The Japanese Camera.Itmedia site posted an interview with Olympus manager and confessed at the end of it that new PEN and OMD cameras are likely going to be announced soon. And we already knew that anyway don’t you? 🙂
The Japanese Camera.Itmedia site posted an interview with Olympus manager and confessed at the end of it that new PEN and OMD cameras are likely going to be announced soon. And we already knew that anyway don’t you? 🙂
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88 Responses
Yes, we indeed knew that. Constant new model churn with minor feature changes has become a way of life for manufacturers, since it seems their greatest profit surge is on full-priced models within a month or three months of release, with the product half-life becoming shorter and shorter, and margin shrinking quickly over subsequent months.
The manufacturers have painted themselves into a corner. By not protecting their customers’ residual value, by teaching customers they are foolish not to wait 6 or 9 months to make the purchase, by product pricing strategies that rely on the pretense that ‘that’s just the way things are in the high-tech world,’ they have no choice but to constantly release new versions of the same thing, incapable though they be of taking any better photographs than their own products of two generations prior.
How do they get off this merry-go-round of their own devise?
Well smart companies have their margins set such that after the price drop 6-9 months later, they still make reasonable profit. And imo that’s just a fine practice and obviously healthy for business.
However, at least Olympus seems incapable of doing just that looking at the official numbers.
> How do they get off this merry-go-round of their own devise?
Well, that’s the way they can sell more cameras. That’s what they do – sell cameras.
Better to say we – customers painted ourselves into this corner. We are obviously buying (new) new stuff over and over.
@Admin: (Tens of) tousands of people come here daily, to check for new hot 4/3 info. Reading that soon you will post new exciting info simply isn’t info, and it is not exciting either. (I agree with Ronin above)
Well, it’s you that eventually are going to decide to spend your money or not. Companies can “offer” me whatever they want, but if I don’t need it for my photography, be it for work or funny, I just skip.
I understand though that this way of businness sounds like customer-milking, but let’s not forget that noone is forcing us to buy anything.
So without churn, if I needed to replace my E-M5 right now (lost/ stolen/ crushed/ whatever), I would have to buy the same E-M5 again, just because nothing but “minor features” have been released since? Thanks, thanks a lot.
What if I wanted to try something a little bigger or smaller? (E-M1 / E-M10). What if one of those “minor features” (to you) wasn’t so minor to me? And I still have Panasonic and now Kodak to chose from also, so Olympus has to keep putting out the best they can, when they can.
Your argument really only makes sense if everyone is on the same body-buying cycle that YOU are. And they have the same opinion of what constitutes a “minor feature”.
I definitely agree with you, ronin!
I bought an E-M5 + 12-40mm f2.8 recently just because of that. The total cost was less than an E-M1 body. I rather save the money for a upgrade in 1 or 2 years’ time. Or I just might jump ship to Fuji or Sony when their system matures, e.g. increased usability, focusing speed etc.
Another thing I can’t believe is how many “people” here disagree with you.
Makes me wonder….
wow, there is a surprise yet another m43rd mount camera with almost identical still image we have had since the E-M5 .Counting the the BMPCC ands the awesome Kodak model that must be around 20 models, or one new model every 5 weeks or so. Wonder if they will do something about the god awful video
Be positiv. mFT is the system with biggest choice of camera bodies in the market. From very small GM1 to big and pro GH4 or E-M1. 🙂
We need 4K for video and full frame for still fine art photography. Sorry M43 is just too small for high quality for professional use or for hobbyist to enlarge a few good photos in fine art quality. I was thinking of buying EM1 buy in the end, I did not. GH4 has 4K that is important to me.
I am a successful fine art photographer and use an Olympus OM-D-E-M1 . There is plenty of information to print large high quality prints
Same here. I think he’s poorly trying to troll. Otherwise he would be on another forum.
Wow two successful fine art photogs in one scoop.
Too bad you had to ruin the good run with your worthlessness.
Do you lack a proper camera or proper skills?
You’re of course entitled to your opinion regarding your own personal needs, but if those are your needs, why are you looking at Olympus? There already are other manufacturers which do both 4K and Full Frame. Why should every other manufacturer do that, too? I, for example, don’t need and don’t want 4K, and I don’t want Full Frame, either. Quite on the contrary, Full Frame is actually detrimental for what I’m doing.
Detrimental? How can that be? Tell us.
Try handheld supertele photography while hiking.
supertele? for m43? which one?
On my FT DSLR, I’m using the Zuiko Digital 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5, either by itself or with a 1.4x or 2x converter, for equiv. focal lengths of up to 800mm. I plan to continue using that lens with the E-M1, too, and I’ll probably be adding the M.Zuiko 300mm f/4 to my setup some time in the future.
That’s true, there are no ff 100-400 f5.6-f7 lenses to my knowledge. Here is where m43 can play a good card, if the price is right.
ditched Full Frame Nikon years ago because of the weight and size for gh3, now gh4 mainly for my video work, never look back.
Obviously you don’t know what you’re talking about. M43 are perfectly capable of producing high quality prints, you just need the right brain behind the camera
LOL, there is no way in hell you are doing gallery shows. Sorry troll, but you’re as mysterious as a clean window.
How big do you print? The side of a house?
Tell that to the pros that are using M43!
http://www.bestmirrorlesscamerareviews.com/2014/05/20/10-amazing-photographers-who-use-the-olympus-om-d-e-m1-on-the-job/
It is funny to see all this rambling about m43 IQ not evolving since the E-M5 and it is certainly true, but that is unfortunately how things are going in the sensor world at the moment. Only Sony is advancing (e.g. new 24MP APSC sensor) and if they decide not to share with Oly or Pana, what should they do.
Do the Canon users complain that much because Canon is still using the 18MP sensor??
You should be happy, as this means that you don’t have to upgrade your equipment or was it already too bad for your needs when you bought it? That would be your fault and not the manufacturers’.
I rarely buy new stuff but once I buy ..usualy the new thing pops up ;-), recently
Pana 25mm f/1.4 bought DEC 2013 and rumors started right January 2014
Just bought E-M10 and rumors for E-M5 upgrade started to pop up
Someone there must ask all these managers , what are the new features ?
Sensor tech as well .
If just refinement , better don’t come up , don’t waste R&D & our hard earned $$$$ . Wait for real breakthough to impress !
Waste your hard earned $$$$ ?
No one is forcing you to buy anything.
I think he means we have an investment now, not just a hunk of metal, plastic and glass. A portion of our purchase goes into their research department. We hope they use it wisely.
Yes…I am quite happy with the performance of my MFT cameras. ( I use this system to compliment my FF system). And both of my MFT cameras are up-to-date Olys (E-PL6 and E-P5)….I doubt that I will be buying any of these new models as my perception is that there will be subtle upgrade (like what has been leaked about the E-PL7), but no major IQ changes.
Until there is a significant IQ upgrade (better dynamic range, especially the highlights), I will just be content with the great system that I have….These new models could excite the fashionistas though!!!! 🙂
Dont be so sure about the subtle upgrade. On the contrary, the successor of EM5, a camera that rocked the world 2 years ago, cannot simply be a subtle upgrade. I think the most probable thing to happen is a new sensor with the significant upgrade you have in mind! Anyway, we’ll see soon…
It has to have new sensor tech to be viable. Video needs major improvements. Low light And File headroom.
If Olympus introduces new sensor tech, it will first appear on the e-m1 successor…not any of the lower line cameras. These will just be style, lay-out and bells&whistle upgrades…nothing more.
Facts prove you wrong. The major leap in sensor technology came with em5 and THEN passed on EM1. The flagship camera doesnt always has the best sensor. Its just a better piece of equipment in general, not necessarily sensorwise.
I disagree. It seems that Oly has more of a leapfrog strategy. I think the 5 will be getting a big upgrade and then 9-12 months later the 1 passes it again then the 10 gets an in between upgrade. Seems like a winning strategy to me. I get a chance to pick what I need. My biggest need is a fully articulating screen.
Interesting to see all the Pens together including the original Pens and the concept micro four thirds camera with the orange leather. The Pen F is a beautiful camera. Perhaps the E-P# numbering should be ditched and the top of the line called the Pen F with the gothic font!
Damn yeah, love that “concept cam” too, stunning !!! Just a concept or more ?
It’s old. It was the mock used at photokina back in 2009 before any M43rd releases.
What is wrong with the current lineup? If it is the price, they can always lower it.
I have found that my E-P5 VF-4 17mm 45mm combo is good enough for what I need to do It is for me to improve as a photographer from here on in I will not be looking at any new bodies for the foreseeable future. I will probably add a couple more lenses maybe the 60mm macro.
Olympus really need something special with the successor to the E-M5 or existing customers such as myself simply won’t stump up for the upgrade.
Olympus will not go bankcrupt if we (owners of the Em5) stay with the first generation. But the market is developing and thus it is needful to bring out a refresh version (wifi, bigger EVF…) to attract more users outside the m4/3 world and keep the peace with competition. The biggest revenues come from lenses anyway.
All true.
Wihoooooo…..same old expensive not so good camera with tiny sensor. M43 is rocking.
Wihooooo…. same old troll with her not so good punchlines.
Viezevure, you rock. Please tell us more about your thoughts on photography. We all admire you and your witty comments. Tell us about your fantastic camera equipment that makes you spend more time trolling here than taking fabulous pictures that it obviously should.
Don’t blame him, it’s the ecstasy moment of the day… hahaha… Squeezy, Viezevure… whatever the name… real cowards don’t show real names nor pictures. Sad man, sad life, nonsense posts. Tell us, in your math is Foveon tiny too?? “If not ff I cannot take a picture…” hahahahaha…. you moron!!!
He uses Nikon 1 (ironic, I know), but he’s afraid to share what his daily camera is.
Right SD? I mean Veizwhatevernameyou’reusingatthispost
Look, there are better websites to try and pull some poofs. Just try googling for some of the (rather disgusting) things you look for.
I’m sure you’re familiar with all of them, but remember this is a camera site. Remember cameras SD?
Try reading it again, you may even understand some of it. Disgusting and thick as a brush, my my.
Back on your favorite subject. If only it were cameras.
I don’t have a camera. Just a really big sensor. Who needs a camera?
It’s good you have a sensor since you have no sense.
Attention trolling detected!
They need a successor for the m5 for sure, to be able to compete with Sony A7 and A6000.
The new technology should be improved color rendering in dimly lit scenes. Just compare it to Canon G1X…
Also Olympus should vastly improve on features and ease of use in the software department. Just try panorama and easy HDR.
Anyhow, I’m considering swapping camera platform to Sony A7 because of full frame and much more pixels for large prints, before summer vacation next year…
M43 never can compete with APSC or FF. The world nows it. Only M43 fanboys and girls keep the dream alive.
Of course not, thankfully that hardly matters. Gear heads and trolls will never compete with working photographers either. Ironic that.
Yes, any day now m4/3 will be going away. Just as you have been saying for years now. The failure of m4/3 why more comapnies are putting out cameras in that mount. Well, if that’s your measure of failure, then you would be correct. You are not. Try using a camera for more than a door stop.
Oh, wait a minute, we’re talking about cameras? I thought this was a male enhancement site…
That explains why you are so concerned with size.
I will try the A7 soon, a camera with both plusses and minusses. But its a mirrorless and quite compact. Just need to give up on the compact mft glass.
I posted the following on one of the previous threads, I can’t help but adding my 2 cents. (You get what you pay for!) Cameras today are like computers of 10 years ago. They are evolving fast. Manufactures are continuously, and will continue to leap frog each other and look for their own little nitch in which to generate revenue. You can look at game boxes as an example. When Nintendo came out with the Wii, they knew it wouldn’t do any good to try and compete with Sony & MS on processing power. So they came up with their motion sensor controller and hit a home run. If I could have the current EM-1 with a sensor size and resolution of either the top Nikon, Canon, or even the new Sony mirrorless, that would be my ideal camera, but every design comes with tradeoffs. It’s just a matter of what’s best for you or I. I absolutely love what Sony did with their full frame in a mirrorless camera, and it was a tough call for me, but it still wasn’t my first choice.
—–Previous post—-
I recently purchased the OM-1 and I can tell you I love it! My other
half shoots with a Canon 5DIII (Note FF, 135, whatever terminology you
want to use). I’ve used it and I process pictures for both cameras.
That camera is hands down better than the OM-1 when it comes to
resolution and low light shooting. But that alone doesn’t make it a
better camera for me and the kind of shooting I do. The thing is
mammoth in size and weight comparably. I recently took a cog railroad
ride up to the top of Pike’s Peak and got some pretty cool pics hand
holding with just the plain all-in-one lens (28-300 equivalent) out the
window with one hand while the train was moving. Sure, it didn’t
produce the kind of picture I’d publish but I wouldn’t even attempt
something like that with the Canon 5DIII, or even her old 50D which she
gave me (which I never use anymore because the OM-1 does better pics
anyway). Pick the camera that’s best for you!
BUT WHAT I WISH FOR… Higher resolution (more MPix if even still at the same sensor size, …but larger sensor would be nice if lenses can be reused), and better low light capability.
Give
me that and I’d trade in my 2 month old OM-1 for whatever they come out
with. As far as I’m concerned, for my photography needs and active
life style (and to satisfy the technology geek inside), the Canon 5DIII
can’t hold a candle to the the OM-1 in terms of versatility (light
weight, available live features, & usability). Canon & Nikon
better wake up and smell the coffee and take mirrorless seriously.
Hopefully they head the warning shots that Sony just fired across their
bows!
You just spent a large sum of money on a camera and then admitted that if something better came along with a better sensor in that body size you would sell it two months later. You just negated the point you were trying to make. In the back of your mind, you really don’t think your camera is good enough.
Yeah, usability and “live features”. Nice try, but quit booze, you are too old.
The OM-1 is a 40 year old film body.
you want an E-M1 with a bigger sensor? Just wait untill Sony improves on their A7 and includes IBIS plus some more refinements like EVF tuning and touch screen…you wil lose the the mft lens connectivity but will gain an arsenal to 24×36 lenses. Just choose.
Actually I am looking forward to new models.
Technology is always moving forward and there are a few areas that m4/3 mounts need improving.
The new Sony sensors have done wonders in other mounts and (if used) expect to have a good leap in IQ. Tracking AF is another area where improvements can be made. For Olympus cameras, video is always a topic, frame rates and codec can be improved.
No need to be so negative, just enjoy the ride.
OFF Topic
My favorite cameras for usability, ability and versatility mid 2014
By Steve Huff
http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2014/07/14/my-favorite-cameras-for-usability-ability-and-versatility-mid-2014/
3 firmware updates I’d like to see all m43 cameras get:
1) high resolution sweep panorama
2) hyperfocal distance scale
3) golden mean frame lines
#2 would be really useful, and presumably the camera has all the information needed to provide a digital focus distance scale as on old lenses. It would make fly-by-wire manual focusing a much more useful and pleasant experience than just having the mountain and flower pic on my GX1.
I actually really enjoy manual focusing, but I feel like legacy lenses are always going to be better for that. Now to see about a camera with focus peaking…
olympus have too many bodies, they are being dumped on the market at the moment; they need to cut their range down and just include an EVF, tilt screen, decent video and built in flash on ALL models -sony can do this and still be smaller and pana have more features than oly in the GM1 and are also smaller: Where’s the Trip Olympus?
Now this news is going to rankle every FF troll’s bones to the core, for sure.
is that femoral pain that i’m experiencing?
Hey Viezewhattafok! Please go to imaging-resource website, grab a m43 and an aps-c camera and show us the difference you suggest. You can attach a picture here.
It’s probably an onset of gout and athritis. One of the perks of being old, Mr Vivazure.
I feel sorry for those guys…
Hey,
I am always interested in the progression of the system as I use m43rds as my primary shooting system…
Of course, I dont have to buy it, just as i couldnt justify the E-M1 as I dont shoot much fast action, but show me a compelling reason and I will buy. Simple as that.
There are allways new customers. And new unexperienced customers want to buy newest cameras. It is that simple.
New Olympus camera? With the same lame video capabilities? What is the point? Looks like Olympus can’t understand the fact that today cameras are as much about video as about pictures.
Strangely, most camera users produce images mostly, and usually the quality of images by far exceeds the quality of video in terms of content, composition etc. Your remark is therefore pretty wrong.
Video is overrated and to produce a good video a camera with good video capabilities is by far not enough. More preparation, equipment and usually assistance is needed to produce good video that is presentable. For the usual YouTube crap a simple smartphone is enough.
You may be right, but I think you may underestimate the market for people who use video. This hurts Olympus tremendously. Why?
The company has the best stabilization out there and for video that is gold and
combine this with some amazing lenses suitable for video, the 12mm, 25mm, 45mm are just fantastic.
Even if you do not use video, we all would benefit.
The bigger the tent the better for all of us.
I don’t think that I underestimate video. The video market is simply not as big as the stills market. Olympus has to make a decision, obviously. Either prioritize video or stills. It is obvious that Panasonic sees video more important and as such it hasn’t implemented IBIS in the GH4, because that would have compromised video. Olympus has done the decision the other way round, it sees stills more important and therefore puts its weight on still image quality and thus IBIS.
Olympus has to judge, if the efforts for the development of a certain feature is matched by the market demand. And within m4/3 there is probably not enough demand to have two flagship cameras optimized for video, or to put it in another way, there is more market potential for Olympus,mif it optimized its flagship product for stills. To both with not compromise is obviously not possible.
The up to now huge success of the OMDs (in comparison to the GH3) proves Olympus’ strategy to be right, I think. Neglecting the stills aspect would have hurt Olympus more, because it would need to share the same (hybrid) market with Panasonic (and leave the stills market to others).
I was not suggesting that Olympus should priorities video over still.
Most of us have no expectations of getting 4K all-in 200 Mbps codec.
What I do not understand is why Olympus can not “chew gum and walk” at the same time. How does having 25P (PAL) standard video degrades your still quality?? Is it a zero sum game?
The sensors and processors on its new cameras should be powerful enough to compete with even the cheapest p&s which have better video codecs and standards.
Is the still pictures on the GX7 worse than the EM-5 because it has decent video?
I own 4 Olympus glass (12,25,45,150), love them but as Panny does not have IBIS, its not ideal. The Olympus video is not good enough and every time I use it indoor with artificial light, it looks like am at a discothèque.
Olympus simply decided to put the least effort on video, because it did not see its market share to warrant the required development effort and testing. Why not? Video wasn’t at their agenda, it is not that important as many claim, why waste development effort, if can’t get enough return for it?
I can fully understand that decision. Fuji has probably worse video quality and capability and nobody complains that. Olympus does not see itself currently in the video domain, nor does Leica. Does anybody really complain in the case of Leica? Does really every photographer need a hybrid equipment even if he does not shoot video?
Olympus eventually will improve its video capabilities, but probably only, if it is not at the expense of its still qualities. I think that is a good and solid strategy completely backed by its customer base.
//I think that is a good and solid strategy completely backed by its customer base//
Well, obviously you count yourself as complete customer base behind Olympus, and that is why you’re wrong. Loads of people don’t share your vision, and loads of potential video orientated clients look somewhere else, and not at Olympus. Don’t care about them? Well, that’s self-destroying business philosophy.
If there wouldn’t be loads of people, who think like me, the Olympus bodies would not sell successfully. But obviously they do very well. That simple fact proves my point.
As I said technically it seems currently not possible to have everything in one package right now: 4K video, video with the best codecs, best sensor stabilization technology, best view finders, and so on.
Olympus put together the components, which are best for stills, and the ones, which are possible for video under these circumstances and what is backed by development budget. I see nothing wrong with that. It would be wrong, if the products don’t sell. Again, they do, so it seems that video is not as in demand as some loud speakers here claim.
On the other hand, there are apparently enough people, who shoot video and stills, so that a hybrid camera like the GH4 is also successful. That is fine too.
The additional market potential is probably too small for Olympus to have changed its current product philosophy. I don’t think that Panasonic is the only significant player in the hybrid camera market because the others can’t do it, but because the real demand isn’t enough. However, since demand will be slowly created by the marketing people analog to WIFI, high quality video will trickle into every camera eventually.
By the way the video output of the E-M1 is good enough for the majority of hobbyist and occasional video shooters and has the advantage to have stabilized output.
Olympus could use video as a differentiation feature. Pen for pure photographers with minimum video controls, and OMD for photographers who want more serious video features. Maybe the high end OMD could be like the GH4, while the entry level OMD would be like the G6. I use Panasonic as examples because right now Olympus product lines are not as clear as Panasonic’s. The EPL5 and EP5 for example could have been an upgrade of the same product.