24 ms·

Olympus quits camera business after 84 years

689 points by Element_ 6y ago

runxel 6y ago
Sad to see them go and see the industry losing even more competition. Had a couple of Olympus' and was always delighted by their quality. But on the other hand the underlying problem is quite true: Since the advent of the smartphone I see myself rely more and more on my smartphone (even tho I still don't really like that "look", but as long you don't plan to have a professional photo shooting it's "good enough"). On the other hand: the camera business seem to have stopped any evolution. I didn't see one thing in the last 10 years that made me go "what a gamechanger! I need that!"...
- sudosysgen 6y ago
  That's true, but then again what could be any better than what we have now? My camera takes really excellent pictures, I can use any lens made in the last century and have it autofocus, I can send images to my phone almost instantly, I can record amazingly high quality video, if I decide I want to I can use HDR+ and do dynamic stacking to reduce noise and increase dynamic range, I can send the files to my computer wirelessly and edit them with amazing flexibility, and so on. So I don't really know what else I could want. The fact that cameras are so good that no one has managed to improve them is a good thing. I can buy a high quality camera now and still get great performance out of it in ten years, and when I want to switch gear if I've been careful I can sell it at very similar prices to what I paid for it. Since the only reason I was updating my phones was camera quality this also makes it a good long term decision as each two years I pay 500$ less on my phone as I buy an older model that suits me just fine.
- ksk 6y ago
  >On the other hand: the camera business seem to have stopped any evolution. I didn't see one thing in the last 10 years that made me go "what a gamechanger! I need that!"... That's not true at all. Recent innovation in diffractive optics & phase fresnel lens (gap-less) designs is a gamechanger that has recently allowed compact lens designs to compete with larger, heavier lenses. For wild-life photographers looking to travel and fit their gear in the overhead bin, its a gamechanger. Sony's Eye AF is a gamechanger for portrait photographers looking for increased productivity. Mirrorless cameras with live EVFs are gamechangers for photographers who no longer need to take a test-shot to check for exposure (mainly blown highlights which can be avoided with live zebras). Sony A9's triple stacked sensor design and its super fast read-out is a gamechanger for shooting sports w/ a silent shutter (e.g. golf). There are plenty of game changing technologies. Ofcource, it all depends on what it means to YOUR photography.
Paul_S 6y ago
Is Pentax next? Oh wait, that already happened. What a shame. Both Pentax and Olympus had unique features to offer. Cameras are not a commodity yet. I still hope Ricoh will do something, Pentax bodies haven't had a real next generation in a decade.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- mark-r 6y ago
  Ricoh keeps promising that the next Pentax APS-C is right around the corner and will be worth the wait. They've been saying that for a couple of years now.
- BeetleB 6y ago
  I fully expect Ricoh to drop the Pentax line. Their APS-C cameras are fantastic. Their full frame camera is the best value for the money - almost half the price of the competition with comparable quality. Pentax has unique features for the enthusiasts. But ... the ecosystem is dying. Sigma stopped making Pentax lenses. At this point I don't think anyone makes lenses for Pentax other than Pentax, and Pentax lenses are expensive compared to Nikon and Canon. So while the Pentax full frame body is an excellent value, once you start adding lenses to the picture, Nikon and Canon still win in the total cost arena. Pentax FF has very few choices of modern lenses. You could buy their film era lenses, but supposedly modern ones are a lot better in quality. I'm a Pentax user. Used to by an Olympus guy. Kind of sucks to have to go through this all over again.
  - Paul_S 6y ago
    Ha, ha. Same here, after I retired from photography I sold my Nikon gear (I didn't own most of it anyway) and went for an Olympus, mostly for size (no mirrorles back then). Then I had all my gear stolen and seeing that Olympus was slow at developing pro bodies it promised I went for Pentax. At some point I will probably arrive full circle back at Nikon after Pentax gives up. Pentax glass is really nice, I wasn't bothered about sigma. The more annoying thing is flash support always sucks for Pentax.
vincnetas 6y ago
*Consumer camera business.
- fudged71 6y ago
  Yeah, Olympus is still pretty well represented at trade fairs etc with inspection equipment, seems like really high quality stuff from what I've seen.
- jandrese 6y ago
  Are consumer digicams even a thing anymore? Everything below the prosumer level had their lunch eaten by smartphones.
  - chrisseaton 6y ago
    > Are consumer digicams even a thing anymore? As in do Walmart and Best Buy still sell digital cameras to normal people? Yeah.
  - stan_rogers 6y ago
    What the parent meant is that medical imaging and such aren't part of the deal. All of Olympus's 4/3 and Micro 4/3 stuff would count as consumer goods.
  - fennecfoxen 6y ago
    The fact that they really aren't "a thing" seems to be the exact reason they're getting out of the business, yes.
akersten 6y ago
Sad to see them go - photography's such a great hobby and having competition in the space is healthy. There's a few brands out there still, but there is a noticable stigma in the professional community around equipment that isn't Canon. If you're not using L-glass, it feels like you get the same kind of judgement that Android users experience when they show up with green texts in iMessage. As a matter of principle, I've been buying exclusively Nikon for almost my entire time in the hobby. I always saw Canon as a large conglomerate who tacked on photography as another arm of their company, where to me Nikon feels more focused on optics as a primary business line. Honestly, I should almost start buying more Pentax gear. I worry we're slowly approaching a monoculture in photography, but it's hard to convince folks outside of the hobby to care.
- chrisseaton 6y ago
  > There's a few brands out there still, but there is a noticable stigma in the professional community around equipment that isn't Canon Really? I had no idea (as an outsider.) I thought Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, etc were all pretty much equal in terms of serious quality. I thought their DLSs all looked pretty much the same. Is that not the case?
  - renewiltord 6y ago
    Huh, it's funny. I didn't know this either as someone who only dabbles. The only reason I bought Canon is that the community has aftermarket firmware. Honestly, I wouldn't buy Nikon or Pentax or whatever just because no aftermarket firmware.
    - sudosysgen 6y ago
      Sony doesn't have aftermarket firmware but the firmware up to the A7ii has been hacked so you can run Android apps and control the camera that way. As far as photography is concerned there's no need for flashed firmware beyond that.
      - renewiltord 6y ago
x87678r 6y ago
My Dad had an OM-1, and later I bought an OM-D E-M5. Its amazing how much sentiment affects decisions. I have and love both those cameras, many happy memories.
- galleypage 6y ago
  Definitely - my favorite film camera was a Pen F half-frame with the big gothic "F" on the front. Old, but really compact (and worked well-enough with lens adapters, right until it got stolen a couple years back). The feel of the thing definitely got me to buying the E-M5.
  - mtraven 6y ago
    I still have one of those, a hand-me-down from my father...was my first real camera.
- senderista 6y ago
  Same here, it's a wonderful camera. I'm so sad about this news.
flyinglizard 6y ago
Oh no. This is a huge blow to the MFT form factor (which is supported mostly by Olympus and Panasonic), which I personally love.
- kaypro 6y ago
  Agreed though I think this could go either way. Either Panasonic steps up their line up and becomes the sole M43 manufacturer or it fizzles out. I really think the M43 ecosystem is severely underrated in a world where cameras are pitched solely on specs. The body to lens ratio is so great on the M43 lineup and I absolutely love my GX85 for just that reason. For most consumers or even prosumers who don't make a living in action sports or low light photography M43 is the sweet spot. As a hardcore photographer hobbyist I recently sold all my APS-C / Full Frame gear for a super minimal kit that comes with me on every trip. http://minimalnotes.com/a-minimalists-hobby-camera-kit/ http://minimalnotes.com/a-minimalists-hobby-camera-kit/. I'm really hoping Panasonic makes some announcements in the next month or two... fingers crossed!
  - lostapathy 6y ago
    Yep. M43 is fantastic except for when you REALLY need full frame. The market is really driven by people who want to look “pro”, but M43 is just so much more convenient to carry around all day.
  - slantyyz 6y ago
    Have you considered the 9-18 for traveling? I have an equivalent lens for my Nikon J5 (so I'm in no rush to pick up the 9-18 - or I should say -was- in no rush prior to the Oly announcement), and it's the lens I use the most during the day when traveling. When I travel, I usually bring my J5 with the wide zoom and my GM5 with a pancakey lens (switching cameras is easier than lenses, imo) plus a lightweight long zoom.
    - kaypro 6y ago
      I rarely go below the 50mm focal length so the 12-32 has been ok for those rare occasions so far.
Someone1234 6y ago
That's a legitimate shame for open standards. M43 has its proponents and critics, but either way it is rare to see a somewhat successful multi-vendor standard in photography that actually worked. The main problem is that the market itself has been shrinking, and there's just not enough room to have so much competition (Olympus, Panasonic, Sony, Fuji, Canon, and Nikon). M43 was successful, but it succeeded in an area that is shrinking faster: Smaller form factor/lower optical powerful photography equipment; exactly the kind being eaten alive by smartphones. While Panasonic and others will continue the M43 standard for a while longer, the writing may be on the wall. Some competition have moved into niches (e.g. medium format, videography, etc), which may have better longer term stability.
- brendoelfrendo 6y ago
  This is actually news to me... I bought a M43 camera a couple years ago because I thought it was a standard with staying power and a healthy ecosystem of lenses and bodies from many manufacturers. Is Panasonic the only one still producing M43 gear? I thought Fuji did as well, unless they decided to ditch it, too. I'd be upset if the standard disappeared!
  - igrekel 6y ago
    I'm in a similar situation! I still use my trusty GF1 which is by far the best camera I have owned and I wanted to eventually upgrade and bring my lenses that I accumulated over the years with me. Olympus had a solid m43 lineup back when I last checked. I was always a little frustrated how some vendors just started their own mirrorless, fragmenting the business. Its a shame and I am afraid to what will happen with m43.. its a shame if it goes, it is still a world better than cell phone cameras and it is so much more convenient than full frames.
    - tqi 6y ago
      I bought myself a GF1 when I hit 1 year at my first job out of college, so it holds a very special place in my heart. It is interesting to me that while phone cameras have improved by leaps and bounds in that period, progress in the M43 space seems much slower.
m0zg 6y ago
Sad, but inevitable, after Nikon stopped dragging its feet. I used Oly cameras for a few years, mostly due to their compact size and excellent in-body stabilization. But then Nikon released Z6 and I switched to that. Not much larger, much better image quality (Sony looks too "blue" for me), great usability, great stabilization, great glass so far. Still Olympus OM-D series were excellent cameras.
- rimliu 6y ago
  Z6 may be compact, but the lenses for FF will be big, heavy and expensive anyway. Also, I do not think that anyone came close to Olympus IBIS.
  - m0zg 6y ago
    You can just use f/4 most of the time. 24-70 Nikon f/4 is not that different in size or weight compared to 12-40 f/2.8 Oly. Image quality is still going to be better.
bserge 6y ago
Olympus was one of my first digital cameras. I forgot the model, but I still remember it used SMC/SmartMedia cards, which were an exotic item back then (CF/CompactFlash were the most common). The picture quality of that camera was better than even Canon or Sony, and it cost less. Sad, but I haven't heard anything about Olympus for a long time. They developed their own standard for mirrorless cameras, but then kind of vanished, at least in my world :/
snapetom 6y ago
Oh wow. As of last year, I still had an Olympus C-120 in the glove box of my 1999 Miata. Many, many moons ago, it was recommended that you kept a camera in your car in case you got in an accident. Decades later, I just never bothered to take it out. One night last summer, I forgot to lock the car. Someone came through and stole it. "Uhh, ok," was pretty much my reaction. Hope you get a lot of money from it at a pawn shop. Maybe that 32MB SmartMedia card might be worth something. Back in the days of early compact digitals, the Olympus lines were such a great value. The technology overall wasn't that great to begin with so no one was head and shoulders above everyone else. Olympus solidly beat everyone on price, though.
barbegal 6y ago
Photography is one of those areas where devices don't go obsolete very quickly. With a good lens from 50 years ago I can still take an excellent photo on a digital camera from 15 years ago. Sure you won't have all the bells and whistles of the latest cameras and you'll sacrifice a few stops of dynamic range but for the average hobby photographer that doesn't really matter. The only customers who will upgrade every few years are professionals and Olympus hasn't had a huge offering for professionals. The micro four thirds standard is a great compromise between size and picture quality but it isn't what most professionals are looking for. They can use a phone for most of the things that an Olympus camera is good for and everyone these days already has a phone on them. One market that hasn't been explored by camera manufacturers is software upgrades. I would pay a fair bit of money to get some of the latest computational photography features on my 5 year old camera.
- sumoboy 6y ago
  Sony appears more like Apple supporting older bodies with firmware updates which is unfortunate for Canon and Nikon owners. The Canon R / RP are pretty much dead products after one year due to lack of upgrades, but pretty much the same attitude holds true for even there pro 1D bodies. I think few factor this in before buying since just don't know.
  - sudosysgen 6y ago
    Yes, the older A7s getting eye autofocus and advanced PDAF for adapted lenses being trickled out was pretty cool.
- taborj 6y ago
  Yep. I throw 30-40 year old lenses on my 10 year old E-PL1 and go out and just have fun with photography. I never worry about taking it out on the beach, or on a boat, or any other place that cameras die. If it dies...I just pick up another one cheaply and continue having fun, and because I'm not as concerned about it, I take it places and get shots that others don't. It's like having a beat up old 4x4 pickup. It gets the job done, and if you bang it up a bit in the process...oh well.
- 6y ago
Thaxll 6y ago
Being in the camera business is tough since recent mobile phones, they just don't compete anymore for most use case.
stx 6y ago
I had thought about switching to an Olympus micro from my Canon to save in size/weight. I am not a professional. Glad I didn't now.
- unethical_ban 6y ago
  They take pretty standard batteries, and are part of an open standard on lenses. I am not upset at my recent purchase.
- slantyyz 6y ago
  If you're not a pro, there's no reason why you still can't switch. Size does matter in terms of whether you bring your gear with you or leave them at home. Panasonic is still making cameras. All of the M43 cameras since around 2014 produce images that are good enough for most people. The lens ecosystem is pretty complete. The size advantage is still there, and if you get a recent model, there's no reason to think that there's anything that will stop any of the cameras from working long term outside of battery availability or camera failure. And in that regard, Olympus (more so than Panasonic) has been using the same batteries for most of their cameras since the beginning of the PEN line.
- _ph_ 6y ago
  The Olympus camera business is not being shut down, only split into a separate company. So you still can get Olympus mFT gear and I can quite recommend it, it is wonderful, especially if you want to limit the amount of stuff to carry. An OMD E-M5 Mk3 with a 25/1.8 or the new 12-45 zoom is extremely capable but leightweight and compact at the same time.
ancharm 6y ago
Another death by iPhone
- sudosysgen 6y ago
  They really got their ass handed to them by Sony, Fuji and Panasonic more than anything. The market for high quality interchangeable lens cameras hasn't gone anywhere and isn't going anywhere, but Sony and co really shook it up by modernizing it, and made a lot of Olympus tech obsolete. I'll never understand how Olympus decided to sell a camera with a sensor a fourth the size of an A7 at the same price. That said, the market for point and shoots and other low end to medium end cameras got really eviscerated and Olympus couldn't find a way to compete at the higher end.
  - rimliu 6y ago
    Oh boy, there is way more to photography than sensor size. Olympus was a pioner in many of that and not surpassed in some of that. They have the best IBIS, some innovative computational photography stuff and amazing weather proofing. I am glad Olympus decided to sell M43 cameras, as those are you actually take with you.
    - sudosysgen 6y ago
      Of course there is more to photography than sensor size. But an Olympus E-MD I was more expensive than a Sony A7ii that also has very good IBIS, can adapt pretty much any lens, and also has solid computational photography abilities. The Sigma E-MD I that actually has all of the features you're talking about was almost as big as an A7. The lenses were smaller, but if you don't mind horrible apertures that you have to get on M4/3 you can also have very small and light lenses. Even moreso if you go APS-C. The lens system also has huge pricing issues. The f2.0 zoom on M4/3 is equivalent to the kit lens on a Sony A7ii. That's a ten times price reduction! My A7 with a pancake lens is small enough that I can actually slip it into my pocket (!) Compromising image quality for portability at such an extreme extent is not a good idea when smartphone are so plentiful. If sensor size and optics doesn't really matter, then why not take pictures on your phone? They have amazing IBIS, innovative computational photography, and so on.
tmwed 6y ago
i could see Snap inc. acquiring this part of their business. there’s a lot of value in what they’ve done over 84 years.
technofiend 6y ago
I started photography with a Canon AE-1 and my aunt's darkroom and lusting after Hasselblad cameras because they were used in the space program. It's been a life long love. But carrying a camera is a conscious decision and a cell phone is always in your pocket. I anticipated Project Ara meshing the two worlds by adding high quality modular photo capture options to an Android phone. Pixel and iPhone have such excellent photography that it's almost moot. But still if there was a cell phone meant for photography I would be sorely tempted. The RED phone was a bust but perhaps someone else will somehow package a lens and a phone in a way that means you can always have both.
baq 6y ago
the m.zuiko 45mm f/1.8 is a fantastic piece of glass. shame.
- slantyyz 6y ago
  I used to prefer focals in the 40-60 normal range (ff equiv), but the 45/1.8 was the first lens I bought after making the switch to M43, and it's still my favorite lens to this day.
wintorez 6y ago
End of an era... :(
nradov 6y ago
As a casual underwater photographer I hope the Olympus TG series rugged compact cameras live on under the new owner. I know compact cameras are a dying niche market in general. But no one has figured out a good solution for using smartphone cameras underwater (there are waterproof housings but the controls are terrible and they don't really work with strobes or wet lenses). The housings for DSLRs and similarly sized mirrorless cameras are too bulky and extremely expensive.
- pgrote 6y ago
  I searched for water and am so glad someone else brought this up. When I read the article I was hoping to see something about it, but didn't. I'm on my third TG and absolutely love it. We vacation on the beach and some of my better family photos were taken in the water with the camera. It is a tank that performs. Six years ago took my son to the beach for the first time and had a blast with him and the other kids. Lots of great photos. Stupidly, I didn't wrap the camera around my wrist, but put it in my pocket. The Atlantic is unforgiving and it knocked me down and with it my camera escaped. Looking for it was hopeless and I went back to the hotel dejected. Next day we're on the beach and someone walks up to me and hands me the camera. I jumped up and hugged them so hard. Turns out it washed up four hotels down and they reviewed the photos and found our room number and hotel. They were on the way to drop it off when they saw us on the beach. lol Now I keep a wrist wrap and a floatie on it. Lesson learned.
- slantyyz 6y ago
  Have you had a look at the Nikon 1 AW series? I think there are only two lens options, but apparently they are very good, and should be pretty cheap now, since they were a niche offshoot of an already niche (and discontinued) product line.
  - nradov 6y ago
    The Nikon 1 AW1 was discontinued years ago and it is technically inferior to the Olympus TG-6. Lens options are moot anyway for underwater photography because you need special wet lenses that attach to the waterproof housing.
jakebasile 6y ago
It's sad to see this - they do of course claim that they'll still be making cameras for the time being but who knows how long that will last, and at what level of investment. Olympus was already considered somewhat behind the cutting edge in technology in the camera body space (they do have quite high quality lenses, though). I hope there are no more "deaths in the family" in the photographic industry anytime soon, as the market is already down to only a few large players left. Personally, I love my Nikon equipment and hope they continue to make gear for decades but even Nikon and Canon seem like they'd be at risk, now.
oweqruiowe 6y ago
Shocker! I have owned two of their micro 4/3 digital cameras and loved them. Great rangefinder style in the $600 range with quality lenses in the box. I remember the first time I took the camera out with the telephoto lens and being shocked by the quality of the photos. Learned then that quality of camera + lens really makes a difference in nice looking photos. Edit - replaced 'DSLR' with digital
- slantyyz 6y ago
  > I have owned two of their micro 4/3 DSLR cameras I thought all of their 4/3 cameras were DSLRs and all of their micro 4/3 cameras were mirrorless?
  - oweqruiowe 6y ago
    Excuse my ignorance, correct, it is mirrorless :D
- da02 6y ago
  Which Olympus micro 4/3 cameras have you owned?
  - oweqruiowe 6y ago
    This has been my camera since 2017 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016LMB770/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016LMB770/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b... And I got this cool lens-cap for it https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I1CP2MU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I1CP2MU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b... that has an automatic opening when you turn the camera on, great for traveling. Before that I had the E-P2 https://www.amazon.com/Olympus-Interchangeable-Digital-Electronic-included/dp/B003CFB0MM https://www.amazon.com/Olympus-Interchangeable-Digital-Elect... I'm still using the telephoto lens that I got from the E-P2, it wasn't very expensive, I think it's this one https://www.amazon.com/Olympus-40-150mm-F4-0-5-6-Panasonic-Cameras/dp/B005KJH8WO/ref=pd_day0_421_1/144-8953417-3064260?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B005KJH8WO&pd_rd_r=da5819b1-da59-425a-9a40-4d45b87ade23&pd_rd_w=u07bT&pd_rd_wg=qrmLt&pf_rd_p=92ee6eda-fccf-47b6-ba0e-46d82b2113f3&pf_rd_r=34MJCTRGAPW4EXMR2G6W&psc=1&refRID=34MJCTRGAPW4EXMR2G6W https://www.amazon.com/Olympus-40-150mm-F4-0-5-6-Panasonic-C...
milin 6y ago
Are canon and nikon next?
crististm 6y ago
Only as a historical note here, but it made enough impression on me that it's the first thing that comes to mind when I hear Olympus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympus_scandal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympus_scandal
meowzero 6y ago
It was a matter of time. They were focused on m4/3, which was a good system. But phone technology evolved quickly. Most pros or prosumers go for the higher-end APSC or Full Frame lineups. In my experience, they don't take the m4/3 stuff seriously. For regular folks, m4/3 is too expensive. For the same price, they can use their phones (or buy an APSC camera). The quality is negligible thanks to all the software enhancements the phones do. Panasonic is at least focused on video. That helped their market a bit. But who knows how they'll do in a few years? They've entered the saturated full frame market. Pentax is probably in trouble too. They don't even have mirrorless offerings.
- jseliger 6y ago
  In my experience, they don't take the m4/3 stuff seriously Olympus neglected video for far too long and Panasonic's autofocus has been inadequate for many years. Both companies have produced incredible cameras but both had and have substantial weaknesses they never properly fixed.
- Nelson69 6y ago
  >> Pentax is probably in trouble too. They don't even have mirrorless offerings. I think just about all of the older guard are in trouble. Things sounded pretty ominous for Nikon last year and I'm sure COVID-19 isn't helping camera sales. https://petapixel.com/2019/11/12/nikon-says-its-cameras-need-to-justify-their-existence-as-a-business/ https://petapixel.com/2019/11/12/nikon-says-its-cameras-need... Phones keep getting better.
- rimliu 6y ago
  Actually it is APS-C that needs to go. That format does not offer significant IQ upgrade compared to M43 and has not significant size benefits compared to FF. No matter how good phones are there is still a clear advantage M43 has over them.
- slantyyz 6y ago
  >> For regular folks, m4/3 is too expensive. This is a huge misconception. From my perspective, any camera (including M43) made after 2014 is more than good enough for most "regular folks" looking to level up from a smartphone. Yes, the top end stuff can be expensive, but regular folks shouldn't be buying that stuff until they're ready to get to the next level. I bought most of my m43 gear as open box or used. The same with my lenses. You can get something like an E-PL6 body for a couple of hundred bucks, and it takes great photos. pro tip: buying camera gear from Japanese sellers off eBay is a good way to get stuff, because they're super trustworthy and the gear is in the exact condition they say it is.
rpiguy 6y ago
If they weren't a Japanese company I'd say just wait a year and they will sell the name to a Chinese company and you'll have Olympus cameras again in 12 months time at a fourth of the cost.
- fomine3 6y ago
  Olympus sold camera dept to Japan Industrial Partners, Inc that also had bought VAIO dept from Sony previously. I don't expect they sell the dept to China.
pkulak 6y ago
I'm really sad about this. It feels like everyone went full-frame without appreciating the benefits of smaller lenses and bodies. Olympus glass is the best in the industry, probably because they don't have to make everything so damn large. I've got Olympus lenses that cost $400 new and can't even match $2000 full-frame glass. Sure, I'll keep my kit forever, but it sucks to know I'll never upgrade any of it.
- da02 6y ago
  Which Olympus lenses do you have? Which is your favorite Olympus body?
  - pkulak 6y ago
    I have like all the primes. My favorites are the 45 and the 75mm, since I mostly do portraiture. Those are both tack-sharp edge to edge, every aperture. I have the EM-5 mk II body. I was just about to upgrade to the mk III... but I'm not sure if now it's a better or worse time to do it. Maybe I should while there's still stock, since I think this is going to be my system for the rest of time. EDIT: Oops, on the above post I meant to say that the $2000 glass can't match my Olympus. No idea why I can't edit that post anymore...
- photogram 6y ago
  It's true the lenses Olympus make may take up much less volume than an equivalent large focal length for full frame. But the downside is they're not cheaper in the prosumer space. The spatial resolution demands put on the lens by a 20MP M43 sensor is actually pretty similar to a 42MP Sony A7Rii. This means the manufacturing tolerances are the same as full frame, which is a large component of lens cost. This means that for the average consumer not interested in long range wildlife photography where the price of glass does come into play (e.g. 600mm), there isn't any price advantage. As an example, have a look at the 12-100mm F4 for Olympus (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1281427-REG/olympus_v314080bu000_m_zuiko_digital_ed_12_100mm.html https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1281427-REG/olympus_v...) vs the new Tamron 28-200 F2.8-5.6 for Sony FE (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1568708-REG/tamron_a071_28_200mm_f_2_8_5_6_di_iii.html https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1568708-REG/tamron_a0...) The Tamron actually outperforms the Olympus lens in terms of spatial resolution/sharpness on a 24MP sensor (because the photosites are larger), has a 2 stops faster wide end, and is $500 cheaper. Even more interesting is that there is only a 14g difference in weight between these two lenses. Granted the Olympus will have better weather sealing. The average prosumer is going to do the math and see that for a lower total system cost (body + lens) they're getting more in terms of sensor and lens performance for a negligible increase in weight. This wasn't true in the early days of Sony's FE system, but as of 2020 with modern, sharp, short flange lens designs from 3rd parties - the price/performance ratio has become better than I ever predicted it would be
IMAYousaf 6y ago
As someone with a huge photography itch and a gear nerd who actually isn't a practitioner, can someone with domain expertise in photography and cameras give some insights or predictions in to what they see as the future of photography? I have a sophomoric understanding of the shift from SLR --> DSLR --> Sony led Mirrorless cameras. Where do we go from here? How do things like Hasselblad's X1D II entry level medium format shape up the market? Do more companies go down market? Do the Sonys of the world go upmarket?
- hrktb 6y ago
  An analysis by Thom Hogan: https://www.dslrbodies.com/newsviews/whos-still-buying-dslrs.html https://www.dslrbodies.com/newsviews/whos-still-buying-dslrs...
  - IMAYousaf 6y ago
    Thank you. Appreciate this. Will study this.
- jetrink 6y ago
  My prediction is that full frame cameras will eventually be squeezed out by APS-C and medium format. On one side, medium format cameras are shrinking in both size and price. The Canon 5D Mark IV is thicker, taller and heavier than Fuji's GFX 50R[1]. Medium format cameras aren't quite as small as full frame mirrorless cameras, but they are no longer impractically large either. If image quality is paramount, size and cost will no longer rule out medium format. On the other side, APS-C cameras are now firmly in the 'good enough' area of the image quality curve - even for many professional applications - and they are continuing to improve. If you have other practical considerations and can do with lesser (but still excellent) image quality, APS-C will be your choice. 1. https://camerasize.com/compare/#682,805 https://camerasize.com/compare/#682,805
  - IMAYousaf 6y ago
    Do you think it is possible that cellphone cameras are coming closer to APS-C and thus its those that end up losing out? Full frame seems to be a significant value add relative to APS-C for a prosumer, just as how medium format is a significant jump up.
_ph_ 6y ago
One thing to notice is: Olympus is NOT shutting down the camera business. It gets split off the Olympus coproration and is supposed to run as an independant company. Of course that could mean a later death, but it can also mean that it continues to prosper as management might take new directions. Also, while still producing a deficit, the camera division managed to improve the balances quite a bit over the last year. A completely new production facility was opened not long ago in Vietnam, and new camera models and lenses were launched, others still in the pipeline and the plans are to bring them to the market. I am a very happy Olympus user and definitely hope, that their lineup has a long future. I see mFT as a great alternative to the ubiquos "full frame" cameras, which are, if you look at the complete sets, more expensive and especially bigger and heavier. And despite of the "small sensor", Olympus cameras produce excellent results, to no small amount due to the excellent optics.
- 127 6y ago
  I think a lot depends on how well they can keep up with the sensor technology. Sony seems to have the market cornered on that front.
  - _ph_ 6y ago
    Quite a few of the Olympus sensors are made by Sony. At any time, they could pick up some money and just ask Sony to give them a new sensor design. This is one hope I have, that after the split-off, new money is invested in updating the sensors.
    - slantyyz 6y ago
      IIRC, right around the time Oly switched from Panny to Sony sensors, they made an agreement to share tech/patents, which I think included Oly's multi-axis IBIS.
solotronics 6y ago
Super weird. I guess it became not profitable after a time period.
qwerty456127 6y ago
This is very sad.
killface 6y ago
Awww... so sad to see this. I know phones have basically eaten everybody's lunch except serious photographers. It's the march of progress, but their mirrorless cameras were solid. I have a couple Fuji X-series bodies myself, and I wouldn't be surprised if they announce something similar any time soon. Amazing body, amazing glass, amazing software, amazing photos... but at the end of the day, the incremental increase in quality and/or flexibility doesn't make up for the form factor. And now that camera software is so damn good, and we're utilizing multiple lenses with multiple optical ranges to make a composite photograph... snapshots are all that 99% of people ever needed, but I really thought the mirrorless cameras would eventually supplant dslr.
ChuckMcM 6y ago
Sad, I agree with the article though that they made some rather curious choices that didn't help their prospects. I still have a Camedia C3030 Zoom for some reason with all the doo-dads (extra flash extension, XM memory cards) it had an awesome F2.8 lens and could take very nice pictures @ 3MP. I replaced it with an C5050 Zoom that had an F1.8 lens but gave that one away when I replaced it with a Canon SD550 (which for some reason I also still have :-)). I joked on Twitter that the "big feature reveal" for Canon's 2020 DSLR would be that you could make phone calls with it. So much of the camera market was consumed by phone cameras. While it has done wonders for bringing the price of sensors down, the really important bit of the camera, and the part where Olympus had an edge, are the lenses. I hope whomever buys the camera unit can continue the tradition with some better choices.
- codazoda 6y ago
  I just have a simple DSLR from Canon, which says it has WiFi, but the wifi experience is so poor it's not really usable. I guess my point is that if they add a phone, it won't make phone calls without a lot of stress, so you probably won't use it. Edit: I realize that adding a phone is a joke.
acjohnson55 6y ago
I maintain that digital camera manufacturers' biggest failing is not eliminating the friction between taking pictures and video and getting them online to social networks, like Instagram. It's super frustrating.
- foolfoolz 6y ago
  whenever i use the gopro with my friends they complain how hard it is to see the footage after. it’s like for every minute of end result footage it takes an hour of work. sometimes more
- hrktb 6y ago
  That’s pretty broad though. Like saying Kodak’s failing was on the digital shift. It’s completely true, but you would travel back in time and tell that to the CEO, the result would be the same. There are so many structural issues to solve to prevent that. Hell Olympus took decades to give up and join the SD card wagon.
- vncecartersknee 6y ago
  Is it really that difficult? I can connect to my entry level nikon d3400 over bluetooth and send an image to my smartphone, edit it a bit and upload it to instagram pretty easily. Granted the bluetooth is very slow and image editing on a smartphone is fairly rudimentary but personally I prefer not to edit images too much.
  - acjohnson55 6y ago
    The bar for broad market consumer products--which digital cameras once were--has a much higher bar than that. "Good enough" would be that you take a picture on your camera, and it's available as a thumbnail in your phone's gallery without any further action. Sharing it would trigger a full transfer. "Great" would be being able to edit and upload without taking your phone out of your pocket at all. It blows my mind that we still live in a world where product makers don't get the cloud. People no longer want to think of data as living within physical devices, managing copies and transfers. They want to skip to the "job to be done".
jbarham 6y ago
FWIW I run a website that allows you to interactively filter Micro Four Thirds lenses: https://www.m43lenses.com/ https://www.m43lenses.com/
- poyu 6y ago
  Very informative site! Thank you for making this!
- Anther 6y ago
  That’s very handy. I’ve not seen anyone talking about Blackmagic in this thread, but my Pocket 4K is always in need of new m4/3 lenses!
mikeInAlaska 6y ago
Lots of my friends are switching over to Sony. Sony high end gear works better out of the box. My Nikon fluorite 600mm f4 E and D850 has to be recalibrated for wide temperature changes. I expect my DSLR and lens to know when its in focus, not for me to have to tell it periodically where best focus is.
vncecartersknee 6y ago
This is such a shame, my uncle passed his OM4Ti 35mm on to me recently and I absolutely adore it, a beautiful camera.
vparikh 6y ago
I have been a long time M43 user since they released the very first OMD-EM5. And the OMD line has been the best camera for the everyday user - highly capable, small with amazing small lens that really are great. The Olympus 45, Panasonic 20mm and the 80-150 are truly some the greatest lens for any system. Shure, you loose some depth of field - but for 95% of the people it is perfect. However, when I was ready to upgrade my OMD-EM5 purchased in 2009 (11 years ago!) - I started the move away from my M43 system. And heres why: Cost - The Nikon Z6 with an FTZ adapter can be had for $1550 brand new. Compare that to a new OMD-EM5 MkII for $1200 - the EM5 just can't compete. Size - the Z6 + Nikon 24-70 F4 S is really not that much bigger than the EM5 MkIII. Add the Nikon 24-70 F4 S lens, and the size difference is negligible. But the AF capabilities and image quality are far superior. Compatiblity - The Z Mount is absolutely amazing. With third party adapters you can use just about any lens (Nikon F, Nikon S, Sony FE, Canon EOS) with full autofocus capability. The Z Mount is the most universal mount anyone has ever come out with. Video - I am not a video user, but the Z system has an excellent reputation for video. Olympus never really concentrated on video - they seeded that market to Panasonic. All of this with an amazing echo system and with the first gen Z mount it is quite amazing already. And the Z mount going forward I feel is going to allow Nikon some amazing things - largest diameter with the shortest flange distance allows for unique designs and edge to sharpness that is absolutely amazing. I know this is turning into a Nikon Z love fest, but the point is - with the new entries from Nikon & Canon, combined with average consumer going to the cell phone instead of a traditional camera - Olympus simply had to invest way to much in R&D to justify the possible profits. The shrinking camera market just put a stake through the heart. It is sad. Olympus was the most innovative camera company. They were the first to have sensor cleaning, the best in body stablization, amazing lens and real-time exposure. All with the most robust bodies in the business. It is sad to see such a great company with a respected name go to an investment group. They will probably use the brand and make sub standard products going forward or milk the brand for a quick buck. Here's to hoping that some other company comes in restores it to its former glory.
- JKCalhoun 6y ago
  > combined with average consumer going to the cell phone instead of a traditional camera Sadly all you describe could be pulled up 5 years from now when it's Canon that is leaving the came a market, or Nikon....
ngcc_hk 6y ago
A sad day. Whilst it is not top it produce very high quality lens and innovative system. RIP.
yoran 6y ago
I'm sad to read this. I "made a bet" on Olympus in 2008, when I bought my first and only DSLR: the E-520. I bought a couple of additional lenses too, thinking that I would always be able to buy an upgraded body as technology improved and continue to use the lenses. Little did I know that the E-520 was the last DSLR they released :/...
- slantyyz 6y ago
  IIRC, if you get an OM-D EM 1 or 5 model with a lens adapter, you can get decent performance from your old lenses.
MichaelMoser123 6y ago
Leica is doing mobile cameras for Huawei, i wonder why Olympus didn't follow the same path
Ice_cream_suit 6y ago
Olympus will certainly be remembered for at least one thing: The two decade long tobashi scheme by Olympus Imaging Executives to hide billions in losses. "While early activities generated profits in 1987, by 1991 Olympus recorded 2.1 billion losses. Rumors circulated that by the late 1990s, losses had grown larger. Rather than come clean and admit the losses, management continued to ‘double down’ with riskier investments. Olympus created a tobashi scheme to shift losses off the Olympus balance sheet. Companies located in the Cayman Islands were purchased via exorbitant Management and Acquisition Fees. When the first Western President, Michael Woodford, questioned these practices, he was fired after two weeks on the job. Woodford became perhaps the first CEO ever to blow the whistle on his own firm. The subsequent scandal brought arrests of the executive team, an 80% decline in share price, the threat of de-listing on the Tokyo Exchange, and an international look at Japanese Corporate Governance. " https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1053608.pdf https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1053608.pdf
- dmix 6y ago
  For those curious how Tobashi Schemes work https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobashi_scheme https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobashi_scheme
ghoshbishakh 6y ago
I own an Olympus Pen. Works great for me.
rbanffy 6y ago
Poor camera in the photo... They were built like tanks and it must have been quite a drop.
gotzmann 6y ago
So sad. I used to love that warm and live color of Olympus shots.

689 points by Element_ 6y ago

Sad to see them go and see the industry losing even more competition. Had a couple of Olympus' and was always delighted by their quality. But on the other hand the underlying problem is quite true: Since the advent of the smartphone I see myself rely more and more on my smartphone (even tho I still don't really like that "look", but as long you don't plan to have a professional photo shooting it's "good enough"). On the other hand: the camera business seem to have stopped any evolution. I didn't see one thing in the last 10 years that made me go "what a gamechanger! I need that!"...

sudosysgen 6y ago
That's true, but then again what could be any better than what we have now? My camera takes really excellent pictures, I can use any lens made in the last century and have it autofocus, I can send images to my phone almost instantly, I can record amazingly high quality video, if I decide I want to I can use HDR+ and do dynamic stacking to reduce noise and increase dynamic range, I can send the files to my computer wirelessly and edit them with amazing flexibility, and so on. So I don't really know what else I could want. The fact that cameras are so good that no one has managed to improve them is a good thing. I can buy a high quality camera now and still get great performance out of it in ten years, and when I want to switch gear if I've been careful I can sell it at very similar prices to what I paid for it. Since the only reason I was updating my phones was camera quality this also makes it a good long term decision as each two years I pay 500$ less on my phone as I buy an older model that suits me just fine.
ksk 6y ago
>On the other hand: the camera business seem to have stopped any evolution. I didn't see one thing in the last 10 years that made me go "what a gamechanger! I need that!"... That's not true at all. Recent innovation in diffractive optics & phase fresnel lens (gap-less) designs is a gamechanger that has recently allowed compact lens designs to compete with larger, heavier lenses. For wild-life photographers looking to travel and fit their gear in the overhead bin, its a gamechanger. Sony's Eye AF is a gamechanger for portrait photographers looking for increased productivity. Mirrorless cameras with live EVFs are gamechangers for photographers who no longer need to take a test-shot to check for exposure (mainly blown highlights which can be avoided with live zebras). Sony A9's triple stacked sensor design and its super fast read-out is a gamechanger for shooting sports w/ a silent shutter (e.g. golf). There are plenty of game changing technologies. Ofcource, it all depends on what it means to YOUR photography.

Paul_S 6y ago

Is Pentax next? Oh wait, that already happened. What a shame. Both Pentax and Olympus had unique features to offer. Cameras are not a commodity yet. I still hope Ricoh will do something, Pentax bodies haven't had a real next generation in a decade.

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mark-r 6y ago
Ricoh keeps promising that the next Pentax APS-C is right around the corner and will be worth the wait. They've been saying that for a couple of years now.
BeetleB 6y ago
I fully expect Ricoh to drop the Pentax line. Their APS-C cameras are fantastic. Their full frame camera is the best value for the money - almost half the price of the competition with comparable quality. Pentax has unique features for the enthusiasts. But ... the ecosystem is dying. Sigma stopped making Pentax lenses. At this point I don't think anyone makes lenses for Pentax other than Pentax, and Pentax lenses are expensive compared to Nikon and Canon. So while the Pentax full frame body is an excellent value, once you start adding lenses to the picture, Nikon and Canon still win in the total cost arena. Pentax FF has very few choices of modern lenses. You could buy their film era lenses, but supposedly modern ones are a lot better in quality. I'm a Pentax user. Used to by an Olympus guy. Kind of sucks to have to go through this all over again.
- Paul_S 6y ago
  Ha, ha. Same here, after I retired from photography I sold my Nikon gear (I didn't own most of it anyway) and went for an Olympus, mostly for size (no mirrorles back then). Then I had all my gear stolen and seeing that Olympus was slow at developing pro bodies it promised I went for Pentax. At some point I will probably arrive full circle back at Nikon after Pentax gives up. Pentax glass is really nice, I wasn't bothered about sigma. The more annoying thing is flash support always sucks for Pentax.

vincnetas 6y ago

*Consumer camera business.

fudged71 6y ago
Yeah, Olympus is still pretty well represented at trade fairs etc with inspection equipment, seems like really high quality stuff from what I've seen.
jandrese 6y ago
Are consumer digicams even a thing anymore? Everything below the prosumer level had their lunch eaten by smartphones.
- chrisseaton 6y ago
  > Are consumer digicams even a thing anymore? As in do Walmart and Best Buy still sell digital cameras to normal people? Yeah.
- stan_rogers 6y ago
  What the parent meant is that medical imaging and such aren't part of the deal. All of Olympus's 4/3 and Micro 4/3 stuff would count as consumer goods.
- fennecfoxen 6y ago
  The fact that they really aren't "a thing" seems to be the exact reason they're getting out of the business, yes.

akersten 6y ago

Sad to see them go - photography's such a great hobby and having competition in the space is healthy. There's a few brands out there still, but there is a noticable stigma in the professional community around equipment that isn't Canon. If you're not using L-glass, it feels like you get the same kind of judgement that Android users experience when they show up with green texts in iMessage. As a matter of principle, I've been buying exclusively Nikon for almost my entire time in the hobby. I always saw Canon as a large conglomerate who tacked on photography as another arm of their company, where to me Nikon feels more focused on optics as a primary business line. Honestly, I should almost start buying more Pentax gear. I worry we're slowly approaching a monoculture in photography, but it's hard to convince folks outside of the hobby to care.

chrisseaton 6y ago
> There's a few brands out there still, but there is a noticable stigma in the professional community around equipment that isn't Canon Really? I had no idea (as an outsider.) I thought Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, etc were all pretty much equal in terms of serious quality. I thought their DLSs all looked pretty much the same. Is that not the case?
- renewiltord 6y ago
  Huh, it's funny. I didn't know this either as someone who only dabbles. The only reason I bought Canon is that the community has aftermarket firmware. Honestly, I wouldn't buy Nikon or Pentax or whatever just because no aftermarket firmware.
  - sudosysgen 6y ago
    Sony doesn't have aftermarket firmware but the firmware up to the A7ii has been hacked so you can run Android apps and control the camera that way. As far as photography is concerned there's no need for flashed firmware beyond that.
    - renewiltord 6y ago

x87678r 6y ago

My Dad had an OM-1, and later I bought an OM-D E-M5. Its amazing how much sentiment affects decisions. I have and love both those cameras, many happy memories.

galleypage 6y ago
Definitely - my favorite film camera was a Pen F half-frame with the big gothic "F" on the front. Old, but really compact (and worked well-enough with lens adapters, right until it got stolen a couple years back). The feel of the thing definitely got me to buying the E-M5.
- mtraven 6y ago
  I still have one of those, a hand-me-down from my father...was my first real camera.
senderista 6y ago
Same here, it's a wonderful camera. I'm so sad about this news.

flyinglizard 6y ago

Oh no. This is a huge blow to the MFT form factor (which is supported mostly by Olympus and Panasonic), which I personally love.

kaypro 6y ago
Agreed though I think this could go either way. Either Panasonic steps up their line up and becomes the sole M43 manufacturer or it fizzles out. I really think the M43 ecosystem is severely underrated in a world where cameras are pitched solely on specs. The body to lens ratio is so great on the M43 lineup and I absolutely love my GX85 for just that reason. For most consumers or even prosumers who don't make a living in action sports or low light photography M43 is the sweet spot. As a hardcore photographer hobbyist I recently sold all my APS-C / Full Frame gear for a super minimal kit that comes with me on every trip. http://minimalnotes.com/a-minimalists-hobby-camera-kit/ http://minimalnotes.com/a-minimalists-hobby-camera-kit/. I'm really hoping Panasonic makes some announcements in the next month or two... fingers crossed!
- lostapathy 6y ago
  Yep. M43 is fantastic except for when you REALLY need full frame. The market is really driven by people who want to look “pro”, but M43 is just so much more convenient to carry around all day.
- slantyyz 6y ago
  Have you considered the 9-18 for traveling? I have an equivalent lens for my Nikon J5 (so I'm in no rush to pick up the 9-18 - or I should say -was- in no rush prior to the Oly announcement), and it's the lens I use the most during the day when traveling. When I travel, I usually bring my J5 with the wide zoom and my GM5 with a pancakey lens (switching cameras is easier than lenses, imo) plus a lightweight long zoom.
  - kaypro 6y ago
    I rarely go below the 50mm focal length so the 12-32 has been ok for those rare occasions so far.

Someone1234 6y ago

That's a legitimate shame for open standards. M43 has its proponents and critics, but either way it is rare to see a somewhat successful multi-vendor standard in photography that actually worked. The main problem is that the market itself has been shrinking, and there's just not enough room to have so much competition (Olympus, Panasonic, Sony, Fuji, Canon, and Nikon). M43 was successful, but it succeeded in an area that is shrinking faster: Smaller form factor/lower optical powerful photography equipment; exactly the kind being eaten alive by smartphones. While Panasonic and others will continue the M43 standard for a while longer, the writing may be on the wall. Some competition have moved into niches (e.g. medium format, videography, etc), which may have better longer term stability.

brendoelfrendo 6y ago
This is actually news to me... I bought a M43 camera a couple years ago because I thought it was a standard with staying power and a healthy ecosystem of lenses and bodies from many manufacturers. Is Panasonic the only one still producing M43 gear? I thought Fuji did as well, unless they decided to ditch it, too. I'd be upset if the standard disappeared!
- igrekel 6y ago
  I'm in a similar situation! I still use my trusty GF1 which is by far the best camera I have owned and I wanted to eventually upgrade and bring my lenses that I accumulated over the years with me. Olympus had a solid m43 lineup back when I last checked. I was always a little frustrated how some vendors just started their own mirrorless, fragmenting the business. Its a shame and I am afraid to what will happen with m43.. its a shame if it goes, it is still a world better than cell phone cameras and it is so much more convenient than full frames.
  - tqi 6y ago
    I bought myself a GF1 when I hit 1 year at my first job out of college, so it holds a very special place in my heart. It is interesting to me that while phone cameras have improved by leaps and bounds in that period, progress in the M43 space seems much slower.

m0zg 6y ago

Sad, but inevitable, after Nikon stopped dragging its feet. I used Oly cameras for a few years, mostly due to their compact size and excellent in-body stabilization. But then Nikon released Z6 and I switched to that. Not much larger, much better image quality (Sony looks too "blue" for me), great usability, great stabilization, great glass so far. Still Olympus OM-D series were excellent cameras.

rimliu 6y ago
Z6 may be compact, but the lenses for FF will be big, heavy and expensive anyway. Also, I do not think that anyone came close to Olympus IBIS.
- m0zg 6y ago
  You can just use f/4 most of the time. 24-70 Nikon f/4 is not that different in size or weight compared to 12-40 f/2.8 Oly. Image quality is still going to be better.

bserge 6y ago

Olympus was one of my first digital cameras. I forgot the model, but I still remember it used SMC/SmartMedia cards, which were an exotic item back then (CF/CompactFlash were the most common). The picture quality of that camera was better than even Canon or Sony, and it cost less. Sad, but I haven't heard anything about Olympus for a long time. They developed their own standard for mirrorless cameras, but then kind of vanished, at least in my world :/

snapetom 6y ago

Oh wow. As of last year, I still had an Olympus C-120 in the glove box of my 1999 Miata. Many, many moons ago, it was recommended that you kept a camera in your car in case you got in an accident. Decades later, I just never bothered to take it out. One night last summer, I forgot to lock the car. Someone came through and stole it. "Uhh, ok," was pretty much my reaction. Hope you get a lot of money from it at a pawn shop. Maybe that 32MB SmartMedia card might be worth something. Back in the days of early compact digitals, the Olympus lines were such a great value. The technology overall wasn't that great to begin with so no one was head and shoulders above everyone else. Olympus solidly beat everyone on price, though.

barbegal 6y ago

Photography is one of those areas where devices don't go obsolete very quickly. With a good lens from 50 years ago I can still take an excellent photo on a digital camera from 15 years ago. Sure you won't have all the bells and whistles of the latest cameras and you'll sacrifice a few stops of dynamic range but for the average hobby photographer that doesn't really matter. The only customers who will upgrade every few years are professionals and Olympus hasn't had a huge offering for professionals. The micro four thirds standard is a great compromise between size and picture quality but it isn't what most professionals are looking for. They can use a phone for most of the things that an Olympus camera is good for and everyone these days already has a phone on them. One market that hasn't been explored by camera manufacturers is software upgrades. I would pay a fair bit of money to get some of the latest computational photography features on my 5 year old camera.

sumoboy 6y ago
Sony appears more like Apple supporting older bodies with firmware updates which is unfortunate for Canon and Nikon owners. The Canon R / RP are pretty much dead products after one year due to lack of upgrades, but pretty much the same attitude holds true for even there pro 1D bodies. I think few factor this in before buying since just don't know.
- sudosysgen 6y ago
  Yes, the older A7s getting eye autofocus and advanced PDAF for adapted lenses being trickled out was pretty cool.
taborj 6y ago
Yep. I throw 30-40 year old lenses on my 10 year old E-PL1 and go out and just have fun with photography. I never worry about taking it out on the beach, or on a boat, or any other place that cameras die. If it dies...I just pick up another one cheaply and continue having fun, and because I'm not as concerned about it, I take it places and get shots that others don't. It's like having a beat up old 4x4 pickup. It gets the job done, and if you bang it up a bit in the process...oh well.
6y ago

Thaxll 6y ago

Being in the camera business is tough since recent mobile phones, they just don't compete anymore for most use case.

stx 6y ago

I had thought about switching to an Olympus micro from my Canon to save in size/weight. I am not a professional. Glad I didn't now.

unethical_ban 6y ago
They take pretty standard batteries, and are part of an open standard on lenses. I am not upset at my recent purchase.
slantyyz 6y ago
If you're not a pro, there's no reason why you still can't switch. Size does matter in terms of whether you bring your gear with you or leave them at home. Panasonic is still making cameras. All of the M43 cameras since around 2014 produce images that are good enough for most people. The lens ecosystem is pretty complete. The size advantage is still there, and if you get a recent model, there's no reason to think that there's anything that will stop any of the cameras from working long term outside of battery availability or camera failure. And in that regard, Olympus (more so than Panasonic) has been using the same batteries for most of their cameras since the beginning of the PEN line.
_ph_ 6y ago
The Olympus camera business is not being shut down, only split into a separate company. So you still can get Olympus mFT gear and I can quite recommend it, it is wonderful, especially if you want to limit the amount of stuff to carry. An OMD E-M5 Mk3 with a 25/1.8 or the new 12-45 zoom is extremely capable but leightweight and compact at the same time.

ancharm 6y ago

Another death by iPhone

sudosysgen 6y ago
They really got their ass handed to them by Sony, Fuji and Panasonic more than anything. The market for high quality interchangeable lens cameras hasn't gone anywhere and isn't going anywhere, but Sony and co really shook it up by modernizing it, and made a lot of Olympus tech obsolete. I'll never understand how Olympus decided to sell a camera with a sensor a fourth the size of an A7 at the same price. That said, the market for point and shoots and other low end to medium end cameras got really eviscerated and Olympus couldn't find a way to compete at the higher end.
- rimliu 6y ago
  Oh boy, there is way more to photography than sensor size. Olympus was a pioner in many of that and not surpassed in some of that. They have the best IBIS, some innovative computational photography stuff and amazing weather proofing. I am glad Olympus decided to sell M43 cameras, as those are you actually take with you.
  - sudosysgen 6y ago
    Of course there is more to photography than sensor size. But an Olympus E-MD I was more expensive than a Sony A7ii that also has very good IBIS, can adapt pretty much any lens, and also has solid computational photography abilities. The Sigma E-MD I that actually has all of the features you're talking about was almost as big as an A7. The lenses were smaller, but if you don't mind horrible apertures that you have to get on M4/3 you can also have very small and light lenses. Even moreso if you go APS-C. The lens system also has huge pricing issues. The f2.0 zoom on M4/3 is equivalent to the kit lens on a Sony A7ii. That's a ten times price reduction! My A7 with a pancake lens is small enough that I can actually slip it into my pocket (!) Compromising image quality for portability at such an extreme extent is not a good idea when smartphone are so plentiful. If sensor size and optics doesn't really matter, then why not take pictures on your phone? They have amazing IBIS, innovative computational photography, and so on.

tmwed 6y ago

i could see Snap inc. acquiring this part of their business. there’s a lot of value in what they’ve done over 84 years.

technofiend 6y ago

I started photography with a Canon AE-1 and my aunt's darkroom and lusting after Hasselblad cameras because they were used in the space program. It's been a life long love. But carrying a camera is a conscious decision and a cell phone is always in your pocket. I anticipated Project Ara meshing the two worlds by adding high quality modular photo capture options to an Android phone. Pixel and iPhone have such excellent photography that it's almost moot. But still if there was a cell phone meant for photography I would be sorely tempted. The RED phone was a bust but perhaps someone else will somehow package a lens and a phone in a way that means you can always have both.

baq 6y ago

the m.zuiko 45mm f/1.8 is a fantastic piece of glass. shame.

slantyyz 6y ago
I used to prefer focals in the 40-60 normal range (ff equiv), but the 45/1.8 was the first lens I bought after making the switch to M43, and it's still my favorite lens to this day.

wintorez 6y ago

End of an era... :(

nradov 6y ago

As a casual underwater photographer I hope the Olympus TG series rugged compact cameras live on under the new owner. I know compact cameras are a dying niche market in general. But no one has figured out a good solution for using smartphone cameras underwater (there are waterproof housings but the controls are terrible and they don't really work with strobes or wet lenses). The housings for DSLRs and similarly sized mirrorless cameras are too bulky and extremely expensive.

pgrote 6y ago
I searched for water and am so glad someone else brought this up. When I read the article I was hoping to see something about it, but didn't. I'm on my third TG and absolutely love it. We vacation on the beach and some of my better family photos were taken in the water with the camera. It is a tank that performs. Six years ago took my son to the beach for the first time and had a blast with him and the other kids. Lots of great photos. Stupidly, I didn't wrap the camera around my wrist, but put it in my pocket. The Atlantic is unforgiving and it knocked me down and with it my camera escaped. Looking for it was hopeless and I went back to the hotel dejected. Next day we're on the beach and someone walks up to me and hands me the camera. I jumped up and hugged them so hard. Turns out it washed up four hotels down and they reviewed the photos and found our room number and hotel. They were on the way to drop it off when they saw us on the beach. lol Now I keep a wrist wrap and a floatie on it. Lesson learned.
slantyyz 6y ago
Have you had a look at the Nikon 1 AW series? I think there are only two lens options, but apparently they are very good, and should be pretty cheap now, since they were a niche offshoot of an already niche (and discontinued) product line.
- nradov 6y ago
  The Nikon 1 AW1 was discontinued years ago and it is technically inferior to the Olympus TG-6. Lens options are moot anyway for underwater photography because you need special wet lenses that attach to the waterproof housing.

jakebasile 6y ago

It's sad to see this - they do of course claim that they'll still be making cameras for the time being but who knows how long that will last, and at what level of investment. Olympus was already considered somewhat behind the cutting edge in technology in the camera body space (they do have quite high quality lenses, though). I hope there are no more "deaths in the family" in the photographic industry anytime soon, as the market is already down to only a few large players left. Personally, I love my Nikon equipment and hope they continue to make gear for decades but even Nikon and Canon seem like they'd be at risk, now.

oweqruiowe 6y ago

Shocker! I have owned two of their micro 4/3 digital cameras and loved them. Great rangefinder style in the $600 range with quality lenses in the box. I remember the first time I took the camera out with the telephoto lens and being shocked by the quality of the photos. Learned then that quality of camera + lens really makes a difference in nice looking photos. Edit - replaced 'DSLR' with digital

slantyyz 6y ago
> I have owned two of their micro 4/3 DSLR cameras I thought all of their 4/3 cameras were DSLRs and all of their micro 4/3 cameras were mirrorless?
- oweqruiowe 6y ago
  Excuse my ignorance, correct, it is mirrorless :D
da02 6y ago
Which Olympus micro 4/3 cameras have you owned?
- oweqruiowe 6y ago
  This has been my camera since 2017 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016LMB770/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016LMB770/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b... And I got this cool lens-cap for it https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I1CP2MU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I1CP2MU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b... that has an automatic opening when you turn the camera on, great for traveling. Before that I had the E-P2 https://www.amazon.com/Olympus-Interchangeable-Digital-Electronic-included/dp/B003CFB0MM https://www.amazon.com/Olympus-Interchangeable-Digital-Elect... I'm still using the telephoto lens that I got from the E-P2, it wasn't very expensive, I think it's this one https://www.amazon.com/Olympus-40-150mm-F4-0-5-6-Panasonic-Cameras/dp/B005KJH8WO/ref=pd_day0_421_1/144-8953417-3064260?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B005KJH8WO&pd_rd_r=da5819b1-da59-425a-9a40-4d45b87ade23&pd_rd_w=u07bT&pd_rd_wg=qrmLt&pf_rd_p=92ee6eda-fccf-47b6-ba0e-46d82b2113f3&pf_rd_r=34MJCTRGAPW4EXMR2G6W&psc=1&refRID=34MJCTRGAPW4EXMR2G6W https://www.amazon.com/Olympus-40-150mm-F4-0-5-6-Panasonic-C...

milin 6y ago

Are canon and nikon next?

crististm 6y ago

Only as a historical note here, but it made enough impression on me that it's the first thing that comes to mind when I hear Olympus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympus_scandal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympus_scandal

meowzero 6y ago

It was a matter of time. They were focused on m4/3, which was a good system. But phone technology evolved quickly. Most pros or prosumers go for the higher-end APSC or Full Frame lineups. In my experience, they don't take the m4/3 stuff seriously. For regular folks, m4/3 is too expensive. For the same price, they can use their phones (or buy an APSC camera). The quality is negligible thanks to all the software enhancements the phones do. Panasonic is at least focused on video. That helped their market a bit. But who knows how they'll do in a few years? They've entered the saturated full frame market. Pentax is probably in trouble too. They don't even have mirrorless offerings.

jseliger 6y ago
In my experience, they don't take the m4/3 stuff seriously Olympus neglected video for far too long and Panasonic's autofocus has been inadequate for many years. Both companies have produced incredible cameras but both had and have substantial weaknesses they never properly fixed.
Nelson69 6y ago
>> Pentax is probably in trouble too. They don't even have mirrorless offerings. I think just about all of the older guard are in trouble. Things sounded pretty ominous for Nikon last year and I'm sure COVID-19 isn't helping camera sales. https://petapixel.com/2019/11/12/nikon-says-its-cameras-need-to-justify-their-existence-as-a-business/ https://petapixel.com/2019/11/12/nikon-says-its-cameras-need... Phones keep getting better.
rimliu 6y ago
Actually it is APS-C that needs to go. That format does not offer significant IQ upgrade compared to M43 and has not significant size benefits compared to FF. No matter how good phones are there is still a clear advantage M43 has over them.
slantyyz 6y ago
>> For regular folks, m4/3 is too expensive. This is a huge misconception. From my perspective, any camera (including M43) made after 2014 is more than good enough for most "regular folks" looking to level up from a smartphone. Yes, the top end stuff can be expensive, but regular folks shouldn't be buying that stuff until they're ready to get to the next level. I bought most of my m43 gear as open box or used. The same with my lenses. You can get something like an E-PL6 body for a couple of hundred bucks, and it takes great photos. pro tip: buying camera gear from Japanese sellers off eBay is a good way to get stuff, because they're super trustworthy and the gear is in the exact condition they say it is.

rpiguy 6y ago

If they weren't a Japanese company I'd say just wait a year and they will sell the name to a Chinese company and you'll have Olympus cameras again in 12 months time at a fourth of the cost.

fomine3 6y ago
Olympus sold camera dept to Japan Industrial Partners, Inc that also had bought VAIO dept from Sony previously. I don't expect they sell the dept to China.

pkulak 6y ago

I'm really sad about this. It feels like everyone went full-frame without appreciating the benefits of smaller lenses and bodies. Olympus glass is the best in the industry, probably because they don't have to make everything so damn large. I've got Olympus lenses that cost $400 new and can't even match $2000 full-frame glass. Sure, I'll keep my kit forever, but it sucks to know I'll never upgrade any of it.

da02 6y ago
Which Olympus lenses do you have? Which is your favorite Olympus body?
- pkulak 6y ago
  I have like all the primes. My favorites are the 45 and the 75mm, since I mostly do portraiture. Those are both tack-sharp edge to edge, every aperture. I have the EM-5 mk II body. I was just about to upgrade to the mk III... but I'm not sure if now it's a better or worse time to do it. Maybe I should while there's still stock, since I think this is going to be my system for the rest of time. EDIT: Oops, on the above post I meant to say that the $2000 glass can't match my Olympus. No idea why I can't edit that post anymore...
photogram 6y ago
It's true the lenses Olympus make may take up much less volume than an equivalent large focal length for full frame. But the downside is they're not cheaper in the prosumer space. The spatial resolution demands put on the lens by a 20MP M43 sensor is actually pretty similar to a 42MP Sony A7Rii. This means the manufacturing tolerances are the same as full frame, which is a large component of lens cost. This means that for the average consumer not interested in long range wildlife photography where the price of glass does come into play (e.g. 600mm), there isn't any price advantage. As an example, have a look at the 12-100mm F4 for Olympus (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1281427-REG/olympus_v314080bu000_m_zuiko_digital_ed_12_100mm.html https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1281427-REG/olympus_v...) vs the new Tamron 28-200 F2.8-5.6 for Sony FE (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1568708-REG/tamron_a071_28_200mm_f_2_8_5_6_di_iii.html https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1568708-REG/tamron_a0...) The Tamron actually outperforms the Olympus lens in terms of spatial resolution/sharpness on a 24MP sensor (because the photosites are larger), has a 2 stops faster wide end, and is $500 cheaper. Even more interesting is that there is only a 14g difference in weight between these two lenses. Granted the Olympus will have better weather sealing. The average prosumer is going to do the math and see that for a lower total system cost (body + lens) they're getting more in terms of sensor and lens performance for a negligible increase in weight. This wasn't true in the early days of Sony's FE system, but as of 2020 with modern, sharp, short flange lens designs from 3rd parties - the price/performance ratio has become better than I ever predicted it would be

IMAYousaf 6y ago

As someone with a huge photography itch and a gear nerd who actually isn't a practitioner, can someone with domain expertise in photography and cameras give some insights or predictions in to what they see as the future of photography? I have a sophomoric understanding of the shift from SLR --> DSLR --> Sony led Mirrorless cameras. Where do we go from here? How do things like Hasselblad's X1D II entry level medium format shape up the market? Do more companies go down market? Do the Sonys of the world go upmarket?

hrktb 6y ago
An analysis by Thom Hogan: https://www.dslrbodies.com/newsviews/whos-still-buying-dslrs.html https://www.dslrbodies.com/newsviews/whos-still-buying-dslrs...
- IMAYousaf 6y ago
  Thank you. Appreciate this. Will study this.
jetrink 6y ago
My prediction is that full frame cameras will eventually be squeezed out by APS-C and medium format. On one side, medium format cameras are shrinking in both size and price. The Canon 5D Mark IV is thicker, taller and heavier than Fuji's GFX 50R[1]. Medium format cameras aren't quite as small as full frame mirrorless cameras, but they are no longer impractically large either. If image quality is paramount, size and cost will no longer rule out medium format. On the other side, APS-C cameras are now firmly in the 'good enough' area of the image quality curve - even for many professional applications - and they are continuing to improve. If you have other practical considerations and can do with lesser (but still excellent) image quality, APS-C will be your choice. 1. https://camerasize.com/compare/#682,805 https://camerasize.com/compare/#682,805
- IMAYousaf 6y ago
  Do you think it is possible that cellphone cameras are coming closer to APS-C and thus its those that end up losing out? Full frame seems to be a significant value add relative to APS-C for a prosumer, just as how medium format is a significant jump up.

_ph_ 6y ago

One thing to notice is: Olympus is NOT shutting down the camera business. It gets split off the Olympus coproration and is supposed to run as an independant company. Of course that could mean a later death, but it can also mean that it continues to prosper as management might take new directions. Also, while still producing a deficit, the camera division managed to improve the balances quite a bit over the last year. A completely new production facility was opened not long ago in Vietnam, and new camera models and lenses were launched, others still in the pipeline and the plans are to bring them to the market. I am a very happy Olympus user and definitely hope, that their lineup has a long future. I see mFT as a great alternative to the ubiquos "full frame" cameras, which are, if you look at the complete sets, more expensive and especially bigger and heavier. And despite of the "small sensor", Olympus cameras produce excellent results, to no small amount due to the excellent optics.

127 6y ago
I think a lot depends on how well they can keep up with the sensor technology. Sony seems to have the market cornered on that front.
- _ph_ 6y ago
  Quite a few of the Olympus sensors are made by Sony. At any time, they could pick up some money and just ask Sony to give them a new sensor design. This is one hope I have, that after the split-off, new money is invested in updating the sensors.
  - slantyyz 6y ago
    IIRC, right around the time Oly switched from Panny to Sony sensors, they made an agreement to share tech/patents, which I think included Oly's multi-axis IBIS.

solotronics 6y ago

Super weird. I guess it became not profitable after a time period.

qwerty456127 6y ago

This is very sad.

killface 6y ago

Awww... so sad to see this. I know phones have basically eaten everybody's lunch except serious photographers. It's the march of progress, but their mirrorless cameras were solid. I have a couple Fuji X-series bodies myself, and I wouldn't be surprised if they announce something similar any time soon. Amazing body, amazing glass, amazing software, amazing photos... but at the end of the day, the incremental increase in quality and/or flexibility doesn't make up for the form factor. And now that camera software is so damn good, and we're utilizing multiple lenses with multiple optical ranges to make a composite photograph... snapshots are all that 99% of people ever needed, but I really thought the mirrorless cameras would eventually supplant dslr.

ChuckMcM 6y ago

Sad, I agree with the article though that they made some rather curious choices that didn't help their prospects. I still have a Camedia C3030 Zoom for some reason with all the doo-dads (extra flash extension, XM memory cards) it had an awesome F2.8 lens and could take very nice pictures @ 3MP. I replaced it with an C5050 Zoom that had an F1.8 lens but gave that one away when I replaced it with a Canon SD550 (which for some reason I also still have :-)). I joked on Twitter that the "big feature reveal" for Canon's 2020 DSLR would be that you could make phone calls with it. So much of the camera market was consumed by phone cameras. While it has done wonders for bringing the price of sensors down, the really important bit of the camera, and the part where Olympus had an edge, are the lenses. I hope whomever buys the camera unit can continue the tradition with some better choices.

codazoda 6y ago
I just have a simple DSLR from Canon, which says it has WiFi, but the wifi experience is so poor it's not really usable. I guess my point is that if they add a phone, it won't make phone calls without a lot of stress, so you probably won't use it. Edit: I realize that adding a phone is a joke.

acjohnson55 6y ago

I maintain that digital camera manufacturers' biggest failing is not eliminating the friction between taking pictures and video and getting them online to social networks, like Instagram. It's super frustrating.

foolfoolz 6y ago
whenever i use the gopro with my friends they complain how hard it is to see the footage after. it’s like for every minute of end result footage it takes an hour of work. sometimes more
hrktb 6y ago
That’s pretty broad though. Like saying Kodak’s failing was on the digital shift. It’s completely true, but you would travel back in time and tell that to the CEO, the result would be the same. There are so many structural issues to solve to prevent that. Hell Olympus took decades to give up and join the SD card wagon.
vncecartersknee 6y ago
Is it really that difficult? I can connect to my entry level nikon d3400 over bluetooth and send an image to my smartphone, edit it a bit and upload it to instagram pretty easily. Granted the bluetooth is very slow and image editing on a smartphone is fairly rudimentary but personally I prefer not to edit images too much.
- acjohnson55 6y ago
  The bar for broad market consumer products--which digital cameras once were--has a much higher bar than that. "Good enough" would be that you take a picture on your camera, and it's available as a thumbnail in your phone's gallery without any further action. Sharing it would trigger a full transfer. "Great" would be being able to edit and upload without taking your phone out of your pocket at all. It blows my mind that we still live in a world where product makers don't get the cloud. People no longer want to think of data as living within physical devices, managing copies and transfers. They want to skip to the "job to be done".

jbarham 6y ago

FWIW I run a website that allows you to interactively filter Micro Four Thirds lenses: https://www.m43lenses.com/ https://www.m43lenses.com/

poyu 6y ago
Very informative site! Thank you for making this!
Anther 6y ago
That’s very handy. I’ve not seen anyone talking about Blackmagic in this thread, but my Pocket 4K is always in need of new m4/3 lenses!

mikeInAlaska 6y ago

Lots of my friends are switching over to Sony. Sony high end gear works better out of the box. My Nikon fluorite 600mm f4 E and D850 has to be recalibrated for wide temperature changes. I expect my DSLR and lens to know when its in focus, not for me to have to tell it periodically where best focus is.

vncecartersknee 6y ago

This is such a shame, my uncle passed his OM4Ti 35mm on to me recently and I absolutely adore it, a beautiful camera.

vparikh 6y ago

I have been a long time M43 user since they released the very first OMD-EM5. And the OMD line has been the best camera for the everyday user - highly capable, small with amazing small lens that really are great. The Olympus 45, Panasonic 20mm and the 80-150 are truly some the greatest lens for any system. Shure, you loose some depth of field - but for 95% of the people it is perfect. However, when I was ready to upgrade my OMD-EM5 purchased in 2009 (11 years ago!) - I started the move away from my M43 system. And heres why: Cost - The Nikon Z6 with an FTZ adapter can be had for $1550 brand new. Compare that to a new OMD-EM5 MkII for $1200 - the EM5 just can't compete. Size - the Z6 + Nikon 24-70 F4 S is really not that much bigger than the EM5 MkIII. Add the Nikon 24-70 F4 S lens, and the size difference is negligible. But the AF capabilities and image quality are far superior. Compatiblity - The Z Mount is absolutely amazing. With third party adapters you can use just about any lens (Nikon F, Nikon S, Sony FE, Canon EOS) with full autofocus capability. The Z Mount is the most universal mount anyone has ever come out with. Video - I am not a video user, but the Z system has an excellent reputation for video. Olympus never really concentrated on video - they seeded that market to Panasonic. All of this with an amazing echo system and with the first gen Z mount it is quite amazing already. And the Z mount going forward I feel is going to allow Nikon some amazing things - largest diameter with the shortest flange distance allows for unique designs and edge to sharpness that is absolutely amazing. I know this is turning into a Nikon Z love fest, but the point is - with the new entries from Nikon & Canon, combined with average consumer going to the cell phone instead of a traditional camera - Olympus simply had to invest way to much in R&D to justify the possible profits. The shrinking camera market just put a stake through the heart. It is sad. Olympus was the most innovative camera company. They were the first to have sensor cleaning, the best in body stablization, amazing lens and real-time exposure. All with the most robust bodies in the business. It is sad to see such a great company with a respected name go to an investment group. They will probably use the brand and make sub standard products going forward or milk the brand for a quick buck. Here's to hoping that some other company comes in restores it to its former glory.

JKCalhoun 6y ago
> combined with average consumer going to the cell phone instead of a traditional camera Sadly all you describe could be pulled up 5 years from now when it's Canon that is leaving the came a market, or Nikon....

ngcc_hk 6y ago

A sad day. Whilst it is not top it produce very high quality lens and innovative system. RIP.

yoran 6y ago

I'm sad to read this. I "made a bet" on Olympus in 2008, when I bought my first and only DSLR: the E-520. I bought a couple of additional lenses too, thinking that I would always be able to buy an upgraded body as technology improved and continue to use the lenses. Little did I know that the E-520 was the last DSLR they released :/...

slantyyz 6y ago
IIRC, if you get an OM-D EM 1 or 5 model with a lens adapter, you can get decent performance from your old lenses.

MichaelMoser123 6y ago

Leica is doing mobile cameras for Huawei, i wonder why Olympus didn't follow the same path

Ice_cream_suit 6y ago

Olympus will certainly be remembered for at least one thing: The two decade long tobashi scheme by Olympus Imaging Executives to hide billions in losses. "While early activities generated profits in 1987, by 1991 Olympus recorded 2.1 billion losses. Rumors circulated that by the late 1990s, losses had grown larger. Rather than come clean and admit the losses, management continued to ‘double down’ with riskier investments. Olympus created a tobashi scheme to shift losses off the Olympus balance sheet. Companies located in the Cayman Islands were purchased via exorbitant Management and Acquisition Fees. When the first Western President, Michael Woodford, questioned these practices, he was fired after two weeks on the job. Woodford became perhaps the first CEO ever to blow the whistle on his own firm. The subsequent scandal brought arrests of the executive team, an 80% decline in share price, the threat of de-listing on the Tokyo Exchange, and an international look at Japanese Corporate Governance. " https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1053608.pdf https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1053608.pdf

dmix 6y ago
For those curious how Tobashi Schemes work https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobashi_scheme https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobashi_scheme

ghoshbishakh 6y ago

I own an Olympus Pen. Works great for me.

rbanffy 6y ago

Poor camera in the photo... They were built like tanks and it must have been quite a drop.

gotzmann 6y ago

So sad. I used to love that warm and live color of Olympus shots.