Jorgen Udvang
Subscriber Member
The fact that Panasonic has solved the AF challenge doesn't mean that Olympus will solve it the same way. As opposed to Panasonic, Olympus has a lot of 4/3 users that they will probably try to serve in the best possible way.
How large the pro Pen will be is to early to say, but I take it for given that it will be larger than the GH2. The biggest problem with the GH1, at least for me, is that there's not enough space for my fingers between the buttons. The E-1 was perfect in this respect.
Although it's clear that Olympus will develop new HG or SHG lenses for m4/3, I doubt that there will be a 14-35 or 35-100mm f/2.0. There's a limit as to how small they can make f/2.0 zooms, and if they can't make them much smaller, they might as well go with what they have. There might be Mark II versions that work better with contrast detect AF, but Olympus know that there are many customers who have invested considerable amounts in SHG glass, and who will not invest in a new set from Olympus if their existing lenses suddenly has zero value.
Olympus has been criticized for discontinuing the OM system leaving the users with lenses that couldn't be used with full functionality on existing cameras. But the OM system lived for nearly 30 years. 4/3 is so far less than 7 years old, and I would be surprised if they don't understand what a PR disaster it would be to leave all the users on dry land.
How large the pro Pen will be is to early to say, but I take it for given that it will be larger than the GH2. The biggest problem with the GH1, at least for me, is that there's not enough space for my fingers between the buttons. The E-1 was perfect in this respect.
Although it's clear that Olympus will develop new HG or SHG lenses for m4/3, I doubt that there will be a 14-35 or 35-100mm f/2.0. There's a limit as to how small they can make f/2.0 zooms, and if they can't make them much smaller, they might as well go with what they have. There might be Mark II versions that work better with contrast detect AF, but Olympus know that there are many customers who have invested considerable amounts in SHG glass, and who will not invest in a new set from Olympus if their existing lenses suddenly has zero value.
Olympus has been criticized for discontinuing the OM system leaving the users with lenses that couldn't be used with full functionality on existing cameras. But the OM system lived for nearly 30 years. 4/3 is so far less than 7 years old, and I would be surprised if they don't understand what a PR disaster it would be to leave all the users on dry land.