Toronto Photography Meetup Group

It's coming, expected to be announced on Feb 8th!

From what we know a new 'pro' weather sealed M43 body that looks like a tradition OM film camera with build in viewfinder. The viewfinder is supposed to be innovative (perhaps big image and very high res). Sensor is a new 16 Mpx high dynamic range (could be a new sensor or a tweaked Panasonic).

Olympus has also indicated that they will be releasing some other items. Maybe we can get some new primes from them along the design of the outstanding 45mm f1.8 and the innovative 12mm f2.

With cool retro OM styling in a small package, a weather-sealed body, built in high-res viewfinder, new better sensor, blazing fast AF like the E-P3 and most importantly for me build in body image-stabilization for using legacy lenses this could be an awesome camera. It certainly sound more interesting to me than the NEX-7 or Fuji X-Pro1.

Lets see what we get...

Will the weather sealing matter if none of the m43 lenses are weather sealed? It's one of the things I always wondered when that idea was thrown around in m43 systems.

I really hope Olympus is able to copy the focus peak/contrast peak from Sony NEX series. In body IS + that would be awesome for manual lenses.

That new zoom that Olympus recently released is weather sealed, it supposed to be the kit lens with the new camera. Probably the first of a series of weather sealed lenses for the new body.

Wonder if focus peaking is patented by Sony and licensed to others? New Fuji does not have it.

I think camera makers are beginning to believe in Fuji's mantra, make it look retro and people will pay lots of money for it... The hipsteraization of photography is gaining momentum --- before it will crash miserably because in the end of the day this is just a hobby for many and for serious folks the camera is just a tool...

I think in large part the retro design movement in cameras is a backlash to the rounded characterless black plastic, buttoned, dumbed-down looking blobs that photographers have been subjected to for the last 20 years. Glad to see the pendulum swinging the other way. Looking forward to Contax G2, Olympus OM-1 and Nikon F3 designs from yesteryear. Give me a camera that I enjoy looking at as much as I enjoy using as a tool.

+1
Yet, on the other hand, amateurs buy into it

I think that you're confusing "looking hip in advertising" for "hipsterizing." The mirrorless interchangeable lens camera seems less a fad and more a movement, to make DSLR quality imaging something that the average person can envision having, to me. The smaller, more convenient, and less intimidating body style is more attractive to a non photographer, who isn't likely to replace a pocket camera with a DSLR and a bag-full of lenses.

One of the early Olympus u4/3 commercials with Kevin Spacey, that didn't get play in North America, epitomizes this. He casually reaches into his pocket while talking and, with no muss or fuss, swaps lenses. Intimidation factor: nil.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ilh78Mw7Jc

Rather than crash, I think that this is more and more where what is currently the consumer DSLR market will be moving. As photographers we tend to forget that the majority of people who own cameras...... aren't.

First real leaked image of the OM-D. Love the multi-function dials.

They sould have done that with one of the E-400 series bodies, since they were OM sized. But the again a lot of "E" shooters found the E-4xx too small!

Top deck is taking shape with the latest leaked image piece. Love the classic OM-4 look. Hopefully it has a very large viewfinder like the OM's did in that false penta-prism bump in the middle.

The OM-D and Olympus logo look 'shopped in, in all of the shots that have been shown. I'm thinking that the whole thing is made up, from whole cloth.

Agreed, they didn't even bother adding the appropriate tilting to make it seem like the lettering was actually painted on the vertical and horizontal surfaces.

Its a rumor site! Of course they don't have an actual photo.

1st full camera images. Looks lovely and looks serious, a perfect balance of retro and functionality.

More images, without the grips. Looks Sweet!

If it's gonna be the size of a SLR, why not make it APS or full frame? Just saying ...

It's actually quite tiny, about the size of the EP-3 with a hump for the viewfinder. Small size and light weight are among the strong points of micro-4/3 cameras.

Too many obvious differences between the pictures.

Rashomon, if they made it APS-C or full frame, then it wouldn't be u4/3, would it? The lenses would be significantly larger. They'd likely have to increase the distance between the flange and the sensor, making the camera that much larger.

Looks like it would be terribly uncomfortable to hold.

That's the thing! It looks like an old SLR but has a much smaller sensor. It uses exactly the same sensor as the GX1 but the GX1 is much smaller even with the EVF. There isn't anything "different" or revolutionary in the OMD except for a retro look. I am curious to see future digicams with full frame sensors with the size of old film cameras like a FM2 or OM-3. That would be cool! Because to me this OMD doesn't really add anything or contribute anything to the development of digital photography except that it looks like a film camera. The same can be said of the X100 but at least it had a hybrid viewfinder which set it apart. Besides that the X100 is really an expensive point and shoot with manual controls and a APS sensor.

Whether this camera will be revolutionary/evolutionary remains to be seen, as all we have right now are rumours. I'm worried that too much hype is being heaped upon the pro u4/3 body, setting it up for failure by being unable to meet unreasonable expectations.

The loss of the pentamirror/pentaprism is a pretty big step, if the camera can be brought up to true DSLR performance levels. If it's anything at all like the pictures hint then, comparing to my E-P3, it's quite a small body. It might just bring all of those point&shooters into the interchangeable lens camera fold, which has been a bit of a stumbling block these days. It also looks how people expect a personal camera to look.

But I'm in wait and see mode. Too much sturm und drang.

New frontal image of the camera now allows direct size comparison with other cameras.



and compared to the NEX-7

Announced and looking good!

Great product video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyFe-Kd6 ... r_embedded

I can see it in the distance calling my name. I think we might be going on a date this summer.


Looks hilarious next to the already small Rebel T3. Once you carry a M43 with a couple of feather weight lenses in your camera bag all day long, there is no going back.

I agree completely. This is my current "travel kit." It'll fit in a shaving kit bag.

This might be the Olympus camera I have been waiting for. With the Panasonic 16 MP sensor ( I assume ) and Oly's processor I am guessing that the tone curve will be better than the G3 which clips to white faster than that sensor in the EP3 according to DPR review.
I wonder how long it will be before a production model will be available for testing.
I currently have the EP3 with the VF3, kit lense and Panasonic 20mm 1.7, 14-45 and 25mm 1.4. If I order the EM5 it will be body only to use with the Panasonic lenses.
Cheers, Leo Reinhard

Hey Rob do you still have your E30. How do you like the image quality of the EP3 compared to the E30?
Cheers
Leo Reinhard

I've been using a Panasonic G3 with the 100-300mm f4-5.6 lens for photographing birds. There is no possible way I could afford a 600mm equivalent lens for my Canon, let alone want to carry it all day. The G3 is very hard to use for action shots since the viewfinder freezes for too long when it takes a shot - better get the shot on the first one in the burst! Hopefully the new olympus will be better - they are hyping the autofocus system so I'm hopeful the continuous autofocus will be better as well.

Here's the official link.

http://olympuscanada.com/cpg_section/cpg_digital_omd.asp?section=pen

I've always been a fan of Olympus camera, I had an older Ultrazoom that triggered the photo bug in me, but I found their first attempts for M43 series were rushed and didn't match the Panny's, but these next attempts with the help from Fuji's X100 nostalgic look and pro-sumer like features makes the Olympus OM-D a really good choice!

I find that the idea of the Olympus look something more of a nostalgic effect rather than it be 'hipster' driven. Usually, companies have to go back to their roots to re-invent themselves, I think this is a good move for Olympus!

The Olympus grip set up looks sweet...might have to start saving for this!