Information has leaked about the first Olympus product to be released by new owner, OM Digital Solutions – and it's apparently coming on 17 March. However, it's probably not the debut product that you thought it would be.
Many were optimistically hoping for a new camera – perhaps a successor to the flagship Olympus OM-D E-M1X, the entry level Olympus PEN E-PL10 or even the cult classic Olympus PEN-F. Others had their fingers crossed for a new lens, such as the Olympus M.Zuiko 8-25mm f/4 Pro that was announced last July.
It seems, though, that the first Olympus-branded product from OM Digital Solutions will in fact be a dictaphone – the Olympus VN-551PC.
According to reliable rumor site 43 Rumors, Olympus will make its first product announcement next week. This will be where the VN-551PC voice recorder will be revealed, with availability set for 09 April. The site leaked an image of the new product (above), though no specifications or other details were available.
This does not mean, of course, that another product won't be announced at the same time. The Olympus M.Zuiko 8-25mm f/4 Pro seems like the most obvious candidate to join it, both because it was announced seven months ago and because it was recently alluded to as coming soon by a German OM Digital representative during an interview.
Equally, though, it could be another product revealed at the same time as the 8-25mm – that being the new macro lens, believed to be the Olympus M.Zuiko 100mm f/2.8 IS Pro (which would join two of the best macro lenses already offered by the brand, the 60mm f/2.8 and the Olympus 30mm f/3.5).
While Olympus is known for some of the best audio recorders on the market, OM Digital needs to kickstart its new era with an exciting photographic product. So our fingers are crossed that one (or both!) of these lenses joins the VN-551PC if it is indeed announced on 17 March…
Read more:
Best Olympus cameras
Best Micro Four Thirds lenses
Olympus OM-D E-M1X review
Olympus PEN E-PL10 review
Olympus PEN-F review
