Where the heck is Olympus? 3 cameras in 2+ years?

Can't launch new kit, if you cant make it - moving production to Vietnam has cost a fortune and will have taken longer than the spreadsheet jockies thought it would (as usual)

They'll be back on track when the new factory is fully working, but never easy to move, especially after so long......

JaKing wrote:

However, I stand by my comment that different cultures approach these things differently. An example: no Australian company would have bailed out Olympus the way Sony did.

You do know that Sony owned 5% of the stock, and one point purchased 5% more, in total 10%. And then sold 5% in big profit, leaving only 5%?

That is in your opinion "bailing out" a company that didn't need that little?

WT21 wrote:

...

What is Olympus doing?? Are these DPR counts correct? I know there's a new one coming in January, with a couple of lenses, but WTH?

This is what is happening in a nutshell. Olympus was betting on a really expensive sports camera, the $2000 E-M1 II, and on those expensive f/1.2 lenses to get itself out of its problems. To do so, it apparently had to use all its limited R&D resources on this expensive model, and thus neglected the other models. Olympus said it chose to be bold. That plan didn't work, although Olympus had one profitable quarter after releasing the E-M1 II. Then Sony released its A9 for sports. Sony also released the nice FF A7 III at the same price as the E-M1 II. They are followed by FF MILCs by Canikon and a couple of Fuji ASPC cameras. Olympus was clearly heading the wrong way with the high-price (but using a small sensor) strategy. Panasonic saw the light and is going FF as a way of going upmarket. Olympus is however still unrepentant and doubled down with an even more expensive, larger and more niche E-M1X, while we wait for any news of the long overdue E-M5 III. The E-M1X's rumoured price is higher than that of the A7r III.  Getting really bold, that's what Olympus is doing.

That's a very creative interpretation of what's happening. What's really happening is that they've been really busy (as mentioned earlier in the thread), and that they're gonna release several cameras and lenses, starting soon enough.

and it may not. Probably won't. Probably gonna be good. But it may not. But it probably will.

keepfocused wrote:

Would this also stop them working on existing models with firmware releases? Might appease the wait for new models.

thats another question, hopefully over the next 8-12 wks as the EM1x info comes out, we can gain an understanding of the overall direction.

How many new toasters have you bought in the last 2+ years?

Tommi K1 wrote:

JaKing wrote:

However, I stand by my comment that different cultures approach these things differently. An example: no Australian company would have bailed out Olympus the way Sony did.

You do know that Sony owned 5% of the stock, and one point purchased 5% more, in total 10%. And then sold 5% in big profit, leaving only 5%?

That is in your opinion "bailing out" a company that didn't need that little?

Sure, Tommi. John's a well known Olympus hater. Just has to take very single opportunity to put the boot in. LOL.

Doom Scythe wrote:

....but I also wish that Oly would come out with lens revisions more often.

I don't so much.

Olympus is more designing lenses that are useful for long time. Panasonic seems to had need to refresh and upgrade their lenses for AF reasons or OIS reasons.

Olympus has had few refresh like a 75-300mm II.

But Olympus could do refresh for style and maybe redesign of mount with 17mm f/2.8 and 9-18mm f4-5.6. so those could get faster focusing, no extension focusing and new style from current premium line.

Of course someone could ask 12mm f/2 and 17mm f/1.8 to be refreshed so their focus clutch ring would initiate focus assistance in body.

But for that there ain't so much need like panasonic had with Dual-IS 2 update.

After all the lens mount should be designed so that you can just refresh shell style and keep manufacturing.

JaKing wrote:

nevada5 wrote:

JaKing wrote:

Leaving aside your questionable 'logic', so what?

Nothing to see here, folks. Move along ...

Back when I was shooting with the Samsung NX system, there was no announcement from the company. There was a steep slowdown, then nothing new, then nothing at all.

If Olympus releases nothing for a year, will you be concerned? If not, at what point would you say they pulled a Samsung?

The OP demonstrated with facts that Oly has put out a fraction of what other manufacturers have released in 2 years. He's rightfully concerned with "nothing to see here, folks."

Olympus is a Japanese company. Totally different societal and corporate attitudes from the Koreans.

And what did Nikon do with the 1 series, slow releases, then none, then toast.

(I still enjoy shooting with N1)

JaKing wrote: ... so what?

From a marketing standpoint, it's easier to sell "New improved!" than "Same as last year!"

Hopefully, calendar 2019 will be a better year for them.

Guy Parsons wrote:

Maybe they closed down the camera division already but failed to tell anybody.

Regards...... Guy

Yup, they are probably waiting for the financials to see if they can afford to publicize the fact that they have closed the camera division and have chosen to focus on everyone's rectums instead.

I'm cancelling my next colonoscopy if Sinar purchases the medical photography division!

I know, maybe Olympus should start changing the grille every year, or add opera windows every model cycle. New product!! Or Replace the "Olympus" with a gold engraved "O" and call it the "SS" (Semi-Stealth) model. Then next year just remove it altogether and call it the "FS" (Full Stealth) model, then the next year sell the empty box as the "2SU" (Too Stealth for You) model!!

I'm ready to take over the marketing division. Olympus, have your people call my people.

Walt Palmer wrote:

Guy Parsons wrote:

Maybe they closed down the camera division already but failed to tell anybody.

Regards...... Guy

Yup, they are probably waiting for the financials to see if they can afford to publicize the fact that they have closed the camera division and have chosen to focus on everyone's rectums instead.

They could save some R&D expenditure by combining the two products. An endoscope with a camera at both ends. Then you could really multitask - have your colon checked out, cover a wedding and tie your bootlaces all at the same time.