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When to expect Micro43 cameras?
- Thread starter moris
- Start date
Heikki Kultala
Leading Member
Photokina starts at 23.9.
First releases are propably happening there.
First releases are propably happening there.
I doubt there will be anything of substance beyond what Olympus and Panasonic have shown already at Photokina.
If I was being optimistic, I would guess we might see some mock-ups or prototypes under glass at PMA, and the first products will probably be announced by Panasonic next June/July, which is their favored time for releasing new flagship products. But even that is unlikely. Olympus took over two years from the announcement of the FourThirds "standard" to actual product and I have seen nothing that suggests they will be any faster to market this time.
If I was being optimistic, I would guess we might see some mock-ups or prototypes under glass at PMA, and the first products will probably be announced by Panasonic next June/July, which is their favored time for releasing new flagship products. But even that is unlikely. Olympus took over two years from the announcement of the FourThirds "standard" to actual product and I have seen nothing that suggests they will be any faster to market this time.
Mike_PEAT
Forum Pro
Can't answer what Olympus will do, but Panasonic is probably ready to start selling soon. We'll see once Photokina comes.
Franka T.L.
Veteran Member
Olympus had a lot in the 4/3 already while Panasonic had everything to gain with a dual 4/3 + Micro 4/3 launch , think about it , a Micro 4/3 fashioned along the LX series + 4/3 fashioned along the L1 tigether with a battery of lens would be a very enticing combo ..
For the fact also, the Olympus E420 is already pretty small , Olympus would need to address how a Micro 4/3 body come to be , and of course Olympus need to provide lens to go along with it. For Oly, that would take away the already small market the 4/3 now gathering. A dilemma that cannot be denied.
The Micro 4/3 of course are targeting new market sector, but that market sector can be tricky and difficult to please. Panasonic clearly had more experience and IMHO probably are in a better position to do it
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For the fact also, the Olympus E420 is already pretty small , Olympus would need to address how a Micro 4/3 body come to be , and of course Olympus need to provide lens to go along with it. For Oly, that would take away the already small market the 4/3 now gathering. A dilemma that cannot be denied.
The Micro 4/3 of course are targeting new market sector, but that market sector can be tricky and difficult to please. Panasonic clearly had more experience and IMHO probably are in a better position to do it
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- Franka -
Kurt Petersen
Veteran Member
It's pretty clear that numerous people in photography journalism circles have already handled prototypes, I think we'll be seeing something at Photokina.
Is it pretty clear?
If Panasonic and/or Olympus are so well advanced in Micro Four Thirds product development, why did they show nothing but a mount mock up when they announced the system only a few weeks ago? And why hasn't there been a single credible leak since that time?
Olympus have been very predictable in showing wood or clay mock ups of future bodies or body concepts with the four thirds system since before it even had a name. They did it with the E-1, the porroprism body that became the E300/E330/L1, the compact body that became the E400/E410/E420, and the E3. Before the L1 launch, Panasonic had L1 mockups and then were showing prototypes off to the press. Both Panasonic and Olympus also announced and showed lens roadmaps well before there was any product available for sale.
So far nothing like this has happened. All there has been was a joint press conference and briefing and the only technical information that has been shown was the mount and a model telephoto zoom lens and predictions about the market for interchangeable lens consumer cameras.
I really doubt they will have working cameras to show off before PMA 2009.
JohnnyReno
Leading Member
...but I think it is not unreasonable to expect a 'headless' E420 to be immediately available within a few months time. While many of us have hopes for a number of possible incarnations of mFT that are in ways more complicated, everything is in place for the first mFT camera to be a modified E420 -- and that would be just fine with me as the E420's performance was very good, but while compact, was just too big with it's OVF. Judging from the initial mFT illustrations and some of my own mock-ups, the headless E420 should be about 4"x2.5"x1" without lens. A companion 25mm pancake should be a factor smaller than the current 25mm, say 3/4" long. The kit should cost no more than $600, all told.
Even if that is all that is released, I think mFT will have a great start.
Cheers,
S.G.
Even if that is all that is released, I think mFT will have a great start.
Cheers,
S.G.
Mark Thornton
Veteran Member
Olympus have also released lenses that didn't appear on the roadmap.
... if you believe in this acticle :
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/150592/panasonic_to_unveil_new_digital_slr_next_week.html
"The camera follows on from the DMC-L10 and will be presented at a Tokyo news conference on September 12. "
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/150592/panasonic_to_unveil_new_digital_slr_next_week.html
"The camera follows on from the DMC-L10 and will be presented at a Tokyo news conference on September 12. "
paultakeda
Senior Member
I would guess it's the E-3 variant, and that's because an E-420 variant would not make sense if Panasonic is focusing on m4/3.
lockwoodfe
Leading Member
Straight from new Photokina Report Page on this site -
"Mirrorless Large Sensor Compacts - Perhaps the most exciting thing to happen to the digital camera market in quite some years. We have already seen the Micro Four Thirds announcement and so fully expect to see products from Panasonic and Olympus."
"Mirrorless Large Sensor Compacts - Perhaps the most exciting thing to happen to the digital camera market in quite some years. We have already seen the Micro Four Thirds announcement and so fully expect to see products from Panasonic and Olympus."
paultakeda
Senior Member
From the interview with Ogawa Haruo, he states that m4/3 as a concept was around since Panasonic joined the 4/3 camp in 2003. The LiveMOS sensor released in the E-330 is a direct extension of that concept (you need good LiveView if you're going to remove the OVF). The ability to use CDAF in the latest models is again part of that development. You might say a lot of the technical improvements made in 4/3 bodies
correlate to m4/3. In fact, the only one that does not is the new PDAF system in the E-3.
From comments made by those invited to an NDA'd demo in June 2008. A working prototype and lenses were present.
I have expectations for a Panasonic body and two lenses before the end of the year.
I was dead wrong about Panasonic but spot on about Olympus. While it looks like it will be possible to lay ones hands on a production G1 before years end, Olympus (in their usual, glacial style) are probably a full year off having a production camera ready.
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