Olympus 'beta tested' 4K firmware for E-M1, developing cine lenses

[Andrew Reid]

The strange saga of 4K on the Olympus E-M1 continues!

Both myself and 43Rumors have independently received proof the 4K firmware update actually exists, despite other sources claiming it doesn't.

Read the full article here

[fuzzynormal]

Sweet. I can truly use this in an upcoming documentary. Refurb M1's can be had for 1k. Used, even less. Not a bad deal.

Still has to offer the right frame rate though.

We'll see.

[MaxAperture Films]

While I hope it's true, this is still a tough one to believe.  The person in question who started tweeting the 4K rumor was only listed as an extra on Ironman 2 according to IMDB.  Not the typical film production level one would expect from a "secret" beta tester within the industry.  This would likely go down as the biggest firmware feature upgrade for any camera in history.  I can't imagine Panasonic would sit back and take it without adding a few extra features of their own given the price disparity between the two cameras.

[rak_heri]

Was the source working on Mad Max? These pics show camera ops using Canon 5D as well as Olympus EM1. I was wondering why they would use EM1 instead of GH4 but if indeed the 4K firmware exists, it makes much more sense!

[Andrew Reid]

While I hope it's true, this is still a tough one to believe.  The person in question who started tweeting the 4K rumor was only listed as an extra on Ironman 2 according to IMDB.  Not the typical film production level one would expect from a "secret" beta tester within the industry.  This would likely go down as the biggest firmware feature upgrade for any camera in history.  I can't imagine Panasonic would sit back and take it without adding a few extra features of their own given the price disparity between the two cameras.

 

He's not the beta tester.

 

He just knows the people doing the testing on an unspecified production he's involved with.

 

Throughout this the source has not asked us to link to him on twitter or his production company website. So what's he got to gain from lying?

 

43rumors has seen a photo of the firmware with the 3840x2160 resolution options, etc. but the source isn't allowing them to publish it.

[Andrew Reid]

Was the source working on Mad Max? These pics show camera ops using Canon 5D as well as Olympus EM1. I was wondering why they would use EM1 instead of GH4 but if indeed the 4K firmware exists, it makes much more sense!

 

Great pics.

 

Do you have any more on this story?

 

Source I believe was a stunt extra on Iron Man 2. If he is involved with Mad Max it is likely to be as a stuntman or stunt coordinator.

 

This rumour is one of his best stunts yet though ;)

[Andrew Reid]

Just done some research on the Mad Max pics.

 

No E-M1 only E-M5. The Canon DSLR is a Mark II or Mark III. If it is a Mark II they are clearly Mad :)

 

The main A camera is of course an Alexa or 12.

[Brian Williams]

Things are getting interesting. Of course this rumor would resurface just a few days after I ordered my A7...
Well maybe I can sell my pocket cam now instead.

Glad I defended the craziness of the 4k idea in the original article! 😉

[MaxAperture Films]

He's not the beta tester.

 

He just knows the people doing the testing on an unspecified production he's involved with.

 

Throughout this the source has not asked us to link to him on twitter or his production company website. So what's he got to gain from lying?

 

43rumors has seen a photo of the firmware with the 3840x2160 resolution options, etc. but the source isn't allowing them to publish it.

 

Andrew, I'm just skeptical in general on this one, for many of the reasons you outlined in your original article.  When the GH4 was circulating in beta it wore a nearly identical body to the GH3, so I wonder if this could just be new guts in an old shell that is representative of an E-M1 MkII test unit.  It seems strange that the Olympus v2.0 firmware scheduled for release next week (http://lightsnowdev.blogspot.com/) does not contain the 4K option.  Perhaps they will launch a v2.1 shortly thereafter??  We'll know soon enough I suppose.  I want to believe!!

[Inazuma]

Would really love for more resolution, better codec, 25p and a more LOG colour profile. If they implement these things the camera would be perfect for casual shooting. But you know as they say.. some things are too good to be true.

 

These contradicting rumors are very intriguing though. Never heard of anything like this before.

[Andrew Reid]

It seems strange that the Olympus v2.0 firmware scheduled for release next week (http://lightsnowdev.blogspot.com/) does not contain the 4K option.  Perhaps they will launch a v2.1 shortly thereafter??  We'll know soon enough I suppose.  I want to believe!!

 

Yes but that's a leak, it isn't the final v2.0 release.

 

I suspect they could have two firmwares. One is going in a new camera or the silver E-M1 only and the other will be for stills guys and existing E-M1 owners.

 

Let's wait for the official announcement next week and find out.

[hoodlum]

Even if the firmware doesn't contain any video improvements at least we now know that Olympus will be taking video more seriously in future models.

[stibbs]

There's something that nobody mentions in conjunction with this big E-M1 update. The other rumor about a big firmware upgrade for the GH4. They could booth drop on the 15th. Panasonic could have updates like the rumored RAW video or Log mode. Even if the Olympus receives all the upgrades it's rumored to,  Panasonic could conceivably hold onto that top tier position right above the Olympus.  

[noone]

So is it possible the silver EM-1 has 4k and the Black does not?? Someone suggested this on DPR and it actually makes sense as there could be some internal physical changes.

 

That would be a complete different model to me though.

 

Or could it be that Olympus is trying to hunt down the sources of various leaks?