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Olympus is really going after the pro market

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Pete_CSCS

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In case you missed it, here is the Olympus E-M1 Mark II press conference at Photokina. Not only do they announce their new flagship camera and new PRO lenses, but they also announced a new Olympus Pro Service with a next day replacement service for the pro. The service is split into 3 different levels of service with the lowest level being free (with registration). Not having this service in the past was one argument why a weathersealed, durable camera with pro features and a variety of lenses to choose from still didn't constitute a professional camera system.


Another tidbit... a weathersealed twin flash (STF-8)?

At the end of the video, a performance comparison between the E-M1 and E-M1 Mk II is made with e.g. double the buffer capacity, 45% faster startup time, 63% faster EVF response rate, etc.

Enjoy.
 
Yup, they are redoing the E-1 release over again. I wish them better luck this time. They surely deserve it.
 
It is go pro or go broke. Of course most pro gear goes to advanced amateurs who just love photography. Who buys 5,000 Nikon Dn's (D3/4/5) a month, certainly not pros.

I too wish Oly the best and will help out with my purchases. If it doesn't work this time, that will be the end of the Oly camera division unless someone buys them which is unlikely.

We'll know over the next year whether they get it. If we see another kit lens or bottom feeder body announced then we will know it is all over but the shouting.
 
TwoMetreBill said:
It is go pro or go broke... ... ...If it doesn't work this time, that will be the end of the Oly camera division unless someone buys them which is unlikely...
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Errr... they survived and thrived despite not being on the pro market for quite some time...

If they make it in the pro market it would be pure bonus, but I don't see how simply releasing a new top body every three years and pro lenses which sell well anyway will stop working if they don't make it in the pro market...
 
goblin said:
Errr... they survived and thrived despite not being on the pro market for quite some time...
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If you count losing money on each one sold as surviving...

Perhaps you haven't been following the Olympus financial troubles for the past 5 years. The photo division is on the ropes, become profitable or be shut down.

Yes Sony, Canon and Fuji can lose money on camera gear as they make cameras for fun; the respective camera divisions are like pimples on the side of an elephant. Nikon is milking their camera business to feed their other divisions until they sell it off. But at Olympus, if they don't make money soon from cameras, that division will be history.

In that light, only high end gear is profitable: hence $2,000 for the EM1 II body.
 
I know a wedding photographer who was adamant about "point and shoot" cameras. In his opinion, anything without a mirror was a point and shoot camera. He jest a little, but then became more serious and said that he would never switch to a compact camera because clients equate "professional" with a large camera...

From a practical standpoint, Olympus should have a winning product, if the competition is the Nikon D5 or the Canon EOS 1-D X, both with 20 MP FF sensors that sacrifice resolution for fast burst shooting that is required for event and sports photography.

Having said that, there is always the issue of of buying into a completely new system. There, Olympus has an ace up its sleeve: its superb and affordable Pro series lenses, with zooms that are as sharp as most FF primes.

In fact, roughly $4500 gets you a nearly complete Olympus kit, covering from 12-40 to 40-150 with one camera and two lenses, less than a Nikon D5 or the Canon EOS 1-D X body. You can throw in the 300mm zoom (for less than 1/5 the price of a Nikon 600mm zoom) and still be a few dollars below a "Pro" DSLR.

The question is that would certain nuances of FF cameras compared to MFT Mirrorless (depth of field, higher-ISO performance, viewfinder) be practical issues?

I am sure that some professionals might buy as a supplementary system but I doubt, and I hope that I am wrong, will make a full switch.
 
As well as knowing a few pros through my own photographic and other activities, I got to know a several more so over my years as a career counsellor. So I know the work and the career trajectories of a dozen+ quite well. One of these, young, very talented and very energetic is still moving upward . Three more are managing to maintain fairly stable businesses, although two of these have moved studios into homes, using spouses instead of staff. One, a great art photographer with several beautiful books, from China is now photographing prospecting drill cores, another, a brilliant photojournalist has been reduced from photographic director of a newspaper chain to freelancer and child minder. The rest have, at best, become part-time and weekend freelancers while they pursued other sources of income.

And even the ones still really in the business are not in the habit of spending more than a few thousand every year or two for updating equipment. In fact.I can't think of one that is actually using Nikon or Canon's latest flagships. The flagship that premiered a couple of years ago plus a second semi-pro body seems - say a Canon !D and a 5D seems to be the norm even for the still-rising young star. And, especially as video clips and interview footage has tended to become part of assignments, it is not unusual for the occasional quick bit to be shot with an actual P&S or even a cell phone. This is in a booming city of almost a quarter million residents.

It may be a worthwhile marketing strategy for Olympus to enhance its brand name and reputation by getting a few pros using the EM1-II, but selling to "pros" certainly won't pay the bills or turn red ink into black.

OTOH I have also noticed that as these pros and former pros turn older, they do look at the smaller lighter systems that Fuji and mFT offer with ever increasing interest, looking forward, as one of them put it, "to a day when I'll no longer walk in circles when the thirty pound gadget bag is taken off my shoulder". (He's trying an OM10.)

There is a market for the EM1II, but it is a limited and complicated one that Olympus may well be overshooting.

--
erichK
saskatoon, canada
Photography is a small voice, at best, but sometimes one photograph, or a group of them, can lure our sense of awareness.
- W. Eugene Smith, Dec 30, 1918 to Oct 15, 1978.
http://erichk.zenfolio.com/
http://www.fototime.com/inv/7F3D846BCD301F3
underwater photos:
http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/5567
 
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erichK said:
As well as knowing a few pros through my own photographic and other activities, I got to know a several more so over my years as a career counsellor. So I know the work and the career trajectories of a dozen+ quite well. One of these, young, very talented and very energetic is still moving upward . Three more are managing to maintain fairly stable businesses, although two of these have moved studios into homes, using spouses instead of staff. One, a great art photographer with several beautiful books, from China is now photographing prospecting drill cores, another, a brilliant photojournalist has been reduced from photographic director of a newspaper chain to freelancer and child minder. The rest have, at best, become part-time and weekend freelancers while they pursued other sources of income.

And even the ones still really in the business are not in the habit of spending more than a few thousand every year or two for updating equipment. In fact.I can't think of one that is actually using Nikon or Canon's latest flagships. The flagship that premiered a couple of years ago plus a second semi-pro body seems - say a Canon !D and a 5D seems to be the norm even for the still-rising young star. And, especially as video clips and interview footage has tended to become part of assignments, it is not unusual for the occasional quick bit to be shot with an actual P&S or even a cell phone. This is in a booming city of almost a quarter million residents.

It may be a worthwhile marketing strategy for Olympus to enhance its brand name and reputation by getting a few pros using the EM1-II, but selling to "pros" certainly won't pay the bills or turn red ink into black.

OTOH I have also noticed that as these pros and former pros turn older, they do look at the smaller lighter systems that Fuji and mFT offer with ever increasing interest, looking forward, as one of them put it, "to a day when I'll no longer walk in circles when the thirty pound gadget bag is taken off my shoulder". (He's trying an OM10.)

There is a market for the EM1II, but it is a limited and complicated one that Olympus may well be overshooting.

--
erichK
saskatoon, canada
Photography is a small voice, at best, but sometimes one photograph, or a group of them, can lure our sense of awareness.
- W. Eugene Smith, Dec 30, 1918 to Oct 15, 1978.
http://erichk.zenfolio.com/
http://www.fototime.com/inv/7F3D846BCD301F3
underwater photos:
http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/5567
Click to expand...
Many interesting and in my view valid points there!

But one could also ponder in this direction:

As growing lack of funds do limit investments more as photography over time gets less resources from fex newspapers and the like, that a system this capable in general, at the same time as it is "cheap" (relatively) and onto that very compact and light to carry, that it would in due time get new pro customers for Olympus.

If at least some images/short films get taken with smartphones and the like, then the DOF issue would not really hinder at least a fair number of photogs to use MFT, for example.

And those not (yet?) hindered by lack of funds may rather easily get just a body w two pro zooms (12-40/40-150 or 7-14/12-40 for example) to use when they at times fel the weight/size might be an issue for some missions...

We´ll see..

Today I´m getting away a few hundred kilometers to visit a nature photo event here in Sweden, with image exhibitions and also a few photo retail businesses and importers being there to show and sell kit.

Olympus Sweden will show the E-M1 mk2 for the first time "live" in the country, and I´ll be there even though I´ll not be able to buy it in maybe a year or two.

Thought I´d look at the image exhibit, get a good look at the camera and then get out w my E-M1 mk1 on a few locations on my way home. Frost is beginning to cover the landscape, and I hope to get back w a few nice shots. ;-)

--
Aim & Frame ;-)
 
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revio said:
Today I´m getting away a few hundred kilometers to visit a nature photo event here in Sweden, with image exhibitions and also a few photo retail businesses and importers being there to show and sell kit.

Olympus Sweden will show the E-M1 mk2 for the first time "live" in the country, and I´ll be there even though I´ll not be able to buy it in maybe a year or two.

Thought I´d look at the image exhibit, get a good look at the camera and then get out w my E-M1 mk1 on a few locations on my way home. Frost is beginning to cover the landscape, and I hope to get back w a few nice shots. ;-)
Click to expand...
 
erichK said:
revio said:
Today I´m getting away a few hundred kilometers to visit a nature photo event here in Sweden, with image exhibitions and also a few photo retail businesses and importers being there to show and sell kit.

Olympus Sweden will show the E-M1 mk2 for the first time "live" in the country, and I´ll be there even though I´ll not be able to buy it in maybe a year or two.

Thought I´d look at the image exhibit, get a good look at the camera and then get out w my E-M1 mk1 on a few locations on my way home. Frost is beginning to cover the landscape, and I hope to get back w a few nice shots. ;-)

--
Aim & Frame ;-)
Click to expand...
Please do see if they'll let you handle the EM1-II and please do report back with your impressions.

--
erichK
saskatoon, canada
Photography is a small voice, at best, but sometimes one photograph, or a group of them, can lure our sense of awareness.
- W. Eugene Smith, Dec 30, 1918 to Oct 15, 1978.
http://erichk.zenfolio.com/
http://www.fototime.com/inv/7F3D846BCD301F3
underwater photos:
http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/5567
Click to expand...
Olympus Sweden had at least three people there, and one or two samples of all their OMD and PEN cameras, plus the TOUGH and a superzoom I didn´t look closer at.

Also the full PRO lens line up, and possibly all the others too. Had short moments with the 45/1,8, 7-14/2,8, 12-100/4, 300/4 and the 25/1,2 mounted on my own E-M1 mk1. What a bunch of nice glass that is.... ;-)

NOW, the E-M1 Mk2...well...I have read so much, both presentation literature from Olympus and a whole lot of "first trials", "hand ons" etc....all have said things like "what a very nice piece of kit this is" and so on.

Just felt the second I had it in my right hand that "had I the money this would be 'glued' to my hand, on every photographic venture for quite some time from now on..."

It was that good already just to hold and handle!

I know about a lot of the improvements that´s been made, and have to say the circumstances made it difficult to really do any serious "evaluation" of fex the AF performance. But already the shape of it in my hand said this is some VERY serious kit Olympus have brought about...it have the best designed/shaped grip I´have yet ever held in my right hand of any camera. Including the new Hasselblad mirrorless, which is the second best. That was, though, not expected from the look of it, the Hasselblad looks much more simple and "un sexy" than it is, really. The 'blad was extremely nice to hold and handle, and that the OM-D E-M1 Mk2 did surpass it is, well, good for Olympus.

Not that tese two cameras normally will be put "against" each other...but a friend also visiting the exhibition is a Hassy owner; thus we happened to spend some time at Hasselblad´s display, of course!

The Hasselblad has a grip not that super perfectly shaped, but the MATERIAL it´s covered with is something absolutely extra! Made it soo good to hold, securely and relaxed at the same time. (but its shutter button....me not like at all)

The Olympus has a good material, grippy and the like, but THE SHAPE is what in my view (my hand) did it. Very secure, and very comfortable! Also the weight felt very "just spot on" not too heavy, not to light, just right there. As is the Mk1 by the way ;-)

Also I might add the control dials felt very solid, and I did like the re-arranged mode lever at the right of the viewfinder. Did work very well, just to get used to it, which may take a while for some..

Handled the Mk2 with the 12-100/4 mounted, and it was very quick and secure to AF, and felt soo solid and well balanced. I think Oly will sell a lot of that lens when people start to know how it A. Performs, and B. Handles.

Hope the same will be the future for the E-M1 Mk2!

--
Aim & Frame ;-)
 
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