Oly is still having problems

Discussion of all digital SLR cameras under the Minolta and Konica Minolta brands
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classiccameras
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Re: Oly is still having problems

Unread post by classiccameras »

Buy to asset strip and vulture all the manufacturing equipment, not because they are a threat to trade or are big competitors.
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bakubo
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Re: Oly is still having problems

Unread post by bakubo »

Here is a link to an Olympus interview in Japanese and translation:

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/53770162

Olympus says they will not get out of the camera business. Of course, sometimes American/Western companies say things like that moments before they announce they are getting out, selling, or something else. :lol: Anyway, I think Japanese companies tend to operate a bit differently. Having said that, anything can happen in the future and I just don't spend any time worrying about it. :)
classiccameras
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Re: Oly is still having problems

Unread post by classiccameras »

There is a possibility that some amalgamations may happen in the Japanese photo industry on the basis of divided we fall, united we stand.
Mark K
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Re: Oly is still having problems

Unread post by Mark K »

Thanks for the info. Given the fact my friends around are using mainly Olympus, I have this illusion that Olympus is making a lot of money but...
classiccameras
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Re: Oly is still having problems

Unread post by classiccameras »

Mark, there's no doubt the current crop of OM-D E-M cameras are popular,[ I think the new EM-10 has revived some sales because of the price ], unlike the 'Pens' which struggled from day one. In absolute terms their sales are pretty small in comparison to Canikon. I have a lot of affection for Olympus as the E-510 was my first digicam and later added a E-450. I still have them. However, when Olympus dumped the 4/3 format and more or less forced people to adopt the new M/4/3 system, many jumped ship to other brands such as myself to Sony. I guess Olympus must be making some sort of profit from camera sales otherwise they would call it a day. Bare in mind though that Sony are the biggest share holder in Olympus and that situation could develop into some thing more interesting down the line. In fact they are alread doing joint R+D
For what its worth, my holiday camera is the Oly Stylus XZ-2, and for a large 1.7 sensor compact, its pretty darn good and much better value than the Stylus 1, so yes I still have faith in the brand but no longer in their ILC.
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bakubo
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Re: Oly is still having problems

Unread post by bakubo »

Someone on dpreview posted a link to this E-M1 review several days ago. I finally got around to skimming through it. Although it is a nice camera I am not in the market for one. I don't really want a bigger/heavier body even though the ergonomics are better.

http://www.sansmirror.com/cameras/a-not ... eview.html

Anyway, the reason I posted it here was because of a comment near the end.

I know that some are a little reluctant to buy into m4/3 because of Olympus’ continued losses in its camera group and what that might portend, but I have two responses to that. First, a camera as good as the E-M1 should last you a long time, and it’s already got a wide range of lenses that can be used with it. Second, no Japanese camera company (indeed electronics high tech company) is immune from what’s happening in the market these days. In some ways, Olympus is better off than Nikon, as cameras aren’t Olympus prime business and their prime business is very healthy and profitable. That’s not true of Nikon, where they are mostly reliant on how their camera business does.

I guess that is right. Anyone worried about buying an Olympus camera should be afraid of buying a Nikon. :) The truth is that the camera companies are all in not so great shape. The business is changing. I figure you buy what you want with some prudence, use the gear, and then let the chips fall where they may. Usually, you can sell your stuff and get something else if it looks like you have a dead mount. Of course, even gear that has a dead mount can still be used. I think there are still people using the old Minolta, Canon, etc. gear with the dead mounts.
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bfitzgerald
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Re: Oly is still having problems

Unread post by bfitzgerald »

I've not tried the E-M1 it looks nice enough I did have a try of the 12-40mm f2.8 on Pannie micro 4/3 (GX-7) and the lens is excellent optics and build wise.
Maybe the uncertainty puts some buyers off..and I hate to mention it but tank build or not the EM-1 is still bashing about at £1200 odd I just think it's too much for a camera and a micro 4/3 one at that. (A7 is a little cheaper in the UK, whilst I'm not a major fan of the concept..it's hard to argue with which offers more value)

I think the GX-7 is a reasonable price, the XT-1 is also cheaper. If Olympus are struggling they would want to look at their street pricing which isn't very good (plenty of semi pro level APS-C bodies for far less) I was always of the view Panasonic would eventually end up with Olympus, they've had their own problems but they have a big cheque book, and for obvious reasons a shared interest in micro 4/3. I think that could happen at some point if things don't turn around for Olympus.
classiccameras
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Re: Oly is still having problems

Unread post by classiccameras »

The G series Panny's have always scored well in reviews, their optics are usually very good even the kit lenses score highly. However, Panasonic do seem to aim their products more at the movie makers than the still shooters. Both mediums however do pretty good in reviews and I prefer their G series ICL to Olympus. IMHO, Panasonic let themselves down badly with their poor colour balance which seemed to go on from one model to the next. I'm not sure if the latest GH-4 and G-6 are suffering in the same way.
If any one were to take over the camera division of Olympus or amalgamate, it could be Panasonic rather than Sony because they share a mount.
I always thought Panasonic M/4/3 lenses out performed Olympus equivalents.
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bakubo
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Re: Oly is still having problems

Unread post by bakubo »

Nikon Lost in Hall of Mirrors

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB2 ... 1058180538

Nikon's solution to its flagging stock price seems rash. Incoming Chief Executive Kazuo Ushida said Nikon plans to dive into medical equipment, where it has no expertise, and has earmarked $2 billion for relevant acquisitions. But Nikon may have missed the party. Several rivals such as Hitachi have expressed medical ambitions. And rival Olympus is already a leader in medical imaging, as well as in mirrorless cameras.

I sure hope Nikon can survive. By the way, if that first link doesn't work for you then try this:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/s ... en&ct=clnk
classiccameras
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Re: Oly is still having problems

Unread post by classiccameras »

Thanks for high lighting that Bak, I'm not a fan of Nikon, but they are either fools or have done some careful market research which tells them that there is possibly a gap they could fill in the medic world. I some how doubt it would work and they would probably get burnt 'expensive ' fingers.

In these uncertain times for the photographic industry, may be diversification is the only way to survive but I would hate to see any camera manufacturer hang up their gloves as it would be bad for the whole industry.
Pentax and Nikon already lend their name to high street opticians for lenses, but quite how involved they are is uncertain, my guess is just name not product.
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bakubo
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Re: Oly is still having problems

Unread post by bakubo »

Yes, it is very sad when a camera company disappears. The more there are the more competition there is. Also, I suppose most of us have a soft spot for these brands, even the ones we have never owned. I have not owned a Nikon or Miranda or Petri and so on, but I lament their passing. My second SLR was a Minolta (the XK) in 1976 and that was followed by the X-700, 7000i, 7xi, 9xi, 707si, 7, D7i, and then finally the KM 7D. It sort of feels like an old friend has passed away. Fortunately the AF lenses can still be used on Sony A-mount cameras and even the old MF Minolta mount lenses can be used on various mirrorless systems. Although I finally sold my excellent, lightly used XK to a Japanese collector in 2001 I kept the Minolta MC Rokkor-X PG 50mm f1.4 lens that I bought with it. I have an m4/3 adapter and occasionally use it on the E-M5.
Last edited by bakubo on Sun Jun 29, 2014 1:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
classiccameras
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Re: Oly is still having problems

Unread post by classiccameras »

I still have my X-500 and X-D7, both manual focus and whole bunch of MD Rokkor lenses, they still get used and I could not part with them. They don't make lenses like those any more. It was a sad day when Contax stopped as did Yashica who mostly made the Contaxes. The Contax/Zeiss lenses were superb, but so were the Yashinon lenses.
My biggest up set was when Rollei stopped, I had a lot of affection for those cameras, and the SL35E was the first camera I took to the USA on holiday.
Took 10 rolls of 36 ex Kodachrome 25, thank goodness it was process paid.

I just hope the photographic industry pull together rather than fragment.
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bakubo
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Re: Oly is still having problems

Unread post by bakubo »

classiccameras wrote:The Contax/Zeiss lenses were superb, but so were the Yashinon lenses.
Last year in Japan I stopped in at a store that sells all kinds of used stuff (musical instruments, clothes, electronics, shoes, household appliances, etc.). They had some old photo gear too. I took a look and they had an excellent condition Yashica ML 55mm f2.8 macro lens with original front and rear caps with a Kenko UV filter on it for 500 yen ($5). Among other things they also had an excellent condition A-mount Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 with original hood, front, and rear caps with a Kenko UV filter on it for 300 yen ($3). I bought them both since together they were just the cost of a normal lunch. Then I bought a Yashica/Contax to m4/3 adapter.
classiccameras
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Re: Oly is still having problems

Unread post by classiccameras »

Now your talking, I really rated the Yashica lenses and many Contax users rated them better than the Zeiss and for less money. Wow, that stuff was cheap.
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Greg Beetham
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Re: Oly is still having problems

Unread post by Greg Beetham »

How about a few photos with the $5 Yashica 55mm macro (now 110) Henry, that sounds interesting.
Greg
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