No, you're not crazy. Er, you might be, but not solely because you
just know that Olympus has already outed a camera with an
E-P1 model name. Turns out, the camera outfit decided the shelve that codename and settle on the
E-3, but evidently it's time to bust said moniker back out. If the above image is to be believed, the new E-P1 is a Micro Four Thirds shooter, complete with a 17mm f/2.8 lens. Only time will tell if this thing's really on the way out, but considering just how
infatuated Olympus
seems to be with
MFT, we wouldn't be shocked to see it get the official seal of authenticity here soon.
Update: Seems Olympus is having some kind of Micro Four Thirds announcement
on June 16th. Wonder what that could be for? Thanks, Howard!
posted June 7th 2009 1:22AM
want.
Is this what you want? Full frontal with external viewfinder and two lenses.
http://i44.tinypic.com/wtwzfb.jpg
Oh nostalgia, how I love it when someone does the right
They got the retro-styling right, yes.
But there are still possible weaknesses, which may be why Olympus took so long in releasing this. Here's some food for thought:
1) How good is the EVF? (electronic viewfinder?) The G1 was widely praised for its excellent EVF but it uses a Panasonic-only technology; can Olympus do the same?
2) How good is the lens? Okay, Olympus has always had a good track record here, but even the 25mm f2.8 had major weaknesses, like flare. Pancake primes are a little harder to get right than big primes. And how soon can they get a good range for lenses to market?
3) Is the AutoFocus as good as the G1? Remember, in terms of contrast detect autofocus, M4/3 cameras cannot use the really fast DSLR phase detect autofocus; so insead Panasonic developed a really fast version of contrast detect autofocus, the usually slow method used on compacts.
4) Battery life. M4/3 cameras use the LCD, which drains more power. Is the battery up to the task? In fact, it'd be nice to have a analogue viewfinder attach to the flash hot shoe.
I don't think there will be a EVF in this Olympas. But to the Sigma Dp-1 It's looks nice.
It would be very detrimental to my wallet if these guys released this thing this summer, but bring it on Olympus. I am convinced that MFT will create an entirely new camera market that hasn't seen the light of day since digital. I am salivating.
It strikes the right blend between retro... in this case Olympus's classic Pen line... and sleek modern.
Well, the camera is an E-P1. So the E-System Pen 1? It would also explain the recent Pen videos that have been released each week for the 50th anniversary of the Pen. http://asia.olympus-imaging.com/products/dslr/special/pen50th/pen/
Though it may never have an *official* meaning, the P does seem to be a nod to the earlier system.
It was suspected that there would be a connection to the anniversary celebration and the upcoming announcement before these photos leaked out. Now that seems certain.
Hey, it looks like my tip was helpful :).
Can't wait for an official announcement, I've been hearing a lot of rumors about this camera. 12MP, 720p video, $990 w/ kit lens, etc. I think the announcement is supposed to be 6/15. Not sure.
toot. (your horn)
Even after knowing the prospect of a proper micro 4/3 shooter from Olympus, I decided to get the Ollie E-420 with a pancake lens. Happy with it. Now, if this E-P1 is anything to compete (which I highly doubt now...) I'd sell and get this :)
this could become the pocketable point and shoot sized camera for camera buffs!
Going out for a quick bite to eat, don't feel like lugging the SLR with a few lens' and a flash.... just pop this baby in the pocket and you're set!
Me want too!
If only other camera makers would make something like that! *cough*Canon G9*cough*
But seriously this is one cool retro looking camera
Adam, you're missing the point. A canon g9 has a sensor about 9-10x smaller than this. This camera essentially has a DSLR-sized sensor. No, not full frame, but can be compared to most non full frame DSLRs. Noise ratio, if like the e-series, will pale in comparison to Nikon/Canon, but who cares... this is a dream system for many people looking for a small, near pocketable alternative to the sigma series w/ interchangeable lenses.
OMG YES! About time someone made a small d-SLR which doesn't suck!
It's not an SLR. It has an SLR sensor but no prism based viewfinder. It will basically be 1/2 the size of an SLR and always use LiveView
This is not a DSLR. There is no mirror... so you don't look through the lens. You must rely on the LCD screen or viewfinder (if any).
True, but it has the same image quality as a non micro 4/3 from Olympus, and you can change lenses. I worded it wrong in the first post, my bad.
This should be the photographers' compact, and about time we get one!
Michael,
We know, we know... It's not technically a DSLR. Thanks for teaching us, dad.
@LloydChiro,
>> "We know, we know... It's not technically a DSLR. Thanks for teaching us, dad."
Obviously not... since the OP mistakenly called it a DSLR.
The big selling point of Micro Four Thirds is the fact that it does NOT have a mirror box... which makes the camera much smaller.
Have a good day, son.
Dad
I'm going to call the micro four thirds cameras with interchangeable lenses DSLRs just to annoy the really pedantic peeps. Yes, they lack a prism. But they're still digital single-lens cameras, so DSL is still accurate, and the R now stands for "Reflexively complains about the camera not being a *real* SLR."
I was about to get excited about this camera having a sweet ultra-wide f/2.8, but then I realized the micro four thirds doubles the focal length equivalent. So it's really a 34mm f/2.8 in full-frame equivalent, which is respectable, but nothing to get excited about. Call me when they're offering an 8mm f/2.8.
A side and frontal photo at this thread:
http://forum.xitek.com/showthread.php?threadid=628866
Not as retro as I would like, but we will find out on JUNE 9th!
Oh boy, this says $990 dollars for the camera and lens. It doesn't say which currency, but $990 Taiwan = $30 US and $990 Hong Kong = $127 US, which are both impossible. $990 Singapore Dollars = $680 US, which might be doable. But if it's actually $990 US, forget it. Anyone know for sure?
Someone commented on one of the other mft posts that Olympus cameras always sell for way less, and that official prices are just pr stunts. If that's right, then this could have a $990 price tag but come much cheaper. Here's hoping, anyway. (Actually, here's hoping the other, sexier mft camera comes much cheaper.)
I'm eager to see what they have, but probably not eager to hand over the cold hard cash. Reasons?
1) a compact interchangeable lens cam will nearly always be bigger than most compacts (especially with a zoom) and not really be pocketable
2) waiting out for a decent range of Micro Four Thirds lenses. At 34mm equivalent angle of view, and F2.8, is there anything to write home about here?
3) the price of this (and lenses) will likely be far higher than most compacts. This new lens is an 'unknown' at present, but the specs don't exactly excite. If Panasonic's Micro Four Thirds efforts are any idea, it probably won't be on par with the bulk of the Four Thirds lens line-up.
4) it isn't 100% compatible with Four Thirds, and even if it were, wouldn't the compactness of this initiative mean nothing then?
5) what they do have going for them is perhaps a quality cam with a large sensor that is best suited to some good primes, but have they delivered with this 34mm equivalent, F2.8? I say no, especially if you are looking to use it as a low-light lens, and especially not at the price this will sell for.
@tekdroid: you pretty much have no idea what you're talking about, but you sure take your time doing it.
Just google micro 4/3 m adapter and you will see that the lenses are already there. There are already pictures all over of Summilux and Nokton lenses on early Micro 4/3 cameras. We're just waiting for this body.
zorg,
I know about the adaptors... is that is your idea of compact and 100% compatibility? If so, don't let me spoil your fun. Invalidates none of what I said.
Using both hotshoe and the mount distance (which we know is about 20mm) as points of reference, I estimate that with the pancake lens this is only slightly larger than my old Pentax PC35AF. The latter does fit, with room to spare, in my jacket pocket.
Ah Oly how I love thee... this camera looks to be a beauty! It's great to see that Oly may become the king once again with the REAL photographic world. Suck it Canon (Nikon you are ok)...
Folks,
If you can read Traditional Chinese, it apparently will be launched on June 16th GLOBALLY! Olympus will also hold an product launching event in Hong Kong to the public but all 3 time-slots have been sold out.
http://www.olympus.com.hk/olympus/tc/events/current_event/detail.html?int_id=1053&type=events_new
They should sell this at cost just to build some market share. But, because it's Olympus it will be over priced- at least $700- and will be eventually ignored and outclassed by Canon and Panasonic in 6 months.
Other Olympus cameras aren't overpriced. Have you looked at the E420 or E520? Bargains!
Let alone the E-620! For $800 right now with a two lens kit it is a much better deal the the Sony, Canon, or Nikon offerings. Still just get a D40 and use it well.
17mm? f/2.8?? that sucks.
there is already 25mm "PanCake" with f/2.8 and many owners complain that it would have been imminently more useful with f/2.0.
they should release PanCake with f/2.0...
The regular four-thirds 25mm pancake won't work on this camera without an adapter. And when you add the depth of said adapter the whole thing isn't really "pancake" size anymore. Also there is a reasonable difference between 17mm (35mm equiv.) and 25mm (50mm equivalent).
Now Panasonic is supposedly working on a 20mm f1.7 (pancake) for µ4:3 bodies.
*Sorry, 34mm equivalent.
@Plothole, thanks for the info, man!
Yes. Olympus i'm back. That is the perfect addon for my D300. Poor mans Leica :) The lenses from Zuiko are great. The image quality of 4/3 isn't at Nikon or Canon, but it's better than anything in the compact range. Sure the price isn't compact, but you have to compare it to Leica ;)
FYI, DPReview is reporting that Olympus has a hands-on event scheduled for June 25th in London.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0906/09060201olypen50years.asp
very sexy look, will those zoom lens be smaller too?
I think this leak is on purpose since the one who shot this obviously had time (it's not a camphonepic) and only the least interesting angles are chosen.
Sensor size, sensor size, sensor size?
FourThirds.
A tiny bit smaller than APS-C. Canon fanboys will try to make you believe its a huge difference, but it's not.
Ah, here we go:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sensor_sizes_overlaid_inside.svg
No Canon fanboy here, but that *is* significantly smaller. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to seeing the output. Somehow I doubt people will like the price.
4:3 is ~30% smaller than APS-C.
Oly uses Panasonic LiveMOS sensor which has worse ISO performance compared to Canikon. On my Oly E-520 on ISO-800 I'm getting about the same amount of noise I see on shots from 400D and 1000D with ISO 1600.
Taking into account excellent Oly optics, in the end difference is negligible.
Though we are yet to see full u4:3 optics line-up. That would be decisive factor for me. I'd love to have some compact camera with compact 50mm eq., f/2.0 lens to accompany it.
So go save up for your Leica S2 and Hasselblad H3 and leave those of us who care heavily about camera size alone so we can go around and take more pictures.
Current exsisting micro 4/3 cameras are competitive with entry level DSLRs up to ISO800. Imaging Resource and DPreview both came to that conclusion with the G1. Whether that's good enough for you, only you can decide.
Yes 4/3 has about 70% of the APS-C sensor size, but this will be a gamechanging compact camera.
Sizewise its about same size as Canon G10, but canons sensor is only 20% of the micro 3/4 sensor. If they can price it anywhere near the G10s price this will knock it out of the market
Bad Beaver,
The nice thing about seeing a camera with a 4/3rds logo is that you automatically know what the sensor size is, and you don't need to hunt down the spec sheet to find out.
It's smaller than an APS sensor, but far, far bigger than the average point and shoot camera's sensor.
That EP-1 logo on the back right is SOOOO freegen shopped. Distortion is badly done, dead give away. But don't get WRONG .... *drool* at ANY news ..