Olympus confirms micro Four Thirds cams coming in the next year

Panasonic might be the first to ship its new micro Four Thirds G1, but Olympus definitely stole the hotness crown with that retro concept cam, and the company just confirmed that it'll join the ranks of the shipping -- Olympus European marketing director Miquel Angel Garcia told Pocket-lint that we should expect a camera similar to the prototype within the next 12 months. According to Garcia, micro Four Thirds is "about design and style, not about a smaller black box" -- take that, Panny. Hopefully this means we'll be seeing the DSLR-sized micro Four Thirds sensor shake up the fashion cam market, but we'll see what Olympus has in store -- the sooner the better, guys.

[avester @ Sep 25th 2008 11:39AM]

"about design and style, not about a smaller black box"

Jikes.

[Jones Johnson @ Sep 25th 2008 11:43AM]

DO NEED

[Jason @ Sep 25th 2008 11:54AM]

Fashion cam market?

[avester @ Sep 25th 2008 12:09PM]

Yeah, fashion in the 70's if that is...

Boxed brushed metal with leather trimming isn't in anymore.

[Colin Jones @ Sep 25th 2008 1:10PM]

My Olympus Trip 35's "brushed metal and leather trimmings" is still so in. I would love for Olympus to make the digital counter part and I'll sink some of my hard earn cash for it.

[Sara @ Sep 25th 2008 12:03PM]

Actually me, it's ALL about the smaller black box. I don't care how it looks (up to a point) if this is going to give me lots of added flexibility in a smaller package than those moosive dSLRs.

Mind you it all depends on price - I'd love that digital Leica M8 but with it retailing at just under £3k it's more like "No way M8..."

[spass @ Sep 25th 2008 12:19PM]

Marry me, Sara!
I am ugly, but flexible.

[Hacker @ Sep 25th 2008 12:12PM]

I want a smaller black box... :-(

[The Pepto Pimp @ Sep 25th 2008 12:29PM]

lol!

[Firebird @ Sep 25th 2008 12:13PM]

As someone who uses Olympus SLRs this gets me kinda excited. A new lens system that will give me almost everything my SLRs have in an almost point-and-shoot sized package? And the lenses will be compatible with my current SLRs with an adapter? Sounds good to me.

[Mr. B @ Sep 25th 2008 12:16PM]

I was thinking about buying an old Olympus 35RC... guess i can get this instead.

[bandigolo @ Sep 25th 2008 12:35PM]

Yes! YES! Awesome - maybe Olympus marketeers read our comments on Engadget's last post? I'm in - just keep this thing under $1,000 please and include some good optics. Sweet!

[bandigolo @ Sep 25th 2008 4:54PM]

did I say $1,000? I meant $500 - Yes, under $500 would be swanky.

[Robin Arrighi @ Sep 25th 2008 12:36PM]

OOO, pretty! I like it's design.

[Michael Scrip @ Sep 25th 2008 12:40PM]

Will Olympus start making thinner lenses too? As soon as you put a traditional SLR lens on this slim body... it's no longer skinny.

[Colin Jones @ Sep 25th 2008 1:12PM]

A "pancake" like lens like that of D.Zuiko = yay!

[Plothole @ Sep 25th 2008 6:01PM]

Strictly speaking, this body doesn't use traditional SLR lenses (not without an adapter at least). The lenses built for this camera will actually have more in common with their rangefinder counterparts. And that is an advantage, because a rangefinder lens 1. sinks much farther into the body, and 2. doesn't need a complicated retrofocus.

[Shinigami @ Sep 25th 2008 1:20PM]

This makes me happy. Please include Full-HD video capture similar to EOS 5D Mark II.
Want to know whats a Full-HD video made by a Canon EOS 5D Mark II?
Here:
http://www.usa.canon.com/dlc/controller?act=GetArticleAct&articleID=2086

[Hellaphunt @ Sep 25th 2008 1:25PM]

"Olympus confirms micro Fourth Thirds cams coming in the next year"

Fourth thirds? What is that in decimal?

[Marty Shue @ Sep 26th 2008 5:27PM]

Um. . .that would be 1.3. I assume your comment was supposed to be sarcastic, so I will also add, FAIL.

[Todd Long @ Sep 25th 2008 2:18PM]

Micro Four Thirds

[Hellaphunt @ Sep 25th 2008 5:22PM]

Yea, I know... I was quoting her... ahhh what's the point?!

[Hellaphunt @ Sep 29th 2008 11:11AM]

Marty... you're a douche. People still "FAIL" others?

[gray @ Sep 25th 2008 2:14PM]

yes this is a beautiful concept camera. Cannot wait to see what the specs/IQ are... and hopefully it would come in under 500... Slap a pancake 50mm 1.8 on that bad boy and we're in action.. wish I didn't have to buy all new lens setup, but if the price is right I would make the jump.
I think my current package is pretty small, but could always be better, nikon d40 w/ sigma 30mm 1.4

[mike @ Sep 25th 2008 3:04PM]

I want it so bad!!!

Please don't screw it up. Give it a nice lens, low noise, decent manual controls, and make it feel like my D300 when I hold it (i.e. solid).

[Gamoe @ Sep 25th 2008 4:10PM]

I think the idea is that you can have it equipped with a small lens and actually put it in your pocket for your daily snapshots, but pull out the heavy duty lens from your bag anytime when you need it.

I dunno why they have an Olympus rep saying such nonsense, but the true key here is pocket-ability and versatility. It is indeed about a more portable, smaller black box that manages to have some key bigger-camera capabilities thanks to an interchangeable lens system. One day it's your social snapshot camera, the next it could be your long-zoom nature camera.

[tekdroid @ Sep 25th 2008 10:07PM]

Nice. Let's hope xD is not in 'fashion' in 12 months, Olympus.

Seriously, it's beyond a joke now. Otherwise, love your work. Love your user-initiated Pixel Mapping. Love your anti-dust systems. Love your lenses, in general. Love 'firsts' like Live View, etc.