I will not sell my Olympus gear. Instead I bought a second EM1 III a few weeks ago. In the moment there is no alternative on the market in my opinion. My Sony A7 III with Sony 70-200mm f4 for example is bigger and more heavy than the EM1 III with Panasonic 35-100mm f2.8 lense. Together with a 12-45mm f4 in my jacket pocket, I have all I need for a long day walking around. But I don‘t expect a new „Olympus“ camera from JIP, that’s worth for me to buy. So I stick with what I have now. This will work for me for a while. And then we will see what will happen with camera market in the future. Maybe in 4-5 years there will be very different kind of cameras and lenses than we use today. But this are only my thoughts about this. Sorry for my english 🙂
Good commentary. For the foreseeable future, I'm sticking with my MFT kit (mostly Olympus but also a Panasonic body and some Lumix lenses) because it works well for me. I see no real alternative to MFT in terms of portability, which was the reason I made the switch from Canon (APS-C & FF) 3 years ago. But we'll see what happens. I wonder how Panasonic is going to react to all this, in terms of future plans for their MFT line-up. I am inclined to snap up a good deal on an E-M1 iii as some additional security in case one of my existing cameras breaks down (and won't be able to get it repaired). So yes, I am not too confident in a bright future for Olympus, though I sincerely hope they'll come up with a clever plan for future development of MFT cameras.
I am stick with MFT. I have both Olympus and Panasonic and just sold all my Canon full frame cameras and lens. There are many choices from both camera companies. I also do not need any new camera as my current equipments works well for me and no need to upgrade for a long time.
Many thanks Chris. Like you I shoot FF and M43, but it tends to be the Oly I actually prefer to use, not necessarily for the image quality, but the pleasure of using it.
I just acquired an em5 and em10mk2. Such good deals on eBay. If the EM5 took awesome pictures in 2012, it should still work in 2020 just fine! Enjoyed that!
I'm still working with my E-M1 II and I'm hoping to buy E-M1 III if I have the money, this transfer is not changing the way how the cameras work. They are still great.
Great summary and insight on what might happen to Olympus. I think of the JIP deal is like a parent (Olympus) having an adult child (Imaging Division) living in their basement and the parents are partially supporting. It is tough love for the parent to kick the adult child out so the child can either make it on his own or fail. Like I have heard it is a "new beginning" for the Imaging Division. I am staying with the system. I currently own the E-M1X, E-M1 MkIII and the Pen F. Plus most of the lenses that Olympus makes. So I am invested in the total system and really enjoy using it. At my age and income it would take me 10 years to get another system up to where I have MFT built up to. At my age I really don't have the time to do it again and I love what I have. MFT is still the best for travel photography. Anyhow, I enjoyed your video.
If you look at the advancements of 1 inch sensors, plus the advancements of computational photography, future smaller sensors can out perform the current full frame sensors, or make the full frame sensors irrelevant in picture quality and artistic creativity aspects. So APS-c, MFT, FF will be replaced by newer, smaller form factors regardless their current popularity. If you look at the digital imaging R&D, they are not going larger, but smaller. Camera manufactures are working hard to differentiate and compete with phone cameras, so they throw some FF on the market. But they all know the % of FF market is so so so tiny. On the other hand, phone cameras with tiny tiny sensors that combines with computational photography, wins the day. So going small instead of going big is the reality. How many consumers are buying medium format these days? Before worry about MFT, FF is the one should be worry.
You talk like only phone sensors will get better, this is complete nonsense. 1st of all i dont want take photos with a phone 2nd super small sensors can NEVER give the same results as bigger sensors, especially with low light and high iso behaviour.
castiel vargas I think you need to wake up and smell the coffee. Low light performance and high ISO is no longer a limit for small sensors. Phone cameras can’t replace dedicated cameras for creativity yet, but these large sensors BS got to end, as it is not scientifically correct. Sensor size does not limit its light gathering capability.
For matter of fact, Sony is making the MFT sensors in Olympus and Panasonic camera, as well as the highly successful 1 inch sensors in many brands. The technology in full frame, MFT, 1 inch and smaller sensors etc, are in general at the similar level, despite the technology level in smaller sensors are more advanced in order to improve their performance. In this industry, it is all about cost and sales. Full frame sensors are a lot more expensive to make and have higher defective rate. The market for full frame camera is so tiny and hardly any profit can be made. One of the reasons that camera manufacturers making full frame cameras is for marketing purposes, that is a money loosing business by the way. For general consumers, people care less about full frame, portability and “good enough” are more important. Once I get used to my MFT, Olympus by the way, I hardly can get my self to carry the Canon DSLR, the big greyish black slap of bulk turns me off by just looking at it.
@@andersistbesser You are correct, and the same is true for resolution. There are fundamental limits determined by the laws of physics. Far all optical instruments the relevant quantities are the wavelength of light, Planck's constant, and the charge on an electron, which are immovable goalposts, that unlike sensors and lenses, cannot be miniaturized. We must also abide by the mathematical principle of the Nyquist-Shannon sampling theorem.
I agree with most of the points made in this video except the mention of new cameras in the lower end of the market. There is no lower end of the market; the only hope of profit going forward in the camera market is to focus on the high end of the market. I believe MFT portion of the camera market will continue on successfully as it has no alternative competitors.
I certainly won't sell mine, if Olympus die, I'll keep taking photos wit my EM1-M2 and continuing to enjoy the quality and versatility of this equipment. Thank you for this eloquent chat.
I don't think there's any risk in it for existing Olympus or m43 users to buy cameras and gear if there are some good deals coming - I definitely plan on taking advantage of such deals should they come up in the next months. Why is there no risk? Because, like me, existing users are already invested in the system and can just complete/complement it (and use it for many years to come, no matter what happens). It would be silly to switch systems exactly now (it would've been a good deal some months ago, maybe end of last year), because many people would assume that you do so because you have no confidence in whatever comes out of the Olympus/JIP deal, and won't pay you a fair price. And then you would have to heavily invest (like, really put lots of money) in another system. And then there's Panasonic/Lumix, if everything else goes wrong. And used Olympus gear (cameras and lenses) from those switching systems anyway. But for professional users this could be really bad, if whateveritiscalledafterthedeal stops serving this niche market and concentrate on customers up to the "pro-sumer" level (and this is what I myself think is behind this deal).
If you were starting out without any system, would you choose Olympus now? I love my EM1mkii, and I have quite a few lenses, but I wouldn't choose Olympus now if I were starting a system. I think that would be dumb.
@@jonbarnard7186 I don't think it would be dumb. The nice thing about m43 is that it is not a lock-in to a certain manufacturer/brand. So, if one is attracted to a specific camera model and lens to start with, one can still supplement from another brand later if one brand goes out of business. If one is hoping for shiny new models in quick succession to change equipment constantly - yes, then it would be dumb to go into m43 at the moment. Nonetheless, the current state of affairs is going to hurt Olympus (and m43) badly.
@@c.augustin True. I won't disagree with that. The fact that m.four-thirds is an open system may save the format. But if I was going to start a new m. four-thirds system, I wouldn't bet on JIP. I would bet on Panasonic first, and hopefully they will continue making m. four-thirds camera bodies. I have no intention of dumping my Olympus equipment, but I can't see this change in ownership (and branding) helping sales of OMD cameras. A large part of the market for these expensive Olympus bodies is in fact the buyers "hoping for shiny new models in quick succession." Unfortunately, that's the market place now when it comes to high-end cameras like OMD. I can see JIP pushing the Pen line, and maybe even supporting R&D for Pen cameras, but they aren't doing this takeover to continue losing money. I suppose it's possible that JIP will invest in R&D for the OMD line, but are they really going to make a dent in the market, given the number of superb APC and F.F. options on the market for roughly the same money? If that were possible, wouldn't Olympus be hanging on to the line instead of doing whatever it is they're doing? In the long run, R&D will be necessary to compete (and ultimately to survive). JIP has no loyalty to OMD cameras, only to profit, and what they do will be determined by business decisions only. I think we have seen the last OMD body, but that's not going to stop me from using the ones I have.
@@jonbarnard7186 There might be another way forward - they might decide to drop the high end (E-M1) with its massive R&D costs, make the E-M5 line the "high end" model, and the E-M10 line the "entry level", with a Pen model as the "stylish" option. I agree that we might not be seeing great innovations the coming years, maybe some cooperation with Panasonic regarding a new sensor (it looks as if both companies already use the same basic sensor with company-specific additions) and sharing some tech they could both use to their mutual advantage. Let's face it: We are at a point were R&D costs have nearly no equivalent return in sales or revenue, because the majority of users just doesn't need all this stuff or buy smartphones instead (and the rest goes for full-frame and insanely high pixel counts, even though they don't need them at all). That said, weather sealing is actually the only "feature" I miss in my Pen F, nothing else. But this is no longer rocket science and well established, so anybody could do it by now with much lower R&D costs than in the past. I just don't see any need, other than weather sealing, and maybe battery life (well, for sure, longer battery life!), for a new model. Yeah, maybe a better viewfinder (the tech is already there). But it looks more and more like just iterative improvements that could be licensed from other companies, like it is done in the area of audio electronics (there it is not even iterative or incremental - there are no more real improvements, just repackaging old stuff and fiddling with details to make it look new). Maybe this is the underlying reason why Olympus decided to sell this business: No real merits to gain with the budget they could muster from this point onward.
I do agree that no one really knows what the future holds for Olympus. It is great the Olympus has been rather open about this sale/transfer but there has been next to nothing from JIP. Until JIP says what they will do there is really nothing that we know. As for Olympus kit I'm going to be using and keeping the ones I have. I do look forward to the 150-400 lens and the promised firmware update for the EM1X but after that I have no real expectations. I believe that with reasonable care and luck the products I have will continue to work for many years. I still use a Hasselblad 500C that was built in 1965. I know it is totally mechanical unit but it is still working because I have been both lucky and have fixed any minor issues as they come up. My hope is that the same can be said for the Olympus products I own. As for MFT, I think they made a bad bet. Half frame 35mm has always been something of a novelty. Remember Minox, great little cameras but they never really that big in the market. While Olympus has made a better run of it they still are half frame 35mm and too many photographers view them as a gimmick rather than a great camera system. I doubt the format will go away but it is something of a dead end.
My Olympus M4/3 kit will outlive me. It does everything I need done, and I love using it. Having said that I am not optimistic about the future for Olympus cameras because I don't believe Olympus Imaging's problems are fixable.I don't believe JIP has the talent or the resources to stop the bleeding. The root problem was that Olympus had a niche product in a market that went into free fall. There is no practical way to reverse this. There are just too many companies competing for too few customers. And I don't believe Olympus was inept at managing their company. There just was nothing they could do to bring back the market that was lost to product maturity, market saturation and the growing preference for smartphones for casual photography. I do not believe that JIP (or anyone else) can do any better. Given the current market, I think Olympus will not be the last company to exit. All products have a life cycle, and the cycle for "stand alone digital imaging devices" may be over. At least for the mass market. It will continue in specialized areas for quite some time to come, but there is very stiff competition in those specialty areas.
Does no one here remember the massive accounting fraud of sometime back? Olympus nearly went under then, and Sony was among those who injected cash to protect the industry. The camera business has long been an iffy one, IMO, but the market for quality gear always survives. I am old enough to have started shooting for publication with a Rollei and a Speed Graphic; my Leica IIIg was simply for my own enjoyment. The relentless drive to smaller and more portable gear has meant that now folks consider the 35mm frame to be "full" frame. LOL. I am certain that m4/3 will survive, and that there will be gear for that format, even if the re-branded Olympus models do not survive.
I'm loyal to the brand. Only, my brand isn’t Olympus. Oh, I own at least a handful of Olympus cameras. But none with exchangeable lenses. While I love the idea of several brands sharing one mount (even if it’s only two brands), in every review I’ve seen the low light performance of micro 4/3 has always been quite unimpressive. Oh, I love my Olympus TG4! And I’d be really sad if Olympus went away or stopped making interesting new cameras. But I honestly don’t think I’d ever buy a M4/3 camera. I’m just too heavily invested in Canon APS-C. Is that the best there is out there? Don’t know & couldn’t care less. It does the job for me, and nothing else matters. I wish Olympus all the best, and I'd be really sorry to see it going or diminishing. Olympus has a history of surviving. When autofocus arrived in 1985, Olympus had to give up making cameras with exchangeable lenses. But they found a niche which was very compact SLRs with fixed 35-135mm zoom lenses if memory serves me right. And I hope they’ll survive this time as well.
Thanks for the most insightful analysis I've seen on the transfer of Olympus Imaging. As for me, I am an older amateur photographer who recently decided to pick up a camera again & went with a Panasonic G95 & various lenses based on cost, size, & weight which is still true for me despite the pending sale of Olympus.
I thought about selling my system. But I switched because I like carrying a smaller system. IBIS - Olympus currently has the best. Glass - The primes and pros can't be beat. Current build quality - no one else comes close. The sensor is getting a little long in the tooth. It would have been nice to see them work on noise. But, it is still a good sensor. Price - MFT lenses are far cheaper with good glass than the ff lenses. Olympus marketing put them under. They use the Fields of Dreams marketing plan - building it and they will come. (No - build it and then tell the pros and UA-camrs - which they didn't ) They could have easily offered a full-frame option and this would have put severely hampered the competitors. I like the MFT system and if they follow the Vao model - I'll be switching to Fuji once they catch up. One final note - starry sky focus makes astrophotography a joy!!!!
Having spoken to Olympus Australia yesterday - ownership of the camera division has changed. But there will be a published roadmap of new lenses and technology. They are very much alive. As for Nikon, having used them since 1975 the Z series will sink them. They went into discounting about 4 weeks after release. All the hooha about the new lens mount and the best they can do is a 50mm f1.8. The megapixel wars have sucked in 75% of photographers.
Actually, a 1.8 50mm gathers more light on a full frame sensor than a 25mm f1.2 on m.four thirds sensor. Nevertheless, I'll be sticking with my EM1ii, because I love the camera, and I especially love my 12-100 F4 lens. But I can't see buying any more OMD or Pen cameras. As for Nikon, they just upgraded my Z7 firmware yesterday, but I highly doubt I will see any more updates to my EM1ii. I think it would be foolhardy to jump into an Olympus system now. I'll continue to use what I have, but if I was looking to start with a system, it certainly would not be Olympus. I hate saying this, because I have used their cameras since the om1 in the 70s, and I've owned at least a dozen of their digital cameras. I have always considered them innovators, and they have always made quality products. But really, JIP? There's only one direction they are going now, and it won't be up.
@@sstansm7f Ask yourself why you get more noise in low light with micro four-thirds than you do with full frame (at equivalent exposure parameters). While exposure parameters may be "defined by F stop number" (and of course shutter speed and iso) the total amount of light gathered is also determined by sensor size. You can shoot both at (say) 1/4 second at f1.8 and the full-frame image has less noise. It's true that the exposure parameters are the same on both cameras, but the full frame sensor is gathering more light. This just makes sense, since it has twice the sensor area. Although I will happily shoot m. four-thirds for the rest of my life, I know full-frame performs better in low light, and I know this because I shoot both. Pros know this too, which is one reason they (almost always) shoot full-frame or (increasingly) medium format. I love micro four-thirds for its advantages, but you can't defeat physics with wishful thinking. Or do you have another explanation why smaller sensors produce noisier images at equivalent exposures?
@@jonbarnard7186 Light beam is projected on the sensor, for given focal distance of the lens the amount of light is exactly the same for both sensors. The difference is that sensitive elements have different density - relation of sum of light sensitive elements areas to total area of the sensor. For bigger sensors this relation is greater than for the smaller due to auxiliary circuits between sensitive elements. These circuits can't be made proportionally smaller for small sensors.
@@sstansm7f I'm still waiting for an explanation for why smaller sensors produce nosier images, especially at high iso exposures. If it's not that they are collecting less light, then what is it?
Since you asked: I don't believe MFT system is dead regardless of what happens now with Olympus. Panasonic is going to announce a GH6. Possibly followed by a GH6R & GH6S. Panasonic also released some great glass this past year including the Leica 10-25mm f1.7 which further provides strong evidence a new MFT camera is to be announced, my guess is before September's end. I have 2 Pro Olympus lenses and I love them, and as long as I have a MFT camera body that works, I will never sell them. If Olympus is finished with developing cameras & lenses, all the more reason for Panasonic to take the bull by the horns & the market share. My dream is to see a 40 Mp 6K Sony sensor and a new AF system that will rival Sony's R series cameras. If Panasonic can do this, they will have a camera that will outsell the completion and possibility even camera of the year.
I switched from Canon almost 3 years ago and I willl continue to stay with Olympus. Just purchased a 12-100 Pro lens and it is amazing. The Olympus bodies are so far ahead of the major brands in included features; it may be four or five years before they catch up to Olympus!
Whatever happens, I don't think any camera company can continue with any credibility if they don't cater to the professional and "pro-super" market as well. It's at this level that cameras get their credibility. From there they can market a pedigree along with less expensive lines; nor too dissimilar to the whole raison d'être of formula one and stock car racing. Personally, I'm sticking with Olympus equipment until everything I own breaks down on me and my guess is that I'll probably go first!
I used Olympus C-7070WZ for 15 years, and I only got that E-M1 mk2 + 12-100mm F4 combo a few months ago in preparation for a trip (which got cancelled due to COVID-19). So I'm not the kind of person who needs to constantly buy new gear, and I also don't expect my new gear to fail within the next 15 years. That said, I still want the system to have a future, I still want room for growth. In particular I was hoping for a Pro ultra-bright ultra-wide prime and a Pro macro to complement my 12-100, so the recent news is a bit disconcerting. That said, I think some people are panicking and rushing to big decisions, whether it be unloading all their Olympus gear or hoarding as much Olympus gear as possible, for no good reason. Seems change is happening to Olympus as a company, but what change if any will happen to their products still remains unclear. Maybe it is better just to stay calm.
I’m Lumix shooter and I just purchased a G9 with a Leica 12-60 lens for a descent price. I am invested in a number of MFT lenses from Panasonic and couple of Olympus. I don’t buy camera bodies every year and I think the G9 will do well for a number of years to come. Having said that, if a new MFT sensor is introduced I may have to consider it. I have Nikon full frame DSLR but the bodies and especially lenses are so big and heavy that I only take then out when I do very low light photography, which is not very often.
Like you if a new M43 sensor was introduced I'd certainly be interested, but my current kit will serve me for the time being.... unless an EM1 mk3 comes along at a very good price. Many. thanks for viewing and for commenting.
Although I also have a very extensive Sony system, I very much rely on my equally extensive Olympus system for travel. I value the form factor of Olympus very much and will be extremely disappointed if it does not survive and thrive. The Sony just is not as easy or flexible for travel.
They « transfer » the assets dedicated to photography to a company which will be under JIP control. There is no other way to sell the photography activity as this is currently not in a dedicated subsidiary but just an activity . I find the MOU clear on this topic. The idea is probably also to transfer also the long term liabilities . The burden of this activity should desappear from Olympus balance sheet. All informations about the future of their photo activity delivered by Olympus during the last 12 months was just garbage.. Forget it and don’t use it . This desinformation campaign started after the CEO explaining that this activity could be sold . This event generated a sort of panic at operationnal level ( marketing, communication, ambassadors).
Hi Mark. I still have my Praktica ltl, and it still works. I think my EM-1 III should last me a few more years, especially if I use electronic shutter when possible.
The spin-off of a company branch is done when one wants to unleash the potential of that branch or when one wants to "cut it, and given the market trend in the photographic sector, the second is more likely for Olympus. Is the MFT format intended for extinction? Apparently it depends only by the Panasonic. As in nature, so in finance, only the strongest survive.
I have 5 Olympus OM bodies and a good line up of lenses. The worry I have is the software. Will we still be able to use ORF files once the software becomes obsolete as it will . e.g Olympus viewer will not run on todays Apple Macs. Hopefully Adobe will continue to support the file format.
Your comment on sensor technology is probably key to the future as some competitors are racing ahead with the latest technology while the Olympus Camera Division waits for its fate. I think the current roadmap will be scrapped and only the completed designs will be released if JIP believes that they will make money. Engineers involved in development are expensive so Olympus are likely to transfer some of these from the camera division and a some of the others will be released to save money. JIP are probably working on a plan to save money or make some by selling valuable assets such as patents. This will be their number 1 focus as the camera division has been losing money for 3 years. I don't think this is good news for Olympus as the camera market is still declining.
I have no intention of ditching my Olympus equipment. I love it for travel and I love the ergonomics. However, I will not be building up my Olympus system any longer, and I doubt I will ever buy another body, unless some fantastic deal falls in my lap. And if I was starting out on a system now, OMD (JIP) would be my last choice. There are too many other great systems out there to take a chance on JIP. I think pros will be dumping their Olympus gear if they haven't already. I think JIP is going to concentrate on cheaper consumer equipment. After all, Olympus has not been making money with their camera division, so why would JIP continue with the same plan? I keep seeing all these videos made by Olympus Ambassadors pretending nothing has happened, like it's business as usual. Wishful thinking ?
I have three Pro zooms and the 300 f/4 - an E-M1 Mk II and III .......... I have no fear, in fact, I'm considering getting another Mk III and keep it in the box under the stairs until I feel I need to bring it out ..........who else offers the same features in a compact pkg and doesn't over heat with trying to write huge files when all I shoot is presented online anyway ...
There cannot be a future for the production of low cost cameras. Unlike enthusiasts, the public, especially the young, don't need them....they have mobile phones and mobile phones have cameras. I, like you and many others, have my Olympus photography gear which I won't be parting with in a hurry. I can't wait to see what the future holds. Back to basics (film cameras) I shouldn't wonder. Good job I kept my old OM1 and some lenses. I shall become one of the boring old gits who will also bemoan the loss of 78 records. For those of you who don't know what they are, ask your Grandad....he'll also tell you about Olympus cameras.
I am not sure how often you need to repair a digital camera. Olympus camera are pretty robust, use it till it drops and mostly likely you will buy a new camera before the current one malfunction. There is no reason to worry about what a manufacturer will do or will not do, there are so many options out there. If your Olympus camera malfunction, just buy a Panasonic. Ot buy one used for cheap on ebay,
selling? em1 and em5ii with pro 12-40 & 40-150? 17,45,75mm f1.8s? 60mm macro with extension tube? and olympus flash and triggers? and why? i am 53, and i am sure if taken proper care i and my babies will see another ten years and ebay is there in case of replacing a part of the system... never ever! sell!
Mark Lindstrom is right. "What is Olympus actually selling?" My first reaction on the news was "The winner (Panasonic) takes it all". Repacking the same sensor in a lot of different body's is not enough to survive. Panasonic succeeded to produce, against lower cost, more versatile camera's. APC camera's from Fuji are knocking on the MFT door. Nikon and Canon are switching to the mirrorless market. Maybe it is a wise decision of Olympus to leave this market. But they did a great job!
I am pessimistic for m43 in the medium term. If you analyse google search terms “Nikon Cameras” vs “Canon Cameras” vs “Sony Cameras” vs “Olympus Cameras” vs “Panasonic Cameras” you fill find that Olympus and Panasonic are way behind the other three. It may be undeserved, but clearly Olympus’s marketing strategy isn’t working.
Approx. 97% of my functional camera gear is defunct, manufacturers no longer exist or support them. It's camera gear, with exception of software fixes, I don't need Olympus. My defunct gear includes a 1950s Hasselblad 1600 system and a 1960s-1980s V System (entire system, almost), Mamiya RB67 (almost entire system), Sinar F2/P2 + 8 lenses, Bogen pro tripods, OMs, XA, Pen F, EM1M2. After the supposed Olympus sale, I bought an EM1M3... incredible boost in image quality. I also have a G9, Sony WX500 and Nikon P1000. As photographers, just take photos with the cameras. I use my Blads, RB67s, PEN F and EM1s the most. It is not like you have to dump Olympus company shares... duh. BTW, for me, I would prefer if Olympus or JIT market pro quality glass - I also use, brand new, expensive Canon EF L-Series IS USM lenses on my M43 bodies. They work on all four M43 bodies I have. It's pointless for me to use compromised lenses because when you take photos you want to take the best photos you can. The OM-D system allows you to take some photos you cannot take with other cameras.
no future for it, no traction, that is the bottom line, why Olympus when phone's sensor is killing the market, you either go with the coming leaps of phones or full frame, even fuji is in jeopardy once AI in phones kills aps-c..!
Pessimistic about it's future. Recently I've followed olympus talk, and checked out videos of it's cameras and lenses which made me admire them so much! But other formats have successfully changed narrative of photography to sensor size primarily. Then come features where olympus may match or better many of them, but already trailing whats perceived as number 1 priority. Then comes photography experience, something not quantifiable, and hence may not earn olympus the due credit despite being possibly best at it. And from what even you've mentioned, likelyhood of innovation/new sensor is 0. Theoretically, both going mass as well going pro have their advantages and arguably one is not better then the other. The narrative cannot be changed, else they wouldn't have transferred business in the first place. I see olympus itself was pessimistic about it. Had Panasonic/sony/leica/sigma, any of these absorbed the olympus photography, it would have been a joyous occasion. But as things stand, pessimistic.
Does anybody believe in low-end mass market of photography equipment? Low-end market now are smartphone cameras. If there will be perspective low priced market we would see Chinese cameras as we see Chinese smartphone brands Meizu and Huawei but we don't.
I agree. The point and shoot market was huge. Now they are barely even in the marketplace. They have been totally superseded by the cell phone. There is no low end or even a beginner market anymore thanks to the cell phone.
who cares? cameras are machines which capture images still or moving. FF or 4/3. ITS the content you create that counts, not the sensor size. tech tech tech. boring. go shoot something
Was trying to decide whether to upgrade from OMD 5ii to the new OMD 1 iii when the news broke. That put me off and I have gone full frame with a Nikon Z6 on order. Will use that for more serious landscapes and hang on to the 5 and lenses for hillwalking/ travel.
As tizio 54 said already there is no real alternative to MFT, especially if you make a lot of macros ( focus stacking / bracketing ). The E-M 1 III is extremely fast and makes shots of insects possible ( handheld with Focus stacking ) which cannot be done with any other camera I know. So if I would switch I do not know what camera system I should buy to have a similar result. Nevertheles I might be reluctant to buy just new lenses now, as long as we do not know what is going to happen.
I will not sell my Olympus gear. Instead I bought a second EM1 III a few weeks ago. In the moment there is no alternative on the market in my opinion. My Sony A7 III with Sony 70-200mm f4 for example is bigger and more heavy than the EM1 III with Panasonic 35-100mm f2.8 lense. Together with a 12-45mm f4 in my jacket pocket, I have all I need for a long day walking around. But I don‘t expect a new „Olympus“ camera from JIP, that’s worth for me to buy. So I stick with what I have now. This will work for me for a while. And then we will see what will happen with camera market in the future. Maybe in 4-5 years there will be very different kind of cameras and lenses than we use today. But this are only my thoughts about this. Sorry for my english 🙂
Hey from Germany 👍 I am going to buy a Mark 3 this week, too 😀 The M5 Mark 3. Awesome for UA-cam. Going to sell my very old Canon 5D Mark 2.
Good commentary.
For the foreseeable future, I'm sticking with my MFT kit (mostly Olympus but also a Panasonic body and some Lumix lenses) because it works well for me.
I see no real alternative to MFT in terms of portability, which was the reason I made the switch from Canon (APS-C & FF) 3 years ago. But we'll see what happens. I wonder how Panasonic is going to react to all this, in terms of future plans for their MFT line-up.
I am inclined to snap up a good deal on an E-M1 iii as some additional security in case one of my existing cameras breaks down (and won't be able to get it repaired). So yes, I am not too confident in a bright future for Olympus, though I sincerely hope they'll come up with a clever plan for future development of MFT cameras.
sticking 100%, love the M1 X, 300 pro, 40-150 pro, I have had the other systems, Olympus has given me a new lease of photography life.
I am stick with MFT. I have both Olympus and Panasonic and just sold all my Canon full frame cameras and lens. There are many choices from both camera companies. I also do not need any new camera as my current equipments works well for me and no need to upgrade for a long time.
Best take yet on all of this. I'm a SONY shooter and the camera i like most to take out for shooting is the e-m1 Mark ii.
Many thanks Chris. Like you I shoot FF and M43, but it tends to be the Oly I actually prefer to use, not necessarily for the image quality, but the pleasure of using it.
just bought the em 1 mark iii so i am sticking.
I just acquired an em5 and em10mk2. Such good deals on eBay. If the EM5 took awesome pictures in 2012, it should still work in 2020 just fine! Enjoyed that!
I'm still working with my E-M1 II and I'm hoping to buy E-M1 III if I have the money, this transfer is not changing the way how the cameras work. They are still great.
Great summary and insight on what might happen to Olympus. I think of the JIP deal is like a parent (Olympus) having an adult child (Imaging Division) living in their basement and the parents are partially supporting. It is tough love for the parent to kick the adult child out so the child can either make it on his own or fail. Like I have heard it is a "new beginning" for the Imaging Division. I am staying with the system. I currently own the E-M1X, E-M1 MkIII and the Pen F. Plus most of the lenses that Olympus makes. So I am invested in the total system and really enjoy using it. At my age and income it would take me 10 years to get another system up to where I have MFT built up to. At my age I really don't have the time to do it again and I love what I have. MFT is still the best for travel photography. Anyhow, I enjoyed your video.
If you look at the advancements of 1 inch sensors, plus the advancements of computational photography, future smaller sensors can out perform the current full frame sensors, or make the full frame sensors irrelevant in picture quality and artistic creativity aspects.
So APS-c, MFT, FF will be replaced by newer, smaller form factors regardless their current popularity.
If you look at the digital imaging R&D, they are not going larger, but smaller. Camera manufactures are working hard to differentiate and compete with phone cameras, so they throw some FF on the market. But they all know the % of FF market is so so so tiny.
On the other hand, phone cameras with tiny tiny sensors that combines with computational photography, wins the day. So going small instead of going big is the reality. How many consumers are buying medium format these days? Before worry about MFT, FF is the one should be worry.
You talk like only phone sensors will get better, this is complete nonsense. 1st of all i dont want take photos with a phone 2nd super small sensors can NEVER give the same results as bigger sensors, especially with low light and high iso behaviour.
castiel vargas
I think you need to wake up and smell the coffee. Low light performance and high ISO is no longer a limit for small sensors. Phone cameras can’t replace dedicated cameras for creativity yet, but these large sensors BS got to end, as it is not scientifically correct. Sensor size does not limit its light gathering capability.
For matter of fact, Sony is making the MFT sensors in Olympus and Panasonic camera, as well as the highly successful 1 inch sensors in many brands. The technology in full frame, MFT, 1 inch and smaller sensors etc, are in general at the similar level, despite the technology level in smaller sensors are more advanced in order to improve their performance. In this industry, it is all about cost and sales. Full frame sensors are a lot more expensive to make and have higher defective rate. The market for full frame camera is so tiny and hardly any profit can be made. One of the reasons that camera manufacturers making full frame cameras is for marketing purposes, that is a money loosing business by the way. For general consumers, people care less about full frame, portability and “good enough” are more important. Once I get used to my MFT, Olympus by the way, I hardly can get my self to carry the Canon DSLR, the big greyish black slap of bulk turns me off by just looking at it.
@@andersistbesser You are correct, and the same is true for resolution. There are fundamental limits determined by the laws of physics. Far all optical instruments the relevant quantities are the wavelength of light, Planck's constant, and the charge on an electron, which are immovable goalposts, that unlike sensors and lenses, cannot be miniaturized. We must also abide by the mathematical principle of the Nyquist-Shannon sampling theorem.
Totally agree - FF is the next to fall.
I agree with most of the points made in this video except the mention of new cameras in the lower end of the market. There is no lower end of the market; the only hope of profit going forward in the camera market is to focus on the high end of the market. I believe MFT portion of the camera market will continue on successfully as it has no alternative competitors.
I certainly won't sell mine, if Olympus die, I'll keep taking photos wit my EM1-M2 and continuing to enjoy the quality and versatility of this equipment. Thank you for this eloquent chat.
Many thanks Fernando
@@MarkLindstrom Very welcome Mark.
I don't think there's any risk in it for existing Olympus or m43 users to buy cameras and gear if there are some good deals coming - I definitely plan on taking advantage of such deals should they come up in the next months. Why is there no risk? Because, like me, existing users are already invested in the system and can just complete/complement it (and use it for many years to come, no matter what happens). It would be silly to switch systems exactly now (it would've been a good deal some months ago, maybe end of last year), because many people would assume that you do so because you have no confidence in whatever comes out of the Olympus/JIP deal, and won't pay you a fair price. And then you would have to heavily invest (like, really put lots of money) in another system. And then there's Panasonic/Lumix, if everything else goes wrong. And used Olympus gear (cameras and lenses) from those switching systems anyway. But for professional users this could be really bad, if whateveritiscalledafterthedeal stops serving this niche market and concentrate on customers up to the "pro-sumer" level (and this is what I myself think is behind this deal).
If you were starting out without any system, would you choose Olympus now? I love my EM1mkii, and I have quite a few lenses, but I wouldn't choose Olympus now if I were starting a system. I think that would be dumb.
@@jonbarnard7186 I don't think it would be dumb. The nice thing about m43 is that it is not a lock-in to a certain manufacturer/brand. So, if one is attracted to a specific camera model and lens to start with, one can still supplement from another brand later if one brand goes out of business. If one is hoping for shiny new models in quick succession to change equipment constantly - yes, then it would be dumb to go into m43 at the moment. Nonetheless, the current state of affairs is going to hurt Olympus (and m43) badly.
@@c.augustin True. I won't disagree with that. The fact that m.four-thirds is an open system may save the format. But if I was going to start a new m. four-thirds system, I wouldn't bet on JIP. I would bet on Panasonic first, and hopefully they will continue making m. four-thirds camera bodies. I have no intention of dumping my Olympus equipment, but I can't see this change in ownership (and branding) helping sales of OMD cameras. A large part of the market for these expensive Olympus bodies is in fact the buyers "hoping for shiny new models in quick succession." Unfortunately, that's the market place now when it comes to high-end cameras like OMD. I can see JIP pushing the Pen line, and maybe even supporting R&D for Pen cameras, but they aren't doing this takeover to continue losing money. I suppose it's possible that JIP will invest in R&D for the OMD line, but are they really going to make a dent in the market, given the number of superb APC and F.F. options on the market for roughly the same money? If that were possible, wouldn't Olympus be hanging on to the line instead of doing whatever it is they're doing? In the long run, R&D will be necessary to compete (and ultimately to survive). JIP has no loyalty to OMD cameras, only to profit, and what they do will be determined by business decisions only. I think we have seen the last OMD body, but that's not going to stop me from using the ones I have.
@@jonbarnard7186 There might be another way forward - they might decide to drop the high end (E-M1) with its massive R&D costs, make the E-M5 line the "high end" model, and the E-M10 line the "entry level", with a Pen model as the "stylish" option. I agree that we might not be seeing great innovations the coming years, maybe some cooperation with Panasonic regarding a new sensor (it looks as if both companies already use the same basic sensor with company-specific additions) and sharing some tech they could both use to their mutual advantage. Let's face it: We are at a point were R&D costs have nearly no equivalent return in sales or revenue, because the majority of users just doesn't need all this stuff or buy smartphones instead (and the rest goes for full-frame and insanely high pixel counts, even though they don't need them at all).
That said, weather sealing is actually the only "feature" I miss in my Pen F, nothing else. But this is no longer rocket science and well established, so anybody could do it by now with much lower R&D costs than in the past. I just don't see any need, other than weather sealing, and maybe battery life (well, for sure, longer battery life!), for a new model. Yeah, maybe a better viewfinder (the tech is already there). But it looks more and more like just iterative improvements that could be licensed from other companies, like it is done in the area of audio electronics (there it is not even iterative or incremental - there are no more real improvements, just repackaging old stuff and fiddling with details to make it look new). Maybe this is the underlying reason why Olympus decided to sell this business: No real merits to gain with the budget they could muster from this point onward.
@@c.augustin Your position is very rational Christian. If only the marketplace were so rational.
I do agree that no one really knows what the future holds for Olympus. It is great the Olympus has been rather open about this sale/transfer but there has been next to nothing from JIP. Until JIP says what they will do there is really nothing that we know. As for Olympus kit I'm going to be using and keeping the ones I have. I do look forward to the 150-400 lens and the promised firmware update for the EM1X but after that I have no real expectations. I believe that with reasonable care and luck the products I have will continue to work for many years. I still use a Hasselblad 500C that was built in 1965. I know it is totally mechanical unit but it is still working because I have been both lucky and have fixed any minor issues as they come up. My hope is that the same can be said for the Olympus products I own. As for MFT, I think they made a bad bet. Half frame 35mm has always been something of a novelty. Remember Minox, great little cameras but they never really that big in the market. While Olympus has made a better run of it they still are half frame 35mm and too many photographers view them as a gimmick rather than a great camera system. I doubt the format will go away but it is something of a dead end.
Sad to know if it's true.They made good classic functional design.but unfortunately,not following up ,the sensor...
My Olympus M4/3 kit will outlive me. It does everything I need done, and I love using it. Having said that I am not optimistic about the future for Olympus cameras because I don't believe Olympus Imaging's problems are fixable.I don't believe JIP has the talent or the resources to stop the bleeding. The root problem was that Olympus had a niche product in a market that went into free fall. There is no practical way to reverse this.
There are just too many companies competing for too few customers. And I don't believe Olympus was inept at managing their company. There just was nothing they could do to bring back the market that was lost to product maturity, market saturation and the growing preference for smartphones for casual photography. I do not believe that JIP (or anyone else) can do any better.
Given the current market, I think Olympus will not be the last company to exit. All products have a life cycle, and the cycle for "stand alone digital imaging devices" may be over. At least for the mass market. It will continue in specialized areas for quite some time to come, but there is very stiff competition in those specialty areas.
Does no one here remember the massive accounting fraud of sometime back? Olympus nearly went under then, and Sony was among those who injected cash to protect the industry. The camera business has long been an iffy one, IMO, but the market for quality gear always survives. I am old enough to have started shooting for publication with a Rollei and a Speed Graphic; my Leica IIIg was simply for my own enjoyment. The relentless drive to smaller and more portable gear has meant that now folks consider the 35mm frame to be "full" frame. LOL. I am certain that m4/3 will survive, and that there will be gear for that format, even if the re-branded Olympus models do not survive.
Great Analysis! Are Photographers the better Economists?
I'm loyal to the brand. Only, my brand isn’t Olympus. Oh, I own at least a handful of Olympus cameras. But none with exchangeable lenses. While I love the idea of several brands sharing one mount (even if it’s only two brands), in every review I’ve seen the low light performance of micro 4/3 has always been quite unimpressive. Oh, I love my Olympus TG4! And I’d be really sad if Olympus went away or stopped making interesting new cameras. But I honestly don’t think I’d ever buy a M4/3 camera. I’m just too heavily invested in Canon APS-C. Is that the best there is out there? Don’t know & couldn’t care less. It does the job for me, and nothing else matters. I wish Olympus all the best, and I'd be really sorry to see it going or diminishing. Olympus has a history of surviving. When autofocus arrived in 1985, Olympus had to give up making cameras with exchangeable lenses. But they found a niche which was very compact SLRs with fixed 35-135mm zoom lenses if memory serves me right. And I hope they’ll survive this time as well.
Thanks for the most insightful analysis I've seen on the transfer of Olympus Imaging. As for me, I am an older amateur photographer who recently decided to pick up a camera again & went with a Panasonic G95 & various lenses based on cost, size, & weight which is still true for me despite the pending sale of Olympus.
Many thanks Rick for your comments
I thought about selling my system. But I switched because I like carrying a smaller system. IBIS - Olympus currently has the best. Glass - The primes and pros can't be beat. Current build quality - no one else comes close. The sensor is getting a little long in the tooth. It would have been nice to see them work on noise. But, it is still a good sensor. Price - MFT lenses are far cheaper with good glass than the ff lenses.
Olympus marketing put them under. They use the Fields of Dreams marketing plan - building it and they will come. (No - build it and then tell the pros and UA-camrs - which they didn't ) They could have easily offered a full-frame option and this would have put severely hampered the competitors. I like the MFT system and if they follow the Vao model - I'll be switching to Fuji once they catch up.
One final note - starry sky focus makes astrophotography a joy!!!!
Having spoken to Olympus Australia yesterday - ownership of the camera division has changed. But there will be a published roadmap of new lenses and technology. They are very much alive. As for Nikon, having used them since 1975 the Z series will sink them. They went into discounting about 4 weeks after release. All the hooha about the new lens mount and the best they can do is a 50mm f1.8. The megapixel wars have sucked in 75% of photographers.
Actually, a 1.8 50mm gathers more light on a full frame sensor than a 25mm f1.2 on m.four thirds sensor. Nevertheless, I'll be sticking with my EM1ii, because I love the camera, and I especially love my 12-100 F4 lens. But I can't see buying any more OMD or Pen cameras. As for Nikon, they just upgraded my Z7 firmware yesterday, but I highly doubt I will see any more updates to my EM1ii. I think it would be foolhardy to jump into an Olympus system now. I'll continue to use what I have, but if I was looking to start with a system, it certainly would not be Olympus. I hate saying this, because I have used their cameras since the om1 in the 70s, and I've owned at least a dozen of their digital cameras. I have always considered them innovators, and they have always made quality products. But really, JIP? There's only one direction they are going now, and it won't be up.
@@jonbarnard7186 it's incorrect. Amount of light defined by F stop number.
@@sstansm7f Ask yourself why you get more noise in low light with micro four-thirds than you do with full frame (at equivalent exposure parameters). While exposure parameters may be "defined by F stop number" (and of course shutter speed and iso) the total amount of light gathered is also determined by sensor size. You can shoot both at (say) 1/4 second at f1.8 and the full-frame image has less noise. It's true that the exposure parameters are the same on both cameras, but the full frame sensor is gathering more light. This just makes sense, since it has twice the sensor area. Although I will happily shoot m. four-thirds for the rest of my life, I know full-frame performs better in low light, and I know this because I shoot both. Pros know this too, which is one reason they (almost always) shoot full-frame or (increasingly) medium format. I love micro four-thirds for its advantages, but you can't defeat physics with wishful thinking. Or do you have another explanation why smaller sensors produce noisier images at equivalent exposures?
@@jonbarnard7186 Light beam is projected on the sensor, for given focal distance of the lens the amount of light is exactly the same for both sensors. The difference is that sensitive elements have different density - relation of sum of light sensitive elements areas to total area of the sensor. For bigger sensors this relation is greater than for the smaller due to auxiliary circuits between sensitive elements. These circuits can't be made proportionally smaller for small sensors.
@@sstansm7f I'm still waiting for an explanation for why smaller sensors produce nosier images, especially at high iso exposures. If it's not that they are collecting less light, then what is it?
Since you asked: I don't believe MFT system is dead regardless of what happens now with Olympus. Panasonic is going to announce a GH6. Possibly followed by a GH6R & GH6S. Panasonic also released some great glass this past year including the Leica 10-25mm f1.7 which further provides strong evidence a new MFT camera is to be announced, my guess is before September's end. I have 2 Pro Olympus lenses and I love them, and as long as I have a MFT camera body that works, I will never sell them. If Olympus is finished with developing cameras & lenses, all the more reason for Panasonic to take the bull by the horns & the market share. My dream is to see a 40 Mp 6K Sony sensor and a new AF system that will rival Sony's R series cameras. If Panasonic can do this, they will have a camera that will outsell the completion and possibility even camera of the year.
I switched from Canon almost 3 years ago and I willl continue to stay with Olympus. Just purchased a 12-100 Pro lens and it is amazing. The Olympus bodies are so far ahead of the major brands in included features; it may be four or five years before they catch up to Olympus!
This a nice speculation. Hopefully the factory steps will continue to produce new and better cameras no matter who owns them.
Whatever happens, I don't think any camera company can continue with any credibility if they don't cater to the professional and "pro-super" market as well. It's at this level that cameras get their credibility. From there they can market a pedigree along with less expensive lines; nor too dissimilar to the whole raison d'être of formula one and stock car racing.
Personally, I'm sticking with Olympus equipment until everything I own breaks down on me and my guess is that I'll probably go first!
I used Olympus C-7070WZ for 15 years, and I only got that E-M1 mk2 + 12-100mm F4 combo a few months ago in preparation for a trip (which got cancelled due to COVID-19). So I'm not the kind of person who needs to constantly buy new gear, and I also don't expect my new gear to fail within the next 15 years. That said, I still want the system to have a future, I still want room for growth. In particular I was hoping for a Pro ultra-bright ultra-wide prime and a Pro macro to complement my 12-100, so the recent news is a bit disconcerting. That said, I think some people are panicking and rushing to big decisions, whether it be unloading all their Olympus gear or hoarding as much Olympus gear as possible, for no good reason. Seems change is happening to Olympus as a company, but what change if any will happen to their products still remains unclear. Maybe it is better just to stay calm.
I’m Lumix shooter and I just purchased a G9 with a Leica 12-60 lens for a descent price. I am invested in a number of MFT lenses from Panasonic and couple of Olympus. I don’t buy camera bodies every year and I think the G9 will do well for a number of years to come. Having said that, if a new MFT sensor is introduced I may have to consider it. I have Nikon full frame DSLR but the bodies and especially lenses are so big and heavy that I only take then out when I do very low light photography, which is not very often.
Like you if a new M43 sensor was introduced I'd certainly be interested, but my current kit will serve me for the time being.... unless an EM1 mk3 comes along at a very good price.
Many. thanks for viewing and for commenting.
Although I also have a very extensive Sony system, I very much rely on my equally extensive Olympus system for travel. I value the form factor of Olympus very much and will be extremely disappointed if it does not survive and thrive. The Sony just is not as easy or flexible for travel.
They « transfer » the assets dedicated to photography to a company which will be under JIP control. There is no other way to sell the photography activity as this is currently not in a dedicated subsidiary but just an activity . I find the MOU clear on this topic.
The idea is probably also to transfer also the long term liabilities . The burden of this activity should desappear from Olympus balance sheet.
All informations about the future of their photo activity delivered by Olympus during the last 12 months was just garbage.. Forget it and don’t use it . This desinformation campaign started after the CEO explaining that this activity could be sold . This event generated a sort of panic at operationnal level ( marketing, communication, ambassadors).
Hi Mark. I still have my Praktica ltl, and it still works. I think my EM-1 III should last me a few more years, especially if I use electronic shutter when possible.
I am definitely not selling my Oly gear. In fact, I'm getting ready to buy extra 2 bodies: EM1 MkIII and I will be set for next 3 decades.
The spin-off of a company branch is done when one wants to unleash the potential of that branch or when one wants to "cut it, and given the market trend in the photographic sector, the second is more likely for Olympus.
Is the MFT format intended for extinction?
Apparently it depends only by the Panasonic.
As in nature, so in finance, only the strongest survive.
I have 5 Olympus OM bodies and a good line up of lenses. The worry I have is the software. Will we still be able to use ORF files once the software becomes obsolete as it will . e.g Olympus viewer will not run on todays Apple Macs. Hopefully Adobe will continue to support the file format.
Your comment on sensor technology is probably key to the future as some competitors are racing ahead with the latest technology while the Olympus Camera Division waits for its fate. I think the current roadmap will be scrapped and only the completed designs will be released if JIP believes that they will make money. Engineers involved in development are expensive so Olympus are likely to transfer some of these from the camera division and a some of the others will be released to save money. JIP are probably working on a plan to save money or make some by selling valuable assets such as patents. This will be their number 1 focus as the camera division has been losing money for 3 years. I don't think this is good news for Olympus as the camera market is still declining.
I have no intention of ditching my Olympus equipment. I love it for travel and I love the ergonomics. However, I will not be building up my Olympus system any longer, and I doubt I will ever buy another body, unless some fantastic deal falls in my lap. And if I was starting out on a system now, OMD (JIP) would be my last choice. There are too many other great systems out there to take a chance on JIP. I think pros will be dumping their Olympus gear if they haven't already. I think JIP is going to concentrate on cheaper consumer equipment. After all, Olympus has not been making money with their camera division, so why would JIP continue with the same plan? I keep seeing all these videos made by Olympus Ambassadors pretending nothing has happened, like it's business as usual. Wishful thinking ?
I have three Pro zooms and the 300 f/4 - an E-M1 Mk II and III .......... I have no fear, in fact, I'm considering getting another Mk III and keep it in the box under the stairs until I feel I need to bring it out ..........who else offers the same features in a compact pkg and doesn't over heat with trying to write huge files when all I shoot is presented online anyway ...
I am a 4/3 user, never got to m4/3, but I was planning to. Now however I will change formats, probably to Nikon Z6, in a couple of years time.
I don't really remember Vaio having that much wow-factor when it was Sony Vaio, fwiw.
Im sticking and buying new lenses as they come out cant beat pro capture with oly lenses😎
There cannot be a future for the production of low cost cameras. Unlike enthusiasts, the public, especially the young, don't need them....they have mobile phones and mobile phones have cameras. I, like you and many others, have my Olympus photography gear which I won't be parting with in a hurry. I can't wait to see what the future holds. Back to basics (film cameras) I shouldn't wonder. Good job I kept my old OM1 and some lenses. I shall become one of the boring old gits who will also bemoan the loss of 78 records. For those of you who don't know what they are, ask your Grandad....he'll also tell you about Olympus cameras.
Optimistic & sticking 📸, thanks Mark for youre insight & opinions. 😍 my 1mk2
Many thanks for viewing and your comments
I am not sure how often you need to repair a digital camera. Olympus camera are pretty robust, use it till it drops and mostly likely you will buy a new camera before the current one malfunction. There is no reason to worry about what a manufacturer will do or will not do, there are so many options out there. If your Olympus camera malfunction, just buy a Panasonic. Ot buy one used for cheap on ebay,
selling? em1 and em5ii with pro 12-40 & 40-150? 17,45,75mm f1.8s? 60mm macro with extension tube? and olympus flash and triggers? and why? i am 53, and i am sure if taken proper care i and my babies will see another ten years and ebay is there in case of replacing a part of the system... never ever! sell!
Mark Lindstrom is right. "What is Olympus actually selling?" My first reaction on the news was "The winner (Panasonic) takes it all".
Repacking the same sensor in a lot of different body's is not enough to survive. Panasonic succeeded to produce, against lower cost, more versatile camera's. APC camera's from Fuji are knocking on the MFT door. Nikon and Canon are switching to the mirrorless market. Maybe it is a wise decision of Olympus to leave this market. But they did a great job!
I am pessimistic for m43 in the medium term. If you analyse google search terms “Nikon Cameras” vs “Canon Cameras” vs “Sony Cameras” vs “Olympus Cameras” vs “Panasonic Cameras” you fill find that Olympus and Panasonic are way behind the other three. It may be undeserved, but clearly Olympus’s marketing strategy isn’t working.
Approx. 97% of my functional camera gear is defunct, manufacturers no longer exist or support them. It's camera gear, with exception of software fixes, I don't need Olympus. My defunct gear includes a 1950s Hasselblad 1600 system and a 1960s-1980s V System (entire system, almost), Mamiya RB67 (almost entire system), Sinar F2/P2 + 8 lenses, Bogen pro tripods, OMs, XA, Pen F, EM1M2. After the supposed Olympus sale, I bought an EM1M3... incredible boost in image quality. I also have a G9, Sony WX500 and Nikon P1000. As photographers, just take photos with the cameras. I use my Blads, RB67s, PEN F and EM1s the most. It is not like you have to dump Olympus company shares... duh. BTW, for me, I would prefer if Olympus or JIT market pro quality glass - I also use, brand new, expensive Canon EF L-Series IS USM lenses on my M43 bodies. They work on all four M43 bodies I have. It's pointless for me to use compromised lenses because when you take photos you want to take the best photos you can. The OM-D system allows you to take some photos you cannot take with other cameras.
Keep My Olympus M1 MKII that I use for my channel and my Panasonic G85 as my backup. Have 2 pro lenses from Olympus as well.
Already sold it off.
"IS" Olympus...
no future for it, no traction, that is the bottom line, why Olympus when phone's sensor is killing the market, you either go with the coming leaps of phones or full frame, even fuji is in jeopardy once AI in phones kills aps-c..!
Pessimistic about it's future. Recently I've followed olympus talk, and checked out videos of it's cameras and lenses which made me admire them so much! But other formats have successfully changed narrative of photography to sensor size primarily. Then come features where olympus may match or better many of them, but already trailing whats perceived as number 1 priority. Then comes photography experience, something not quantifiable, and hence may not earn olympus the due credit despite being possibly best at it. And from what even you've mentioned, likelyhood of innovation/new sensor is 0. Theoretically, both going mass as well going pro have their advantages and arguably one is not better then the other. The narrative cannot be changed, else they wouldn't have transferred business in the first place. I see olympus itself was pessimistic about it. Had Panasonic/sony/leica/sigma, any of these absorbed the olympus photography, it would have been a joyous occasion. But as things stand, pessimistic.
Does anybody believe in low-end mass market of photography equipment? Low-end market now are smartphone cameras. If there will be perspective low priced market we would see Chinese cameras as we see Chinese smartphone brands Meizu and Huawei but we don't.
Stanislav Samolenkov you are right, there isn’t much for competitive cheap Chinese cameras. Good point!
I agree. The point and shoot market was huge. Now they are barely even in the marketplace. They have been totally superseded by the cell phone. There is no low end or even a beginner market anymore thanks to the cell phone.
who cares? cameras are machines which capture images still or moving. FF or 4/3. ITS the content you create that counts, not the sensor size. tech tech tech. boring. go shoot something
Was trying to decide whether to upgrade from OMD 5ii to the new OMD 1 iii when the news broke. That put me off and I have gone full frame with a Nikon Z6 on order. Will use that for more serious landscapes and hang on to the 5 and lenses for hillwalking/ travel.
As tizio 54 said already there is no real alternative to MFT, especially if you make a lot of macros ( focus stacking / bracketing ). The E-M 1 III is extremely fast and makes shots of insects possible ( handheld with Focus stacking ) which cannot be done with any other camera I know. So if I would switch I do not know what camera system I should buy to have a similar result. Nevertheles I might be reluctant to buy just new lenses now, as long as we do not know what is going to happen.