I am finally 100% sure that Olympus will announce not two but three new PEN cameras! They will all use the same new (Olympus redesigned?) Panasonic sensor (more about the sensor in future posts). And here is a short description of each camera:
1) E-PM1
“M” stays for “Mini”. It is smaller than the [shoplink 17361 ebay]Panasonic GF2 (Click here to see it)[/shoplink] and a bit bigger than the new [shoplink 23109]Panasonic GF3[/shoplink]. The good news is that the mini still maintains the built-in stabilization!
2) E-PL3
It is just a bit wider and thicker than the E-PM1. It’s thicker because for the very first time there is a tilt LCD screen! But it has no built in flash unlike the “older” [shoplink 18844 ebay]Olympus E-PL2[/shoplink].
3) E-P3
Has no tilt LCD but gains a built in flash. The advantage over the E-PL3 are the manual controls and body quality. It has almost the same body design as the current [shoplink 14830 ebay]Olympus E-P2[/shoplink]. No built in viewfinder a là [shoplink 22904 ebay]Olympus XA (Click here to see it on eBay)[/shoplink].
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After a first look on those models I can see three problems with the new PEN cameras:
1) E-PM1 is not noticeable smaller than the E-PL3
2) E-P3 is more expensive than the E-PL3 and has no tilt LCD (why?)
3) E-PL3 lost some of the manual controls of the “older” E-PL2 and has no built-in flash.
I am curious to hear your opinion on that!!!
Stay tuned! I am getting tons of rumors now and I will post more soon! And don’t forget to preorder the new amazing Leica 25mm f/1.4 lens at Adorama (Click here).
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Reminder -> 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
338 Responses
Why… oly digging their graves…
i complain here fairly frequently but im happy with this information. wonder if e-pm1 have flash. thanks admin!
no flash if I recall.
Why? What is wrong with theese new cams? The EP3 with no tilt-LCD is odd, but other than that, what is so very wrong?
No built-in EVF means no olympus for me.
Going with g3, unless oly has a stunning sensor down there.
THANKS ADMIN!
There is something more I didn’t talk about. But I need a couple of hours-days to confirm the rumor because it’s actually a bit “confusing” 🙂
Global shutter?
I will do exactly the same. I feel much more confident now in buying a G3 🙂
should have just made the E-P3 with tilt screen. no need for the E-PL3… E-PL2 just came out
No manufacturer seems to want to offer the perfect camera…
So now again the E-PL2 is better in some points (LCD), but the E-P is better in other points (manual controls).
Why the hell not offer the swivel screen in the more advanced camera.
I would have bought it and I also would have bought the VF2 than (because one has to due to the lack of an internal VF)…
Now which one to choose. I want many manual controls, but a tild screen would have been also nice… great move Oly…
Olympus, you were the DSLR-King of tilt screens and you simply waste this Know-How.
No tilt/pivot screen because they want to sell more $250 VF2 add-on EVFs.
It’s a shame, because an articulated LCD gives you SO many MORE shooting positions than a fixed LCD. Not having one on their top-of-the-line camera makes no sense, except that they want to sell more VF2s.
Let’s hope the new sensors are markedly improved. Faster auto-focus anyone?
I own a GH2, mainly because of the built-in EVF and articulated LCD, but I still want to see Olympus improve their offerings and strengthen the M4/3 platform!
+1
No tilt screen for the ep3?
But most important, any news about the new sensor?
It seems that sources are not 100% sure about that. But I will post something soon anyway…
This is what I don’t get either. Why put a rotating screen on the lower end model and not the EP-3? Things like this drive me nuts. Why leave off a feature that could make a camera great? Why would any perspective E-P3 buyer not want a rotating LCD?
Has to do with engineering schedules versus priorities. On the E-PL3, to keep the LCD from making the camera significantly thicker, they stole a bit of space that was needed by the flash. Bye bye flash. On the E-P3 to add flash without adding thickness, they left off the pivot LCD. The problem they’re fighting besides space is heat and time. With more time, they could re-engineer the whole inside of the camera and re-do the manufacturing process. Without time, they want to try to use what they’ve got, which generates trade-offs.
Now some cynics would say that if Steve Jobs were in charge of the company, there’d be a lot of fired salarymen the first time someone said that it couldn’t be done in that space and time. And a smaller efficient staff that could get the job done would quickly replace them.
sometimes i am glad seeing your posts Thom between the ones which are about disbelief and disappointment 🙂
That depends on the point of view. You’ve got disappointed current users impatient to upgrade or new ones waiting for their “perfect” camera on one side and cold rational ex (or current?) CEO view from Thom. You’ve got to understand users – the world became much faster moving in the last few decades and camera companies didn’t. People want more and want it now :). Although, Sony and Panasonic are responding to that, partly because they sense Canon/Nikon blood…
I make the point somewhere else, but I don’t think Olympus was exactly planning on “impatient users upgrading rapidly.” Their model changes so far, and the way they announced them, show me more that they were trying to tune the product and manufacturing costs. Basically, everything so far is 1st generation.
The announcement this month is the start of the 2nd generation, but I still think Olympus’s expectations of current users upgrading was lower than the group here expects. Buying new cameras every two years is not the expected norm. At least at the camera maker end.
But you are correct, the world is moving faster. iPhones are iterating somewhat significantly every year (though this year’s revision is late). An expectation to upgrade every two years is almost automatic in the phone industry due to the carrier contracts and purchase subsidies, and this is driving very fast cycles there.
Nikon iterates significantly on two year boundaries in the consumer line (look at the D80->D90->D7000 progression, for instance). That’s probably good enough. But it seems to me that Olympus isn’t getting the same level of revision in their two-year cycle (E-P1 to E-P3, with an interim model).
We’re all still waiting for the Nikon/Canon response. All the Panasonic/Olympus/Samsung/Sony iteration has given them some pretty clear information on where the real action is. But that brings me back to your “need to move faster” point: Panasonic and Olympus had a head start. While they’ve done a lot of rearranging and shuffling, I’m not sure either has moved fast enough in the right ways. The one place where they have is lenses. I’ll give them full credit for building a credible lens lineup reasonable fast.
Thom, the E-P1,E-P2,E-PL1,E-PL2 are essentially the same camera&electronics (with different dressings)
so what we have after 2.5 years? A mix-and-match e-p/l/m/3 – the same old designs and engineering, so they cannot be excused by “engineering schedules”.
otherwise olympus have spent 2.5 years just for developing the revolutionary new sensor? it better blow off a 5dMKii with its quality.
i’m just very deeply disappointed by Olympus
Right! You expect us to believe they couldn’t re-engineer a camera in TWO years? BS. They are playing with us again.
All the camera makers execute much like car makers: they create a underlying platform and they do variations on it. For example, all of the Nikon DSLRs since 1999 have been built on one of four base platforms. But just like the car makers, you can not get your differentiation and iteration right. GM was notorious for having many multiple cars based off the same platform that had mostly meaningless differences, thus my earlier reference.
We won’t know for sure just whether Oly has managed to rise above that until we know the internal differences. But the external differences aren’t encouraging in that respect. In retrospect, it now seems strange that the E-PL1 got a flash but the E-P2 did not. Now the E-P3 gets a flash but the E-PL3 loses it. That makes it seem like they didn’t have a focused plan from the beginning and are just winging it.
Thom, you are correct about the car companies taking same tactics, but dont forget that to design a “skeleton” for a car is bit more complex…it have to be very strong and durable, have good road handling and life saving safety features…
on the other hand…the camera is a more flexible design that has an electronic board+sensor chip+LCD screen+flash
I’m not saying that anyone can design a camera, but Olympus have enough of experience and history that they can re design the pen ground up in less then 2 years! heck, they could make it to make coffee by now!
we only have to look at panasonic g3- its almost the same size as the pen-ep2 but has flash,swivl screen, evf…
how hard could it be?
The answer is that they didnt want to desighn such a camera!
they could stick a flash on the e-pl3 but they decided to save $$ and deffrintiate it from e-p3!
Who would by the e-p3 if the e-pl3 would have swivl-lcd and flash?
Olympus is really playing us with this one.
i just cant resist. http://www.southparkstudios.com/full-episodes/s15e01-humancentipad 🙂
what like the the way there wasn’t space or time to fit an fm radio transmitter in an iphone for 3 generations 🙂
No, that was a Steve Jobs decision. Simply put, he doesn’t like dying technologies. As Pandora and others have proven, you don’t need a radio antenna and all the associated RF interference if you’ve got a connection to the net.
Apple tends to get dissed the opposite of the camera manufacturers: they move too fast to new technologies and leave off old ones before they’re really dead.
The new offering from Olympus is again underwhelming and the recent GF3 is no better.
Whatever gains the m4/3 system have been squandered in the last 2 years for lack of a good sensor when Panasonic and Olympus introduced their succeeding models. Even the best m4/3 sensor found in my GH2 performs far below the sensor of the Sony NEX or even the base model Nikon D3100. It is only the GH2’s stellar video that makes this camera worth buying.
The sensor in the new NEX bodies will be even better. Only the lack of good fast pancake primes is keeping Sony from making the m4/3 system irrelevant.
I think we have to separate the Pen Mini and GF-3 from the rest. There’s no question in my mind that both companies need to reach far down into the near-compact camera realm. You need people getting into your mount, and you need volume in a mount to sustain it. So a “mass market” m4/3 from each company is a definite need. Hard to evaluate how well they perform the entry-level function until we’ve tried them, though. So I’ll give them a pass for now on that.
It’s the other two Oly models that leave me confused about what they’re doing, in particular the E-P3. It needs to reach higher than it has to date. Canon/Nikon iterate their more complicated low-end models more frequently, and often with more iteration than we’ve seen so far with the Olympus Pen. Panasonic seems to be doing more dramatic iteration, though I can’t quite get my head around all their overlapping and scattered models in the market.
Hi Thom, I always enjoy your insights and this one is a welcome clarification of what seems to me to be a ridiculous position.
The outcome for me, is that I’m now forced to buy the EP-3, if the EPM1 is truly (and idiotically) flashless like the EPL-3. Or jump ship.
The G3 is starting to look very attractive indeed, and I say that with a slightly heavy heart. I have an inexplicable soft-spot for Olympus and I’ve really enjoyed some of their cameras. Maybe it’s an underdog thing.
I just hope there’s some WOW feature as yet undisclosed that will blow my socks off.
Take it easy.
Don’t sit here and tell me they didn’t have enough time to re-engineer a TWO-year old camera!
They don’t want you to have it all. Period.
If the EP3 has an improved sensor, then it’s a slam dunk for me, and I’ll order. If not, then I’ll have to look at them first.
What’s the time frame? Is this still June 30? I’m on vacation July 2nd — I guess I’ll have to go without.
one mor thing, the naming of the cameras suck.
E-ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ……. too confusing.
Yes I fully agree. De facto they could have made the E-PL3 and stop. Than call it “PEN” and stop 🙂
Really!Name the thing EPxx, then they call it PEN everywhere else?
Just call them PENs. PEN mini, PEN, PEN Pro.
Do Olympus computers lack spell check?
Or is this an extension of Japanese reading right to left and vertical?
😉
these are all internal project names, they wont be the names or numerals used if/when the cameras are released.
That’s why we don’t have names such as E-PL1 and E-P2, instead we have Pen Basic and Pen Enthusiast.
Wait…
Have you seen the cams admin? As you said the mini i only abit smaller than the EPL-3. But how big is the EPL3, similar as todays cams, or smaller?
I will ask for the exact measures now…
Will the 12mm prime be introduced on the same day?
Yes! And not only that lens…
i think there was a rumors about how the 12mm would be expensive a few week ago; has anyone confirmed this with you?
Yes! it’s a bit cheaper than expected. But still more expensive than the new Leic 25mm lens. Working on that rumor too!
As long as it’s great quality I’m buying it – we need more primes! Hope the other one is a fast 50+mm portrait prime.
Any fast zoom or other fast prime?
I’m ok with no tilt screen. Just want a new senor and image processor.
No viewfinder = not interested
+1
admin, any word if it will use Trupic V+ ?
Not yet!
If there’s any change to sensor it’s almost a given that their is a new True Pic iteration. Either that or they knew about this sensor a long, long time ago and were able to pre-optimize for it.
Thanks, I can buy a G3 now.
Pippo1, if you want to stay in m43, then yes.
I am positive that there wont be a better/more balanced m43 body for at least 1.5 years
E-PL3 — tilt screen but no manual controls. E-P3 — flash but no tilt screen.
Damnit, Olympus, what are you doing?
Let me explain you the logic: Olympus aligns itself against the competition. It’s very simple:
Canon 1Ds: no tilt screen, yet Pro.
Nikon D3x: no tilt screen, yet Pro.
Olympus E-P3: no tilt screen == Pro.
Aaa, that’s why GF2 lost mode dial compared to GF1 – the E-3 an E-5 do not have mode dial as well.
No viewfinder = not interested.
No flash at entry level? That implies major improvements in noise control. I hope both cameras have hotshoes, though.
The product separation seems quite odd, but then Olympus has always been “different”.
In another discussion you said Olympus finally did things right. Makes me curious…
This forum has discussed ad nauseum what is desired by the enthusiast photographer. Olympus may have decided to ignore them and attempt more “girl with a camera” cameras.
If they do so, they do it to their own ruin. Japanese culture is not American or European culture. Western girls don’t want a “ladies’ camera”. Well, at least, not the ones who pay 500-800 dollars for a body, anyway. There will always be the Kodak and ELPH consumer, but the ones interested in photography are not looking for that.
What Olympus needs is a great sensor, an EVF of high resolution built in, and no idiotic flash OR evf OR ext sync nonsense.
A stabilized body with full and quick manual controls, built in EVF, and some fast glass. Is that too much to ask? It seems the answer is yes. I’ll wait till the actual announcement, and if it’s more of the same, I’ll go snag a D7000 and a GH1. Seriously, if Olympus can’t come up with a serious camera in m4/3, then they have no excuse to be in business.
As if this forum has the objetive answer to the question of what sells best. People can’t even decide among themselfs on this forum, the only certain thing is no matter what happens, there will be a lot of complaining 🙂
+10!
agreed, in that the only thing we seem to do here is disagree lol 🙂
I hardly think Olympus suddenly beats Panasonic whith a ground-breaing new sensor from the scratch.
Much more likely these cameras will use the one from G3.
But if they use the G3 technology with “only” 12MP they have about more DR and less noise (33% more area for each pixel) just based on laws of physics. This means a better IQ.
If m43 customers value that instead of higher MP count is a different subject.
After getting disappointed with Sanrio styled GF3, these are refreshing news. You made my day admin. Now I can sleep well (gmt+7:00).
Obviously there is something wrong with this rumor. E-P3 will be the best of three cameras focused on a enthusiastic user. Built-in flash in a small camera is useless, on the other hand an adjustable-tilt LCD screen is a must for taking low angle pictures. Please Olympus be serious! We have been waiting too long for a new PEN camera. I have been using E-P1 with FL-50 for day-synchro flash and results are awesome! I don´t really need a pop-up flash. Here is an example of fill-in flash with FL-50 and E-P1. You can keep the background inside the dynamic range of the camera. http://zuiko.smugmug.com/photos/i-Nd75pLn/0/L/i-Nd75pLn-L.jpg
I really hope AF has been improved! E-P1 isn´t accurate at all.
I don´t want a built-in viewfinder. I prefer they have improved the image-stabilizer. I want the E-5 image stabilizer inside the PEN camera.
David
beautiful picture!
Thank you frosti7.
Built-in flash is NOT useless. It will control wireless flashes. That’s a PRO feature!
Admin, your sources must be wrong! either that or either Olympus have really lost their mind.
a mid range body with no flash (but swivl lcd?)
a higher end body no swivl LCD (but has built in flash?)
and for gods sake, who ever though of the ridiculously long “E-PLM1” name? it sounds like a space ship.
🙁 !
That’s why I waited so long to post that. I wanted to be sure. Sadly I am 100% sure 🙁
My gues is that Olympus is afraid to release the wrong products. That’s why they made three of them in different combinations 🙂
lol :)Well.. at lest we will get new art filters! (kidding)
…to soften the blow…Do you have a better hunch for the GR-1?
*
That doesn’t make sense. Releasing three wrong products is worse than releasing no wrong products, one wrong product, or two wrong products.
But I must admit my eyebrows were raised when I started seeing images of the cameras as well as details about them. There’s more “makes sense for Olympus” in the designs than “makes sense for customers.” It feels like a mix of manufacturing, marketing, and engineering decisions here, to me. Marketing wants three things. Manufacturing wants to keep most of the complexity down to two things. Engineering wants to not re-invent too much at a time.
So, the Mini and Lite get the same basic body with the Mini having fewer external parts to wire in. Voila. Mini can be made faster and cheaper than Lite. But Lite needs something that’s clearly different besides just more buttons, so voila, let’s stick on a pivot LCD ala Sony. I can just see the jockeying sessions during meetings. I’ve been there before. It’s usually about that time that I pull my best Steve Jobs imitation, take my shoe off and start pounding on the table yelling “no, no, no.”
But we haven’t heard the full details on these new cameras yet. Maybe there are some unseen things that will get us all excited. I certainly hope so.
The sad thing is that for some upcoming video projects I needed to pick between large sensor VIDEO cameras. The image quality coming off the FS100u is simply gorgeous. The AG-AF100, just very nice. So it’s those internal details that will make or break the new Olympii, I think, as much as we argue over basic features.
I do agree with Thom. There are things we don’t know yet that may will change our way to think about those products. Anyway, at a first glance Olympus wasn’t really smart!
And then some Olympus VP come here to see how are the rumors. It would be nice to see her/his next meeting with mkt and engineer teams.
Or the Brit CEO, for sure he reads this.
Note to Olympus CEO: read these comments and
1. release a camera that you call PEN PRO with all the good things Olympus already _did_ in one package (truepic V+, IBIS, integrated EVF, integrated bounce flash, tilt screen, amazing JPEG engine, etc) plus a few more things like a better sensor, clickable thumb dial and faster collapsible lenses
2. release a “P&S” m43 camera with auto everything, similar to XZ-1 with M43 mount, tilt screen and as small as possible (with IBIS), call it PEN D (with lots of accessories)
These cameras will sell a lot (for its targets), I know because I (and others here) read this and other forums longer than you. Thom Hogan can confirm this.
Olympus is all about (small) size and quality.
So you’re saying you know what sells better than the CEO of a camera company?
We’ll get back to you after the 30th ;~).
I meant to respond to another post – the bug when posting is wreaking havoc with my replies 🙁
“PEN PRO with all the good things Olympus already _did_ in one package (truepic V+, IBIS, integrated EVF, integrated bounce flash, tilt screen, amazing JPEG engine, etc) plus a few more things like a better sensor, clickable thumb dial and faster collapsible lenses”
Completely agree. I don’t need anything more. Release this one and then iterate next 100 years.
Olympus (consumer) imaging is about to be spun off, sold off, or retired due to their continuously abysmal financials. It’s the swan song of the current iteration of Olympus, and I’m guessing they want to have a wide portfolio of offerings for whoever might be interested in buying that part of the company.
As an E-PL1 owner I’d love for them to succeed, and will certainly get an E-P3 as long as it’s not much bigger and has a killer sensor. I’m not sure if these three cameras have something that the competition doesn’t, right now it appears they are positioned head-to-head with Panny, Sony, Samsung and even Canon/Nikon offerings.
In any case, they should differentiate from the competition, not ape it, and it takes more than IBIS to do that.
Agreed, I can see the E-PL2 upgraded to add a swivel screen (but why take away the flash?), and then why add a flash to the E-P2 and no built in EVF?
I sold my E-PL1 to get an E-P2/EVF kit because of the build quality and didn’t really care if I lost the flash. The EVF is great, but makes the camera quite bulky (and feels not much smaller than my GH2). IMO, adding a built-in EVF, E-
PL2 or better screen and AF on par with Panny would make it a compelling upgrade. Now I may just wait for the next generation..
They lost it. In their multitude of cameras, they still don’t offer in in one body
– stabilization
– swivel screen (preferable touchable)
– flash
I believe they have an agreement like “You keep this flaw” (i.e. no IBIS), “but you keep this flaw” (no swivel screen, or at least no on-board flash.
You should think that two companies in the m43 consortium bring some competition, but no, they staked out different claims and there’s no best of both worlds availabe. If at least the third-party lens makers would sell something for m43.
It is tiresome.
Is it possible that Panasonic is selling sensors to Olympus on the proviso that Oly doesn’t use it in a model with built in EVF? That would be a bit sad if that was true, but probably not. I could still imagine Panasonic putting restrictive conditions on the use of the sensor though.
What about autofocus speeds, admin?
I am disappointed about the lack of an integrated EVF, but I have the E-PL1 with the EVF which is good in terms of quality and bad in terms of usability (as the thing sticks out of the body in a way that makes it easy to break it or lose it.
Two things actually bug me about the E-PL1:
1.) Autofocus speed sucks
2.) For every(!) exposure setting I need to use the menu. That makes the camera, although intentioned to be not complicated, very complicated to handle.
I’m also betting that the IBIS is much better in the E-P3 than in the other two bodies.
And for the other lens, that admin has not yet disclosed: do the math for 1 + 1 and you’ll figure out that if a PEN ‘mini’ gets released, it needs a lens to go with it as the existing pancake is probably not small enough and also it’s certainly the most mediocre lens in Micro Four Thirds land and widely recognized for that.
I am still curious for the E-P3. I wonder when it will be available in the US. If they make it to stores in July already, I might just grab one when I’m over there and the price is right…
Will write more about AF soon. Don’t know much about the usability but I have been told that it has been “improved”.
Maybe the mini is a fixed lens.
Maybe not.
Is it EPLM or EPM? Your title and text say two things? May be its a typo?
Typo sorry. Today I had a bad day as you know 🙁
oh, thats better. Not good, but better than E-PLM^^
hehe. yes sorry 🙂
I mean… WTF?!! We have to choose between manual controls/build quality/flash on the one hand and swivel screen on the other. Blow me down! That makes no sense whatsoever.
Fine. I’ll get another Panny when it coughs up the goods.
All I can say is ARGH they did it again… 🙁
What’s the difference between the E-PL2 and the new E-P3?
both has ….
-flash
-manual controls
-no tilt screen
-no built in viewfinder
-physical size could be the same
-same sensor perhaps?
IMHO,
Entry level cameras should have a flash (even weak flash will do). These people probably won’t be spending just to get an external flash and its a hassle to carry a flash when you need just to take a quick photo at the beach with strong back light.
Whats the use of a compact camera if you need to bring accessories?
Difference is price, Patric 😀
EP3 is not entry-level for Olympus. EPL-3 and EPM-3 are entry-level in Olympus’s book which do have flashes according to admin.
Re-read. The L and M are both missing flashes while the P3 will have a flash.
“What’s the difference between the E-PL2 and the new E-P3?”
– improved IQ (redesigned sensor, better noise algorithms)?
– new TruPic engine?
– faster and reliable AF?
– better IBIS?
– intuitive ergonomy and menu?
– maybe more powerfull flash as GN-10 with AF assist lamp?
– longer battery life?
– solid body?
and (clap your hands): available in violet 🙂
There are lots of what to do better/fix
> “What’s the difference between the E-PL2 and the new E-P3?”
> – improved IQ (redesigned sensor, better noise algorithms)?
Let’s hope it’s more the first and less the last.
> – new TruPic engine?
Likely.
>- faster and reliable AF?
I believe yes based upon what I’ve hear.
>- better IBIS?
Seems doubtful.
> – intuitive ergonomy and menu?
Pretty Please!
> – maybe more powerfull flash as GN-10 with AF assist lamp?
They could do much more than just “add a flash.” It could have full manual control, wireless communication to a new remote, all kinds of things.
> – longer battery life?
Depends on LCD and sensor. Seems doubtful there would be much gain.
> – solid body?
I’d be big time for something better than the tin plate approach they took with the E-P1 and E-P2. But to do something different implies a vastly different internal design, which I doubt they did.
> and (clap your hands): available in violet
No, the new color of the day is a gloss white. But frankly, Olympus should just put a black pleather wrap on the E-P3, much like most of us did to our E-P1’s and E-P2’s.
+10
Admin, Is the other lens a 50mm f1.8 ?
If the rumor is true, olympus’s basically building 7 similar cameras around the same 12mp sensors for 3 years…good job oly, your camera business deserves to fail
Umm… the post says it’s a NEW sensor, so your argument makes no sense… New sensor implies improvement, even if the mpx stays at 12. For me, they put the tilt/swivel on the wrong model.
“After a first look on those models I can see three problems with the new PEN cameras”
I can see even more problems, since the differentation between the models is not clear.
“bottom” modell gains minimal size, but loses controls. “middle” model loses flash, but gains a tiltscreen, “top” model loses tiltscreen, but gains manual controls.
with panasonic spoken, the “bottom” GF3 model features flash only, the “middle” model G3 adds one control dial, tiltscreen, flash and evf. the “top” model GH2 (not 3 yet) even more adds a stable handgrip, manual controls dials and superb-video. and they all have a touch-screen.
featurewise the panasonics excel here, but we still don’t know about image quality, jpg-conversion and performance of the new olympus family.
and it’s sad to here, that there’s no rangefinder yet. then it’s panasonics turn in autumn with “GF4”. they can make it, if they can make a GF1 and G3… 🙂
T.
Hope the EP-3 gets Full HD and has mic input.
Admin, do you know something about the LCD’s? will they have more pixels?
Or touch screen 🙂
I am actually quite intrigued by this announcement. Two questions occur:
1. Does the EPL3 screen tilt vertically only as on the Sony NEX, or is it as on the Panasonic G2?
2. Any touchscreen options?
I think with in-body stabilization, the E-PM1 could prove a formidable challenge to the Panasonic GF3 and the Sony NEX-C3. In particular it may be the best body for the range of cute Panasonic (and Olympus) pancakes.
This new Olympus Pen lineup sounds like chaos.
Guess I’ll stick with my E-PL2, then when Sony and Panasonic announce their higher-end cams, maybe make a move to one of those. This news is a letdown.
This is the next marketing bullshit trying to segment the target market by artificially limiting features. I don’t need 3 cameras to choose from. I need one that will satisfy 95% of my needs and that I’ll use for several years instead of one 🙁
And how about the AF speed? Will Olympus finally match the responsiveness of Pana’s G1 (3-years old)?
I hope that these description rumors won’t confirm.
Admin poll please: do you want to see Olympus Imaging Division business directors fired?
Do a poll, by this ask. 😀
+1
Yeah, i like that poll. The question could be even tougher, though.
Yes Admin, I think you could start a move to make this happen really 🙂 Do this poll 😉
Yes please, you can really start a move to make this happen or at least question their strategy. Do this poll 😉
Disagree. Let us see the cameras first. And that sensational new rumor :). There have been wrong FT5 rumors before. Not that I’m criticizing admin, I’m just hoping for IBIS + flash + tilt screen in one m4/3 body :).
Yes sometimes FT5 can be wrong. That’s why I am trying to be careful. The sensation is related to the new AF system.
poor choice for Oly here. i will never buy into their system and they’ll always remain a step behind panasonic in mFT.
This is all getting quite confusing. I’ll hold on to my lovely GF1 and will keep an eye on Pana’s more advanced model. Meanwhile I’ve bought myself an old Olympus XA, so thanks for pointing that little gem out admin;-)
You will enjoy the XA. I bought one when it was brand new in 1979, and it served me faithfully for many years – a fine pocket film camera (albeit with manual focus). I agree with you also re the GF1. Other than the GH2 (which is a bit too big IMO), I have seen no other m43 product that makes me want to upgrade.
I’ll just stick with my EPL-2 if this is the crap they’re bringing out. Wow a tilting screen, a nice feature, but not worth much in my opinion. Why not make a more accurate screen? Or add a viewfinder?
I’ll wait until the Olympus Pro comes out before I spend any more money on Olympus bodies.
And now that Panasonic has one upped Olympus in the lens department again (20mm first, and now the superb Leica 25mm) Olympus had better come out with some real optics for MFT. I understand that they care more about the consumer, but can’t Olympus make some kind of pro optic (after all, this is what they are known for).
12-60mm f/2.8 MFT please….. I don’t even mind using my 50 mm macro f/2.0 with adapter on my MFT, but please bring us a quality zoom or at least some quality optic. Olympus has produced not a single MFT lens that I will even consider.
(Shaking head in complete disbelief)
Film cameras look better every day.
In a way I like this news. None of these three cameras (four including GF3) make me have regrets of buying a used (but mint condition) GH1 last week 🙂
Wow. Put the tilt LCD on the E-P3 and I will pre-order today.
What a complete and utter shambles this line up is! It does not make any sense. I was going to sell my dslr gear to move to olympus m43rds but I do not think I will after reading this because I can not see much of a future for olympus. If only the panasonic cameras had nicer jpeg colours 🙁
I want to add my voice, since I’m sure that Olympus and Panasonic read this website.
Olympus deserves to fail. Instead of doing any actual marketing, they’re simply releasing a wild goulash of products.
One would think that the success of the Fuji X100 would have given them pause, but no. It didn’t. They’re just continuing to release the same crap.
At least we have Panasonic, who seems to kinda’ get it.
Any AF assist beam??? Its very important for me! A dealbreaker…
agree
what a shit, is there nothing other then a different bidy and maybe a different sensor?
come on… thats a bad joke
Do you know if they will be announcing an underwater housing for any of these (or if the current housing for the EP-1 will work)?
Olympus obviously lacks financial muscle to develop – they are strong on the innovation side but now that doesn’t help. The two new Panasonic cameras both has clear improvements and seems a logical evolution – not least after the statement about deviding the GF branch into two. One being for “experienced users”. (i have taken photos since 1961 so they must be thinking of me:-)). Also the G3 is an interesting option for someone like me.
While waiting for Panasonic, next Samsung and Pentax Q need to be looked too before final decision. I will add my E-P1 to my small museum of retired cameras, there is an OM2 as well.
Sounds liek there was an arguement at a meeting “I think we should have tilt LCD Screens” Says one, “No, we need to make it smaller” Says another “Sod you lot it has to have flash” says another “You know what let’s make all 3 and let the public decide who was right” Great Idea guys!
They have lost the plot.
hey fukheads… your E-P2 and E-PL2 are 1 or 2 years old.. do you buy cameras to make pictures or to buy new gear and wank on it?
i wonder that you buy a camera and a few month later you search already for a new one. i bet here is not ONE real photographer on this website.
only sad gear losers….
WRONG!!
While I agree that the expectation of revolutionary product every year is ridiculous, it is a gearhead site, after all. I still shoot decades-old film cameras and they work just fine.
Yawn, same old, same old.
Years on from the first M4/3 cameras and still no real advancement or improvement.
I don’t know what you’re laughing at Panny – you’re nearly as bad!
Yawn, same old, same old.
Years on from the first M4/3 cameras and still no marked advancement or improvement.
I don’t know what you’re laughing at Panny – you’re nearly as bad!
“After a first look on those models I can see three problems with the new PEN cameras”
There’s no problem for me as long as the price it right:
– For E-PM1, it doesn’t say if it has flash, admin? In the case it has no flash, IBIS may replace it for the better for many consumers (= Mr Blurrycam), plus Sony doesn’t have flash either so it doesn’t look that bad on the side-by-side features list.
– For E-P3, I haven’t seen many whining on the absence of tilt-screen on this series. The goal of this series is more street photography, so no need for tilt screen, but manual controls are always good and welcome for the target audience; the flash will be useful for fill-in.
– for E-PL3, tilt-screen is welcome to better differentiate from E-P3; it’s good for those who definitely need it (and I’m in — for the flash I can mount when I need) and doesn’t exist in the current lineup.
1.E-PM1: Yes, the sony sux as well by not having a built in flash. so thats a good thing?
A built in flash is a necessity for P&S-target market of the e-pm1, it automatically makes today’s e-pl2 a better camera then e-pm.
-E-P3: “…the flash will be useful for fill-in..” so they took e-p1 and stick a e-pl2 pop up flash and call it a e-p3? after 2.5 years of development?
i am sorry but i cannot understand how you cant see it as a bad joke (the new sensor comes as a given upgrade, not giving credit for that)
-E-PL3 “…tilt-screen is welcome to better differentiate from E-P3…” why would you want to differentiate your cameras by upgrading the lower end cameras on the expense of the high end?
this is stupid.
>> 1.E-PM1: Yes, the sony sux as well by not having a built in flash. so thats a good thing?
Well, the rumor doesn’t say if it has a flash or not. In the case it doesn’t, it’s a matter of compromise between features and price. Let’s say it’s the same price than Sony’s low-end with similar image qualities: Oly has then the advantage of IBIS. If it’s cheaper than the Sony, even better!
>> A built in flash is a necessity for P&S-target market of the e-pm1
The market said that this common assumption is wrong (cf. Sony).
>> E-P3: “…the flash will be useful for fill-in..” so they took e-p1 and stick a e-pl2 pop up flash and call it a e-p3? after 2.5 years of development? i am sorry but i cannot understand how you cant see it as a bad joke (the new sensor comes as a given upgrade, not giving credit for that)
E-PL2 with better sensor and flash. Better AF as well, likely better IBIS and/or frame rate and/or shutter. What’s wrong with that?
>> E-PL3 “…tilt-screen is welcome to better differentiate from E-P3…” why would you want to differentiate your cameras by upgrading the lower end cameras on the expense of the high end?
These cameras have different purpose. This is not upgrading the lower end on the expense of the high end; this is differentiating two lines. Look at Canon’s DSLR line: tilt-screen only somewhere in the lower half of their line-up.
!@#$ . . . I gave up waiting this spring and got an E-PL2 because I figured they have abandoned the incredibly useful flippy screen. Now I’m going to have to do a camera upgrade 6 months in. This is going to be a hard sell to the significant other.
Losing manual controls though . . . what manual controls? The E-PL2 has 1 useful dial and that’s it.
Why oh why can’t they just get it right?
Oly where are you going? I’m really disappointed. This is the beginning of the end of the Olympus imaging division. I sold my good old c8080 to invest in a PEN, but now I’m really thinking about buying a pana.
Back in the good old day’s there was the OM1 & OM2, Olympus had a vision back then plus an exceptional designer……..
my father has a canon 20D and i bet he makes better pictures then all you whining M43 morons.
experience!
Panasonic does not get it (M4/3) Their products are large, especially their large lenses, big disadvantage. What’s the advantage of M4/3. Small body, small lenses. Olympus has incorporated the true value and advantage of M4/3. They build small high quality lenses, and have in body stabilization. This reduces size of lenses, allows all after market m4/3 lenses fitted to olympus body with no disadvantages. The one key trick they need is contract autofocus, then all manual lenses will have autofocus confirmation for all your “fast” shallow depth of field pursuers.
Pansonic needs a smaller kit zoom, all other lenses are suitable. You don’t way a toy on GH or AF series cams
It all depends on the complete package. If they’ve managed to fix AF with FT-lenses, gotten a new sensor with real improvements or managed some other major improvements (or a lot of smaller ones) compared to earlier models then they might do OK. The medium sized model with tilt screen sounds interesting.
Disappointed. I don’t see the reason to upgrade from E-PL1. Still hoping E-PL3 will have a flash – at least a small bolt-on, like Sony’s. And three cameras announced on one day? After spending year and a half with only one announcement? I’m no marketing expert, but that’s madness…
All of these bodies could be interesting, but we don’t really know enough yet. The small P&S upgrade is a welcome addition to the lineup, as is the swivel screen model, as is the built-in flash in the higher end model.
I’m very much intrigued by the E-P3 personally, and I’m glad that it removes at least one of the problems with the E-P2 (lack of wireless flash trigger). I’m assuming that, as with the E-P2, the E-P3 will have higher shutter speeds than anything in the the PL series, and that really does matter. The P2 also had better IBIS than its value-line cousins, as well as several other minor advantages; I assume the P3 will retain the edge on many fronts.
The big question marks, to me, are the sensor, the autofocus, and the price. 12 megapixel is fine, but it needs a real improvement over the current gen in dynamic range and high ISO performance to justify it. I really, *really* want a µ4/3 body that can autofocus the HG Four Thirds lenses properly so I can chuck my DSLR for good.
If they price these things aggressively (put them at or below the same price point as Panasonic bodies) and *if* they show improvements to sensor and AF, they could have winners. If they *don’t* price them competitively, and there *aren’t* serious improvements in the sensor or focus, then Oly’s going to have a rough road ahead of them.
Since the Mini and Lite appear to be essentially the same body, but one with more controls and a pivot LCD, I think Lite seems more interesting to anyone except the All-Automatic shooter. I can see it being an interesting pocket cam with the right pancake lens. Indeed, it with the 12mm f/2 appears to be a bit smaller than the Sony NEX-C3 with the 16mm f/2.8. So we’re talking about equivalence in size and better optical ability, though with a sensor difference. That’s a decent place for Olympus to be right now. Not perfect, but decent.
It’s the other two models that make less sense to me. Okay, I get that the Mini is a stripper base model intended to pull in the economically challenged. I just don’t get how Olympus thinks that’s their niche or where they should be. And the E-P3, unless there’s an internal surprise (I’ve only seen photos of it and some vague details so far), I’m scratching my head. Two years down the road and we’ve added the external viewfinder (E-P2) and a flash (E-P3). Let’s see, next year’s E-P4 will add what, the pivot LCD?
Let’s hope that E-PL3 have decent manual controls. Not perfect, but decent.
Surprise will be a new sensor (slight improvement) for E-PL3.
E-P3 may be target more to style aware customers than photographers. If it sells…
The new EP3 gives me a great reason to upgrade my camera. EP1.
What’s the main feature you should concerned with? Sensor quality. If there is a new sensor, that is the key reason to upgrade. And Ep3 does have a new sensor. We need details on this new sensor quality/performance.
Oly where are you going? Is this the beginning of the end of the Olympus imaging devision? It seems they want to bring down market share intentionally. I sold my good old C8080 to invest into a PEN. But now I’m really thinking about buying a pana.
All these Es are confusing me, sigh.
I think we all gone ahead of ourselves. Although its understandable, ithink at least EP3 will have some really new good features. Maybe full HD and 25 24 fps options even 50 or 60i better IBIS and high ISO. And ofcourse better AF (maybe this time with AF assist beam). Its still early to tell the gender of the cameras, but i hope in a next few days we will have some real specs on this site.
And deffinitly they are waching this and all other sites, and they now what people want. Question is how much they give a damn. Or they just playing games.
GF3 should be named GF Mini or something like that
Olympus naming scheme is more reasonable
but E-PL3 get the shaft of manual control…that sucks
I was considering getting the EP-3 if it had better sensor than my current GF-1, so I could use my Panny fast AF lenses and benefit from IBIS as well.
But now with announcement of “pro” GF body later this year I think I will probably hold off.
i hope your info is completely accurate, admin, because people are really blasting olympus on the forums now.
Yes it’s accurate.
asdf, are you saying that to protect olympus from being “blasted”? please dont…we all blasting olympus because we believe(d) and committed to m43 system, and we want it to be sucssesful as many of us have allot of $$ invested in m43.
I hope olympus would hear us and would realize what a silly cameras they are going to release for the next 1-2 years, Admin, i hope you will pass the word to olympus if you can
if you want it to be successful, then you should help promote it. people read these forums to decide if they want to dive in.
As an Oly owner I’m not complaining, I’m excited about the E-P3 as long as it has a good sensor and some other improvements.
Also, poster opinions are not indicative of 43rumors readers (whiners are always the loudest and most prolific), and certainly not indicative of what 99% of Oly’s target market thinks.
I still have my E-P1 but about to upgrade. I will have to wait and see what the E-P3 really have before deciding. If not, the G3 is looking pretty good to me (if I cant wait til sept for the PEN or G Pros).
All these complaints at iterations! My eye! My brain!
Canon fans must be suffering at every Rebel iterations!
I probably won’t buy any of these, and will wait for a pro-grade rangefinder-style m43 body with full manual controls and built-in EVF. I was considering the g3 but the more I look at it the more I see somewhat a toy with its smartphone-like interface.
As a side note, I just got a Pixma M8150 for printing and I’m just blown away by the quality you can get from color prints from shots taken with the e-pl2 at 1600 ISO. The problem nowadays with digital cameras imho is not really ISO, DR or MP anymore, but definitely ergonomics & usability.
Thanks for that opinon, it is realy interesting. Unsability is a big issue for me.
I’ll second that. I got an Epson Pro 3880 and the 17×22 prints that it spits out from 12mp e5 and e620 files are incredible. I’m not really sure why people get so bent out of shape pixel peeping files on a computer. Actually print and hang some stuff. You’ll be amazed.
Absolute Yes!
Yes, my prints from the Epl-1 are outstanding at A2 17 inches square… Amazing
> I probably won’t buy any of these…
This is a common sentiment, but…Olympus probably wasn’t expecting any of us to buy another camera in a year’s (or even two year’s) time. Indeed, let’s hope that none of the camera companies think that we’re just all going to buy every new model they ship.
In other words, the Pen Mini, Pen Lite, and even E-P3 aren’t really directed at those of us who already own Pens. They’re positioning by Olympus to try to get MORE people to buy Pens. That’s the way we should be evaluating them.
Unfortunately, Olympus (and Panasonic has the same problem) is getting in the way of themselves. When you consider that you can get an E-PL1 this weekend for US$399 with lens here in the States, announcing a US$599 (or whatever it will be) E-PL3 that isn’t cleanly distinguished from that lingering inventory just dulls the launch of the new model. If everything were planned right, you wouldn’t even have excess E-PL2 inventory hanging out there to dilute the new product’s intro. But obviously Olympus does.
people do not buy on price alone, a lot of other factors come into it (and not just technical specs either)
especially when the old model 399$ camera gets you pop-up flash while the new one dosnt
all this negativity is a buzz kill. i’m gonna go take pictures with my “walking dead” E-5.
I would still love an E5 & some more lenses to go with it.
It really amazing,there are tons of frustrated-Oly-CEOS here¡¡¡¡¡ and too much negativity. Lets wait to see the whole thing to have an opinion. For the moment I´m still saving money for the Oly 12mm and the 25mmPL¡¡ and loving my EP1 like the first day….it´s a baby it only have two years old¡. I have lived 25 years with my OM1 as my only cam and sistem, I think I can live at least one or two more with my EP1 while I wait for a real improved m4/3 cam.
+1. I’m still in love with my E-P1, which I bought just a month after its introduction, and up until now I don’t see any new revolutionary technology that will change the quality of my pictures.
Which lenses do you have?
I suggest as a very inexpensive upgrade look into Aki-Asahi leatherette kit. I recently did, and I can’t stop loving it!
Hi Reza, I own the old 14-42, the 20mmpana, 54 macro PL, my old set of om lenses 50mm 1.8, 24mm, 135mm and my 4/3 11-22mm
Hi Reza, I own the old 14-42, the 20mmpana, 45 macro PL, my old set of om lenses 50mm 1.8, 24mm, 135mm and my 4/3 11-22mm
I hear you! I Still have my G1.
+1
Yeah its usability. All rangefinder m43 have contortionist’s lcd. An old school bad habit to frame your subject in a limited angle but favored by most review writers as they find it classical.
Admin, for the love of god, please increase the number of comments per page. I’ve just had to click three times to get to the first batch of comments.
Asked the designer to do that!
Thanks, makes readers’ life much easier :). As for slower loading of pages, I suppose comments open people who want to read them. Those who do not, can read the post from the home page.
And congrats on most commented on thread :).
That’s a lot of clicking, dude. I’d kick back for a while with a big lemonade 😉
increasing the amount of comments per a page could effect page loading speed
Hm.. I want to know how they look 🙂 But I guess I´ll go for the GF3 anyway.. That sexy small design is just WOW! Plus it has fast AF and fast working touch-shutter. Great! The Olympus cameras will be overpriced with same old BAD sensor. Im just so tired of it all..
This doesn’t sound very enticing to replace my E-P1. Maybe the Pen mini to replace my S90, but I doubt it’ll fit in my pocket anyway.
Ok, here’s a positive spin on this rumor: given that our current m43 cameras are fully capable of taking great pictures, and the fact that both Olympus and Panasonic know this, they want to spare us from spending unnecessarily! 😀
I’m in no hurry to replace my E-P1, so I’ll probably wait for PEN pro with EVF when it’s available in 2012. For now, lenses are a better investment.
What about the lenses?
Thom Hogan assumed only the 2/12mm will be announced (46mm Filter Thread, no pancake, but quite compact).
Any news on the 1.8(?)/45-50(?) ?
Thanks
There will be a new fast portrait lens. More soon. I am trying to find out info about the size of the lens.
A portrait lens, pro quality… Fantastic… And then a lovely sharp small wide angle to go with it and a stunning pro zoom…
Ca’t wait…
🙂
It’s sad that no modell does have a build in EVF. I like the picture style from Oly, but I do Not like cams wit nö build in EVF….so let’s wait
The fail train continues … Panasonic seemed to have stopped it, but Olympus continues. I think they just want to pump mediocre cameras to get at least some revenue, until they hit us with the PEN Pro – that will have some ridiculous shortcoming as well. I betcha!
All cameras have shortcoming as it is impossible to create the perfect camera, hence why many of us have different cameras (and systems), betting that the penpro will have shortcomings is like betting that the sun will come up tomorrow 🙂
Lol, what a bunch of cry babies.
Facts:
– Oly EVF is at least as good as built in EVFs of Pany cameras
– Oly Pens cost less and can use only 1 EVF you can then use without having to pay for each EVF in your new camera
– Oly has dramaticaly better IQ than Panasonic given the same sensor
– Oly has IS in all it’s cameras
– Oly has wireless flash support
– Oly has much smaller and/or collapsible lenses which are a much better fit than larger Panasonic lenses.
For such a small camera (Pen – m43), it’s ESSENTIAL to be small and light, because otherwise, there’s little point in it.
It’s not a high-performance system such as FF and Pro-grade 43rds, it’s a light carry anywhere system which produces very good images.
I’d never get a GH body when I could get something like Nikon 5100 which beats it at still photo quality and speed, and is not much bigger and it’s cheaper.
Pens work great because you can use EVF when you feel like it, it can fit much smaller space than a GH or G camera (especially with pancake and collapsible lenses), and EVF can be detached and stored in a small side pocket.
Strange, that so many think the opposite. I have yet to see Olympus images are dramatically better than Panasonic’s.
m4/3 is about diversity and here Olympus still has to deliver. To put the tilt screen in the middle model only is already a huge mistake.
Final judgement of course depends on the time, when first images of trhe bodies and the specifications are out, but what is already disclosed, does not look promising.
I’d like to see the first guys whining here, who have lost their attachable EVFs. To me, a build-in solution is much preferable. Don’t know, why Olympus still refuses to offer at least one body with such an alternative. Man, they release three bodies at the same time, is it really so hard to get at least one with EVF. The competition was able to do that from the beginning.
I remember when the tilt screen was seen by many as a gimmick now most people see as an essential feature…
@ Mar
I like how you count the hits on the Olympus side in such a one sided way. If you look carefully you will realize why Panasonic micro four third cameras are very enticing also. AS for better image quality that’s only in JPEGS. RAW changes the equation completely, and Panasonic still has better micro four thirds sensors in their cameras than any current shipping Olympus micro four thirds. Sure you have to use use RAW to pull ahead but it’s there.
i agree with mar. however, people are more likely to post about things like this when they’re upset or annoyed, so there will always be a bias toward dissatisfied comments on forums like this.
“- Oly has dramaticaly better IQ than Panasonic given the same sensor”
Oly has a different style. Panasonic improved JPEG quality a lot lately…
“- Oly has IS in all it’s cameras”
Which is a wonderful option for the Pana 14, 20 and 25 primes. Where’s Oly with fine primes?
“- Oly has wireless flash support”
I bought a flash for my G1 about 8 month ago. Used it for about 30 shots out of 4000 since then. Low light performance is so good, even on G1. So why does someone need wireless flash?
“- Oly has much smaller and/or collapsible lenses which are a much better fit than larger Panasonic lenses.”
Size wise 14-42 II and 9-18 are Oly’s highlights. All the tele zooms lack OIS to by useful.
Panasonic should replace the 14-42 with a smaller version.
Yes, Oly has some points. But currently Panasonic has most of the big points. Lets hope Oly gets back on the track and delivers superb lenses (with OIS to widen the market) and photo centric bodies.
Wireless flash is awesome. Getting into the strobist mindset takes some time, but then you start doing really cool things with flashes. I’ve got three 🙂
IMHO,
Panasonic’s in-camera processing has improved lately but it is still bad when compared to lots of the competitors. The colors of Panasonics are just incorrect and this is an enough reason to defeat all the advantages they have.
The best processing engines come from Fuji, Olympus, and Nikon. Again, this is my preference and think that lots of people are in agreement as I’ve read lots of threads on Dpreview discussing the same issue.
Btw i dont know if you noticed and even care but essentialy all DLSRs of companys like Canon in the same range are the same. Like Rebel series are basiclli the same all advanced xxD series along with 7d are the same or 5d 1d although the features, buttons, are not. All they need is to find the design in 3 categories they want (mini, lite, pro) and stick with it. And they confused themselves along the way. And now they are trying something overnight. I always thought anybody in any bussines should develop 1 great product first with a long life cycle (see Canon 1 series or 5) and then reduce its features for every enthusiast in the way. They are stucked between 4/3 and m4/3. they should now stick to micro and get it on. Design wise they almost hit the mark with EP2 but all they need is a bit more controls (better AF lenses with no fly by wire, its kida stupid and slower), Built in viewfinder and a fuckin AF asist. Better 1mp at least LCD screen. RC wich actually works this time with any flash. Oh, and a fuckin shutter lockup on off so you dont need to always wach if winds gona spit a ton of dirt onto your sensor. Why do i even bother.
Goodbye olympus, please stop diluting the m43 gene pool. You started out strong with the E-P1 and the modern re-thinking of the PEN line, but have lost the path. We would all be better off with Panasonic forging ahead alone at this point, if m43 is to survive at all against the existing / coming competition from the other electronics companies. Enough is enough, you’ve had your chance and have shown your colors.
Black EP3 with built in flash and pancake lens sounds OK to me.
They could sell it as a Lego, so we could make one good camera from those.
I’m annoyed.
I have a need for IBIS – I have fairly unsteady hands. I need a lightweight camera, as I have nerve damage that severely limits my strength. I enjoy taking shots from interesting angles, because part of what I want to communicate is a different view of the world than adults normally get. I’d like to be able to control external flash without resorting to Pocket WIzards.
Overall Olympus is offering everything that I want, but not in one body! I can get tilt screen, but no flash control. Or flash control, but no tilt screen. Oy vey! Maybe I’ll just get an XZ-1 instead! Michael Reichmann and Thom Hogan are the two latest photo bloggers to give it a thumbs up.
And now you see why people keep asking Olympus to shit or get off the pot when it comes to an enthusiast m43 camera. It’s pick this OR that but there’s no competent camera yet. E-P2 and E-P1 made us choose flash or EVF, E-PL1 and E-P2 make us choose rugged or feature-packed, and E-PL2 vs these cameras make us choose… Wait, what’s new? The E-PL2 is better than ANY of these options.
So…
(1) Mini that will feed Olympus’s bottom line, provided it’s marketed properly, which it won’t be.
(2) E-PL3 inexplicably loses a flash and controls while gaining a tilt-screen. Fail.
(3) E-P3 has the flash that people have been asking for, but not the IBVF that many more people have been asking for. Basically, E-P2 + flash = E-P3. Will probably cost ~$900. Fail.
Have been wanting an Olympus for IBIS, but the choices aren’t exactly satisfying.
I’m not sure that this is as illogical as people seem to think. The point of m4/3 is small cameras – if you cram in all of the features, everyone wants into one camera it will be larger than a ‘PEN’ – ie it will be like a GH2 – indeed the GH2 is the camera with built in EVF, tilt screen and built in flash. So you have to compromise.
The PEN range will probably never have built in EVF – that is probably waiting for an OM style pro camera (if they do that). Now they are offering the choice between one with tilt screen – or one with flash. The previous iteration (EPL2 had the flash in the cheaper camera) now they are offering it the top one. This probably makes sense 1) because the flash (with its wireless trigger etc) is a more pro feature and 2) because a tilt screen in the more robust body would probably be expensive and heavy.
Now it may be that you’d prefer a different feature set – but to say you want it all at once is just not possible within the size. And don’t blame Oly for this. Is Panasonic offering such a combination in a GF? – no. Is Sony? – no.
Personally I’d rather have a pop-up flash than a tilt screen – and think the EPL-2 was a good compromise at a lower price than the EP-3 will be. But others with think differently and so now they get a camera to choose – perhaps we have to blame all those asking for a tilt screen above all else. My guess is that all three cameras will have a hot shoe and take the EVF and other accessories – and so retain quite a lot of flexibility and inter-changability.
The problem is that there isn’t much to differentiate each of these cameras, except missing features.
A built-in flash is standard for any non-pro camera. The E-P1/2 could arguably do without, since the form factor was so novel; however, Olympus did the right thing by putting one in the E-PL1/2, aimed at a broader base of consumers. Taking it away for the E-PL3 makes no sense, given where they’re positioning the product (basically entry-level).
The E-P3 simply doesn’t seem like much of an improvement over the E-P2, or even the E-PL2, for that matter. Instead of making any significant improvements in the Pen line overall, Olympus has chosen to keep the high-end (E-P) roughly the same, while squeezing in a new low-end (E-PM) line, forcing its mid-level (E-PL) line (which was about as good as the high-end, minus build quality) to lose random features in order to fit comfortably between them.
Other camera companies offer progressively more features when moving from entry-level through enthusiast to pro cameras, while Olympus will have little to differentiate any of the 8 Pen cameras they’ve released over the course of 2 years.
Olympus isn’t making a range of cameras suited for different people; they’re making cameras suited for nobody.
Agree entirely about the flash issue. Entry level means flash. At this rate I might be better off sticking with my XZ-1.
I guess it’s all Sony’s fault. Sony releases NEX cameras with tilt screen and no flash. Now Olympus wants to have a competing model with the same features. But luckily, they hedge their bets with some more models, for those who want something different. I suppose we should be thankful for that.
Any chance the EP-3 is weather-sealed? That’s Oly’s other specialty…
actually the G3 has both a tilt-screen and EVF and it is much smaller than the GH2, just like a PEN, with ticker just in the EVF portion. and you can be sure it will not detach from the camera in your bag…
The XA is a rangefinder camera, but it has a fixed lens. The split image focusing in it is very hard because the OVF is too small and dark. The XA2 and beyond had no focusing aid built into the OVF, leaving focus settings for the zone focus knob.
So, while it is a great design and a wonderful cam, it’s a rangefinder with several limitations that you wouldn’t like to see nowadays not even on a P&S cam…
Not to say that an optical VF in a m43 cam would be a waste of time, since we would have so many focal lengths available… an EVF wouldn’t fit in the size of the XA’s OVF no way, so… it isn’t because olympus done it once in other days that they are gonna be able to do it now…
To finish, they don’t have Yoshihisa Maitani among the team for a good while already, so I wouldn’t expect genius design coming… His designs were genius’ products…
Any chance the EP-3 is weather-sealed? That’s Oly’s other specialty…
It would have to be super tough to make it worth it, and obviously the lenses would need to catch up. Maybe the new 12mm f/2 will also be weather-sealed?
There’s no weather-sealed M4/3 lens. So if only E-P3 is weather sealed, it just drives the cost higher. What a EPIC FAIL.
There’s also no fast-af m4/3 lens, either, and yet they are introducing a new fast af system.
No EVF on E-P3? I waited all these time for nothing. I don’t need a flash, I rarely use it, an EVF is a must, doesn’t have to be fancy like Fuji X100, but got to have one. VF-2 is nice, but too big. That’s it, I’m keeping my E-P2.
buy a e-pl1 plus vf-2. same price. and less complaining.
Is this an FT(J), as in a joke rumor? Either this is a bad joke or Olympus really is trying to drive their imaging-division down the pooper with these boneheaded releases.
The management of Olympus’ imaging division is a joke.
It´s very difficult to say bye Olympus and hello Panasonic for a very specific reason. Probably most of you have realized about Panasonic disgusting color rendition and please don´t tell me have a look to X-Rite color chart results because 2+2 isn´t always four when we talk about color correction. I have been able to test Panasonic cameras and the color really sucks! E-P1 color accuracy is impressive but there are much more. Tone curve is also much better than Panasonic, noise reduction is much, much better and I prefer not to mention the really disguting processing engine of Panasonic cameras. Panasonic is focused on video and that´s all folks. Yeah, AF is faster but compatibility with fourthirds lenses sucks. Olympus decided to keep compatibility and this might be the reason AF was slow in the early begining. On the other hand I have to recognize they are crazy releasing the E-5 sporting a really old sensor and now releasing a new sensor for PEN cameras. Pro photographers are going to say f*c* you! I really understand this. Obviously there is no communication between engineers, marketing, and the real world. This is the main problem of Olympus since OM system. I won´t be surprised if Olympus surprises us with something great again, like HDR image, chromatic aberration supression by hardware, new advanced color engine sporting color reversal film emulation, etc… but where are the lenses for MFT? They really think we can take pictures with a f3.5-5.6 14-42mm kit lens? I am really fed up with buying things that must be corrected in a few months or replaced by new ones. I won´t buy a Panasonic camera for sure but I think I also will continue with my E-P1 until I see something really attractive.
“Disgusting” – extreme hyperbole, but not really helpful.
Yes, Panasonic’s out-of-camera JPEGs are often not as good as you can get tweaking the RAWs, but definitely not always. I shoot both JPEG and RAW, and if I don’t like the former, I process from the latter. If Panasonic processing really was as poor as Vila contends, then their video output would really “suck”. It doesn’t, and many professionaql videographers are now using the GH2 over competing DSLRs. For me, Olympus’s expected failure to provide built-in EVF for the E-P3 will be the last nail-in-the-coffin for the brand. Too bad, as their 43 and m43 glass can be excellent, but I don’t want to use it on a Panasonic because of the lack of IS. I would rather use the best legacy 35mm glass I can get, or new fully manual lenses like the wonderful Nokton 25/0.95.
IMHO is a different kettle of fish getting rid of the noise in a 1920×1200 image, even at 25fps than outputting a clean 4000×3000 image at 1600 ISO, just only have a look to GF3 images. OMG!!! They suck! Why Panasonic didn´t let Olympus use their 16 MP sensor in E-5? Probably TruePIC V+ will get a much higher resolution than GH2 and Panasonic is pretty aware of this. Panasonic algorithms are years behind of Olympus ones regarding to image processing. Olympus is doing a great job outputting nearly perfect JPG images. You don´t need to process anything. I prefer taking pictures rather than sitting hours processing images, correcting color, etc… On more thing regarding to color correction. Have a look to this image http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/systemcamera/gms/gallery/img/sample/gf3/thumb04.jpg This image has been taken with GF3. Now have a look under the hair in her forehead. There are color posterization and this is related with a bad color correction. Really sucks!
I think people should relax on the 12mp sensor if it’s improved. Even the X100 is only 12mp and no one complains about that. To me if the E-p3 shows better AF and a flash I’ll probably go for it. The new G3 may have all the bells and whistles but I just don’t care for how it looks, it seems a bit soul-less
If they raise pixel count, people will cry and whine about DR.
If they maintain the pixel count, people cry, and whine about dated sensor technology.
Should they maintain the pixel count and claim its a new sensor : people will cry and yell that its all marketing crap.
I’m telling you : what ever they do.
But a year ago, a big talk back was something like 12 posts.
Admin, any idea on when we might hear about the “wow” news from Olympus or details on the new lens? It would be great to have some good news.
Plus I am worried that the collective animosity directed towards Olympus right now may cause the CEO to develop a tumor or have a heart attack : )
New Oly bodies will actually be usable and not fiddly touch screen gimmick Panasonic has been building recently.
Admin, any idea what colours the E-P3 will come in (ie: just black or silver too) and whether the LCD screen will be improved even if it’s not tiltable?
First we all think that all camera vendors are somehow stupid, making huge mistakes every time. Even Nikon (or Canon or Fuji or…) users have some “huge” flaws to point to Nikon (or Canon or Fuji or…).
I doubt that on Olympus (or Panasonic or Sony or…) don’t have a business case with estimated sales, main target, etc…
They maybe “right” on every camera design. Success have more unpredictable variables: Sony had a huge success with a tilt-screen-almost-no-buttons-no-flash-and-bad-menu NEX system, after correcting Menu some Pros moved in.
Tilt screen not on “higher end” camera:
I agree I would prefer tilt screen on “pro”-ish camera, but even Nikon has tilt screen on D5100, not the pro camera but the not so low end camera. There may be a market reason for that (Canon on 60D and not on 1D…) I know Olympus ad it to E5, but E5 is not a huge sales success. NEX is. Olympus needs money to survive, a lot.
What do you think it came first for Olympus a pro camera with nice reviews but too expensive for enthusiasts or a better camera for a P&S upgrader?
No built in EVF:
True and I agree, I would prefer. But we (enthusiasts) are not the only target.
Olympus decided that accessories takes an important role on margins and revenue. I think it may appear a better OLED higher resolution EVF accessory than built-in. Panasonic made a bad external EVF and gave up.
_Probably_ enthusiasts are not the biggest part of market (NEX success anyone?)
Yes I would like a more “pro” Olympus: small, focus on composition (dial to select format, tilt screen), included EVF. But probably there isn’t a positive business case yet.
Lenses (and sensor) is probably what Oly/Pany should focus (faster zooms and primes) to atract enough pros to drive enough enthusiasts to the system to have a “pro” positive business case. Probably.
Designing a camera is expensive.
Olympus is not a big player. Every Olympus camera has to be profitable.
What I don’t understand is why Olympus don’t add “s” to cameras’ name:
. design a new sensor and all but low end camera gets new sensor and “s” to the name;
.better firmware with additional features for all cameras at same time (NEX anyone?).
The costs for that are not big and shows a more mature brand. Anc customer thinks that her/his camera will last. This drives sales.
Olympus should focus in what is best: size (collapsible lenses, smaller cameras) and quality (high grade lenses, HQ JPEGs); I still think that if Olympus designs a small camera with great auto everything JPEGs (with manual adjustments) and collapsible lenses will get PROs (and enthusiasts indirectly) to the system for their carry everywhere camera. This means money, a lot. But I don’t work at Olympus and I don’t have access to their market researches.
Valid points on a lot of them. But here is a basic formula for decision making:
Marginal profit > marginal cost
That means if they implemented something new, like a built-in EVF, it must be attracting more crowd to pay for the extra cost to implement that EVF. Keep in mind implement something isn’t as simple as sticking an accessory EVF into the accessory port. It requires a lot of R&D to change the design of the body, probably rearranging the inside of the camera to make room and bug testings for things like heat dissipation.
That said…, I think Olympus should be a little more aggressive. Yes, put extra features in will lose money unless they’re truly selling that many more units than not changing anything, but it should be done to keep competitors in check, even at a cost…. That’s the strategy to do if they want to expand market share. If all they want to do is making money, then what they’re doing now is fine. Revenue will be falling, but so is R&D cost.
Tilt screen on high-end camera;
It is a MUST. However, given Nikon’s LiveView implementation is so basic, I don’t even know where to begin…. Nikon DSLR users are used to use OVF and direct buttons, they probably think LiveView is a novelty feature. Us who use Super Control Panel for everything probably realize LiveView is very useful and time saving. No surprise there is no tilt screen on Nikon DSLRs until recently, since you really can’t do much with it except for viewing your photos and do a basic P&S style shooting. I believe there is no MF assist when I used my cousin’s D90….
That said, not implementing tilt screen on an Olympus camera is just weird. 4/3’s LiveView is such a major competitive advantage over other brands’ DSLRs, why it is absent from m4/3 cameras? Nikon’s edge will always be their lenses and the Sony sensor inside. And I thought Olympus E-620’s interface was terrible until I used other brands’ DSLRs…. We’re just so jaded and take Olympus features for granted, we don’t even know what seems to be so basic are actually miles ahead of other brand’s. I just wish Olympus realize what makes their DSLRs better than others and continue on that route.
Yes, Olympus glasses are the best value, but they decided to make m4/3 glasses with lower than Olympus’s usual high standard (a tradition since the 50’s). Hope 12mm will change that.
Olympus seems to trigger more comments than Panasonic. It seems that have more supporters and anti-supporters on this site, i.e.more impact on m43 market.
Probably due to Olympus legacy and/or not focusing on video.
Admin can confirm (168 comments in one day).
Indeed it seems Olympus triggers more discussion than Nikon or Canon, and much much more than Pentax… I wonder why…
Because Olympus has cult-like followers…, at least that’s how other people see us…. Just google it….
Nikon and Canon…, most people who use them are people who don’t want to move the status quo…. Pentax is kind of like a dying brand.
Olympus OTOH, is highly controversial. m4/3 is not the only camera series in Olympus history that’s highly controversial and revolutionary, you know….
You can’t put Olympus users and Leica users in one room, unless you want to see some gruesome duel. 😉 Olympus people know their lenses are just as good, but without the high price tag.
If you have used really high quality lenses from Olympus, you will understand why Olympus loyalists defend their platform so much.
“Olympus seems to trigger more comments than Panasonic.”
Two reasons:
1. Olympus still hasn’t released as many various bodies and lenses as Panasonic. People are impatient.
2. IBIS. Even primes are stabilized. More creative control and less blur :).
EPL-3 should logically be where my money is going. I’ve just sold an EPL-1. I can use my VF2…great! I get a tilt screen…great! Then they blow it by missing off a built-in flash. Fail.
Tell me, which camera needs in body flash more? EPL-3 (lower end, smaller, more likely to get taken to a party for instance) or EP-3 (enthusiast model, much more likely to have a flashgun attached at some point in its life).
Guess it’s EP-3 or EPM1 then. Or abandon the good ship Oly.
If I had to choose one among the three, I’d choose E-PL3 because it has tilt LCD screen (swivel or the tilt like Sony’s? I hope it’s swivel). Ideally, it’s better to have both swivel LCD and flash, but to me flash is less important of the two because my shooting style (I shoot almost exclusively with natural light only). Swivel is better than Sony style tilt because it’s more flexible when the camera is on a tripod. Even Nikon D5100 decides to go with swivel route (and it’s about time Nikon finally implemented a swivel screen).
Like another person said, yeah, 12mm and PL 25mm finally are making m4/3 look more exciting. Just wish there is a built-in VF, even an EVF is better than nothing.
IMO, the E-P3 sounds only marginally better than my E-PL2 (sensor seems to be the same). Both have flash and lack an EVF/LCD tilt. The higher build quality and manual control just don’t seem like enough to make this a real step forward.
I like using Oly’s supercontrol interface so the addition of dials or other controls is almost nil to me.
Next Oly I buy needs better dynamic range and an EVF or at least tiltable hi-res LCD.
It is a new sensor and it WILL have better dynamic range.
I just still don’t get all the obsession with IBEVF when you have a detachable one. It adds to the flexibility rather then anything.
Can anyone explain why they need at IBEVF over an external one? an external one would definitely add to the size and weight of a pen.
I wonder if they’ve made a tiny bespoke flash like the one on the NeX? That would save the lower model cameras from ignominious failure. Then I could have an E-PL3.
Either the new sensor has some major kick ass Kung Fu like absurd DR, or these launches make no sense whatsoever…
@Admin: no words about the new kick ass feature? am I sniffing a global shutter?
This is good news! An E-P3 with built in flash (and thus hopefully wireless flash ability), a new sensor with high ISO at least as good as the G3 meets my two requirements for an upgrade. Screw flippy screens and built-in VFs. Image quality is the most important thing in this upgrade.
We’ll probably see an Oly pro camera with built-in VF in 2013, I reckon, or possibly next year if they already have it in development.
Now just give us that fast portrait and I will be a happy bunny for some time :).
Stop channeling me 😛
I’ve been investing in MFT glass, but E-P3 indeed sounds like a worthy upgrade from E-PL while we’re waiting for a pro body.
I know, what is wrong with people, eh? Olympus release 3 new products aimed at different sections of the market. They continue with a design that was a hit upon launch (the PEN series) and retain the small form factor m43 was started for while adding things that were missed, and yet people scream and cry as if they got their sweets stolen.
I am happy we happy diversity in the m43 series. You’ve got built-in VFs and DSLR-style cameras from Panasonic. You’ve got IBIS on Olympus and a rangefinder-style camera with attachable VF for when you need it. We’ve got a near-complete set of system lenses with a bunch more on the way. Underwater housings. Tiny cameras for those wanting a P&S replacement. Certainly not bad in the 3 years the format has been around.
I’m sure we will see a m43 camera like the X100 with interchangeable lenses, as well as a weather-sealed, beefy pro camera, but give it time. Without the strong position seized in the consumer market first with small cameras, there would have likely be no foothold to even consider a pro camera with all the bells and whistles.
People just need to chill out a little and stop expecting a custom-built camera specific for their needs. I had to ‘live with’ my E-P1 for 2 years and it took fantastic pictures. The only thing that stopped me was when it was stolen.
On the surface, it might seem like 3 different sections of the market. But if you take some time to consider it, Olympus is offering 3 relatively similar cameras to essentially the same section. If they want to capture market share, they need to diversify. Better to have 3 drastically different cameras with increasingly more features up the ladder, than 3 low-end cameras that ask the customer to decide which feature they would rather have.
Olympus already has a following. They’ve had a following for a long time. The longer they wait, the more of that following they lose.
Olympus just did an E-pee on you again. Lets keep that false hope alive though. Lets face it Nikon / Canon will nail it with there first mirrorless, while the rest will still be behind even after many years advantage. Im telling you the reason Oly sucks now is there relationship with Pana. Its a pact with the devil. They cant do what they in a camera as Pana hold all the strings. Oly under no circumstances will be allowed to tread on Panas toes. Pana is the boss.
huh! canon and nikon are sitting there like a rabbit caught in a car’s headlights!
Their sitting there with all the profits, while Oly goes bye bye. They dont have to do jack. Just have a nice view watching Oly / Pana destroy themselves by milking a new tech to extremes. Nikon / Canon have already slaughtered 4/3.
AAAAAAAAArrrrrrggggggggggggghhhhh!
E-P3: Flash, but no swivel screen!
E-PL3: Swivel screen, but no flash!
What the @#$% is wrong with Olympus!!!!
They are getting more like Canon, the King of intentionally crippled cameras!
Why remove flash from a “volume” model camera that previously had it? That’s insane! Are they also following the Sony “stripped down” design?
Why not at least put the swivel screen AND flash on the top-line model?
If they don’t make a tiny, NEX-type accessory flash for E-PL3, NO SALE!
If the camera division goes belly up, I don’t care any more. Let someone who understands “real” camera design take over this supposedly “real” camera company.
For now, my wallet remains closed. Come on, Samsung!
Any word on any new oly kit pancakes?
I’m a very sad 4/3 user. What i expect from oly 4/3 is:
– new 12mpx sensor with performance near to new sony aps-c 16mpx (they have the same pixel pitch so why not!)
– an evolution of the already good oly imaging engine
– good af performance
– good inbody stabilization
– inbody evf
– inbody flash
I’ll spent 1000 € for a camera body like this from oly. But they seems to have lost the feeling with users.
Oly come by E-5o later in this year or early next year,
and i hope on G3 sensor also.
Anything on any new Oly kit pancakes?
Relax guys, I actually think this make sense.
EP-M1 – Low end to target point and shoot
EP-L3 – Modern Look, P&S upgrader who want more control then EP-M1. The body finish would probably go with the old set of zoom lenses
EP-3 – High end, retro look, probably can’t fit in a swivel screen, afterall, swivel screen probably isn’t something that is terribly durable. Body finish would probably go better with the new high end prime.
I have no obsession with IBEVF, I have that on my GH2 if I needed that, which goes with the ranger of panasonic bigger lenses. I don’t want my pen to look bigger then it needs to be.
Best of all, it’s an Olympus designed sensor and would definitely have better DR and ISO performance over the previously 3 year old sensor.
May be the whining helps Olympus to think about their product more, but all the little girls should be a bit more mature and control your emotions. We would soon have a fast wide lens, a fast portrait lens from Oly. The lens range now is just impressive.
Wide Zooms:
7-14 P (which would be updated soon)
9-18 O
Normal Zooms:
14-42 Collapsible O (version 1 and 2)
14-42 Lower end kit P
14-45 Higher end P
14-140 OIS P
14-150 O
Tele Zooms
40-150 O (and it comes cheap)
25-200 OIS P
75-300 O
100-300 OIS P
Primes
8mm fish eye P
12mm 2.0 O
14mm pancake P
17mm pancake O
20mm pancake P
25mm 1.4 Leica
25mm 0.95 Manual VC
45mm OIS Macro P
50mm 1.4 O
12.5mm 3D P
Some of the favourite manual lens:
Voigtlander 35mm 1.4 Nokton (Perfect on our EP)
Voigtlander 40mm 1.4 Nokton
Voigtlander 50mm 1.1 Nokton
Leica R 60 mm 2.8 Macro (Goes great on GH2)
Pen F 42mm 1.2 (Great dreamy lens for portrait)
Body type:
Panasonic
GF3 – Smallest you can get, with flash!
XXX – GF with standard control
G3 – Standard Enthusiastic DSLR-like
GH2 – Best Hybrid in the market
New Olympus range with IBIS
So this is now a more complete system then anyone ever wanted for a non-fullframe/medium format camera system.
The smallest you can get:
GF3 / EP-M3 with pancakes
Outdoor flexibility:
GH with 14-140mm + 7-14mm + 100-300mm
Retro favourites:
EP3 with Voiglander manual lenses
Indoor needs:
EP-3 with fast primes! Does ANY system have stabilization with fast primes.
All these body / lenses combination you guys can just do a mix and match to suit whatever photography style you need. The best of all, you are not just limited to 1, the morning you can be out with your GH2 and sets of big versatile zooms, then at the evening you can attend your friend’s indoor party with your E-P3 and your voigtlander prime.
I am not a professional, but this is the best compromise for me size-wise, I wouldn’t want to bring my FF Nikon to a friend’s party, and GH2 is good enough for me in terms of image quality since I don’t print posters.
There would still be people complaining the lack of a USB port and can’t play flash in an Ipad2, a BMW being too expensive or whatever, but it doesn’t stop me loving M43.
Admin, can you start initiate some post to remind the goods of the system? like post your favourable body or lens or body/lens combination?
Yes. Exactly. People whine too much. Try keeping the camera you have long enough to really learn how to use it. That takes longer than most seem to think.
Knowing your camera means knowing where it needs improvement. Olympus is not adequately addressing this, and it’s shooting itself in the foot with its lack of product differentiation.
Listing all the gear in the world won’t change that.
And yet no pro worth a salt would use any of this equipement on a paid photog gig. Good m4/3 system you got there that you step off a cliff to from 4/3.
Yes, but that assumes that we can all afford more than one camera body to suit different needs.
I like bricks…but 3 bricks w/ no EVF…wow
Olympus is really missing the boat on these new camera packages….HO HUM…….
What are their product planners smoking?
With incredible cameras like the Fuji 100 on the market, and the really nice Sony and Panasonic products, they really need to step up and produce something people lust for.
I have the original EP1, love it but showing it’s age
I just got the GH2 , fab camera …Olympus should have something like it
I want the Fuji x100, I wish Olympus would make something like it..
CKL
This is good news – I dont’ have a strong urge to replace my E-PL2! I can spend my money on more lenses, like the new Leica 25/1.4, instead of ridiculously buying a new body every year.
Quite happy with the E-PL2 anyway, especially I have the tilting VF-2. Since it has a flash with RC mode, I can wireless trigger my Metz 50 AF-1, which I’m guessing would be impossible with the ‘new and improved’ E-PL3 without an optional wifi trigger.
Down the road, if I realize I need better IQ than what my E-PL2 can offer, I’ll just get the G3 or get the ‘real’ GF1 replacement or even jump ship and get the Sony NEX-7 (that is if the later two ever materialize).
Sorry Olympus, but until you have something like a G3 with IBIS in RF form factor (is that really too much too ask?), I’ll have to say: ‘see ya later’.
Built in flash vs, radio trigger.
Can you tech savvy explain if it is possible to radio trigger a flash from a camera without needing a built in flash?
If so that might be the explanation for the missing flash.
Also, lack of tilting screen in the E-P3 less important if you have the VF-2, which tilts.
Perhaps E-PL3 might be sold with the cheaper add on EVF non tiltable, mentioned before?
Also, E-PL3 will be presumably cured from red dots
As far as I know, there is no radio trigger system that can actually CONTROL Olympus flashes. The radio trigger can trigger the flash in manual mode but you can’t set exposure compensation for each flash on the camera.
Built in flash vs, radio trigger.
Can you tech savvy explain if it is possible to radio trigger a flash from a camera without needing a built in flash?
If so that might be the explanation for the missing flash.
Also, lack of tilting screen in the E-P3 less important if you have the VF-2, which tilts.
Perhaps E-PM1 might be sold with the cheaper add on EVF non tiltable, mentioned before?
Also, E-PL3 will be presumably cured from red dots. With tilt screen and radio trigger, it would bethe most interesting of the group , although I will still keep my PL1 and wait for the advanced model.
A lot of folks want everything, they want it NOW, and they want it cheap. A little mature realism is needed.
The major revolution was the introduction of micro four thirds. That is a long-term game changer. New cameras coming down the pike from now on will not be major revolutions: they will be gradual, hopefully continuing, refinements. You shouldn’t want or expect each one to be such a major advance that you should buy it and junk last year’s model.
Valuable improvements ARE happening. Here are two I have recently bought for my E-P2:
Evolutionary improvement #1: I first had a 4/3 Olympus 40-150mm on an adapter. A small powerful tele. Now I have the new m4/3 40-150mm, no adapter. Lighter in weight, smaller in size, faster in focus. Very nice.
Evolutionary improvement #2: I first had a 14-42mm Olympus kit lens. Wonderfully compact. Now I have the new 14-42mm version II. Much faster focus, no front element rotation (for polarizer), a lens hood which can be reversed and stored on the lens (buy the cheap Chinese knock-off), and a sturdier lens when extended. Very nice.
Built-in EVF: Yes, that will be nice eventually. But just like my first 40-150 and my first 14-42, my present detachable EVF is just fine. The major benefit of built-in EVF will be a hot shoe that can be used for flash or mic while still using the EVF. OR give me a camera with 2 hot shoes, OR an EVF with a hot shoe on top…
Swivel screen: Forget it as far as I am concerned. It adds unnecessary weight and thickness. I love the EVF–it’s much better 95% of the time.
Built-in flash: good high-ISO performance of m4/3 (compared to point-and-shoot) makes a flash much less necessary. Go for natural lighting: use high ISO plus IS–it’s far superior photographically. If you really need flash, a more powerful add-on flash is the way to go, not a puny built-in with red-eye.
Give credit where it’s due, and enjoy what we’ve got, folks.
horse shoe worthless upgrade but the 25mm f1.4 is the way to go
Any info about the lenses? I’d love to buy one of these, but only if it comes with the portrait or wideangle prime (I’m not interested in any other Oly lens, and the body-only prices from Olympus are ridiculous)
I’ve been watching this thread all day, with both incredulity and disgust….not for Olympus and their new cameras, but the amount of emotional stupidity I see from various sectors in regards to whining, complaining, extolling, cursing, and expounding on three cameras NO ONE HAS EVEN SEEN OR HANDLED YET!!!!
Complaining about the tiny number of vague little details we have so far is a crock.
Most people who know the business, and know how technology works, knew that Olympus would eventually follow a high-mid-low camera mix, and now we have it. The E-Px series is the “high”, the E-PLx series is the “mid”, and this new “E-PLMx” series is the low end.
From what I’m getting, it seems as if people (including me) were expecting that the E-PLx series was going to be the low-end, the E-Px series the mid, and some mythical “Pen Pro” with EFV, tilt-swivel LCD, 1080p video, weather sealing, etc., etc., was going to be the “high.” Well, we guessed wrong. Too bad for us.
The only real complaint I have is a new E-PL3 with a tilt-swivel screen and no flash? That’s just stupid. I do agree with all the criticism on that point. They would have been far better off iterating from the existing E-PL2 body style, which seems to be very successful.
I also think that a stripped down E-PLMx is a complete waste of time and resources. Olympus should have learned from Panasonic’s G10 mistake in that regard….it’s a camera with no market. Same goes for the $499 GF2’s I see popping up at Best Buy….what a failure that camera has been in the market place, especially compared to it’s dearly loved predecessor.
As for the E-P3, it is exactly what I was expecting….they kept the classic E-P1 body style and added a flash. Very nice.
However….the one HUGE issue that will make our break any of these cameras is the image quality, and none of us have a clue what that’s going to be like. Hence getting excited one way or another, at this point, is a waste of time.
But I confess that feature sets are important. I, for one, find a viewfinder to be a non-negotiable item….if a camera does not have one built in, I don’t buy it, simple as that. Which is why I don’t own any of the Olympus micro 4/3 cameras. I also really, really like LCD swivel screens, which is why Olympus’ last round of DSLR’s, in my opinion, were the best: they all had ’em.
So for me to get what I want from micro 4/3, Panasonic is the only viable option…I don’t even really care what Olympus does with their end of the micro 4/3 market….and this from a died-in-the-wool Olympus fan.
But I do miss in-camera stabilization (even though lens based IS better…) and Olympus colors are pretty darn good, better than anything else I’ve seen. Panasonic is doing much better in this regard though, more so than they get credit for….and there are many who prefer Panny’s more subdued pallet. I myself find that to be true sometimes. But when I shoot RAW with a Panasonic, I can get pretty much what I want from the RAW files, so no big deal.
For me, lack of in-body IS and Olympus colors are no deal killer. Those I can work around, and sometimes very successfully so. But no tilt-swivel LCD, no built-in viewfinder, that I can’t really work around, so those are very much deal killers. And no, I don’t consider spending $270 USD on a VF-2 as a work around for a lack of a viewfinder that should already be a part of the camera. Especially when you sacrifice the hot shot to make it work.
For those of you wishing for an optical finder on micro 4/3, that’s simply impossible, and will never happen. Go buy yourself a Leica or X100 and give it up already.
Anyway, while I admire Olympus micro 4/3 cameras for what they are, especially the new E-PL2 that was just released, the Olympus cameras just don’t do it for me. I’d rather have an E-5, if they should ever price that stupid camera properly. Better yet, a mythical E-50….they so need to get back into DSLR’s again…
My hope is that all three of these new cameras are a tremendous success for Olympus, but I already know that’s not going to be the case, because they have truly lost their way in the digital camera marketplace. How very sad.
From what I’ve heard so far, the E-P3 may be the only winner here…but time will tell.
Olympius
tl; dr.
In any case, one doesn’t have to attempt to drive a car with no wheels to know that there’s something missing. The same goes for cameras with missing features.
Oly seems to have decided that the one feature that cannot be compromised is size. Users want all the functional blocks in one unit: EVF, swivel-tilt scren, pop-up flash, fast AF, high frame rate video, etc. All those things ultimately take physical real estate directly or indirectly through faster processor, more metal for heat dissipation, and larger battery size.
We had most of those functions all in one camera system that fit well in the hand. See the E-620, E-30, and E-5. I don’t need or care about a mirror box, but the other capabilities are very desirable. Having an interchangeable lens system with both small pocketable bodies and larger full-featured, ergonomic bodies makes sense. However, Oly has chosen to focus primarily on small size. That is the only thing that makes sense from three new Oly bodies with a haphazard variation in functions implemented in each of the bodies. Hope the product decisions work out well for Oly. Time will tell.
all i’m reading is waaa waa waaa.
if you can complain, you must be able to go and make a better camera. Go, do it, and then we can all try it out and show you how successfully it meets our rumor forum-dwelling needs. the real people are out shooting their cameras.
I have an e-pl1 and there is nothing that makes me want to upgrade or switch to panasonic. some more manual control would be better, but really, toughen up alice. learn to use your tools and stop complaining. if it’s getting in the way of you being able to get the shots you need, then go out and do something about it. get another camera system. (1 example)
I’d like to get the actual details and try one out before i jump at the olympus throats and yell m4/3 blasphemy.
respect to olympius.
and thanks olympus for the beautiful e-p1,2 and e-pl1.
no more bodies, more quality lenses please!
Clever how you sneaked a couple of complaints in there (lack of high-quality lenses, lack of manual controls). Join the chorus! 🙂
This is more a case of missing a CD player than missing wheels. I mean, it’s not like the cameras aren’t usable without a flash, or a tilting screen. I have been fine so far without a tilting screen and I can count on one hand the number of times I have used the pop-up flash.
Admin, is there any way that you can resize the cameras in the camera database banner at the top of the page? It might be too much hassle but it would be great if the cameras were to scale so you could see what they look like compared to each other. The GF3 looks bigger than the E-PL2 until you compare the size of the lens mount. Just a thought.
It will be interesting to see what they look like. I want Olympus to do well I am just not sure about this strategy. In my view the Pen Lite E-PL2 is about right in product design – its just a matter of having a smaller model below and a more advanced model above. Oly seem to have changed the Pen Lite design and made it lower specced.
Here’s what I think they should be:
– E-PM1 : should be as small as possible for P&S upgraders. I really think it needs no IBIS (as much as we all like it) to achieve a smaller form. Built in flash if possible.
– E-PL3 : as per E-PL2 with new sensor. Built-in flash and IBIS with slightly better controls aimed at more mid range customers. The E-PL2 hits this mark pretty good.
– E-P3 : advanced compact form – flash, IBIS and tilt LCD. Better body finish and two controls dials. Aiming for enthusiasts and as an alternative to dSLR. I had hoped this might have a built-in EVF rangefinder style as well but if they dont do that then they definetely also need a higher spec model with EVF (either rangefinder or dSLR styled).
That would make more sense to me.
This is enjoyable to watch. Comedic relief. Train wreck in slow motion. I’m betting even Panasonic uses Oly for comedic relief. LOL.
Last year I wanted to spend another $6K to $8K on an additional body with video and some lenses for my $10K to $12K E-30 system. Then came Photokina and the E-5 with only 720p video, which froze my spending.
I have yet to see any Oly m43 products that pique my interest. The GH2 comes the closest, but a purchase of a GH2 or future GH3 would mean no purchase of Oly tele zooms due to the lack IBIS in Panasonic cameras. I am still waiting on Oly and would like a camera with the features and ergonomics of my E-30 or the E-5 with a better sensor, 1080p, and a native m43 mount. However, I have begun investing the time to research other vendor’s product lines, which is something that I had not done since deciding on Oly digital cameras over 10 years ago.
I figure an investment of $12K to $15K in a new system makes sense, but I don’t have enough confidence in Oly right now to invest that in lenses for my E-30 or in camera systems that do not have product lines with even one high-end ergonomic body.
So is this the old 12 mp CMOS or newish 16 mp CMOS?
Working on that. Sounds like it could be an Olympus tewaked Panasonic sensor!
Could it be a GH2 sensor downgraded to 12mp?
GH1 sensor with Olympus tweaks would be more than enough. It would beat every other m4/3 camera in high ISO and DR out there.
Great idea Miroslav!
The GH1 sensor tweaked by Oly would be in the realm of Canon APS-C sensor performance. Crossed fingers.
wow! pro EP and nex7 and pro GF will have serious fight in next couple months!
Dont forget the NX20!
Meh who cares.
Oly ‘I used to be a well respected camera company’ for the Comedy of Errors.
GH2 and Voigtlander 25/f0.95 in the mail for photography.
I’m happy enough 🙂
248 comments! New record! My guess is that the next rumor I will post will beat that. Also because I can finally give you terrific good news! 🙂
cant wait !!! 🙂
Ok. Dont keep us waiting – this thread is getting too long. Is it to do with the three ‘revolutions’ that Olympus has developed that you hinted at yesterday?
Yes, this thread is getting longer
…and longer
“Is it to do with the three ‘revolutions’ that Olympus has developed that you hinted at yesterday?”
It must be a new rumor about modular camera :). Lens rumor won’t draw this much attention.
What by ZD 25 F1.0 SWD or MZD 25 F1.0 😀
🙂
I doubt it. But there’s one more lens badly needed besides fast portrait: fast normal zoom. Oly, how about smaller m4/3 version of 14-35 F2 ?
We few maybe MZD 12-60 F2.8 before. 🙂
all this suspense is killing me!!
probably the Oly portrait prime?
No, it’s only the bad news that draw many comments! Go figure…
yeah you are probably right. I should write more bad rumors to drive traffic on 43urmors 🙂
Of course. FT2, FT3, feel free. If necessary, put a line on the end of each FT1/2/3 that it’s probably/possibly not true and you’ll have no problem with complaints afterwards. Just make a good disclaimer :).
admin you have seen the cameras? Post their picture pleaseeeeeeeee 😀
I wont say that Im not really curious about these new Olympus m43 bodies.. But I will keep my wallet closed until I see what Samsung have up their sleave.. I really believe, and I mean REALLY believe that Samsung will make you all drool and forget all about m43 this year.. 😉
Absolutely No Way that a camera manufacturer is going to introduce THREE cameras at one occasion!
First of all, Olympus doesn’t have the manufacturing capability to simultaneous launch THREE cameras.
There must be a sensational common denomiator that forces an introduction of THREE cameras, like a break-through in sensor performance, or a sensational lens portfoliio.
It’s the last sigh of breath, before the Olympus camera division is sold to an external buyer. Before that, this is a show off with the TREE NPI.
How many times have they introduced three (or more) P&S cameras at the same time? Almost every time, I would say.
Taking the flash away from the EPL3 is just plain wrong. It will force all EPL1/EPL2 users up to the EP3 if we want to retain what we have become accustomed to.
But this omission suggest one thing to me, that Olympus are confident we will want to upgrade. I am quietly confident the IQ of the new 12mp sensor will be extraordinary, in the Nikon 5100 league for high ISO. Its entirely possible that the AF speed will be good too. If the new cameras have these improvements combined with IBIS and other Olympus highlights, then I will suck it in and get the EP3. I just hope its at or under $1000.
“new 12mp sensor”
Where have you seen that info? I’d like it to be low megapixel / good DR / good high ISO sensor, but there’s no way they’ll put that in “mini” model for the masses. They’ll go the easiest route – put the G3 sensor in. That’s why there are three new Olympus models, they’ve been waiting for the sensor to become available to them while working on the other aspects of body design.
OMG! 260+ comments. This is really the month of M43!
I miss Maitani.
Me too!
Hey admin. Its been a few hours since you hinted about new rumor. Are you going to post it today?
Thanks for all your work.
+1
Maitani was a design genius, sadly missed….
A part of me thinks its completely stupid of Olympus that after the EPL line had a flash and the manual controls it had, to remove them. It just doesn’t make sense.
If that’s the case that means the EP-3 doesn’t have enough to differentiate it (let’s say substantially better build quality/weather sealing, etc.) and then they decided to take way from the EPL level. If that’s the case, that’s sad.
I suspect the very same thing.
For them to dumb down the E-pl3 means that they could not or would not want to develop enough new features (i.e. EVF)for the E-P3.
When I bought my e-pl1 I knew from that I would have to live with its shortcomings (lack of control wheel, slow AF,no evf,etc) but I told myself to wait for an eventual upgrade from Oly, then the e-pl2 came and it had everything I could ever need except for an evf…I was really hoping for that in the e-p3…oh well, shouldn’t know, I mean, this is Olympus…we know whishful thining and Oly shouldn’t mix. I’ts just a shame that the G3 EVF extends so far, if not It would be ideal (except for IBIS and Oly colors)…
I second that…
The E-P3 is also a disappointment for me because of those reasons and the only thing keeping me from switching to Pany is the lack of IBIS…
Did anyone notice that the new E-PL3 would make for a nice street-shooting camera?
– Small and inconspicuous
– Swivel screen, to frame your subject while holding the camera at navel-height (only up-down swiveling needed)
– IBIS
– No EVF (not needed, because too noticeable)
– No flash (not needed)
Just hoping that there will be sufficient control buttons on it to allow for quick setting depending on the subject.
Now, if only there would be 25mm f/1.8 and 12mm f/2.4 pancakes…
I’m a very angry and very sad 4/3 user. I’ve invested my money in a system that after few months were clear to have no chance to be fully upgraded.
I really believed in 4/3 and i really believe in m4/3: the quality of the project, the open standard.
Pana marketing strategy now is clear and reasonable:
– one super compact entry-level body (the GF3)
– one advanced combact body (the announced next GF line)
– one dslr-like entry-level body (the G* line)
– one dslr-line advanced body (the GH* line)
I don’t like fully the Pana implementation of m4/3, because of the lack of in-body stabilization and a worst imaging engine.
What I would to see from Oly is not this 3 poorly-sensed compact body for P&S upgraders. I would see now:
– really new 12mpx sensor (and no more the Live-MOS Pana ones) with performance in term of native DR and noise near to Sony 16mpx APS-C sensor (they have near the same pixel pitch so why not?)
– a dslr-like or rangefinder-like body
– an evolved imaging electronics
– in-body high quality EVF
– in-body stabilization
– near-Pana autofocus performance
– in-body flash
– full manual controls
– tilt screen
For this m4/3 camera i’d no problem to spend more the 1.000 $.
They seems to want compete with P&S market. Why? This is really not sensed to me when m4/3 camera bodies costs like an entry level dslr and have a IQ a step behind of Canon and 2 step behind the new cameras equipped with new Sony 16mpx APS-C sensor.
Oly must re-gain the feeling with users! Japanese girl maybe will buy the last mini-EP but enthusiast and advanced users like us will never be satisfied from this kind of mad-products strategy!!
Admin: an open letter to Oly?
lol, why do you want a 25 1.8 when there is a 20 1.7 and 25 1.4?
A reasonably priced 25mm would be nice. Without the snob Leica label.
Because a 20mm is not a 25 mm, and because the 25mm f/1.4 is not a pancake.
I used to have a 50mm (35mm equivalent) f/1.8 on my Nikon before it broke down and I loved it: high optical quality, small, rarely a need for f/1.4, and this particular focal length has something that is strongly appealing to me. The very low price also did help…
Really curious to see the final products released.
Am I the only one who thinks that those releases would make perfect sense? It’s too early to judge, before seeing/experiencing the end products first hand.
I think Olympus knows that they have the unique (and maybe last) chance to fight back against the steep competition. That might be one of the
Reasons why the release whopping 3(!) bodys…
Here is how I see it:
PEN MINI:
Woman, travel, ‘always in the bag’ camera, imagine coupling it with the 17mm pancake and having a camera with big sensor all in the size close to a LX5.
E-PL SERIES:
The way the ‘castrate’ the E-PL3, it could be also a hint, that the E-PL2 and E-PL3 are planned to CO-EXISTANCE for a while on the market.
The E-PL2 is too ‘young’ to take off the market yet. Neither is it obsolete yet.
So you get swivel screen with the E-PL3 for macro, legacy glass shooter, maybe higher pixel count, ( I predict 16 for the E-pl3) and if flash is more important there is the ‘not very old yet’ E-PL2 still a very nice camera by the way.
I predict the 460k screen like E-pl2 which has already decent quality just with swivel function, also I predict full had video for the E-PL3.
E-P Series:
Actually the lack of swivel screen on the E-P3 could be a positive thing, as long as it’s a at least a crisp (AMOLED like on the XZ-1) but higher around 900k pixel count, at least 3” hi res display and it’s seamlessly integrated in a slim body design. (honestly speaking: I didn’t find the E-P1 screen bothersome, just slightly too ‘low res’)
I predict 12 mpx but, very high quality for the E-P3 (would be the right move imo)
Built in flash is nice, but not a must. I would also welcome a crazy flash sync feature which should be no problem with mirrorless technology nowdays, I wonder why no manufacturer went over 1/320 flash sync yet… up to 1/2000 sync minimum, also a bounce flash like the Panasonic L1 had would be awesome.
Olympus now give us a full black E-P3 (not dark grey or colour stuff..) just full black like a M9 and maybe one silver one like the first E-P1,
MUSTS for the E-P3:
1/8000 shutter speed
clean iso at least up to 1600,
better dynamic range and
2 real dials (ricoh grd or high-end srl like…)
Even 12 mpx is fine, as long as it’s quality mpx..see D700 for example..
Also autofocus need to be ‘bitier’ than on the E-P2
One of the most important things: and the operation, response time need to be faster/lagless (e-5 like or faster)
) throw in some crazy flash synchronization features
An a couple of sweet prime lenses (at least F2) in the near future and we are sold.
If above points come true, I will buy an E-P3 on day one, and even que for it… I will probably couple it with a 25 1.4 summilux..
Olympus IBIS + f1.4 lenses = heaven for low light photography
As a purist, I would like to see a rangefinder’esque design (L1 like) in the future, hopefully panasonic is filling this gap soon.
Damn I hope Olympus reads this before it’s too late
Out maitani
Right. If the screen has extra large viewing angle (AMOLED?), there is less need for tilt/swivel. Omitting the tilt/swiveling mech gives more room for manual controls / buttons on the back. This might be better for serious users.
“If the screen has extra large viewing angle (AMOLED?), there is less need for tilt/swivel”
You can’t do self portrait even with the best AMOLED screen out there if it’s fixed. BTW, judging by admin’s and Thom Hogan’s comments, who’ve obviously seen the images of the new cameras, the E-PL3 screen is tilt-only ( NEX style ).
It is indeed really amazing how impatient and childish (in a bad way) most of the reactions are.
I’m flabbergasted. Of course, I’ld like my dream camera as well, that would be a digital OM-2d body,
full frame:) But I know it is never going to happen. So I dream about a m4/3 incarnation 🙂
Let us first wait and see what comes, I’m more curious about the new hopefully really high grade glass.
The body is not all that important. And there effectively isn’t any real info about the camera’s yet. The statements now are still very vague. If the sensor/engine gives extra DR, that would be great news, and putting the 12MP max into good perspective.
300th comment.
Man, it is hard to read such number of comment at iPod touch 1G
I still wait for next more detailed rumor.
Panny’s G3 seems good, unless Oly’s EP3 is a lesser price.
300th comment. Man, it is hard to read such number of comment at iPod touch 1G
I still wait for next more detailed rumor.
Sorry, I made overpost because I got error when I making publish from my iPod touch.
As said by a user at DPR we are really watching an experiment i marketing. If the analysis is true, probably the E-PL3 is the central camera.
Financial success will finance the (semi)pro cameras ahead. Funny how ‘Pro’ watchers’ and angry dSLR owners don’t understand the bottom up approach unfolding under their eyes.
Oly is not going to repeat previous errors, despite their bad advice 🙂
As said by a user at DPR we are really watching an experiment in marketing. If the analysis is true, probably the E-PL3 is the central camera.
Financial success will finance the (semi)pro cameras ahead. Funny how ‘Pro’ watchers’ and angry dSLR owners don’t understand the bottom up approach unfolding under their eyes.
Oly is not going to repeat previous errors, despite their bad advice 🙂
Lol. Oly keep continuing your marketing experiment by trashing your loyal fanbois with milking of fail E-Pee cameras. Those profits need to slide a bit more before some decent camera company comes in and buys your IP. Maybe Panasonic will buy it? Oh that would be a suprise. Not.
I do understand that in order for Olympus to finally get a decent alternative out here against the Fuji X100 it needs time. Time to get all the parts needed suited into the PEN style. Apart from time Olympus needs also money for it takes quite some R&D budget in order to create an decent alternative against the Fuji X100.
In order to get there time only has to pass by. But money won’t be heading towards Olympus while doing nothing. So instead Olympus tries to get a cashflow going by bringing next to EP3/EPL3 also the so called EPM3. There is nothing wrong while executing such plan. However, Olympus needs to realise that executing this plan, jumping aboard of this train it can have disadvantages. I.e. people which are not satisfied by the offerings Olympus had will jump aboard some others ship, for instance Panasonic or Sony/Samsung.
But once you look closely to what Olympus really tries to pull off. They better follow Panasonic suit. Why? Because instead of Olympus, Panasonic knows exactly howto get there in time and with the required money by having a plan known for diversity. They are having four seperate product lines. GF3 which fills the bottom against Sony C3 and such. Offering an alternative to the compact P&S who wants to upgrade.
Next to that Panasonic will (according to what I read through 43rumors) come with a succesor to the GF1. This will be an offering many of us would have wanted Olympus to come out with it instead of Panasonic. Why? IBIS + JPEG rendering. Anyhow, that will satisfy the most of us. I.e. an alternative towards the Fuji X100, the succesor to the Panasonic GF1 will be. Then you have Panasonic G3. The beginners entry for those who wants to mimic a dSLR design but have the benifits of m4/3. And at last: you have got the Panasonic GH3, the best you can get in a dSLR designed body.
I.e.:
GF3 – basic for seducing compact P&S owners
G.. – GF1 succesor and good alternative to Fuji X100
G3 – basic dSLR designed body
GH3 – a topped off dSLR designed body
Then take a look at Olympus…
EPM3 – basic for secucing compact P&S owners.
EPL3 – upgrade for whom owns a EPM3
EP3 – viable alternative towards GF1 succesor
What’s the problem with Olympus offering? 1) They share the same bodystyle/design. PEN and PEN it is, no alternative towards a G3/GH3. 2) Olympus eventually will release a decent alternative towards the Fuji X100 but not as quick as Panasonic/Sony/Samsung will be. In other words: Olympus will be too late to the party in order to profit from such high margin which will be on the Fuji X100/Panasonic alternative.
I see Panasonic plan working out in the future and let them profit from it. Because they picked a good plan from the early beginning. They knew diversity is what the whole m4/3 system will take it to a higher level. And they are willing to bring diversity to the m4/3 system. While Olympus acknowledge it, but reacts too slow to profit.
Meanwhile I will await the arrival of Panasonic decent alternative for the Fuji X100, rumored to be announced fall this year. (september/october)
Yes, everyone please stop being so negative. Remember. Olympus incorporates the advantages of M4/3. Small size, small lenses. Panasonic has much larger lenses. Because of a major design disadvantage. Panasonic does not have in body stabilization so lenses are larger/heavier. The key design m4/3 is fast autofocus. Olympus just beat Panasonic to these key feature, autofocus speed has always been a DLSR advantage. First step to becoming a pro camera. And if this is phase detection, all manual m4/3 lenses can have autofocus confirmation.
Yes, everyone please stop being so negative. Remember. Olympus incorporates the advantages of M4/3. Small size, small lenses. Panasonic has much larger lenses. Because of a major design disadvantage. Panasonic does not have in body stabilization so lenses are larger/heavier. The key design m4/3 needs is fast autofocus. Olympus just beat Panasonic to this key feature, autofocus speed has always been a DLSR advantage. First step to becoming a pro camera. And if this is phase detection, all manual m4/3 lenses can have autofocus confirmation.
Yes, everyone please stop being so negative. Remember. Olympus incorporates the advantages of M4/3. Small size, small lenses. Panasonic has much larger lenses. Because of a major design disadvantage. Panasonic does not have in body stabilization so lenses are larger/heavier. The key design m4/3 needs is fast autofocus. Olympus just beat Panasonic to this key feature, autofocus speed has always been a DLSR advantage. First step to becoming a pro camera. And if this is phase detection, all manual m4/3 lenses can have autofocus confirmation.
Olympus does NOT have to match Fuji x100. Why? Because Olympus already beats Fuji’s x100’s image quality. X100 image review at F2.0 was inferior and very blurry. Image Quality = plastic lens. Don’t believe it? Cuz x100 perception of quality is false. (test shots posted on this forum proved F2.0 was extremely low quality and blurry. (the web source review actually removed the X100 f2.0 image samples from his site since images were inferior)
Well, that’s it. I’m jumping ship and getting that Nikon D5100. Had enough of the ‘this spec on this camera and another spec on another camera’ game. Oly – just roll all hte specs into one beautiful camera equal to or better than the X100. I’ll buy two.