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Olympus needs 3 new M43 Cameras ASAP

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prochembro

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In order for M43 to not die and for Olympus to regain some market share aware from Panasonic they need these 3 Models ASAP.

E-P3 (Needs to be the best Range finder style camera out there) - $799
  • Same body as E-P1 & 2 but with built in flash.
  • Needs advanced Sony APS-C (cropped for M43) sensor found on the Pentax K-5, A55 etc. In order to have good ISO up to at least 3200.
  • 921K Fully Articulated Touch Screen for quick precise AF
  • Faster AF
  • Faster overall performance
E-PL2 - $599

Should be a refresh of the E-PL1. Basically same IQ (i.e. same sensor) but with 921K screen (not articulated, but touch screen) and improved ISO performance.

E-PX (or whatever) - Advanced DSLR like camera

Similar to the GH2 with all the advanced controls etc and IQ for the E-P. Basically a updated M43 E-5.
 
Not sure why m4/3 would die if Panasonic fills a niche that Olympus doesn't. Besides, I think I've seen more Olympus m4/3 cameras in use than Panasonic m4/3. I've certainly seen Oly EP cameras at stores that do not carry Panasonic m4/3, but that's another issue.
 
sounded good till you said "touchscreen" ;)
 
I'd take a built in viewfinder over a built in flash any day. The camera that is really missing in all m4/3 is an EP1 shape with viewfinder.

I think, though, that what we will see fairly soon is an E420/520 replacement in m4/3, followed in a year or so by an equivalent to the E620. They won't look anything like those 4/3 cameras but they will replace them in a functional sense.
--
Don.

A Land Rover, a camera ... I'm happy!
 
And I really hope they leave the touchscreen technology down with the E-PL2 until it is actually as quick to use as buttons and dials - and the screens are visible in daylight!
--
Don.

A Land Rover, a camera ... I'm happy!
 
deep7 said:
I'd take a built in viewfinder over a built in flash any day. The camera that is really missing in all m4/3 is an EP1 shape with viewfinder.
Click to expand...
I'd only like a built in viewfinder if it doesn't make the camera any bigger, otherwise I'd rather use a clip on...
 
Yet another hilariously clueless post.

It's the kind of monumentally ill-informed stuff that now dominates this forum.

Basically, it's this: We want a bunch of cameras that are packed to the gills with every possible feature and we want them cheap.

Join the crowd pall.
 
That's a clear statement of the way I feel. Since I was old enough to buy a camera, I've never owned one without a viewfinder. My wife has a Pana point & shoot (very cute) with only LCD and I REALLY miss the viewfinder on that. Certainly wouldn't buy a camera without a viewfinder for myself.
 
and use the real estate space for every button you need and a built in flash to trigger external flash.

add a plug in tiltable screen on the hotshoe if u need 'em

cheers
radix
 
The GF2 = big letdown = Olympus should be worried? Well, that's how I see it. Rather than crank out 3 models, concentrate on getting fewer models right. They most certainly don't need a DSLR like model similar to the GH2 in the micro4/3rds line. Rather they needed a cracking, ground breaking, mirrorless, EVF E-630 in the regular 4/3rds line that provides 4/3rds users with something below the E-5 with fast AF and great HD. Something A55ish only Oly style. This I believe is important to their survival.

Then they need an E-PL2 that gives GF1 users something to upgrade to rather than downgrade to the GF2.

And they need more lenses for Micro4/3rds for both beginners and enthusiasts: a cheap prime, high grade zoom, and fast portrait prime.

That's my take.

Seth

--
What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?

--
wallygoots.smugmug.com
wallygoots.blogspot.com
 
radix1 said:
and use the real estate space for every button you need
Click to expand...
As it stands, I almost exclusively use the EVF on my G1 for image review and menu navigation... I would actually prefer lose the LCD to the EVF at this point (if it were one or the other).

--
-CW

よしよし、今日も生きのいい魂が手に入ったな
 
You need an LCD when shooting video.

But I do think it would be worth downsizing the LCD in order to get a builtin EVF. With a builtin EVF I could leave the LCD off most of the time.

Frankly I do not understand why the manufacturers cannot offer at least one model with a builtin EVF.

--

The greatest of mankind's criminals are those who delude themselves into thinking they have done 'the right thing.'
  • Rayna Butler
 
GodSpeaks said:
You need an LCD when shooting video.

But I do think it would be worth downsizing the LCD in order to get a builtin EVF. With a builtin EVF I could leave the LCD off most of the time.

Frankly I do not understand why the manufacturers cannot offer at least one model with a builtin EVF.

--

The greatest of mankind's criminals are those who delude themselves into thinking they have done 'the right thing.'
  • Rayna Butler
Click to expand...
 
The Sony NEX and now the GF2 have led consumers to expect more compact mirrorless bodies. Olympus needs to respond with a smaller body, especially with their entry level E-PL1 successor.
SirSeth said:
The GF2 = big letdown = Olympus should be worried? Well, that's how I see it. Rather than crank out 3 models, concentrate on getting fewer models right. They most certainly don't need a DSLR like model similar to the GH2 in the micro4/3rds line.
Click to expand...
I agree. Olympus revived the PEN name based on a historic line of rangefinder-like cameras. A DSLR styled body doesn't fit that concept.
SirSeth said:
Rather they needed a cracking, ground breaking, mirrorless, EVF E-630 in the regular 4/3rds line that provides 4/3rds users with something below the E-5 with fast AF and great HD. Something A55ish only Oly style. This I believe is important to their survival.

Then they need an E-PL2 that gives GF1 users something to upgrade to rather than downgrade to the GF2.
Click to expand...
That would also work for Olympus. Instead of competing directly with the GF2 or NEX models, you produce a more feature rich camera. But that would be more of an E-P2 upgrade rather than an E-PL1 successor. There's no getting around the fact that Olympus needs to miniaturize its entry level MFT model in order to be competitive.
SirSeth said:
And they need more lenses for Micro4/3rds for both beginners and enthusiasts: a cheap prime, high grade zoom, and fast portrait prime.
Click to expand...
There are 3 pancake primes already. I guess it's debatable whether they're cheap. The rest will follow.

--
Björn

http://www.bmupix.com
 
I agree with some of your remarks, but differ in others. But basically it's the Olympus dream camera line-up that will make their sales go through the roof:

E-m630:
The follow up to the E-620 (and E-30)

New 14MP 4/3 sensor: completely new circuitry, fast read-out (AF-speed and live view refresh). We know Panasonic is working on it.
DSLR-shape, with built-in EVF (size like GH2)

Comes with Translucent mirror PDAF adapter to allow use of all previous lenses with fast AF (sold seperately for other models)
tilt/swivel 921k dot screen (of course...)
Battery grip available
6 Fps, 1080p video, etc.
€899 body only, €949 with 14-42

E-P3:

Rangefinder style, maybe use a little bit smaller EVF (1000k dots instead of 1440k)
Rework the buttons to improve on the cluttered back of the E-P1/2

3" 921k dot screen (perhaps 16:9 with lower vertical resolution to create space for the EVF)
Use same 14MP sensor as above
€ 699 with 14-42mm; €799 with 17mm lens

E-PL2:

Restyle!Make it more beautiful; espacially the back is ugly right now (too much plastic ridges and extrusions)
Miniaturise!

Touch screen operation so that it speeds up controls vs. current buttons (don't worry about the whiners in the forums...)
921k dot screen

Speed up operation and processor speed (actually goes for all models, but for the other two it's so obviously needed...)
Retain 12MP sensor, but keep working on the output (a la E-5)
€549 with kit lens (but with good margins), €599 with 17mm

Most importantly: improve store presence with the E-PL2. When they have the new 14MP sensor well worked out, suprise everyone with the E-5 mkII towards the end of the year (and provide update service for E-5 owners...)

There's also room for more lenses, but that's another story.

D
prochembro said:
In order for M43 to not die and for Olympus to regain some market share aware from Panasonic they need these 3 Models ASAP.

E-P3 (Needs to be the best Range finder style camera out there) - $799
  • Same body as E-P1 & 2 but with built in flash.
  • Needs advanced Sony APS-C (cropped for M43) sensor found on the Pentax K-5, A55 etc. In order to have good ISO up to at least 3200.
  • 921K Fully Articulated Touch Screen for quick precise AF
  • Faster AF
  • Faster overall performance
E-PL2 - $599

Should be a refresh of the E-PL1. Basically same IQ (i.e. same sensor) but with 921K screen (not articulated, but touch screen) and improved ISO performance.

E-PX (or whatever) - Advanced DSLR like camera

Similar to the GH2 with all the advanced controls etc and IQ for the E-P. Basically a updated M43 E-5.
Click to expand...
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bilgy_no1
 
viztyger said:
I agree. Olympus revived the PEN name based on a historic line of rangefinder-like cameras. A DSLR styled body doesn't fit that concept.

I think if you look at the history of the Origanal Olympus Pen you will find that it was NOT !!!! a rangfeinder but it WAS !!!! a half frame SLR :D
Click to expand...
the pentaprism (it might have been mirrors ?) worked in a similar way to the E300 and E330 viewing system
 
If oly does not move towards the P&S crowd (ala GF2) and offers pro/enthusiast compact models they will gain that segment from panny
 
The thing that puzzles me most of this forum is the way they complain about new cameras not fulfilling their every need, as if one camera could answer to every situation or necessity. Having said that, this thread is nice to have since it reminds me that some people still remember market segmentation.

I'm not a regular 4/3 user myself but I think Olympus first needs to address the huge let down after the E-5. That was a bad PR move and their public image suffered (much like Pany with the GF-2). If they don't release a substantial upgrade to each segment then they'll be left behind by Panny and Sony (and I'm not even counting the big guys here yet).

I say

E-PL2:
  • better screen
  • control wheel
  • thinner not smaller (hotshoe depth)
  • faster AF
E-P3:
  • same improvements over E-PL2
  • same style as E-P2
+ Built EVF (16:9 screen was a good idea, gives more space)
+ New Sensor

Digital OM (Hybrid 4/3+m4/3 camera):
  • Slim retro SLR-esque camera
  • Same features as E-PL3
+ full AF compatibility with 4/3 lenses
+ weatherproof

Most of these upgrades don't need extra resources, E-PL2 will be the same except it will acquire some E-P2 features but the internals are much the same. The E-P3

will require some shrinkage of the VF-2 (Oly already has the technology) and new a sensor which is long due.

The Digital OM will be the most demanding since it'll need to be built from zero but they really need a more robust flagship for m4/3.
 
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