And I thought my E-420 was small

NikonsandVstroms

Maybe ill keep it as my large camera now :rofl

Olympus and Panasonic just announced a microfour thirds standard.Same size senso in a even smaller body
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0808/08080501microfourthirds.asp

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0808/MicroFourThirdsDiag-001.jpg

(Mod edit. Links only to other folks' images please.)

Basically the same size as a G8 but with interchangeable lenses and a 4/3 sensore :barb

jziegler

Very interesting. Could make a great line of compact travel cameras. It will be very interesting to see what the initial products are, and how they compare to regular 4/3 cameras. Keeping lens compatibility with an adapter will be a big boost for it. This is the LIVE or EVIL camera that folks over at DP Review have been discussing for a long time, half really wanting it and half hating the concept.

pyry

Small, reasonably priced (Leica M8, I'm looking at you..) digital rangefinders?

Hope!

ivar

NikonsandVstroms

pyry wrote:

Small, reasonably priced (Leica M8, I'm looking at you..) digital rangefinders?

Hope!

ivar

That's my hope

The big thing I'm concerned with is price. With a E 420 being Sold for around $500 I hope this thing comes in at no more than 400 with a small kit zoom.

jziegler

NikonsandVstroms wrote:

That's my hope

The big thing I'm concerned with is price. With a E 420 being Sold for around $500 I hope this thing comes in at no more than 400 with a small kit zoom.

I'd guess you have a chance at that. Smaller body, less parts, but same sensor and electronics. Smaller lenses. It should be priced lower if they really want to sell them.

pyry

jziegler wrote:

I'd guess you have a chance at that. Smaller body, less parts, but same sensor and electronics. Smaller lenses. It should be priced lower if they really want to sell them.

A chance at it yes, but a sensor that close to the flange will need a couple of extra tricks to keep it from vignetting wildly. Digital sensors lose sensitivity when the light comes in at an angle. The Leica M8 has off-set microlenses to help with that for example. And it will need a good optical view finder.

I don't think that this would cost more than a fully rigged mirror box though

What I would like to see is the body for, say, $350-400 and two or three cheap, but nice native pancake lenses available like the 25/2.8. That would make a rather excellent carry-anywhere camera.

jziegler

pyry wrote:

What I would like to see is the body for, say, $350-400 and two or three cheap, but nice native pancake lenses available like the 25/2.8. That would make a rather excellent carry-anywhere camera.

That would be sweet. Let's hope Olympus is paying attention. This may just make me glad that I've been holding off on a dSLR so far.

swintonphoto

As always - Olympus is taking the lead in new innovative products. I didn't see this one coming, but I think it is a very clever idea. A smart move for them because it adds something new that really no one else has. I think this is an exciting announcement for Olympus and Panasonic.

GO OLY!

swintonphoto

Any idea what this would do to the focal length of the current lenses used on the new smaller bodies?

NikonsandVstroms

swintonphoto wrote:

Any idea what this would do to the focal length of the current lenses used on the new smaller bodies?

its the same size sensor so the focal lengths will be the same as on any 4/3 body. The lenses themselves will be smaller and made to focus on a closer sensor. As for the full-size 4/3 lens there will be an adapter to put them out further so it will work just like the slr bodies

Pindy

I have a feeling this will be my next camera purchase. I'd rather buy an Olympus than Panasonic if I had my druthers.

Internaut

So finally true EVIL is upon us. My only reservation is the quality of the view finder (hopefully a very high resolution electronic view finder or at least the option of an optical add on). This is exciting.