Industry News: Olympus to sell imaging business by the end of the year

[padam]

time for canon to cut prices, otherwise they'd go down the same route

If you sell more but at a minimal profit, you are behind, not ahead.

Nikon Z5 looks quite interesting

Same EVF as the Z6
No top panel LCD
Dual SD UHS-II memory card slots
24MP full-frame sensor (not sure BSI or not)
IBIS
Magnesium alloy camera body
1m dots LCD screen resolution
New battery: Nikon EN-EL15c (already registered online)
USB-C camera powering, not just charging
Same AF system as in the Z6
1.5x video crop in 4k, no SloMo option
6fps burst
Official announcement expected in the second half of July (I have conflicting reports on the exact date)
The camera will start shipping later this year

The question is, if they really price this around 1200$ or even less, how much profit are they going to make on it?
What about the Z6 which is more expensive and it only has a single card slot?

The EOS R6 is much stronger, especially regarding video (probably AF system as well and some other things), but still, it is going to be twice as expensive.

I would be surprised if the EOS RP can go to 800$ or lower, maybe it will on BF.

 

[justaCanonuser]

So once JIP or NewCo gets the camera division, what will Olympus have left?

They have a big medical division, and if the do not have again trouble with intransparent mafia (yakuza) like management "strategies", this should be a quite healthy business in the long-term future.

 

[justaCanonuser]

Bye bye Panasonic GH series... M43 is dead!

M34 is definitely in trouble, and Panasonic is trying to escape with their recent move into the FF market, with their ambitious S1. Unfortunately, it is not a good time to start a new system, if you are not a major player in the rapidly shrinking camera market like Canon.

 

[justaCanonuser]

Regarding M34, I was told by a birder using Olympus recently, that the manufacturers in this market did something crazy. Instead of keeping this system completely open and compatible for all brand users, they started to make (tele) lenses that only work within a brand's ecosystem. Looks like a suicidal tactics in this small market.

In fact, as a birder/wildlife shooter, I do not use M34 currently. But I always had the idea that I would switch to such a smaller format with lighter lenses when I get old and cannot carry a 10-15 kg backpack at longer hiking trails anymore. Sad to watch that this prospect seems to fade away now...

 

[Joules]

But I always had the idea that I would switch to such a smaller format with lighter lenses when I get old and cannot carry a 10-15 kg backpack at longer hiking trails anymore. Sad to watch that this prospect seems to fade away now...

But that's exactly the problem with MFT. Canon and Nikon are expanding into the smaller system market as well. Nikon with their hybrid Z System, Canon with their Allrounder RF FF System and EF-M for prioritizing compactness.

While EF-M may never see a proper Tele lens that rivals some offerings for MFT (Unless they drop the 62 mm diameter shtick) , RF probably will. I don't think we know the weight of the 100-500mm yet, but I bet it will be a pleasant surprise. DO seems to also be getting a push. And if the image circle really were the limiting factor, there is nothing that keeps Canon from offering an RF lens that doesn't cover the FF sensor. Assuming that the high res R will indeed have 80 or more MP of course. Otherwise MFT maintains a certain reach advantage.

 

[dolina]

This wont be the last camera to fall within the next 2 years.

I think Canon and Sony will be the least likely to tumble.

 

[amorse]

Didn't Canon patent some M43 lens designs recently? I wonder if Canon saw this coming a while ago and decided to be prepared for any new opportunities.

 

[Mahk43]

Pentax will die. I would not be surprised to see Nikon fold.

Yes Pentax would not be a suprise.
Nikon also are very quiet, and revenues have been too inconsistent for several years.
Sony also could sell the still camera business, it has been announced several times even before the crisis, so it could have been accelerated by it.

This crisis is a trigger, companies that will fight will survive, others will die,
Yet Canon is on the side of companies that are fighting, mostly because they are launching new products, but it does not mean that this is their view for the long term.

We will see very soon on what side each company prefer to stand. After the feedback on revenues generated by new products launched in 2020 (so 2021).

 

[koenkooi]

Yes Pentax would not be a suprise.
Nikon also are very quiet, and revenues have been too inconsistent for several years.
Sony also could sell the still camera business, it has been announced several times even before the crisis, so it could have been accelerated by it.
[..]

Sony keeps playing hide-and-seek with the camera department, it gets moved to a different division pretty much every earnings call.

 

[AlanF]

Regarding M34, I was told by a birder using Olympus recently, that the manufacturers in this market did something crazy. Instead of keeping this system completely open and compatible for all brand users, they started to make (tele) lenses that only work within a brand's ecosystem. Looks like a suicidal tactics in this small market.

In fact, as a birder/wildlife shooter, I do not use M34 currently. But I always had the idea that I would switch to such a smaller format with lighter lenses when I get old and cannot carry a 10-15 kg backpack at longer hiking trails anymore. Sad to watch that this prospect seems to fade away now...

The birder got it wrong. Their tele lenses do work across systems. What doesn't work is combining IS with IBIS across systems. For example, the IS of the Pana-Leica 100-400mm will work with an Olympus body but won't get the added Olympus IBIS.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

time for canon to cut prices, otherwise they'd go down the same route

Sure, sell at a loss and stay in business. Canon is almost paranoid about costs, they never add a feature or upgraded piece of electronics unless it will pay for itself or is needed for function. They squeeze every penny, and their prices are lower than anyone else.

Take the EOS RP for example, who is selling a full frame Digital camera for near the selling price of the RP? They are $899 now, and $999 with a 24-105mm RF lens.

 

[AlanF]

Sure, sell at a loss and stay in business. Canon is almost paranoid about costs, they never add a feature or upgraded piece of electronics unless it will pay for itself or is needed for function. They squeeze every penny, and their prices are lower than anyone else.

Take the EOS RP for example, who is selling a full frame Digital camera for near the selling price of the RP? They are $899 now, and $999 with a 24-105mm RF lens.

B&H are selling the Sony A7II for $898 https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...ilce7m2_b_a7ii_mirrorless_digital_camera.html

 

[Hector1970]

A good article on micro 4/3 rumors on JIP. 43rumors.com
Relatively small company whose speciality is breaking up companies and selling assets. Quoting someone else they say :They took Vaio from Sony in the past.For Vaio Sony still hold 10% and JIP outsource everything.JIP have no R&D.
It says Olympus has to pay JIP to take it.
The company is preparing to sell only from inventory.
I wonder would that create a fire sale or create a shortage. I’ve a fair collection of Olympus glass but not the best camera. People even more heavily invested might want to by another camera. I’d be tempted by a discounted EM -1 II or III which would be a useful travel camera.
Olympus has fallen

 

[secant]

Olympus has been a good camera company imo they build good cameras. I've had their E30, Em5, and Em1 and they are all good cameras, robust build quality, good menu and usability, good layout, and they are the forefront in IBIS, I think they are the first to have 5 axis IBIS in consumer grade digital interchangeable lens cameras.

But with their price and fierce competition in the full frame format, the prices between going full frame is not that much anymore compared to m43.

 

[briangus]

This has been on the cards for the last couple of years
Large investor wants them to concentrate on the profitable side so the camera side is toast.

They have got their way now so camera division is gone
Not sure what JIP are bringing to the party.
Looks like they may be a protectionist blackhole/repository for Japanese Tech

 

[Czardoom]

Sad news. Surprising in some ways as there some articles recently that said M4/3 was the best selling format in Japan. And Olympus is always in the top 3 sellers of mirrorless in Japan as well. Who knows the reliability of the articles that I saw.

Having owned both Olympus and Canon cameras for the past 6 years or so, I only wish my Canon cameras (I've owned the 6D, and now the R and RP) were as good as my Olympus E-M1 II. Great build quality, industry leading weather sealing, in-camera focus stacking (works much better than the RP's focus bracketing), high quality lenses (no Canon lens comes close to my 12-100mm lens in terms of quality and convenience. And the image quality is not nearly as bad a forum dwellers like to believe. Noise on my E-M1 II is essentially the same as my RP, and was similar or better than Canon's APS-C crop cameras that I have owned over the years. And, no, you will not be seeing any FF lenses anywhere as small as some of Olympus' offerings. Hopefully, I will get another 5 or 6 years of use with my E-M1 II. Seriously considering getting a new camera while I still can and putting it in storage until the current camera bites the dust.

 

[justaCanonuser]

The birder got it wrong. Their tele lenses do work across systems. What doesn't work is combining IS with IBIS across systems. For example, the IS of the Pana-Leica 100-400mm will work with an Olympus body but won't get the added Olympus IBIS.

Ah, thanks. I never used M34 so far. Maybe I got it wrong when he explained me. Anyway, it looks like it will not be relevant anymore soon. I am sorry that with Olympus another great camera brand might get lost, but they will not be the last ones, I fear. Personally, I always liked what Oly did in the analogue times, and their Zuiko lenses are legendary.

 

[justaCanonuser]

This wont be the last camera to fall within the next 2 years.

I think Canon and Sony will be the least likely to tumble.

I fear Nikon could be the next victim. This would be a real loss. We have both a big Nikon and Canon gear, so this would end the future of one of our investments. Plus, Nikon makes some good cameras. They are not as rugged as Canon's cameras on prosumer level as we found out the hard way, but e.g. Nikons D500 is a better camera than the (older, of course) 7D2 , as I learned from shooting side by side with comparable lenses. Hope Nikon survives.

 

[justaCanonuser]

... high quality lenses (no Canon lens comes close to my 12-100mm lens in terms of quality and convenience...

Don't forget, it is much easier to design a good M34 lens, since the lens elements are smaller. I also disagree with your general verdict. I am pretty sure you didn't use ALL of the many lenses made by Canon, so you can't say that. In particular in the L segment, some of Canon's lenses are really impressive performers (I have quite a collection of L glass, so I can say that).

 

[usern4cr]

Sad news. Surprising in some ways as there some articles recently that said M4/3 was the best selling format in Japan. And Olympus is always in the top 3 sellers of mirrorless in Japan as well. Who knows the reliability of the articles that I saw.

I've wondered that, too.

Having owned both Olympus and Canon cameras for the past 6 years or so, I only wish my Canon cameras (I've owned the 6D, and now the R and RP) were as good as my Olympus E-M1 II. Great build quality, industry leading weather sealing, in-camera focus stacking (works much better than the RP's focus bracketing), high quality lenses (no Canon lens comes close to my 12-100mm lens in terms of quality and convenience.

Funny that two EM1 II owners are commiserating here on a Canon website. You have the advantage of also owning a Canon system, which I don't - yet. I will agree that: * The Olympus build quality was superb, * It led the industry in weather sealing, * It led the industry in image stabilization, * It had precision focus stacking (I had issues with the implementation of it so I can't say it was the best), * It had superb quality pro lenses (but I'm not saying they're better than Canon), and * The 12-100mm lens has no current RF equal in terms of *lens* quality, stabilization and convenience in that zoom range (24-200 FF EQ) as long as you want a wide depth of field (like for landscapes).

And the image quality is not nearly as bad a forum dwellers like to believe. Noise on my E-M1 II is essentially the same as my RP, and was similar or better than Canon's APS-C crop cameras that I have owned over the years. And, no, you will not be seeing any FF lenses anywhere as small as some of Olympus' offerings.

I found the image quality good enough (in medium to bright lighting) after I ran it through DXO PhotoLab and their Prime denoising, and probably much better than most here think possible. But the latest FF sensor image quality is inherently much better, especially in pulling detail from shadows and resolution, and that's something I'm looking forward to in the R5. The Olympus lenses could be smaller as the optical path could be narrower onto a much smaller sensor. But the much smaller sensor was their Achilles' heel in many regards and ultimately its undoing. In particular it made it too hard to have big background bokeh to separate the object from the background. The best it could do was the 45mm f1.2 pro (90mm f2.4 FF EQ) which can't touch the FF lenses with f1.2 / f1.4 / f1.8 / f2 regarding blur size.

Hopefully, I will get another 5 or 6 years of use with my E-M1 II. Seriously considering getting a new camera while I still can and putting it in storage until the current camera bites the dust.

You really want to buy a new EM1 II or III now and stay with their system long term? Wow - you're hardcore, there! If you didn't get the 300mm f4 IS pro lens then I suggest you get it, too, as it was also a spectacular lens. But I'll keep my EM1 II gear only until my imminent Canon gear overtakes it in most respects. Then it'll find a happy home with my brother and stay in the family. It was, after all, a truly wonderful camera system for its time.