New Olympus PEN cameras to be revealed

Olympus will announce three new PEN cameras this year, one as soon as this spring, sources have told our colleagues at PhotoRadar.

Following up on reports of an 'Olympus PEN Pro' model to be released later this year, camera industry sources have revealed that we can expect two more PEN cameras as well.

PhotoRadar understands that Olympus plans to release a high-performance PEN camera with touchscreen technology - possibly the PEN Pro - as well as a mid-range PEN camera with a tilt screen and a PEN camera with flash in the original PEN EP-1 design.

Like most manufacturers, a spokesperson from Olympus said the company would not comment on camera rumours.

PhotoRadar begain its investigation following reports from Israel earlier this month that Olympus would be releasing a 'PEN Pro' camera in the near future.

Speaking at a press conference in Tel Aviv, Dominic Papenheim, of Olympus Europe, introduced a slide show illustrating the company's current line-up and revealing some of its future development plans.

Listed amongst these was a reference to a PEN Pro, which will supercede the Olympus E-5.

When asked by the Israeli website Megapixel for more details about the Pen Pro, Papenheim said: "We see the mirrorless system as the future of digital photography. In 5-10 years reflex cameras will be a niche or will not be there at all. So we believe that PEN in the long run will also be in the professional market - but that will take maybe 2-3 years.

"In 2011 you will see more PEN products and more lenses (beyond what was discussed in the presentation)," he added.

PhotoRadar asked camera industry insiders about the PEN products "beyond what was discussed in the presentation" and were told we can expect an announcement of the mid-range PEN camera possibly as soon as April.

The other two rumoured PEN cameras will follow later in the year, sources added.