>
> Ah, how quickly we forget the E-400.
No, not forgotten. I'm still p****d at Olympus-America over that one. Yes,
I'd grab one of those in a heartbeat--especially since it has the Kodak
sensor.
And who's to say whether their m4/3 is
> really ready or the model about to be announced is a stopgap, too, or
> destined to a delayed actual release.
>
I'd say that this time around we're safe. They "pre-announced the m4/3
format way back at Photokina.
> Yeah, I know, you and Khen know the inside story, but can't say. Insofar
> as I could tell, the Zone-10 piece about the coming m4/3 camera
> contained no new info whatsoever. A lot of sound and fury, signifying
> nothing.
Sound and Fury R Us. (Just remember, there is plenty of Sound and Fury with
the byline of "Moose de Bezerkely" on that site too. BTW, we have requests
for another installment, but I'm going to rename the column "Moose Maybe")
:)
I wouldn't say that the article doesn't contain any new info, but there is a
very very fine line that we cannot cross. My "unnamed sources" can dry up
in a hurry. Speaking of drying up, I am hoping that the waterproof version
(m4/3 Tough) comes out in 2009. It sure would be nice having an m43
"Nikonos" type of camera, eh? Imagine--no housings.
Ahem.....
> But is this just another evolutionary consumer grade camera? First 4/3
> camera was a problem. First really compact 4/3 camera was a problem. Am
> I crazy to be uncertain about the first m4/3 camera?
>
Well, it is and it isn't. Ask yourself this question: How much of the
Panasonic is actually Olympus already? Remember, these two companies have a
symbiotic relationship and there is probably a very good reason why Olympus
has chosen to hold back on releasing its own models. But if you crack open
the case of a Panasonic, chances are, except for a few items, everything has
"Olympus" stamped all over it. I have reason to believe Olympus has been
already manufacturing m4/3 subsystems for some time.
Yes, I said "chosen". Just remember, in the world of 4/3, it doesn't matter
whose name is on the box, Olympus wins no matter what. It is not to be
unexpected in the world of cooperative manufacturing and marketing that the
two companies worked out a deal that Panasonic would get x-number of months
head-start before Olympus releases the wolves. Again, speculation on my
part based on past experience in this kind of thing.
> Don't get me wrong, I'm still pulling for Oly. I'm really excited that
> the E-620 looks like a real winner. I'm really hoping the m4/3 camera is
> what the Panny G1 isn't, innovative and risk taking, eschewing the SLR
> form factor and viewfinder model, while meeting or beating the
> performance bar Panny has set. I also hope they deliver them promptly.
>
See previous notes. I have no reason to believe that we'll see anything
different than what we've experienced with the regular 4/3 mount products.
Panasonic is slightly sharper, but Olympus has better colors.
Noise-reduction and in-camera processing are distinctly different, but the
sensor and mechanicals are the same.
I believe that Olympus' current marketing campaign showing the Pen is not by
accident. Although I have my reasons to doubt a digital Pen-FT in 2009, it
is entirely possible that the Pen's form-factor is what will be initially
released. In this regard, I am purely speculating, but my speculating is
getting more and more accurate and causes my "unnamed sources" to clam up.
Alas, one more speculation: The m4/3 format is finally the common 4/3 mount
(and system format) that Olympus and Kodak dreamed of back before the E-1
ever saw the light of day. Does this spell the doom of the regular 4/3
mount? Hardly! I think they are two distinctly different markets and
categories. Olympus will primarily have the regular 4/3 mount to themselves
and m4/3 will be the shared platform. However, it would be foolhardy of
Olympus to not have an adapter for putting regular 4/3 lenses on the m4/3
bodies.
I think the lens lineup as will be introduced right away will be quite
impressive.
AG
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