Contrary to my recent note about Zeiss products, here are some good news from Olympus!
According to 43rumours, our first source when it comes to anticipating new Olympus product announcements, Olympus are going to release several new large-aperture lenses for the Micro Four Thirds system, as these have been demanded heavily since the introduction of m4/3.
Also – contrary to what has been reported earlier – it looks as though the Four Thirds segment (cameras, and maybe also lenses) may indeed be continued past the new E-5. Former Olympus head Akira Watanabe mentioned that both the E-x and E-xx series could be continued with new cameras in the future. If we may speculate here: the first new Four Thirds model could be a successor to the mid-level DSLR E-30, and will probably be called E-50.
The weather-sealed Olympus E-5 DSLR. Picture courtesy of Olympus
April 23rd, 2011, 12:56 pm | 
Sollte es eine E-50 geben, werde ich mir diese besorgen!
My E-420 was stolen and I’m looking to replace it. Olympus is doing a great job of making it impossible to do. I don’t want a PEN, I want an SLR.
The problem is that it’s already difficult to get a 620 … how long till the lenses are no longer being made? Already I can’t get a body only, so I have to buy a lense I’ll toss just to get the body. Ho hum.
Confidence in the company and a sense of there being a future is an important virtue, especially in a camera system where one kind of plans to buy components over a few years.
All things considered I think I’ll get a Nikon or Canon. They seem to be in the business for the long run, and actually care about their customers investment. Olympus will have discontinued TWO complete SLR systems in the last 15 years.
If I had spent my money on Nikon stuff I could either still use it, or sell it to someone who is (with a few exceptions, I’m sure).
Olympus has lost my trust, and they have lost my business with this absurd move. Goodbye.
DZ, thanks for sharing your opinion!
Indeed, now that you come to mention it, it is at least interesting to note that both the OM and the 4/3 system have been discontinued within a comparatively short period of time — compared to how long the Leica M-system, Pentax K- or Nikon F-mount have existed. And in both cases they discontinued a very high quality system with a loyal customership.
Well, it remains to be seen if 4/3 is actually dead, or if they will continue to produce bodies, and eventually new lenses also. But then again the question rises whether this is at all profitable for Olympus …