Canon have overleaped what Sigma should have done years ago with the DP series, what Sony failed to do with the R1: that is make a large sensor compact body fixed zoom lens camera.
Sorry all you nay-sayers - but this baby is gonna sell because it ticks the boxes for a serious, high quality, fixed lens carry around camera. I am amazed it is not much bigger than the G11 I adored for its build quality and ergonomics, but was always niggled that it didnt match my DSLR for image quality. Well the IQ issue is gone from the samples I've seen. I expect the high ISO and DR will surpass M43 and compare to any Sony NEX.
Wedding photographers will love it!
For anyone who doesnt really want to buy or carry around a long telephoto lens this is the ultimate one camera offering.
For an an active outdoors person this is a winning combo - faster than any 3x kit zoom at the wide end and about the same speed on a slightly extended tele end. The OIS and the extended ISO will more than make up for the minimal extra slowness over a kit lens.
Believe it or not, the compact style "zoom" collar around the shutter button is brilliant for single handed shooting - something even the power zooms from Oly and Panny can't offer.
The optical OVF wont be brilliant, but it is still heaps better than nothing and less bulky and no power penalty compared to an expensive hot-shoe EVF.
I hope the macro performance is comparable to the G12 - if it is then there's another built-in feature that no mirrorless (or DSLR) can offer without the expense of a seperate lens.
As far I can see, this camera is the current king of fixed lens compacts for "one camera to carry around while I am doing things".
But as usual, they make these wonderful "take me with you" cameras, and forget about any weather-sealing. Fortunately it is small enough to fit in a Dicapac plastic cover so it will go underwater for less than $80 and still be able to zoom the lens.
As some others have said - I hope this is the precursor to a new genre of large format serious fixed lens compacts.
My E-P3 may well be up for sale soon ...