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View Full Version : Olympus/Panasonic lead the march...

AngryCorgi
5th of August 2008 (Tue), 11:14
...to where I have believed Canon is headed. Back when the announcement came (2-3 years ago) that Canon was investing in CMOS technology for their PowerShot line, I thought surely they would move the PowerShot line toward the EOS line, while it seems that the EOS has done more of the moving. Where the PowerShot investment has gone, I do not know, but I suspected that Canon would move to larger, lower noise sensors in their P&S cameras. This has not happened (yet), but Olympus and Panasonic have apparently built a logical bridge between SLR and P&S. They announced the micro-4/3rds format. The interesting part is the rangefinder-like flange/sensor distance (20mm!) and the omission of a mirror (full-time live-view). While I have never really been too impressed with the hihg-ISO noise performance of the 4/3rds sensors, I think Olympus is taking a big step in the direction that Canon and Nikon will likely follow in the near future.

DPreview announcement:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0808/08080501microfourthirds.asp

This is a similar direction to what is being ensenuated in the Nikon RF rumors everyone is tossing about.
AngryCorgi
5th of August 2008 (Tue), 13:52
Why was an official news release on the development of a new DSLR system moved to "Rumors and Predictions"? This is neither. It even bears factual physical specifications for the upcoming system.
hughps
7th of August 2008 (Thu), 09:54
Definitely very interesting. Imagine the compactness with a pancake lens.

http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/olympus_25_2p8_o20/
James Salenger
10th of August 2008 (Sun), 20:28
The two manufacturers have cut the distance form the lens mount to sensor
50% Which reduces overall body dimensions, so?
I have a cell phone camera which has an even closer relationship between
the lens and sensor. Does that mean I have "camera" of superior quality?
AngryCorgi
13th of August 2008 (Wed), 16:26
The two manufacturers have cut the distance form the lens mount to sensor
50% Which reduces overall body dimensions, so?
I have a cell phone camera which has an even closer relationship between
the lens and sensor. Does that mean I have "camera" of superior quality?

I have no idea what this comment has to do with anything being talked about here. Nobody said "superior quality" in reference to this topic. Rather, the conversation is regarding the move to rangefinder-esque flange distances in APS-C/FF-sensor-based cameras. With no mirror or rangerfinder-style viewfinder, this system would more so be a hybrid between DSLRs and P&Ss.

The issue that will be interesting to see is how they solved the issues that all the DRF makers have had regarding strong CA and IQ issues at the edges of the sensor due to the angle of the light path and the design of the microlenses.