Who understands Olympus prices?

Soulhand wrote:

Pixnat2 wrote:

But the more I think about it, the more I think something doesn't match.

Ok, Olympus tagret japanese women or hipsters that would be attracted by the design of this camera (the X-A5 aim this target too, according to Fuji ads).

But isn't the other (and more important for long term) role of those entry-level camera to catch P&S upgraders into the system, making them potential buyers of upper models?

In that segment, the X-A5 or the Canon M100 are much more attractive, because most P&S upgrader DO look at the specs actually.

So in the short term, they could make a better profit (thoug I doubt it's very signficant for Olympus corp.), but for a long term stategy (catching new users as potential upgraders), it seems to me that selling this camera at a premium price isn't a very good one.

Even if you're right about P&S shooters being a bigger market (and I don't agree), it does NOT mean selling this camera at a premium price isn't a good idea.

I don't know if it's a big market, but it's an interesting one for sure. Once an upgrader is caught into a system (m4/3, Fuji, etc.), he/she is likely to buy lenses, accessories and later upgrade to upper models.

It's just one camera in the range. It's aimed at smartphone upgraders and Japanese millenials. It doesn't have the most modern specs but Olympus judge that's not needed for that segment.

If you are right that P&S upgraders look at specs, they won't buy the E-PL9 anyway, so pricing won't affect that.

The specs aren't bad. This camera has all they need. But competiton is just cheaper with better specs. They would likely be more intersted by another brand like Fuji or Canon. Or maybe Panasonic entry level.

If P&S upgraders are a big market and need bleeding edge specs, then Olympus would release another camera to address that market. They still might. But that doesn't have any impact on appropriate pricing for a camera aimed at a different market.

I don't think Olympus has the ressource to release many models. This should have been the P&S upgraders attractive model, but I feel it will fail at this. That leaves a camera for japanese hipsters, and it will probably succeed in this market.

Well, why not? I just feel they missed an opportunity, but maybe they badly need cash, who knows?

Paul