This won’t happen: A Leica branded Panasonic MFT camera :)
The.me confirmed to us that the new Leica system camera will have an APS-C sensor. The camera will be made by Panasonic and Leica will stick their logo on it :)
I can add via my sources that price will be in between $1,500 and $2,000!
We got words from very highly trusted sources that Sony will have a big announcement event in May! While there will be likely one new camera only (An A-mount A77II) there should be also a new FE lens announcement! And if the Sony roadmap is still valid than this should be two new Zeiss lenses: A f/4. ultrawide zoom and a fast prime lens (probably a 85mm f/1.8 or f/1.4).
Sources also told me Sony is pushing the FE lens development. It’s the first priority in their imaging division!
Image source: Leicaforum
Leicaforum owner Andreas Juergensen got an official invitation for a Leica event in Berlin (see image on top). I am pretty sure they will announce the new Leica Mirrorless System which has been developed with Panasonic. The camera and the zooms will be built by Panasonic (and branded as Leica). The prime lenses will be made by Leica.
And it’s also save to say that this will NOT be a Micro Four Thirds camera. This will be a completely new Leica system!
Thanks Leicaforum for breaking the news!
Nikonrumors is pretty confident that the rumored new V3 and 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 PD VR plus 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 VR zooms will be announced next week!
These should be the V3 camera specs suggested by NR sources:
No optical viewfinder
Optional, external 2.4MP electronic viewfinder (EVF) that will attach to the hot shoe
Built-in flash
Standard hot shoe – you will be able to use regular Nikon Speedlights and the built-in flash could act as a wireless commander(I reported that back in November last year)
Several new interesting video features (sorry)
New external grip will not take any batteries, but it will have a shutter button and front dial
Expeed 4a imaging processor
Completely new camera design similar to the drawings of this recently filed patent and it will be all black (not sure if they will offer different colors)
Very fast everything
18MP sensor
Eye sensor and a button to switch between LCD and EVF
180° swivel LCD screen
Within March Nikon will announce the new Nikon 1 V3 camera. And according to a new rumor by Nikonrumors there will be a new collapsible Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 VR zoom too!
Nice lens, but the real question is, when will Nikon launch a more advanced larger sensor mirrorless system? Time to grow up :)
There is one big deal on the Olympus E-Pm2 double kit which now sells for $399 at Amazon. And the reason for such a great deal is simple: The successor will be announced sometimes between May and June!
A couple of store managers told us Olympus discontinued the E-PM2 and E-P5 cameras and they are now discounting these products to clear their stocks.
There is no info about the specs of the E-PM3 and E-P6 cameras but as usual with Olympus we can expect incremental changes only. Recently Olympus manager Watanabe also made it clear that the bets position for the EVF is in the middle of the camera in line with the optical axis. This rules out the possibility of a sort of “rangefinder styled” Pen camera.
Well, there is not a lot going on with Ricoh’s mirrorless cameras (namely GXR system). The only news we can report is that Egami spotted a patent describing a 24mm f/2.0 lens for a mirrorless APS-C camera.
This raises a big question: Is Ricoh going to launch a new APS-C mirrorless system?
