A source just sent me a surprising rumor. Samsung won’t make OIS lenses anymore!
According to the source Samsung has a little concerns about optical problems and final lenses size. Samsung will get back to an improved AntiShake system sensor-based used on Pentax/Samsung DSLR. The patent of that system is a share property between them.

I certainly hope the rumor turns out to be true! All lenses (including third party lenses used via adapter) will be stabilized and the size of NX lenses can be a bit smaller. At the time of writing Olympus only offers mirrorless cameras with built-in sensor stabilization.

The japanese “Impressjapan” magazine had an interview with Canon Managers. You can downlaod the magazine pdf here: https://www.impressjapan.jp/pr/monitor/1112_dcm/271201_free.pdf.

UPDATE: Our reader “Fh” (thanks!) translated the interview. here is what Canon thinks about the mirrorless future:
– Will you be releasing a mirrorless camera?
Well, the C300 is mirrorless; just very big. But as for a real mirrorless, we will look at the market this coming year in order to make the best decision.

– When you say “look at the market”, are you concerned that mirrorless cameras would affect DSLR sales?
No, just that when you look at the current mirrorless systems and how they are used, there are many different approaches.

– For instance?
For mirrorless cameras, being able to change lenses is certainly a big merit. But you have to wonder, are interchangeable lenses really the only point of mirrorless cameras, considering the added size for the lens mount? When you’re taking pictures, a standard camera size is fine, but when you’re not…

– Right, they’re still quite big.
And on either side, we are challenging ourselves to make DSLRs that are smaller, and compacts that have better image quality. So you have to ask if a mirrorless product is really necessary to fill the narrowing gap. Of course, we are more than capable of making a mirrorless camera, if we decide to.

– So you think current mirrorless cameras overlap DSLR and compact markets?
Right.

– But that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t release a mirrorless that overlaps other markets, right? You mentioned you want to release a mirrorless in 2012.
Well, we want to release a mirrorless next year. But next year, the other markets will also change: there will probably be smaller DSLRs and compacts with greater image quality, which might eat into the mirrorless market.

In short, as the quotations from the interview highlight:
“Do mirrorless cameras really need interchangeable lenses?”
“DSLRs and compacts might eat into mirrorless market”
“Big improvement in image quality for consumer cameras than the past year”

The online PDF is cut short, so I can’t tell if any other information was given. But it was not strictly confirmed that Canon will release a mirrorless in 2012; just that IF they decide to release a mirrorless, they want to release it next year.”

Mr. Kitazawa (head of Pentax’s camera R&D) told to the Japanese DC Magazine that Pentax will devlop a mirrorless 35mm full-frame camera and they are also thinking to make a mirrorless version of their 645D medium format camera!

Damn what a news! That made my day. I certainly hope Kitazawa will make those dream cameras become real soon :)

We just heard form a new source that Ricoh will launch a new GXR A16 M mount that replaces the current . The A16 has the same sensor as the NEX5n, but tweaked and with no AA-filter! Shipping in early 2012 already.

P.S.: We are not talking about the just announced A16 zoom module!

As you all know Olympus is facing a serious time because of the accounting fraud accusations. Olympus shares lost almost two thirds of their value. And now Bloomberg (Click here) reports that: “Fujifilm, which makes equipment for medical scans, has been reported as a possible bidder for Japanese camera maker Olympus Corp. Yamamoto, who also is a board member at Fujifilm, declined to comment on a possible buyout of Olympus today. Fujifilm Chief Executive Officer Shigetaka Komori said last month it was too early to discuss Olympus issues while the third-party panel was still probing the fraud at the camera maker.“

As usual these are very wild rumors. So don’t care to much about it….yet.

I am sure that Pentax is/was working on an APS-C mirrorless camera but I don’t know if the plan changed after the Ricoh acquisition. Anyway, here is again a new rumor via dpreview forum: “According to my source, Pentax will release a 35mm full-frame DSLR and an APS-C EVIL (mirror-less) in 2012. No other details were given except that the source seemed to believe the full-frame model will likely use a Sony 24MP sensor.“

The new Ricoh GXR zoom module will use the same Sony NEX-5n sensor. Could be that they will use that sensor for the upcoming Pentax mirrorless camera too?

Samsung really doens’t care about leaks and is showing the still non existent NX20 camera in their Global Download Center. As we have told you before the NX20 will be announced in Janaury and feature a new 20+ Megpixel sensor.