The Big Names are starting to fall

[Tronhard]

According to DPReview.com Olympus Optics' parent organization is selling the camera maker division off to a company called Japan Industrial Partners.  The story is HERE...

They blame the ingress into the market of smarphones, but the Pandemic has certainly impacted sales and manufacturing around the world.  Some claim that Olympus lost their way: going from their Micro 4/3 format that was highly popular, to a large investment in expensive FF cameras aimed at a tiny percentage of the market.  Either way, the future does not look good for the brand.

Personally, I shall be sorry to see the demise of Olympus in the camera world: they have a long, proud history of producing small, efficient cameras and optics that began in 1919 (camera manufacture began in 1936).  I still have one of their cameras, a TG-5 that I must admit I have rarely used, but it is considered one of the best tough cameras on the market - perhaps that product will live on with some other brand.

The changes in technology, world conflict and the on-going pandemic issues are all putting pressures on camera makers.  I think Canon have a good chance of weathering this and coming out as an even more dominant player with cameras like the EOS R5, if it fulfulls it's promise.   I wonder if Nikon will fare as well...

[cicopo]

Tg 4, 5  & now 6 are VERY popular as dive cameras. Lots of value per $ spent. They get great reviews for both IQ & features. 

[Tronhard]

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@cicopo wrote:

Tg 4, 5  & now 6 are VERY popular as dive cameras. Lots of value per $ spent. They get great reviews for both IQ & features. 

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Yes, so I understand.  I don't dive myself (althought I might do some snorkelling in the future) but I do take it when I go hiking, although I have rather favoured the Nikon 1AW for that because of its 1" sensor.  My TG-5 also does great close-up images.

If, as has been suggested in the article I referred to, the organization is dismembered by JIP, then I would hope that there is an excellent chance the technology will be purchased and developed by someone - as one would hope for at least the Micro 4/3 tech as well...

[kvbarkley]

I really like my TG-5, little RAW support, though. It really complements my T6S. I especially like the pro snap option, where it continually "takes" photos and saves a group of 5 when you press the shutter.

[ebiggs1]

"I shall be sorry to see the demise of Olympus in the camera world:"

They just never had it. Even in the olden days when it was all up for grabs.  Lots of companies made good cameras but few Nikon and Canon made great cameras. Nikon isn't in the best of shape either. Sony is huge and has lots of money but they never did and don't make a professional camera. When you have smartphones that make fantastic pictures, camera makers have got to offer something smartphones can't.  One thing is a full on robust line of pro level cameras. Olympus didn't and don't.

[Waddizzle]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"I shall be sorry to see the demise of Olympus in the camera world:"

One thing is a full on robust line of pro level cameras. Olympus didn't and don't.

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I think the Olympus OMD EM1X meets your definition of a pro level camera.  Full weather sealing, dual card slots, full body grip, etc.  

[ebiggs1]

"Full weather sealing, dual card slots, full body grip, etc."

Actually it doesn't.  It is a micro four thirds I believe. That is gonna let it down. If there was nothing but cropper and 4/3 cameras maybe but today we have FF pro level models.

And then there is the lens line up, not anywhere near what Canon offers but then again who does?

[Tronhard]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"Full weather sealing, dual card slots, full body grip, etc."

Actually it doesn't.  It is a micro four thirds I believe. That is gonna let it down. If there was nothing but cropper and 4/3 cameras maybe but today we have FF pro level models.

And then there is the lens line up, not anywhere near what Canon offers but then again who does?

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I know quite a few, especially older photographers, and those who wanted more than a cell phone but not a big DSLR who really liked the M4/3 format and bought Olympus gear - quite a few young people in my local camera societies got M4/3 for trips abroad to avoid the limits on carry-on baggage, and who didn't want to trust their cameras to check-in.   They seemed to like the compactness of the lenses and were not going to be producing large prints.  For them, this was a good product.

Investing in a the development of FF high-end cameras is a serious and expensive undertaking, and I have to agree with the article in that Olympus were trying to compete in a market that was already dominated by Canon, Nikon and Sony - all of which had mature products and customer bases.

My personal connection to Olympus is back in the film era when the OM10 was a great little SLR and the Zuiko lenses were, for the time, optically very good.  I never owned one myself, but I tried those belonging to others and they seemed like great little cameras.

To me, this raises some questions:

What will become of the company?   Will JIP keep it in one piece or, as is suggested, tear it down for commercial scrap - selling off what bits can make money?

Where will those who have continued to purchase Olympus go?  The other M4/3, Panasonic will obviously be likely to get some benefit from the demise of Olympus if there is a group who want to keep their lenses but will eventually upgrade their bodies.

In a shrinking market, which will be the next brand to suffer Olympus' fate?

[ebiggs1]

"I know quite a few, especially older photographers, and those who wanted more than a cell phone ..." " For them, this was a good product."

I know a few folks, not many for sure, with an Olympus, one is a friend of mine that retired to Colorado.  He shoots all the time with his 4/3 Olympus. He loves it. However, Trevor, that doesn't turn it into a pro level camera. I fully doubt the Olympus OMD EM1X will make any significant inroads into the professional ranks.

"The other M4/3, Panasonic will obviously be likely to get some benefit from the demise of Olympus ..."

Not likely IMHO, of course.

[Tronhard]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"a friend of mine that retired to Colorado.  He shoots all the time with his 4/3 Olympus. He loves it.  ...  that doesn't turn it into a pro level camera. I fully doubt the Olympus OMD EM1X will make any significant inroads into the professional ranks."

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Ernie that is exactly my point.    I think Olympus made a big mistake with their efforts to get into the pro-level market, something that involves a lot of cost and development for a long-term (unlikely) gain.   Olympus had a following, not amongst really serious photographers but often those more casual users who were either going to travel and wanted small sized kit as I described, or for retired folks who had issues using the larger, heavier cameras. Then there are, of course, those who have shot Olympus since the film days and are brand loyal.   I know a few older photographers who got them as gifts and decided they liked the physical form factor.  

I totally agree that serious photographers will go for the likes of Canon, Sony and Nikon, but I don't think that was Olympus' market space - until they made the mistake of trying to go there - most likely because of cell phones.

I think they have suffered from the combination of a shrinking market, unwise investment and really unfortunate timing from the pandemic that hit them when they were most vulnerable.  All of these camera companies are departments within much larger conglomerates that are looking at shrinking contributions from what used to be a very profitable line.  I would expect that some others are looking to see how they will weather the short and long term threats to those products.