Who's more reliable/less prone to malfunction? - Olympus vs Panasonic

Soulhand wrote:

luisflorit wrote:

Very nice poll!

Not really. The question asked for a definite answer about the brands generally, and no one responder has the knowledge to assess that. So all you'll get is people's subjective opinion on what brand is more reliable, based on experience with, at most, a few bits of kit they personally have had.

A better poll would be

• I've owned both Olympus and Panasonic Kit and have had more reliability problems with Panasonic
• I've owned both Olympus and Panasonic Kit and have had more reliability problems with Olympus
• I've owned both Olympus and Panasonic Kit and have equal reliability problems with both
• I've owned both Olympus and Panasonic Kit and have no reliability problems with either
• I've owned only Olympus but I have had reliability problems
• I've owned only Panasonic but I have ha more reliability problems
• I've never owned either brand, I'm only here by mistake

Then if we got a lot of answers, we could consider drawing a conclusion. Although even then it's statistically dodgy - I have had more Olympus quality issues, but then I have only one bit of Panasonic kit and that's a prime lens so less to go wrong.

But the poll as it stands is only usable for assessing what people believe about quality of the two brands.

Actually, this is what you believe the poll is usable for, based on what you believe the users would answer. I answered exclusively on my experience with both brands, both in 43rds and m43rds equipent in 10 years, not simply a "belief" (2 panasonic cameras, 2 panasonic lenses, 3 olympus cameras, 5 olympus lenses). Add to that what I have read during these years about, for example, Oly SWD motor failures and its reasons. Look here for a text I wrote several years ago about my experience with the lack of quality control of Olympus.

Of course, others may answer differently, others even being dishonest, maybe Mr Panasonic enters here just to vote against Oly. So no matter what poll you make, you will never prove anything. The only way to *prove* something would be to test all the equipment ever manufactured by both brands, something that it is impossible. A simple answer yes/no just gives an idea of the experience of some people in the forum (I have no reason to assume that there are more dishonest Panasonic users than Oly, or viceversa, so I would say that more or less balances out).

Anyway, a 22-2 vote (so far) speaks for itself. And I could not agree more.

L.