On top you see the first image of the new ECG-2 grip attached on the new Olympus E-M5II. It certainly looks like a very well done package. The E-M5II and the new accessories and lenses will be announced during the first week of February.
One weird note: The image has been leaked on an Asian forum and there is again a strange anti Olympus message that says “Olympus has betrayed us“. Really weird story those kind of leaks with stupid messages on it.
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61 Responses
The leak could be a “revenge” for the omission of advanced video features in the last E-M1 firmware update. Some folk must feel quite pissed off.
I know I am, why do they cripple what would be a video gem. An Olympus with Olympus glass, high bitrate, 24p, 25p etc coupled with its amazing stabilization. My hunch is they will at least cripple that idea with the audio, maybe go all out pro with the next E-M1 that will cost a ton! Anyone know what audio options this thing has? I miss the ability to mount a small stereo mic on the front myself.
Hey Olympus! Why are you betraying us!?
I expect the leak comes from an accessory manufacturer who got dumped at some point and is not too happy about it.
Maybe the message is good news, perhaps Olympus dumped China as a place of manufacture. Not likely, just hopeful thinking on my part.
Agree out of china back to homeland japan…..
They’re moving production (both bodies and lenses) to Vietnam.
About the grip: that blocky extension on the short end and the sharp protruding lower edge of the long end look really uncomfortable to hold. Maybe the message expresses that Olympus has betrayed people with sensitive fingers…
That end is removable. It’s there to allow you to flip the camera vertical and then mount it on a tripod.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Rt0En483Jg
actually its quite comfortable as the dovetail only starts, where your little finger cannot reach any more.
Ranger 9… Panasonic girlie Fanbois?
Oh my, what a drama 🙂
That end is removable. It’s to allow you to flip the camera in vertical mode and mount it into a bracket on a tripod. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Rt0En483Jg
Thanks for the video, I was just typing my entry below while you posted
Thanks man
If this is really an Olympus grip, then chinese third party suppliers could feel betrayed: traditionally arca swiss style L-plates came from third party suppliers like RRS and mainland china. Now this one has Olympus rubber on the handle, eloxation or varnish to go with the camera and markings for the optical axis. So anyone looking for a little more grip and a L-plate can would not have to look any further…
Well this will be the grip we want for 40MP-mode. RIGHT?
Absolutely
Grips like that are mostly used for studio, and hi-res tripod work. So they must have really achieved very high resolution with this rumored sensor shift method. This grip obviously means, Olympus is targeting studio photographers with this cam too.
Bring it on!!!
What’s the thing on the right of picture ?
Have a look at R Leungs video link from RRS. Its for tripod and panoramic work. It allows changing the aspect without reframing. Of course a multi-aspect sensor would not require a L-plate…
Be careful what you wish for – a multi-aspect sensor would be bigger, heavier, and I would guess, harder to stabilize 🙂
Maybe it means this camera will have an aps-c sensor
Don’t feed the troll
Olympus betrayed MrALLCAPS.
Maybe it has something to do with who makes the sensor? SONY? Panasonic? other?
Cannot wait. I am very excited about this!
Refreshing to see a camera manufacturer embrace the arcaswiss system! It still probably has a tripod screw too to allow attaching other types of quick release systems (inferior in my opinion).
It would be cool if the 300 f4 had a arca dovetail in the integrated in the collar! Maybe impossible in a cast alu part like the collars are? Just an idea, doesn’t affect my overwhelming love for the lens.
What a silly post. Never seen an L bracket/plate before?
That it means is this
Olympus betrayed all the e-m5 users who bought the HLD-6 grip. It cannot be re-used
That’s kind of standard with grips though. Being able to re-use them has been the exception, not the rule.
The weird message is about the lack of on-sensor PDAF.
Then what would be the point of the EM1? There’s has to be some hierarchy in the lineup, Olympus has already been called guilty of mismatching features across its line up, why would they start doing it again now ? An EM5II with PDAF would just cannibalize the EM1. They should’ve updated the sensor with some sort of stopgap while they prepare for proper organic sensors, something like a newly developed 18Mp sensor or something.
Without PDAF, there is no point in buying Olympus 40-150mm and 300mm pro for E-M5 users. CDAF would miss focus too much since these lenses will be used on mostly moving subjects. E-M1 does not have the same appeal and versatility as E-M5. Oly will just have to add more feature to E-M1. Without PDAF, E-M5II can’t even compete with A6000 in focus tracking speed.
Indeed, Sony has the advantage of being able to differentiate its lineup by sensor size not features, that’s why the A6000 is so feature-rich. Pany can also arrange its lineup due to their specialization on video, so even when they differentiate by body size/type/ergonomics they’re not stuck to just stills but can also differentiate by video features. Oly on the other hand has access to just one type of sensor, one processor and are just good at stills, so there’s less room for differentiation (other than body ergonomics). PDAF on the EM5 would leave nothing to the EM1, unless Olympus somehow feels pressured enough to release an EM2 just after the EM5II with 4k and infinite axis IBIS, organic sensor and whatnot, which I highly doubt.
“An EM5II with PDAF would just cannibalize the EM1.”
Steve Jobs said “If you don’t cannibalize yourself, someone else will.” And Apple seems to be a lot better at innovation and marketing than any camera company.
And Apple has iMac and Mac Pro. Different product line have different feature sets.
well, M5II already looks like disaapointment… 3 years and no PDAF, no sensor improvement, stupid 40mpix – which lenses could resolve this and who would need so many Mpix?
Lenses doesn’t need to resolve 40Mpix. It is already proofen that sensor shift can give higher resolution without improving optics at all.
And it is sad thing that many m4/3 lenses outresolve every APS-C and most FF sensors.
Like Olympus 45mm f/1.8 would require sensor to be over 36Mpix so it could outresolve it.
Where does this lens resolution info come from? I’m sure most of the quality mFT lenses would benefit from >16MP sensors.
yeah , e-m5 II has shift-rotate sensor 8 frame per shoot,
e-m5 III has shift-rotate sensor 16 frame per shoot,
e-m5 V(skip 4) has shift-rotate sensor 32 frame per shoot,
ha ha ha ,Ugly olympus the big optic and camera company can not order new
image sensor to others factory, Aptina,Toshiba,TowerJazz,Forza …still waiting
The complete lack of GX8 leaks is disappointing. We basically know exactly what the M5II is so its clear its a real product, with the GF7 there were a lot of leaks and it was a real product. No leaks for GX8 is starting to seem like Panasonic is not going to be announcing it. I’ll be waiting to see some reviews on the M5II, hopefully it lives up to the hype building up. It certainly seems interesting.
But that’s perfect, don’t you see ? Why would you want a rushed GX update right now instead of just waiting another year for a proper upgrade with new sensor and whatnot ? It would be receive the same comments of disappointment as the EM5 II is getting. What’s the point of an utterly redundant update if the current GX7 is no worse than the EM5II that’s been released right now ? the GX7 is still competitive for all that matters. A GX8 right now would be no different than the EM5II i.e. same old sensor, minor aesthetic changes, some gimmicks thrown in…What’s the point of that. I’d prefer Panasonic waits for the competition to make their move first and then knock them out with something even better, instead of releasing something now only to be made obsolete by Sony a couple of months later with some new A6xxx-something.
The Next GX model must be a significant leap not only for Pany but for m43 as a whole, it’s the quintessential enthusiast camera, releasing a mediocre update like Oly is doing right now would keep m43 behind everyone else, it’s best for Pany to wait for everyone to show their cards first and then strike with a home run.
I agree …betting the GX8 will be the first new sensor MFT camera. wildy apparent that Panny would not sell this sensor to Olympus because of that, therefore we have a 3 year old camera coming out in two weeks.
If the ECG-2 isn’t a hoax, it will be very expensive. Very close tolerance is required on the machining. And Olympus has a history of selling US$75.00 lens shades.
Nawwww, cmon… Compared to say making a two part grip with connectors and buttons… I mean it isn’t going to be cheap, but it has to sit somewhere within reason… actually I forgot the price of the 2 part… So maybe $150 for this one?
Retro styling SUCKS, because you can’t use a Tilt & Shift adapter on OM-D cameras. The Oh-So-Cute faux pentaprism interferes with the T&S adapter. Quote from Kipon; “Please note that not all camera models and lenses are compatible with this adapter, due to a protrusion above the camera mount on Olympus OM-D series cameras, …”
Many people who would want the 40Mp sensor shift technology use T&S lenses. The T&S adapters are an inexpensive alternative to T&S lenses, that can’t be used with OM-D bodies. So that leaves us with the expensive (US$2,000.00 plus) Cambo ACTUS Mini View camera https://captureintegration.com/cambo-actus-view-camera/
The “Oh-So-Cute faux pentaprism” isn’t there for look, it is there for EVF!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Olympus_OM-D_E-M1_cutted_3.jpg
Where you think that EVF optics and display can be fitted?
Is people really so stupid that they believe that EVF is just a small stamp size screen that takes few millimeters space in depth? EVF is highly complex optical viewfinder, even when it is electronic.
Somehow Panasonic’s non-retro camera works with T&S adapters. Maybe their engineers are better at camera design 😉 Olympus could have moved the viewfinder back a little, but their main concern seems to be Oh-So-Cute Retro.
I use mine on my epl5… and it works on the omd, you just dont get the full range of movements.
This camera will look so old later in 2015, when other cameras with more and more MPs are released by other makers, not just higher MP but also higher performance, sensitivity, eg 28 MP back lit sensor in Samsung NX1.
Sticking with the same sensor IQ for 3 while years is a mistake M43 makers will regret. It could damage Olympus so bad, especially if Canon and others starts it’s serious MILC (very likely). But Olympus will have no answer, as it will be another year our two before the next OMD is released.
Canon? LoL
Canon???…now that is LAUGHABLE!
The 40MP will be great for still life photography. It won’t be very useful for anything else when there is the slightest motion, tree leaves, waves, grass, and therefore not for landscape, portraits, street or chidlren. How many people do you know who likes shooting vases or fruit in a bowl?
Have you heard about products and pack-shots Matt??
mattt…simple….don’t buy it!
2 years ago this might’ve been an interesting camera.
But now, and certainly 6 months from now, unless the sensor rumors are wrong, it’s rather disappointing.
Assuming the translation is correct, using a word as strong as “betrayed” next to any electronics release would seem to suggest misplaced priorities and a lack of perspective. Is the native phrase really that strong?
To really mean it is strong, “betrayed” is written twice. Otherwise it is just small thing.
““Olympus has betrayed us“”
Some laid off or soon to be laid off employees.