Since yesterday we know that a new Olympus camera is going to be announced early in April (probably on April 2). The first unconfirmed rumor suggests that it will be a new entry level FourThirds camera. Even if you are not interested in such a camera, this camera is much more important than we could imagine. For many reasons:
1) In a few months MicroFourThirds changed the whole Olympus product strategy. What kind of influence will this have on future FourThirds cameras? For example: Will the next FourThirds camera have video?
2) What kind of improvements will the next FourThirds camera have? It will be interesting to see how Olympus improved the processing engine, the image stabilization and many other apsects of the camera. Some of these improvements could be implemented in future MicroFourThirds cameras.
Can’t wait to know more about that camera!
11 Responses
As long as it’s new 😀
If they take a E620 and stuff it into an E420 and add video (I don’t care about video, but it is unavoidable I think) that would work for me. Of course we all have our pet wish-list. For me, EV adjustment of ISO in Manual, and focus bracketing would be cool.
Remember the Oly announcement for last Halloween?
Good timing for April Fool’s Day.
I would love to see new 43 or m43’s but can’t take these rumors seriously, though like Hollywood or sports scandals, they are amusing and I still read them everyday!
Any shelve date info? Like availible right after or months after anouncement? More than ready 2 buy any Olympus 4/3. Need a new small cam & E-3 replacement.
Man i just got an E-PL1 the other day…..
I think that I’ll pass this next announcement.
Probably it’s going to be an E-460.
Sensor?
Don’t expect anything but the same old 12MP technology that’s spread through all the m43 line (except for GH1)
Nothing revolutionary.
IS?
Makes sense if it’s a light unit (like the E-PL1). That would be the smartest move by Olympus and would instantly kill all the previous models from the 400 line. Even the “ultra cheap” Sony A230 is doing it so I don’t think there will a market for unstabilised systems anymore.
Revolutionary for this line but it’s something old on the 500/600 line.
Video?
Mandatory. Revolutionary for 4/3 but nothing new for m4/3.
Processing Engine?
I guess this would be the most unpredictable novelty. I expect a few new Art Filters, I just don’t know which.
All in all, this might be a revolutionary model for 4/3, but nothing new that isn’t already available in m43.
Even though there is a lot of people swearing by the 4/3 line, I believe they are early mourning over a sinking ship. Sales trends in Japan and Europe have shown that Olympus was too slow to provide the ship to jump in and Panasonic (which had almost no ship to save) was bold enough to believe in their product and have been reaping the profits like mad.
I don’t really agree on what 43 rumor said, remember, Olympus’s aim now is that whatever they had developed for Micro four third will go to fourthird instead of fourthird improving microfourthird.
It’s easy to look at olympus’ intention, simply by refering to their statement that 4/3 will continue as R&D from M4/3 will benefit 4/3. From this we can draw that Olympus will certainly cut down resource allocated into 4/3’s R&D but to push M4/3. Anything that is suitable as a result, will be implemented into 4/3, The new 4/3 camera can easily have a better Imager AF derieve from m4/3.
Wow… April 2nd is my birthday. Good news if that is true.
Hey, it is also my birthday!
But I’ll would prefer a µ4/3 with evf as my present. Even if I have to pay for it… 😉
Just a E-P3 with builtin EVF and bit faster AF and I will dump all my Canon gear.. I love the E-P1 but an enhanced version of it will switch me over totally to m43..
With the advent of M4/3s, is there any need for Olympus to run three levels of compact DSLR?
Instead of 400/500/600, maybe 400 and 600 would be enough? Or even just one entry model range?