Bloomberg and Toyo Keizai interviewed Olympus Ceo Hiroyuki Sasa.
– Mirrorless market will growth particularly in the premium segment.
– Also Europe and North America mirrorless market is expected to grow. And OMD models did well.
– Olympus was mainly a compact camera producer and Olympus is now shifting to mirrorless system cameras. Low price models have been reduced
– Olympus expected a break-even last year but PEN sales were lower than expected. And Olympus also had delay in shipments (example for the E-M10).
– The camera unit will probably have operating profit of 5 billion yen in the 12 months starting April 2015, after a loss of 3.5 billion yen expected in the current fiscal year.
– Olympus targets to sell 630,000 units of mirrorless cameras this year, 24 percent higher than the previous 12-month period. Sales of compact cameras are expected to plunge to 1 million units this year from 2.71 million units a year earlier
– Olympus plans to focus their camera business also on new markets like vehicle cameras and of course medical business
– Olympus will never stop the digital camera business because it also influences technology development in other business (like the medical).
In short: More premium cameras to come and break even expected for the current fiscal year. Looks good if they can really achieve the goals!
123 Responses
They need to sort out their supply chain in Europe. They are launching products, getting rave reviews, but there are no supplies immediately available. By the time supplies become available the “next big thing” has been launched and so dealers have to give big discounts to clear the suddenly-available stock, So customers lose confidence because of the falling prices.
One of the more desperate marketing strategies is to create a false sense of scarcity during initial launch but the reality will eventually prevail and they end up with large quantities in stock, selling them at discount prices and devaluing their brand, essentially conditioning the customers to wait for discount. I think there are just too many new releases with short life cycles – they should simply streamline the company and slow down a bit – which is not easy when you have bean counters breathing down your neck.
And they should start to improve their firmware policy. Do it like FUJI and create some customer sattisfaction!
Agree.
Could this be a solution: If they could implement really big improvents but avoid doing it because they want us to buy new cameras, they could offer major firmware updates for 20 $ or so. Only for the real big deals, not for bugfixes or stuff like that. I really would them to act like Fuji, but I don’t see this until now…let’s hope the best.
I personally want to chance my system from Nikon to s.th. new at the moment. And this whole topic about firmware updates is one big reason why Fuji might be my choice.
They probably have (had) too many models on the market and on the go (processors, systems) to keep up FW developpment. Now they are reducing the line, and if they plan on keeping their cameras for 2 or 3 years (adding more delay between 2 models release), they’ll need to give FW upgrades to keep the product competitive and maintain sales for a bit longer…
Panasonic should do the same as far as firmware upgrades go.
Panasonic did a great job updating the GH1 and GH2 with firmware updates. Same goes for the LX3/5. But it seems like that has stopped now.
Actually, this is the one thing that makes the most sense. They seem to be supporting the E-M5 and E-P5 deeper into their product life cycles, so maybe they are going to do this.
WIth the OM-D line, I think they have a pretty solid lineup. Now they just need to up their chips capability (24MP, 4k video or 120fps 1080p are what I would like) before they launch a mkII for each OM-D.
Until said new cameras, the only way you will get my money is premium lenses that are equal or surpass the PanLeica lenses.
Until said new cameras, the only way you will get my money is premium lenses that are equal or surpass the PanLeica lenses.
Hardly think you can say that when the much vaunted 25 1.4 is no better than Oly’s premium lenses and yes I do have and use it occasionally, it is not good enough to use it as an always fitted lens.
Huh? Did I say the 25mm f1.8 Oly wasn’t? And choosing which 25mm is really a hard decision…
I was just saying that as long as lenses are competitive, I’ll buy them (albeit slowly due to budget constraints). I’m looking at a 25mm, 15mm, 45mm, 60mm and long zoom at the moment. Not sure which I am buying first….
Yeah, Oly needs to work on their video. If Oly could basically just take the vid quality and options of the GX7 and put that into their cameras yet also retain their IBIS, they’d have some solid video. 4K is likely far off for them, though it would be nice to see it in an EM-1 successor.
Yes well, updating the chips is ‘as cheap as chips!”, NOT. Just because Nikon has 24MP sensors it doesn’t mean 4/3’s sensors should go the same amount as the Nikon APS-C sensor at that density is somewhere close to what the 4/3’s 16MP sensors are approximately. However, the next generation of cameras might see something new perhaps, maybe.
Premium Pen with inbuilt viewfinder?
Premium video standards?
Premium 35mm?
Premium UWA prime?
Premium fixed lens m43?
Premium tele prime?
Hope so!
Premium Pen that Won’t Sell? The PEN series is dead, as this next camera will prove.
Video? Lol! Good luck with that.
Anything Premium from Olympus aside from it saying “OMD” will sit on store shelves, collecting dust and will only stack up in Olympus storerooms, unmoving.
The only thing coming from Olympus is chapter 11 or something.
You have to be pretty stupid to intentionally want a monopoly, if companies like olympus start to dissapear there won’t be any competition and by consequence there’ll be no innovation. Guess who invented all those nifty features in your canon ike live view ? Olympus, same goes for IBIS, auto sensor cleaning, mirrorless would still be in its infancy if it wasn’t for Oly (and Pany) inventing m4/3, hell, mirrorless might have never happened if it was up to Canikon.
And do you know why it sits on the shelves ? Because they do not listen to their customers !
If they brought us a premium rangefinder camera (with a builtin viewfinder) it would raise PEN sales by a visible margin …
Just making that camera won’t be good enough though. It would have to be priced with a lens at no more than $600 to compete with entry level DSLR prices. Next, the marketing battle/product placement battle would have to be waged. Not sure Oly can do this, but it is what they need to do for the PEN to be successful.
So their camera division is a loss leader to drive sales to other divisions? Ummm…. OK
This guy is a freaking Broken Record, he spews the same Crap, Every. YEAR.
Then, PR steps in a week later to correct him. This is a joke that’s not even funny. I Love the way Olympus and Sony spin “Operating Profit”. It’s not really profit. It’s money you put back into the company, so you can continue to make product! Where’s the “Profit” in that?
Saying they’ll never stop digital is basically saying, “we’re not selling off the digital camera division, so you have to buy ALL of Olympus if you want it.”
He’s a liar. He Expected Olympus to Profit last year from sales of the EM1, not “Break Even”. Lies. He always expects to make a profit EVERY fiscal year, yet they lose even more money.
Somebody just buy Olympus already and get rid of this guy… he’s a Joke. Canon should just buy Olympus, get rid of the name and be done with it.
How old are you? Please, satiate my curiosity.
The only broken record on this blog is MrsAllHotAir…..
wow, you sound like he killed your familiy ? are you on drugs or something ?
So his message doesn’t change every year. You’d almost start to suspect he’s a bit reliable. So you hate them for not making enough profit. Yeah, such a shame. So you hate them for not selling their camera division. Well… So he’s a liar because his expectations didn’t come true. OK. Sounds like your life is pretty hard, with all these people and situations daring to defy your demands.
Who said anything about Hate? I don’t Like Olympus, but I don’t hate them. Now the Olympus Fanboy? Oh, I hate them, very much so…
As for my life, it’s none of your concern to be guessing, but here’s a hint: it’s kinda allright.
LOL!
Not true. You would not be here raging all the time.
Then my very concerning guess would be that the keyword here is ‘kinda’?
Why do you hate olympus “fanboys”?
Did they do something to you personally? You do realize that hating fellow enthusiasts is probably even worse (and less rational) than hating a corporation (that also did nothing to you).
The most telling thing is that you never said anything about panasonic fanboys or the phenomenon of naturally identifying with one brand over another.
All this hate is actually stemming from your own self-loathing – because you are the worst offender of a fanboy this site has ever seen.
Not only did the overall message not change, neither did the specifics ;~). 630k units, 5b yen profit are numbers we’ve heard from him before. One of them three times now.
One tricky part of his numbers is that Olympus has 250k m4/3 units in inventory by their own admission at the end of the last fiscal year. So he’s actually forecasting that they’ll make FEWER units this year (or else tolerate an insane level of inventory).
Tell that to the Blind followers up there please. The Truth Hurts and the refuse to hear it.
So they attack with puny name calling and disrespecting (at least trying to, lol) ones character.
They should take their beef and complaints to the Oly chairman.
but they won’t. . They love being fed LIES.
So ok, the guy is a liar (and all those gentle words you use).
Does it make Olympus cameras bad? Does this mean that those olympus lenses aren’t usuable anymmore?
What’s your point in this? What’s your aim?
Olympus has a recent history of being “one of the biggest and longest-running loss-hiding arrangements in Japanese corporate history” according to Forbes. The fact that they are giving dubious expectations certainly does not help their case. Another scandal would be certain to kill investor interest.
If Olympus dies, that would be because of corporate mismanagement and scandals, not because of their products.
> 630k units, 5b yen profit are numbers we’ve heard from him before. One of them three times now.
yes, since June 2012, this 5 billion operating income was the medium-term target for the fiscal year ending 2015; now this has changed to be the forecast for the fiscal year ending 2015 😉
I was wrong, 5b is now the target for FY ending March 2016
Yes, it’s tough to keep track of since it keeps moving ;~) I call this “the future that never gets here.” Basically they keep adding columns to their spreadsheets to push the future stuff out another year when reality sends them different data.
Canon x Olympus is like Stagnation x Innovation… doesn’t match.
If Olympus (imaging department) is going to be overtaken in the future then it will be definetely /could be only one big player….SONY! Maybe Sony have interests in order to buy Panasonic as well (to be the ultimative video leader!) They have already a corporation and invest in Oly stocks for sensor and some patents (sensors for oly and using rights of IBIS and other patents for sony)….
So the question is which format or company will be dead?
M43 vs. APS-C vs. FF or Fuji vs. Pana vs. Oly vs. Pentax (Ricoh) …..
If the new Medium format camer 645Z will be no succes, pentax(ricoh) has a problem….bye bye…my opinion
Sony, Canon and Nikon are too strong and too big to fail just my opinion (dominating pros, sport photographers/wildlife/commercial/fine art, accesories/ flash market etc…….
I dont think that every format and all of the companies will be still existing in 5 years……
I guess Pentax and Oly……say goodbye….especially sadly for Oly due to extremely mismanagment, fraud etc as well as not listening eneough to customers satisfication, less effort on improve video, including no lens hoods for free as usually common, customer rentention, need too much time for their tele, uww pro lens…..and overpriced products….price policy is ridiculous but the customers have to pay for the mismanagment and fraud issues….unbelievable…..;)
all premium lens should have been already weather sealed and less kit zooms how many do we need? Are they still countable?…….
one (u)ww, one standard and one tele…no more…..
Sorry, Buddy.. Panasonic is a Larger company than Sony.
I totally agree with you. I look forward for the time in few months from now where these buffons will close shop and we will celebrate the superiority of true men brands. I hope the wardens will let me leave my room for that day.
http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-18/olympus-expects-camera-unit-to-return-to-profit-next-year.html
Proof that this guy is full of it.
Olympus is only bleeding out…
good news, more premium products !
Yeah, those $1800 ultra-wide 7-14mms should FLY off the shelves. NOT.
And Panny is fine with their 1600$ 42.5mm and there rumored >2000$ 150mm F2.8?
I think Panny and Oly (after they released their trinity version) should concentrate on small lenses with high optical quality like the 15mm (if it proves to be good), 20mm, Oly 25mm, Oly 45mm and zooms like the 12-32. and they should be priced in a similar range as these lenses (prossible problem with the 15mm).
I doubt their affordable prime will ever go past 1.8. Yes they should add more affordable primes but premium lens are not bad either. If its just one premium lens a year they can swallow the R&D costs well.
I would be very happy with 1.4 primes… Pana/Oly doesn´t matter who makes them at around 600-1000 EUR like the Sigma Art lenses for FF.
More 1.4 primes would be great. Hey, throw in some 1.2 primes as well. Oly lenses are great, just keep them small and light 🙂
i have the 7-14/FT and would happily buy the 7-14/mFT as soon as it´s available !
Yes please! Refresh the whole line with weather sealing, aperture rings, manual focus clutch and useable distance markings! And 1.2, if they can stay relatively small and light.
So, OMD line only. Good. Lets get some ultrafast PRO primes.
I’d love to see some Oly f/1.0 lenses!
With that tiny puny sensor that would be equivalent f/11 in RBFF (Really Big Full Frame) !!!
Another overpriced toy for fools! LOL, ROFL, idiots ! HAHAHA
Ha, you’re funny 🙂
From this story, previous interviews, and the rumor that only a single new Pen is coming, it sounds like the end of the Pen line. I don’t understand the thinking there. Why can’t they grasp the idea that consumers want a premium Pen with EVF, weather sealing and other “prosumer” features?
Just look at Fuji! Their entire X system success was built around rangefinder style high end models. The top of the line is the closest thing to a real rangefinder. Did they say that they’d only build rangefinder style cameras because cameras with humps in the middle that look like DSLRs are not premium? No. They built one of those too and it seems to be pretty well received.
Olympus’ autofocus speed is still miles ahead of Fuji. But their deaf ear to customers is a real missed opportunity. I don’t see myself leaving M43 any time soon, but suspect that there’s an XPro2 in my future. That “premium” purchase could have been yours, Oly.
I am more worried about their one-dimensional thinking. I appreciate their innovations but this is no longer just about image or build quality. Yet they keep churning out new models that people don’t buy. When was the last time the whole workflow of taking and sharing a photograph got simplified? Where’s the seamless connectivity, uploading photos to cloud storage via WiFi etc? Why do people opt for phone + Facebook when they’re on holiday? Why do they use shitty Instagram filters instead of camera RAW? This is something they need to address if they hope to sell it to masses.
I’m
more worried about their one-dimensional thinking of what constitutes a
camera. They’re trying to perfect a typewriter in a world in which
everybody uses word processors. When was the last time the whole
workflow of taking and sharing a photo got simplified? Where’s
_seamless_ connectivity, photo sharing, upload to cloud, etc.? Why do masses opt for phone + Facebook on their holiday? Why do they use lo-fi Instagram filters instead of RAW? This is the big question if they want to sell cameras to masses. Enthusiasts like us are only a tiny percentage of the whole spectrum.
Maybe because those ‘masses’ only care for taking pictures and not doing photography?
Google “rhetorical question” 😉
Does it invalidate the point ? (bis 😉 )
There is likely a good number of people that would be happy to use a camera with better IQ than their phones but they don’t simply because the workflow is far from seamless like it is on a phone.
Does Samsung’s android camera sale well (Samsung Galaxy Camera)? The first model wasn’t a success. Maybe the second one will be (hope for them), but for 450€ and despite its real advantages (16Mp BSI, 21x optical zoom, dropbox sync, etc.), all convenient it’ll be, it will lack one important thing compared to a smartphone: you won’t replace your smartphone with it.
I believe that the real reason is that “masses” always have they phone with them. They don’t need to think “will I need/use a camera today?”.
Leica gets bashed here on price and as a rich kid toy, but the new T may be the best phone style camera yet: the app like UI seems like one of those obvious things that only became obvious now that someone got it right. What they SHOULD have done was to include a cellular option, a cloud service and easy sharing to all of the social networks. That would have been even bolder, but the T still looks like a remarkably modern and pretty radical new type of camera to appeal to a generation raised on phoneography.
Just so you know, there’s a rumour that Leica is planning a cloud service for photos. So the Leica line might become cyber in the next few years, with built-in GPS, wireless and auto-uploading to the Leica server.
As an aside, I have a feeling the T is mainly a concept test for the next M. The T body is almost the same size as an M — I am betting they are testing the engineering on the cheaper T to mill the next M out of aluminium billet, which will give a more solid camera at the same size as the older films cameras.
Show me a photographer who doesn’t want to streamline his workflow and I’ll show you someone who knows nothing about computers, technology, or how much of his time is wasted using 10-year-old technology.
Hell, give me a camera with a simple, RELIABLE bluetooth transmitter and I can instantly shave 10 minutes off my daily workflow. Let me play with that capability for a few days, and I bet I can shave another 20.
Camera makers are still thinking in terms of their film equivalents, and not taking advantage of the massive advantages that digital allows.
Agreed. The masses will be happy with ever improving phone cameras. So emphasis on super serving enthusiasts willing to pay a premium for something better seems smart. But the Pen thinking has not evolved. It is still a great mid level camera, but phones have obliterated the bottom tier and are eating into the mid level, I believe. Only the high end is safe, albeit, shrinking as well. But a high end Pen would have appeal.
Only 1 new PEN can also mean that they are reorganizing the lineup more fundamentally. PENs were always designed with the assumption that there’s a rather huge market for entry level cameras with limited feature sets. Since that didn’t work out, Oly needs to rethink the PENs. E-PL7 is the upgrade for people that have liked the form factor so far, but it’s a rather minor iteration and simply to assure buyers that Oly isn’t completely giving up on the segment. A high-end PEN might be coming, but it simply needs more time. Putting a EVF and weather-sealing on a PEN means shrinking the body even more. Additionally, Oly might want to wait for a next-generation sensor
I like your glass is half full viewpoint and hope that a major rethink of the Pen line is coming, but still think that they’re late in that realization, if they’re even doing something at all. Maybe all the talk focusing on OMD is a Steve Jobs style misdirect to maintain secrecy. But I’m a little skeptical.
Yes, that is sensible. Note that there is nothing wrong with the PL line, except that they might have a shorter shutter life.
Thefreal trouble is that there is less and less demand for cameras in general. therefore everybody is moving towards the pros’ last ditch.
Succes? What succes? At the moment Fujifilm is a rounding error in the total camera market. They don’t make profit, They don’t gain market share.
Note to Olympus- EVERY camera manufacturer is doing the same thing. How about defining exactly who this “premium” market is. If you want to charge premium prices than offer something truly premium. Sony, Fuji, Olympus…all going after that shrinking premium market but doing the same rapid fire product releases with minimal upgrades. Unless your going to pair that statement with confirmation of new non-bayer, non-CMOS sensor technology I find these statements to be of little use. Your simply confirming what we already know- there’s no more money to be made in the low end market- IPAD’s and cellphones have already taken over.
Want to dominate? Easy- be the first to truly offer new sensor technology. Maybe even stacked sensors with higher resolution and a significant increase in DR and low noise. Show the competition that micro four thirds sensor technology isn’t subject to the trickle down effect. Show the competition that Olympus can offer consumers newer state of the art imaging technology before the competition.
While I agree, and I’m sure Oly would love to be the first to market with a brand new sesnor technological breakthrough, I don’t think they actually make the sensors that are in their camera. Pretty sure my EM-10 has either a Sony or Panasonic made sensor in it. Not sure how much control Oly has on its development, though they could likely be working hand in hand with the manufacturers, but who knows.
Olympus’ sensors are from Sony and Panasonic, both of which are developping organic sensor. Unless Olympus also does the same, they will have to buy it from someone else which pretty much guarantess that they will be behind the pack regarding sensor technology for some time.
Graphene sensor tech. is promising. Supposedly cheaper than CMOS sensor production. Also, a few months ago we saw a thread on here about Olympus patenting new sensor technology. It can be done- they have the capability.
last money grab for a company about to go bankrupt
whatever blurb he’s saying: the m43s standard has come a long way. I started with G3, EPL5, and now gm1. the olympus lenses are AMAZING. the 45 is a steal. the 60mm BEAUTIFUL. the 12mm supercrisp. currently waiting for a new generation in sensors. oly seems to have an edge in stills and pana definitely in video. oly teamed up with sony so they can be excpected using latest sensor technology. their bodies are gems, fast solid and nice to handle. (panasonic menues much more digestable by the way).
What does it say that the CEO doesn’t quite know how to hold a camera? Looks like he should be selling iPhones instead.
He could be using the screen on the back and he just has bad eyesight
Do you know how to hold a camera? I hold my E-M5 in dozens of ways – IBIS allows that and also my whim 🙂
Photo & Poetry
http://amalric2014.blogspot.it/
And looking, or trying to look, through an EVF with your face six inches behind it.
Yes, I know this was all for media purposes but it does look rather odd.
I can teach you if you pay me LOL even a blog you have.
Yes, and it doesn’t need trollls, thank you
If they add 1080/50p video I will seriously consider an olympus in stead of Panasonic as my next camera.
You don’t really need 50p to avoid flicker (if you need it for that), you can you 30p but set shutter speed to 1/50s – Olympus allows that.
The E-m10 launch could have gone much smoother. Either it being marketing ploy to restrict stock or an actual manufacturing shortage, they dropped the ball.
Panasonic isn’t much better. Seeing the GX7 go from $749 to $998 overnight in April made me wonder if both of these companies are being run by inebriated egotists.
You noticed that price change too, I thought it was just me. What happened ?
end of rebate.
I hope they keep the retro look, the cameras look great!! But I bet they will release a DSLR style body at some point!!
“At some point?” I don’t understand. The EM1 has been out for months now. It’s the DSLR body that Sony and Fuji have ardently copying.
Another mirrorless camera maker aiming for the “premium market” high price and high margins but lower sales volumes; they can’t all go that way: what about all the normal buyers left behind? can we have something new for us as well please?
You are aware that most m4/3 products of Olympus weren’t for a premium market yet, aren’t you? So you already got plenty to choose one, including the stellar bargain of the 1.8/45mm.
Come back again, once you have something substantial to say.
They currently have tonnes of low priced items but buyers like you aren’t buying. Which is why they have to move upstream. If you’re not buying — isn’t that why you’re here? — then stop whining just for the sake of moaning.
I routinely see kit zoom equipped EPLs (previous generation) selling for US$199 and Panny G5s for $299. At those prices, the IQ and performance are an extraordinary value for bargain hunters. And the ho hum forthcoming 7 will be there for anyone wanting a little better performance for a step up in price and won’t actually be “ho hum” to new users or anyone not wanting to spend for EM1 performance and build. But premium build and speed can only climb so much higher. They’re already exceeding many users’ needs. M43 is also in need of a big sensor tech leap which seems slow to come. The Panasonic-Fuji “organic sensor” sounds promising, as does Panny’s high Rez light field work. But all of that could be a long time coming.
Olympus could try focussing on not committing massive corporate fraud. Once they’ve managed that, they can get to work on saving the sinking ship known is Minuscule Four Thirds (Minuscule, blotchy sensors, that is; not so minuscule prices or camera size).
Or dial 1-800-get-a-life for armchair warrior anger management.
Just not forget to focus on the video side of the PREMIUM mirrorless models which is shamefully undeveloped in Olys so far.
Premium market. High margin market.
I buy a Rolex, I expect it to hold a little value. Ditto with a Leica or most other luxury rich boy toys. In short, there is a secondary market for true premium used products, even CPO BMWs.
There’s not much of a secondary market for 3 year old Olympi. Heck, Olympus ruins its own brand by slashing prices within an amoeba’s generation after product launch. Retained residual value is nowhere to be found.
Because Olympus holds little pricing power. It’s former products are soon in the remaindered book pile as you walk out of Barnes & Nobles. Because they are not luxury products, they are mass produced consumer toys just like every other camera manufacturer but one.
There is a difference between premium products and luxury fashion items like Leica. The former are just good, without too many corners cut, and the latter are overpriced crap.
There is terrific depreciation on digital Leicas. They are not worth much after a couple of years. The analog lenses keep their value, but they are totally mechanical. It makes more economic sense to buy a mass-produced camera and periodically replace it.
Would like Olympus to add a silent/electronic shutter mode similar to what Panasonic already has in their cameras. I think this is a great feature that’s highly undervalued.
Bounce-able flash and the silent shutter are key Gx7 perks.
For now, they should look at firmware updates that can improve existing models, marketing and servicing. That would build value in the current owner base.
Indeed. But the rumor reported on this site is that they deliberately did not enhance previous Pens to help differentiate the forthcoming 7. Not cool, if true.
Olympus already has quite a few great lens and the IBIS is excellent. To attract the other systems’ users, having some break through in the senor area, e.g. 3-layer, organic sensor, might be the key for the next products.
I think they should minimise their camera range to two OMD models (EM10 and EM1) and one PEN model in-between (EPL7). All three at +$600 price points.
The lower end should just be filled with 1″ sensor zooms and fixed lens m43 cameras. I have the 15mm f8 stuck on my PEN EPM1 and it’s superb. If Olympus came out with similar-sized fixed lens compacts at 28mm, 35mm and 50mm TRIP-D equivalents I think they won’t need lower end Pens anymore.
“15mm f8 stuck on my PEN EPM1 and it’s superb” – so is my jar cover, if not better,
Yawn.
I let them focus on what they like. I will focus on buying a Pentax, in spite of having about 15 FT and MFT lenses. Not making a DSLR and trying to charge a more than exorbitant price for the E-M1 with its outrageously weak high-ISO capacity must be punished – and will be punished. Hardly only by me.
Thats fine because Pentax needs all the support it can get to survive.
If you think Pentax lenses are fairly priced, then by all means…
What will you do next? Punish Pentax, too?
The two will complement each other – just like mFT could complement FT and not kill it. Pentax lenses, while not cheap, are much
more fairly priced. For example the 50mm 1.8, one of the best
performers, costs €130. I need that one anyway – this focal distance is not covered by a mFT prime.
Pentax is by no means a joke, I tried a couple and owned a couple of Ricoh and they are very competent. You see they are good when you shoot 2000 pics in two days and cannot rely on a toy.
Oly will go down if they stick with the expensive small sensor toys. Nobody is going to buy this in the future. They can not compete with 1 inch point and shoot and much better cheaper APSC or FF.
Unless and until mirrorless APS-C can come out with lenses at 46mm filter diameter throughout 90% of the range, I don’t see how your words are anything other than the predictions of a clueless idiot.
samsung Nx:
pancakes 16/20/30/45 = 43mm filter
24mm, 30mm, 45mm & 67mm = 90%. Great news for APS-C then.
Cool news!
It is futile to compete in low end if you are not a huge company. It hard to explain why anybody would buy your camera beside same speced Canikon.
IMO 1year after they release the two pro zooms due today they will work on super fast and sharp premium primes. Like the f1.0 the had patented.
By then we might see a base iso 100 sensor with one stop more performance and 24MP.
Bad news is I dont know how I will save up fo the upcoming GAS
There is a huge amount of information in a well exposed raw file that can be pulled out and used by today’s software. More than enough to create superb images. If sensor size is all important save up and buy a phase 1 back. No doubt the images can be blown up to wall size with no noise and the most subtle tones. Artists can work in illustrated books or murals. Etchings or lithographs with limited range or hyper realistic paintings. Great painters strive for economy. What does sensor size have to do with the art of photography. Is William Klein less of a photographer because he works in a graphic style? A FF camera is still a toy in the hands of a tyro.
The thing is, 135 is cheaper, with equivalent lenses. Since “Great painters strive for economy” (LOL), they will buy 135 then, right?
good one – should have said “economy of means” Its as much about what you leave out.
The camera is out of focus, and that is where my eye goes when I watch this photo. Probably an amateur using a 135 camera. Excellent publicity for an ailing camera maker.
This picture was taken with a tiny sensor and a stupidly fast lens wide open, by a 6-years old called Brain.
And given the prices, I can do without.
Olympus, I couldn’t care less about the ‘premium’ market with it’s hang ups about names & labels or looking the part & please drop the silly PRO label. Just make a camera body with true backward compatibility that is tough & finally doesn’t lose eyecups or other bits like that cheap mode dial & locking button combination.The imaging world might than take you a little more seriously.