Olympus

The PMA in Las Vegas is now arriving fast. After a long time of little rumors, here comes the moment for big rumors, but not the actual revelations yet.

• Nikon has been telling the world that they intended to have a great year 2010. It seems that they will bring a new DSLR (it could be the Nikon D700x, Nikon D700s, or Nikon D800 according to the rumor mill). It would be confirmed according to the banner visible on LetsGoDigital. But this is apparently a fake built from press material from the older Nikon D3 (via NR).
• Yesterday’s press conference did not bring a single SLR though (Coolpix S8000, Coolpix S6000, Coolpix S4000, Coolpix S3000, Coolpix P100, Coolpix L110, Coolpix L22, Coolpix L21, nothing less!)
• Plenty of people expect to see the Canon EOS 60D arriving now, but it’s still uncertain. NL/DPR predicts a set of features: CMOS 18MPs, 6.3fps, HD 24 and 36fps, Digic IV.
• According to CR, Canon is preparing a new Rebel/EOS camera whose name should be Rebel T2i (the European name could be 550D or EOS 600D), with video, fixed LCD of improved resolution.
• At last, Canon would present the very pro Canon EOS 1Ds Mk IV
• Samsung should extend its new NX line, possibly with some lenses (waiting a little more for a new NX camera body).
• Olympus and Fuji should bring only P&S cameras.
• The Sony rumour line is totally silent, which could be indicator that either they are efficient at keeping a lid on the new Alpha 750 or there is nothing in preparation.

So, let’s wait a little more.

When you use an expensive SLR camera you are often tempted to purchase a specialty lens like a ultra-wide angle (fish eye) lens.

But, apart from the rare occasions when you really need it, it’s too expensive for you and me. Why not build it yourself? Instructables does the demonstration with a Nikon D90, but it could be done with any other camera.

How to make a fish eye lens for a Nikon D-90 Digital SLR for $16

Thanks to Swarovski and Olympus, you can now offer a stupendous photo camera: An Olympus EP-1 studded with Swarovski crystals.

Olympus EP-1 by Swarowski

If you have to ask for the price, you can’t afford it. But, it’s £1999.99 in the UK.

Olympus announced the launch of its new SLR camera: The Olympus E-600. This photo camera uses the recipe you must prepare when in recession times: Build a new cheaper one from the old expensive product. Sony did the same with the launch of the Alpha 850 (an Alpha 900 simplified in order to break prices down). So, if you were looking at the Olympus E-620, it’s time to go and check the specs and reviews of the Olympus E-600.

Major update to the photo SLR camera database: More than 30 new tests and reviews, in English, in French, for nearly all the photo cameras listed here.

All in all, you will find several hundred SLR camera tests, feature lists, prices and the special offers from our preferred partners.

It may well be the photo camera that many serious photographers were wanting to complement their SLR equipment. Light, with interchangeable lenses, an SLR-like 3/4 photo sensor, a wealth of nice add-ons.

• Olympus sample video
• Amateurphotographer: First look and update
• CNet preview of Olympus E-P1
• DPReview: Olympus E-P1 movie samples

Olympus E-P1 and friends

Tamron rewrote its web site. This was the occasion to move the Lens Comparison Tool but it is still useful to compare a 400mm with a 500mm (or a 35mm with a 50mm).

Tamron - Lens Comparison Tool (based on focal length)

But you can also find a similar tool at Olympus (and it takes into account the specificities of 4/3 sensor format, of course): Perfect Lens finder.

Olympus Perfect Lens Finder

What do they want? How do they think about it? Painting colours onto our photo cameras… Worse, painting them without looking at the result…

For a demonstration, check this green camera for the military (Olympus) and this white camera for a wedding day (Leica):

Olympus E3

Leica

They are clearly in competition with the surprising white, green or be-jeweled cristal Pentax K2000 “bling-bling” SLR cameras.

Source: Photography Blog.

Olympus E-450

Far from any other worldwide photo event, Olympus just launched its newest SLR photo camera: Olympus E-450. This 4/3-sensor-based SLR camera is essentially an upgrade of the already good camera Olympus E-420, bringing a more than adequate 10MP resolution (more than enough for most photographers, and enough to print in A4/Letter size) to a more up-to-date enveloppe.

Olympus E-450 improvements:

• Better, brighter LCD back screen
• 3 Art Filters (Pop Art, Soft Focus and Pin Hole – I fear this is not going to make good/better photos…)
• Longer continuous shooting sequences (8 RAW images, instead of 6 in the E-420)

Clearly, these Recession times are pushing manufacturers to make minors improvements to already existing models rather than creating truly new cameras (check the Panasonic DMC-GH1 and its older brother DMC-G1). But a good SLR camera made slightly better is still a good camera.

All the technical details of the Olympus E-450.
All the technical details of the Olympus E-420.

(more…)

We had seen that Olympus thought stopping the race for pixels taking 12 mega-pixels as the maximum really needed by most photographers. But they had satyed more or less isolated… up to now.

Pentax K20D

FotoMagazin, German monthly photo magazine, tells us the news in its lastest (April) issue: Pentax joins Olympus in the non-race. After Nikon whose Nikon D700 had shown an honorable restraint with its 12 mega-pixels only digital sensor (in 24×36 Full Frame sensor format), here is Gabriele Remmers, Marketing Communication Manager of the Division of Imaging Systems of Pentax Europe, who revels that today it is more important to bring out image quality, low levels of noise and deep details rather than a pixels explosion. End of the show! Let’s start being serious about quality.

I have to say that I fell in love with this Gabriele. In the interview, we can surprise her defending optical viewfinders (as the pentaprism of our SLR cameras) against Electronic View Finders (EVF).

But, for the most entrenched pentax lovers like some of our readers, she may have a surprise in store when she is questionned about the upcoming cameras. Speaking of 35mm Full Frame, she tells us that you will have to be very very patient. There’s nothing on the drawing table, Pentax is stuck with its range of APS-C “small sensor” lenses. No Full Frame before creating (shoudln’t I say “re-creating”) a full range of lenses targetting this sensor format (some extension of the current D-FA and FA ranges). And if you look into mid-size format, Pentax is still thinking about it but with a low priority (nothing to be expected in the short term).

So, what will be the next Pentax K30D? Quite certainly an APS-C SLR camera with a 12 to 15 mega-pixel sensor optimized for image quality, with an optical viewfinder looking through a nice pentaprism.

This is going to be considered either as the boldest move in years for a whole industry, or the dumbest moment in the career of a doomed photo executive.

'War and Peace' by Jayel Aheram

Akira Watanabe, manager of Olympus Imaging’s SLR planning department, in an interview given to CNet at the Photo Marketing Association (PMA) fair, said: “We have no intention to compete in the megapixel wars for E-System” Olympus’ line of SLR cameras [1]. Instead, Olympus intends to work on improving the Image Quality, the sensitivity, the noise levels, etc.

For most people this may come as shocking news. Everybody has grown used to the continuous increase in number of mega-pixels in photo cameras. But most photographers will have noticed that the larger the sensor and the smaller the number of pixels (in a specific technology generation), the better the images.

For Olympus, 12 mega-pixels is enough. It is enough for nearly all reasonable amateur applications (including some large prints).

Nikon did something less obvious when they launched the Nikon D700. But this is in the same: The Nikon D700 opted for a relatively small sensor resolution (only 12 MP on a large Full Frame sensor) to favor image quality (IQ). But they did not say so.

Let’s hope that many other companies will participate in this truce and transform it into a new competition for quality rather than quantity.

The PMA 2009 fair in Las Vegas is opening its doors and it is time to confirm or correct the rumours.

• Nikon is concentrating on existing SLR products: Nikon D700 is king.
• Sony is not introducing any new SLR camera.
• Panasonic is advertising strongly the existing Lumix DMC-G1

So, where are the news? Here are some of the notable items:

• Samsung offers new compact point-and-shoot cameras (NX series) with an APS-C imaging sensor. Direct competitors for the SLR cameras, in the “Image Quality” category.
• Olympus E-620
• 6 new lenses for the Sony SLR cameras (one undisclosed Sony G Super Telephoto, 28-75mm f/2.8, DT 30mm f/2.8 Macro, DT 50mm f/1.8, DT 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6, DT 55-200mm f/4-5.6)
• A new Panasonic Lumix GH1 (improvement over the G1 in 12MP with 1080p video)
• 2 new lenses for the Lumix cameras (14-140mm & 7-14mm)

We will certainly conclude that this issue of the world photo event is going to be tagged as “consumer-oriented” or “entry-level sensitive”.

Wall Street: Early afternoon light (by mkrigsman)

According to Canon Rumours, there could be some concentration moves around the camera manufacturers. Up to this, it’s just in line with what I’ve been telling about some brands whose CEOs have heart burns from the intense current competition.

But they also give us names and combinations to think about.

• Panasonic could buy the photo division of Leica. Assuredly weirder than certain.
• Panasonic could buy Olympus. Here comes credibility. And it would be industrially much more tenable.
• Samsung could buy Hoya, the owner of Pentax. If Pentax is suffering financial pains, Samsung is nearly certain to come and help. But why buy Hoya? This would be bizarre.

Olympus E-620

Gee! Olympus is presenting us a small camera. A light camera. A nice camera. A 4/3 camera that looks much more sturdy and rugged than what you would expect from less than 700USD.

The Olympus E-620 is a fairly good surprise for the upcoming PMA 2009 fair. Not that we were not expecting something, but it seems quite nice from the inception.

• 12.3 megapixel Live MOS sensor
• 2.7″ tilt-and-swivel LCD screen
• Live view mode
• Sensor shift image stabilization
• Autofocus system: 7-point with 5 cross-type points
• 49-zone metering
• Sensor dust removal system
• Sensitivity: ISO 100-3,200
• Continuous shooting 4 fps
• Memory slots: CompactFlash & xD Card

Olympus E-620

Olympus E-620

The only thing I’m tempted to ask is why did they include this wrongly Artsy feature that allows to modify the pictures in-camera. Instead of providing useful effects or common photo enhancements, Olympus decided to have these ugly Art Filters. I guess that it’s supposed to attract some non-technical users. But I guess that anybody trying it will soon get tired of the same gross effects…

As usual, I collected in one place the features and the reviews and tests for the Olympus E-620.

Sony lens - 'Hiding' by Scoobay

I recommend reading a nice little post titled “All lens tests are wrong” that concludes that the only good test for a lens is to use it during a full year.

Not wrong, but I still recommend to also check my list of web sites with photo lens reviews.

Sony 70-400mm

Lovers of Sony digital SLR cameras (Alpha 700 et Alpha 900, in particular) were awaiting eagerly to see Chasseur d’Images magazine testing fully the most recent additions to the Sony lens range. So, they will be delighted to discover in the March 2009 issue that the Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 Apo G SSM scores 5 stars on the Alpha 900 as well as the all-new and superb Sony 70-400mm f/4-5.6 Apo G SSM on the Alpha 700. This grey lens even gets the flattering comments of “nice surprise” (”belle surprise“) and of “bargain to get” (”coup à réaliser“). On the Alpha 900, about sharpness, CdI tells “this is certainly the best lens in its category” (”c’est assurément le meilleur de sa catgorie“).

Also tested on the Alpha 700 and Alpha 900 are the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 ZA T* SSM and the Sony 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G SSM. No score is below 4 stars!

Fifteen other lenses from Canon (on a EOS 5D MkII), Nikon, Olympus and Tamron are tested in detail by Chasseur d’Images. 5 stars are also attributed to the Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM, to the Olympus Zuiko Digital 9-18mm f/4-5.6 and the Olympus Zuiko Digital 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 ED II.

This is in the March 2009 issue of French Chasseur d’Images magazine -just available- that we get the fairly serious news about Olympus: As I supposed here a few weeks ago, the PMA fair in Las Vegas in beginning of March 2009 will be the location to launch a new digital SLR using the monture/format 4/3 sensor format/size. It will replace the previous Olympus E-520.

But micro-4/3 will not be here before mid year 2009, for Olympus.

I’d say that 2009 will certainly be a difficult year for Olympus which will need to show very impressing cameras to become visible again in the market.