just the fact that they would need to develop a whole another set of lenses for that mount makes this somewhat far fetched. If they did, i doubt it could compete with Sony A series (lack of IBIS, max 3fps, etc) and Canikon. Olympus camera department is not doing that well, i don't think they would risk it with a (subpar) new system just for the sake of full frame. Guess we'll have to wait until Photokina
This seem a far fetched, but what if they employed the 4/3 principles on a larger scale? Now that would be something I'd be interested in. Large sensor, smallish lenses? Yes please Patrick K
There will be a steady stream of this sort of stuff from those prone to search for rumour possibilities, since Sony bought 11% of Olympus, not just the camera division, in late 2012. It was even stated that the time that the two companies will be collaborating on their camera businesses, so rumours are inevitable. And one day, one of them will be right.
This rumour is absolutely serious. However, the new camera will reflect the history of Olympus and won't just be mere FF camera, it will be a full medium format camera. It will be at least 50MP and have a dual lens setup bringing back the golden era of photography. Spy images have show that it may look similar to the following, but sources can't be certain:
Guess OP didn't read this part, and yes this was back in May. "Well, sometimes I really get “impossible” rumors. I am 99% sure these specs are fake" "I repeat it. Don’t believe this is ever going to happen although it would be “possible” for Olympus to make a camera like that." This is how stupid rumors come to life.....anything for page clicks.
i think it's fake. Because if Olympus decide to go FF, their lenses will be abandoned. There will be a new mount like Sony which is sucks. I love M43 and their concept.
It may be fake, but there's no reason to think that building a FF means that their "lenses will be abandoned". They can sell two formats (m43 & FF) concurrently, each with its own lens system. Canon as three lens systems: EF, EF-S and EF-M. Nikon has three: FX, DX and CX. Leica (a small company) has three: M, T and S. When other makers have three, having two is not unbelievable.
They already have two formats after abandoning 4/3, but still sell stuff. It's not happening and it would kinda be like them saying after all these years that "M43/43 sensor isn't good enough after all...we need to go bigger." Plus the market wouldn't be big enough to justify jumping into the FF arena...esp with slumping sales and camera saturation. you can easily can print 16x20 and larger w/ what exists now at relatively high ISO...why would they go to a larger sensor>?
You're probably right about the market. However, why does any manufacturer offer a larger sensor? Because some photographers do in fact want a larger sensor, because of the look, the detail, the further enlargability, etc. The fact that Pentax makes the 645 camera does not say that their APS-C camera sensor "isn't good enough after all". It just says that they also make a bigger sensor camera for those who want it. The same would apply to Olympus and FF. At least a few photographers have expressed a wish for a FF version of the OM-D, i.e. mirrorless but bigger sensor.
The only way I could see this happening, is if Olympus built a camera around Sony's full frame sensor and FE mount. The two companies collaborating could probably come up with a roster of lenses that Sony can't manage on its own in any timely fashion.
If Olympus did anything aside from m4/3, they'd be better off considering medium format. Olympus has experience in this area, the lens design and manufacturing capability, it would require less lenses, less bodies and doing so wouldn't compete with m4/3 cameras. Going FF would be an admission that m4/3 is a failure, which it is not.
Leica has been FF since the 1920's. When they introduced the medium format S2, was that an admission that FF was a failure? Of course not. It's just another format. A format is not a religion — you can have more than one. If you adopt a second one, it doesn't mean the first one was a failure.
That's quite a different situation. Olympus has always been saying that 4/3 is as good as FF for pretty much everything. Don't forget, Leica had the had the SLR style R series cameras (as well as the S1) for some time and didn't continue with them in the digital age. Leica introduced the S2 because they were targeting the professional fashion, landscape etc market. So I stand by my statement that Olympus going FF would defeat everything they tried to pursue with 4/3 or m4/3.
