymore cash in 4/3 mount lenses. And if the E-5 is not released, or it is the “semi-pro-game-boy” refered to above, I will be looking to another brand and saying good bye to Olympus.
J.
Olympus simply don’t have the technology to make a real pro-level camera. Even the E3 was overkill, you need more than good build and weather sealing to compete with Canon Eos-D(s) and Nikon D3(s/x). Frame rates, high Iso performance, AF-speed and lens lineup simply aren’t there.
IMO a modular camera is another dead end for Olympus, and I can’t really believe they are that stupid. They could certainly add some modualrity by using MFT-mount and an adaptor for FT-lenses, but they’d really have to make a breakthrough in contrast based AF speed to satisfy even advanced amateurs and semipro users.
Modular viewfinders are possible thoough, that’s been done before on 35mm pro cameras. Modular sensors is also possible, but you need to swap all support electronics too when you change sesnor so then you’re wery close to Ricoh’s GXR. You add cost, size and price and gain almost nothing. Olympus are good at small, let’s hope that’s what they go for.
Olympus problem is them not produce sensor self.
Vel i hope Panasonic GH2 and Olympus E-5 have definity better sensor rang bat Panasonic GH1 mayby 2 stop better.
A modular system camera without a interchangable sensor doesn’t make sense. A ‘modular’ mount is nothing more than an adapter; we allready have that. Also, a camera without an OVF will not be a DSLR, and thus not any different from the EP’s.
@Admin..”What we have to understand is if the mount+EVF will still be modular so that you will be able to use both FourThirds and MicroFourThirds lenses”……Why would anyone want to use any m4/3 lenses on a true DSLR, especially the “Pro Level” E-5? Does this mean that Olympus now concentrating on the m4/3 range and are only releasing the E-5 to keep current users happy for a while longer? Hopefully Olympus will issue an official statement soon about their future intentions, without giving to much away to the oposition of course.
@Nik, I agree that it doesn’t make too much sense. The only reason that I can think of is more marketing purposes. Having a model that is both 43 and m43 on a salesfloor makes it easier to sell both systems. As for an EVF option, that makes sense to me if it uses a 43 mount so that 43 lenses can be used for video without the needf for an extra adaptor.
OK so, m4/3 pro level lenses, coming after E-5 coming! ???
“I.M.Feoyon says:
July 4, 2010 at 10:06 am
OK so, m4/3 pro level lenses, coming after E-5 coming! ???”
Pro level m4/3 lenses… What for, there are no pro-level m4/3 cameras.
It seems to me that it is left to Panasonic to make serious lenses for m4/3, while Olympus makes the cheap ones. I don’t expect to see Oly m4/3 pro lenses anytime soon.
The purpose of modular camera that takes both 4/3 and m4/3 lenses would be to enable fast AF on 4/3 lenses ( unlike AF adapters offer ) and video via m4/3 lenses. You satisfy people who want quality glass and video in one go.
It doesn’t make sense to me the E-5 and the modular camera will be separate products, but it looks like they will.
If Olympus should chose not to release a direct replacement for the aging E3 then I will for a number of reasons switch over to Cannon.
A modular camera would be much more difficult to weatherize.
The E3 is built like a tank, can you do that with a modular system, I don’t think so.
I need a field camera not a studio camera, a DSLR which takes good pictures, is tough and uses my existing 4/3 lense.
If Olympus does not produce the E-5 soon then I suspect it will lose many loyal users myself included.
@Miroslav..”The purpose of modular camera that takes both 4/3 and m4/3 lenses would be to enable fast AF on 4/3 lenses ( unlike AF adapters offer ) and video via m4/3 lenses. You satisfy people who want quality glass and video in one go”………..So people now have to carry 2 sets of lenses, one for still pictures and one for video?
“It doesn’t make sense to me the E-5 and the modular camera will be separate products, but it looks like they will.”……..The E-5 is aimed at “high end” DSLR users, and is long overdue. I am not sure who the modular system is aimed at.
J.
@Rich R. – Couldn’t agree more
Just give me an E-3 with more pixels and better ISO performance, and I’ll be ready to pay the price. Not interested in this new modular business that could postpone the release of a new pro/semopro DSLR to the point where I and many others have switched to Canikon.
Olympus is testing my patience.
We haven’t heard about E-System form Olympus – almost no official information that new DSLRs are developing in the factory. I think a loyal costumers of classic FT format need the sureness before another investment in this camera system, especially in this climate when every DSLR manufacturer is getting best shots (7D, D300s, or even K7). Panasonic stops producing DSLRs, Olympus remains with E-3 and almost untouched lenses range. More fast Zuiko Digital primes will be appreciated instantly.
Everything is now about Micro Four Thirds – great concept with wasted potential. Is the E-System dead or it is dying slowly?
My thought is: Innovation should be in a sensor which can obtain technical maximum from current SHG lenses, fast AF, quiet shutter operation etc. and please, if this is ending of Olympus classic DSLRs – add huge and bright optical viewfinder for high end E-3 predecessor and design it with the spirit of Maitani’s heritage. Hope that Olympus is hearing photographers like was before.
I need no modular camera. I will never use m4/3 lenses on a pro-spec DSLR anyway.
I need an upgraded E-3! In other words an E-5 w/ 12-14 mpx, better noise characteristics (up to ISO 800 will suffice for me), and fast reliable AF w/ my native 4/3 HG/SHG lenses.
I need a big bright OVF, and I definitely need it weather and dust sealed, which I doubt a “flimsy” modular design is suited for.
The way I see it, a modular cam falls between the chairs… An m4/3 user does not need the bulk of a DSLR body (as the EP’s cover their needs already),
and a high-end 4/3 DSLR user will never use m4/3 lenses on such a body either.
So please Oly – release a native 4/3 OVF pro-spec E-5, with specs complying to the current market standards for such a body!
And also look back to the OM macro realm, and fulfill our aching needs for the long overdue macro tele lens! I’ve waited 5 years for the ZD 100mm Macro now…
@JNMPhoto
Imagine a scenario: you buy Panasonic 14-140 for video and you can take pictures with it as well. If you want to make some fast action shots, you put a mirror-prism-OVF module and whichever 4/3 lens you want to use fast phase detect AF. If you want a carry-everywhere system, you only use a basic m4/3 part. Most DSLRs are not carry-everywhere anyway.
A modular camera and E-5 can be the same. A camera “aimed at “high end” DSLR users” is that only by its functions, ergonomics, build quality and features (and price :)). Modular can be and cannot be high end. What it cannot be is weatherproof or as weatherproof as E-3.
Point is change module from OVF to EVF the give better area deal at I.S and A.F can shift focus angle in Y and X axis, so is amazing at shift, tilt and macro photography.
Maybe Olympus started produce more modules on OM, M42, PenF and M4/3 why not.
What I would like to see is an E-P3/4 with a proper (in-built) viewfinder plus a new semi-modular camera like a little Hasselblad (as per those pictures of the MDN system of 1969) but with a full-frame sensor. Obviously back in those days it was designed with film in mind. Olympus has plenty of experience with quality 35mm lenses or imagine it with Leica lenses. And imagine you could up-date it by just changing the sensor and a chip or two instead of having to get a whole new body. Good for Olympus’ green credentials.
Maybe then I’d stop lusting after a Pentax 645D.
Is this still happening?
Not yet.
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