(FT1) Olympus to make lenses for the Sony new NEX-FF system? (has to be a joke!)
Picture of the Sony-Olympus collaboration presentation.
Oh guys! I cannot make a pass a whole year without to post an FT1 ranked rumor! Or not? So let me post one I got and that I am sure is 99% not real. Just for fun ok? (ranking explained at the bottom of this post)
An anonymous source claimed to know that Sony will launch a NEX-FF by end of 2013. And Olympus have been asked by Sony to develop and manufacture lenses for the new system. While it’s certain that Olympus and Sony will collaborate on the compact camera front I doubt Olympus has the necessary resources to make FF lens for Sony. But hey, there may be a day when Olympus will make FF lens (and cameras). But I don’t think the day is close…
P.S: If for some incredible fortunate reason the rumor would be correct than I would be the first to eventually buy a Full Frame Olympus OM camera!
OMD camera history:
M-1, OM-1, OM-1 MD, OM-1N, OM-2, OM-2N, OM-2S/SP, OM-3, OM-3Ti, OM-4, OM-4T/Ti black and chrome, OM-10, OM-20 (OM-G), OM-30(OM-F), OM-40 (OM-PC), OM-77AF (OM-707), OM-88 (OM-101), OM-2000.
—
Rumors classification explained (FT= FourThirds):
FT1=1-20% chance the rumor is correct
FT2=21-40% chance the rumor is correct
FT3=41-60% chance the rumor is correct
FT4=61-80% chance the rumor is correct
FT5=81-99% chance the rumor is correct
alexander
6 months ago |m43 is enough, especially if we consider that the sensors getting better and better. we don’t need an NVG…
YouDidntDidYou
6 months ago |I think it’s quite possible /probable that Olympus will design the glass elements of some future Sony lenses maybe not manufacture though, maybe Olympus designed the elements for the Panasonic 8mm, 7-14mm and the 75-300mm (that’s why they were able to launch them quickly)
Popopop
6 months ago |youdidntalksensedidyou
I know you are a bit of a retard but even for you this is pretty dumb ,it is damn unbelievable that one man can make as many idiotic posts as you. The orderlies in your psyc ward shouldn’t allow you to use a PC unattended
YouDidntDidYou
6 months ago |@popopop
Dearest popopop Panasonic do collaborate with Leica and Olympus are known for their lens expertise so its wouldn’t be totally implausible…. Don’t forget to take your prescribed Chill pills.
Anonymous
6 months ago |It’s known in the industry that Olympus has been making some of the 4/3 products for Panasonic. It saves Panasonic money from not having to invest in new buildings and all the cost of having to set up a factory. Also if demand later falls they do not have the problem of closing a factory down.
It was mentioned when Sony invested in Olympus in the first place that they would ask them to design lenses for them at some stage so this would be know big surprise if it was correct. It’s quite common for camera manufactures to make equipment for other brands. It has happened for years.
Stu5
6 months ago |It’s known in the industry that Olympus has been making some of the 4/3 products for Panasonic. It saves Panasonic money from not having to invest in new buildings and all the cost of having to set up a factory. Also if demand later falls they do not have the problem of closing a factory down.
It was mentioned when Sony invested in Olympus in the first place that they would ask them to design lenses for them at some stage so this would be know big surprise if it was correct. It’s quite common for camera manufactures to make equipment for other brands. It has happened for years.
hueftv
6 months ago |maybe “we” don’t need it , that doesn’t mean others do not need it’s ,there are a number of clear advantages for FF especially for Pro,s in certain areas. In low light mFT high Iso , is nowhere near good enough, C-AF sucks, the choice of pro grade lenses sucks, IEVF,s suck in low light for moving targets. The mFT guys (always guys) claiming mFT is good enough is akin to guys with little dicks saying size doesn’t matter lol
Esa Tuunanen
6 months ago |Remember that bigger format has advantage in light/photon gathering ability (only physical sensitivity) only when allowing shallower DOF caused by bigger aperture. (not f-ratio)
Need of bigger DOF negates all the advantage of bigger sensor and even without need for big DOF paper thin DOF is rarely desirable… You want enough of people to be in focus in say low light event photography and portraits etc.
Lack of working continuous (=moving target tracking) AF and unavailability of high quality optics come from same reason… Which will hopefully be solved this year because also non-pros can have lots of uses for it.
And so does OVF (/SLR PDAF) suck even for stationary targets if there isn’t enough light to see anything unless someone goes to “paint” target with flashlight:
http://www.pekkapotka.com/journal/2012/7/17/wildlife-with-e-m5.html
Every format/system is always compromise.
bbking
6 months ago |@hueftv “The mFT guys (always guys) claiming mFT is good enough is akin to guys with little dicks saying size doesn’t matter lol”
You don’t know shit about photography.
You can swing your whopping dick over your shoulder all you like. I guess you haven’t even realised that SONY HAVEN’T released a mFT camera? Maybe @alexander knows as much as you. Doesn’t mean you need to talk more shit.
mFT has it’s advantages. Good luck getting a 5-axis IBIS on a FF.
The Real Stig
6 months ago |IBIS negates the need for high ISO by 4 stops at least, so FF doesn’t really have as big an advantage as you might think.
TheEye
6 months ago |I’ll tell the squirrels to stop moving.
Bob
6 months ago |I agree..I say keep it small and make it better!
OMega
6 months ago |But what do we consider FF to be, there have been enough comments in various threads recently stating that FF applies to all formats. While I can see the reasoning behind this thought I still consider FF to be a CaNikon thing regarding their 24×36 format bodies. So what we have is an idea that Oly will produce lenses for a Sony body of inderterminate format. Come on Sony give us a 60Mp 45×45 sensor, then work with Oly on a fully modular system.
kbye
6 months ago |@OMega
what do you mean “But what do we consider FF to be”, it’s pretty well established that full frame is a sensor the size of 35mm film. it’s not just a canon nikon thing, leica and sony have full frame cameras too. there is no loose definition, full frame is what it is!!!
Esa Tuunanen
6 months ago |“Full Frame” is Full Fallacy of those film era fossilized retardists who can’t admit that
performance of digital tech dethroned smallest successfull film format from its position as smallest format good enough for most uses.
Only correct names for it are 135, 35mm and 36x24mm.
Or do we start calling Pentax 645 as some Hyper Frame?
OMega
6 months ago |Thank you Esa, I like your Full Fallacy title, as for myself I like to think that FF could be 5×4 plate camera or even larger. Whatever it is, it certainly is not specifically 36x24mm/135 or 35mm format. If it is then what are Leaf’s, Pentax’s or Hasselblads all larger formats, or do we call them HFF or MFF, perhaps we could run a competition for a title for any format larger than 35mm.
kbye
6 months ago |There is a name for sensors larger than full frame and it is called “medium format”. Look there is no need to argue over semantics, it is just a name like APS-C. And it has history because the term full frame was first used in 35mm film video cameras.
JS
6 months ago |FF is well understood by the whole world except Olympus fanboys.
Ulli
6 months ago |the term FF is invented by a person who thought that 24×36 was the largest format around.
Hubertus Bigend
6 months ago |Not quite – it was coined in the early days of DSLRs by people who had to put labels on different sensor sizes in cameras which just were modified film cameras back then. Thus there were “crop” sensors and “full frame” sensors, and the naming was sensible and logical. And while digital camera technology moved on and the 35mm film SLR faded out of sight, it was simply natural for the naming to stick, even though it is not altogether logical anymore today.
Ulli
6 months ago |my comment was meant in a sarcastic way
but always when i hear or read “fullframe” i think about “full frame transfer ccd’s” 
Abraham
6 months ago |Wouldnt be a bad business decision for Olypus, as long as they have no plans to go mirrorless FF themselves. Added income and a boost for mirrorless users.
Zetton
6 months ago |uhm, but it’s not a so bad rumor.
Actually, Sony has now two lens source. Kinica-Minolta HD (former Minolta-Alpha maker, and still K-M HD is making Minolta-era alpha lenses for Sony Aplha as OEM) and Tamron (long relationship from consumer handy-cam. and Sony is the NO.1 sharehold of Tamron. and as you know, Tamron itself is one of the largest 3rd party lens maker that is making FF lenses now for NIKON, CANON, etc).
And I suspect that recent “silver” NEX E-mount lenses are OEM of Tokina, because Tokina 300mm Reflex for m4/3′s silver metal body looks much similar with those NEX lenses. but I don’t think Tokina has much man-power to make one lense per a year.
Olympus now haven’t make FF lens (for long time, after OM’s quit), that’s pros. point.
but Sony want to have as many lenses as possible at the start time of so-called “FF NEX”, so it’s a good idea to have as many OEM as possible to get started rapidly. In fact, NEX is the first “original” camera marketing for Sony. Alpha was not invented by Sony, Sony just “bought” Alpha business as is. Then Sony must have felt to fail the lens roadmap for NEX. So next time, Sony must be sensitive for lens roadmap for “FF-NEX” if “FF-NEX” will really exit.
amalric
6 months ago |I predicted it as a possibility. Depends what Sony offers, but Oly used to do 135mm lenses so why not, if Sony pays well.
Short register needs microlenses on the edges, as Leica knows well, so it would mean a tight interaction between Oly and Sony designers.
Will the market pay for what is an expensive proposition? m4/3 will stay central to Oly strategies, but nothing prevents them experimenting with a different system.
Kornflejk
6 months ago |I agree. Hey, Admin. It is quite sensible direction in the near future. After 5 years there only will be:
1. mobile phones which destroy current P&S segement
2. micro 4/3 for P&S upgraders from group 1 (the best ratio between price/IQ/dimensions)
3. FF CSCs for semi/pro or enthusiasts users
Esa Tuunanen
6 months ago |You sure Kornflejk that what you ate wasn’t poisonous mushrooms?
There are less than ever technical (psychotism isn’t one) reasons for photographers to go for film era 35mm retro format.
GH3 size will stay as minimum size for utilitarian tool camera unless mankind magically gets Asian child worker sized hands.
And DSLRs will be there as major segment until image lag and detail level of EVF improves.
Though buffering with camera constantly taking full images (needs global electronic shutter) to memory and then saving also some amount of those from before actual press of shutter can help to image lag and to slow reaction time of human behind the camera.
Also hybrid AF with integrated phase detection needs to mature.
Of course lot depends on also how much Canon and Nikon have to say in camera markets because legacy based DSLRs are their power base which they want to uphold as long as possible.
Even then DSLR can keep going on as niche because of design’s very small stand by power consumption. (because battery tech advances as fast as continental drifting)
Bollox
6 months ago |Some more lessons from our teenage master… Keep them coming, they are fun.
say what
6 months ago |say what!?
McPix
6 months ago |Everything for NEX would be better than Sony’s glass… except Zeiss for sure.
Kevin Purcell
6 months ago |The Olmpus/Sony partnership was well documented last year and it explicitly mentions both items. From the PR published in September 2012
“The two companies also aim to enhance their competitiveness, primarily in the area of compact digital cameras, by exploring opportunities for mutually beneficial transactions and collaboration between their respective camera businesses, including the supply of Olympus technologies such as camera lenses and mirror cells to Sony, and the provision of Sony image sensors to Olympus.”
http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/09/28/Olympus-and-Sony-confirm-yen31bn-397mdollar-collaboration
The compact camera collboration was talked about in October 2012 here:
http://www.thephoblographer.com/2012/10/01/olympus-and-sony-to-collaborate-on-point-and-shoots-no-word-on-micro-four-thirdsnex-yet/
So the idea that Olympus is going to make lenese for Sony is not a rumor. And the idea that they’ll collborate on compact cameras is not a rumor either (both places where Olympus have have a lot of skill). Sony have provided FourThirds sensors too.
So the only rumor bit is “full frame Sony NEX”. I doubt they’ed be telling everyone (i.e. sales and marketing) at this point.
I’d like to see a translation of the slide show … too see what it really says.
fire water
6 months ago |Nothing much is said on the slide.
Not an expert on the language, but here is my crude translation:
Digital Camera Business
Sony -> coorperation (Imaging Business) Realize Stable sales profit
fire water
6 months ago |Nothing much is said on the slide.
Not an expert on the language, but here is my crude translation:
Digital Camera Business
Sony coorperation Olympus
Intended Effect:
Cost structure ??
-parts mutual ?? cost structure improvement
Products competitiveness strengthen
-Compact Ditital Camera area product competitiveness strengthen
(Imaging Business) Realize Stable sales profit
fire water
6 months ago |Nothing much is said on the slide.
Not an expert on the language, but here is my crude translation:
Digital Camera Business
Sony coorperation Olympus
Intended Effect:
Cost structure ??
-parts mutual ?? cost structure improvement
Products competitiveness strengthen
-Compact Ditital Camera area product competitiveness strengthen
(Imaging Business) Realize Stable sales profit
homer
6 months ago |And yet there are people who insist the em5 sensor is. Sony…
Matthias
6 months ago |Before Oly makes lenses for another system they should complete the mFT-system with some nice zooms…
Bobafett
6 months ago |+1 absolutely
Nice, quick and weathersealed to match the e-m5′s specs please!
Anonymous
6 months ago |Those poor Sony folks will have to pony up for the extra special edition black lenses. LOL
alexander
6 months ago |Hi Admin
It is almost mid of January – no News about the NEXt Oly Cam which will be launched at the end of January?
frosti7
6 months ago |IMHO that’s at least FT5
tomas
6 months ago |if you go to sony rumour…then you see there is no doubt that there will be FF NEX soon…they just licitate the #of pixels 36 or more…Oly will help Sony with lenses as compact P&S is dead
Ulli
6 months ago |Anything is possible I guess, but the m43 users who are craving for a digital 24×36 OM camera I ask; why wait and not just buy one of the available 23×36 dslr’s right now, and why did you go for MFT anyway?It’s
like “I prefer a Fiat 500 for compactness but if the same company would ever release a 8 cylinder sedan i would buy it”
WSG123
6 months ago |Agreed Ulli, I might give an Olympus FF camera a second look if I were in the market for a FF camera, but I’m on m4/3 for a reason.
Hifinut
6 months ago |@Ulli
Wrong analogy with the Fiat. what if the same comapact Fiat is fitted with 8 cylinder? I would buy one 24×36 om ff camera if it is as compact as OMD. Prime lenses design for 24×36 om ff as compact as Zeiss, Leica or even Sigma lenses.
Ulli
6 months ago |wow you are a very optimistic person
Ulli
6 months ago |Mr. Dick, define normal adult hand please, now its getting interesting.
Anonymous
6 months ago |Looks who’s back! It’s schneider Dick. LOL. Tired of your sausage fests?LOL
Anonymous
6 months ago |Ooops. I meant Sandwhich dick.LOL
Anonymous 2
6 months ago |@Schweinebraten Dick
So, if someone asks you whether the easter bunny exists or not you would look it up in wiki.answers.com. And if the answer is yes, you would believe it?! LOL
Ulli
6 months ago |lol i already expected you would use external sources. Anyway, for someone who has only FT lenses, dreaming about bigger bodies and cant hold a MFT in his hands, you sure know how to spend your time on a forum, while you wouldn’t even consider buying your self into the MFT system. So go ahead looking for comments, which give you pleasure to complain over and over again.
The Real Stig
6 months ago |I had a Fiat 130 coupe once – 3.2l V 6 and weighed 1730 Kg
Ulli
6 months ago |i was talking about a fiat 500 bro
bart
6 months ago |So how about you buying a panasonic then herr schwein?
cds79m
6 months ago |I think it would be good for olympus if it’s true. If it’s true I wonder whether it would be funded jointly by the sony and olympus R&D departments. Sony would benefit from the great lenses and olympus would benefit from lens sales and possibility of creating a large sensored system. Fuji looks to be raising the game in the mirrorless stakes.
Mister_Roboto
6 months ago |I actually don’t see anything wrong with this- and would welcome it. Sony’s lenses are… well, they’re an electronics company first. Olympus is an excellent optics company before electronics. They both gain to benefit from this… it could also possibly make Sony lessen or abandon the APS-C NEX line (whit a lot of pissed off people if it is abandoned, but probably not).
I must admit… if a Sony-Olympus FF option came up in the future, I would consider selling my µ4/3 system depending on costs etc.
Miroslav
6 months ago |Sony has Zeiss on board. They already design FF lenses for many systems. Why would Sony suddenly turn to Olympus?
The only way Olympus would do such a thing would be if they had a cooperation similar to the one they have with Panasonic, designing both bodies and lenses for the new system.
Harold GLIT
6 months ago |This is a just a rumour but there is one thing which is for sure . THE LAST THING olympus wants to do is develop a 35mm sensor system . there are ONLY drawbacks to that .
Among the main ones :
1/Olympus does not have the financial and market reach to develop two systems with two different lens line -ups. they could nnot even keep two systems with the same format with slr and micro 4/3rds
2/ Now imagine such a camera . it would mean bigger , heavier , more expansive lenses at the time where market wants smaller and smaller. People who keep asking for a 35mm sensor are going to want something similalrly sized to m4/3rds lenses and This is not going to happen
3/ how long do you think it would take to develop a full lens system with a 35mm sensor
and I am just getting started
Harold
Anonymous
6 months ago |Or Olympus could release high quality 17mm and zooms for m43.
mountainwalker
6 months ago |FullFrame vs [micro]FourThirds: It is a matter of milkmaid-mathematics:
Four times the sensor area is eight times the glass volume. Thus, in theory the same 100g lens for mFT weighs 800g for FF. In other words, you may need an indoor-studio or some sherpas when walking around on location. Most of the time I leave 80% of my FT lenses at home because of their weight. Before going FF I would rather try a Nikon 1.
OM-4
6 months ago |collaboration on the compact market?
Where is Oly’s equivalent of the RX100?
What is there answer to the Fuji X100s/X20
Hey Oly, here is an idea:
Take the Sony 1 inch sensor from the RX100 and built a RD/RC like fixed f1.4 40mm eq. monochrome camera.
The Real Stig
6 months ago |The E-M5 was compared with the Leica M. Consider the myth that a dedicated monochrome camera delivers advantages to be well and truly busted.
J Shin
6 months ago |At least it will be better than anything Sony has put out for the APS NEX’s…
amalric
6 months ago |I think the error here is to reason in terms of either…or. Digital is flexible by nature, so once you give up the mirror box it becomes very easy to generate multiple formats.
Sony and other mirrorless makers will test the FF waters with one body and only a few lenses. Oly would have no problems in issuing 3 or 4 lenses for it.
if it’s a Leica substitute, keep in mind that wides can be made very small. You don’t necessarily need to get involved in teles, where FF is at a disadvantage. Let’s say the old Leica RF range up, from 20mm to 135mm eq..
With its OM experience, and the mirrorless one, Oly is v. well placed to design a few lenses, not necessarily big.
This also fits very well with the Japanese pattern of corporate behaviour of competition/cooperation – not pure competition.
The Japanese corporate scene, due to the strong Yen and competition from elsewhere will probably integrate further.
FF mirrorless might further shake the remaining C&N predominance, which is probably the aim of Sony.
Twaddler Belafonte
6 months ago |Let there be an Olympuzized RX1 for $1500. 5-axis stabilized plus f2 full-frameyness? I would devour it whole and crap 15x20s for years.
Daemonius
6 months ago |Why joke?
Olympus was and is one of best lens designing and producing company. I think fact that most OM lens is still usable today (and some are very good) is good testimony of that.
In past best was Leica, Zeiss, Nikon, Olympus and ofc now forgotten Pentax. Tho best Pentax lens are most likely their 645 and 67 lens, very impressive pieces of engineering until today.
So Olympus lens for Sony FF. Well there will be OM lens ready when Sony will release FF mirrorless.
And new ones? Damn, that would be nice..
Anonymous
6 months ago |As it was pointed out ealier in the thread, when Sony bought into Oly, the two companies were to collaberate. The FF Nex is coming in about a years time and so lenses are already being designed for the system, is it not unreasonable to think that Oly will be involved in designing some of the lenses for the FF Nex system?
Its been suggested today that the 3 Zeiss Nex & Fuji X lenses are being redesigned for FF. Fuji is also rumoured to be working on a FF X system camera.
IMHO a lack of lenses for the Nex system has hurt Sony sales I don’t expect them to make the same mistake with the FF Nex
bbking
6 months ago |“IMHO a lack of lenses for the Nex system has hurt Sony sales I don’t expect them to make the same mistake with the FF Nex”
I totally agree with this.
I’m not behind the notion that “FF” is better but I know that it’s different and there’s a market for it. There’s a market for it because a lot of OTHER people think that “FF” is better.
I’m behind a “FF” mirrorless camera and DEFINITELY behind Olympus glass.
Not sure when, but mirrorless “FF” WILL happen.
WSG123
6 months ago |I just want to use FF Leica glass on a compact body that’s reasonably priced.
I refuse to pay $8000 on a Leica M when the sensor will be obsolete in 2 or 3 years. I will, OTOH, spend $8000 on incredible glass, because it won’t go obsolete anytime soon.
Andrew
6 months ago |Admin can you try to find out if Olympus will announce any lenses in late January when they announce the camera? Thanks.
pete
6 months ago |FF means just 24x36mm and olympus had build thousands of lenses for this. of course they have the knowhow and resources, maybe they have to learn to build the lenses more worse because the correction is in camera or lightroom these days. but why?
OneQuarterSensor
6 months ago |Before falling behind with digital and “inventing” four thirds (a cheap downsized sensor marketed up as a new standard), Olympus used to make some stunning lenses. They were often very small, take the 2.8/24 for example, which is still very good now. Except for the coating, lens technology has not changed much since; so we may expect some proper lenses from Olympus, to cover a decent image circle, say 43.2 mm.
simon
6 months ago |of course I don’t know how much capacity olympus has (so if you know more please let us know) but I certainly think that olympus would be very capable of making such lenses (just not 17mm primes
the top grade zooms are probably some of the most impressive lenses that exist right now. and the expensive mft primes are very well made and really good optically in the case of the 75mm and still pretty good in the case of the 12mm.
TheEye
6 months ago |Olympus should take care of creative accounting and business trip planning for Sony. George Town, here they come!
Alfred
6 months ago |Sony has former Minolta optics guys, Zeiss and Tamron helping them , I don’t think Olympus has a position in the high end , medium and economic grading lens in those three tiers
Rchard
6 months ago |Have you seen the old Zuiko 350/2.8, 250/2.0 and 180/2.0. If they aren’t high end lenses I don’t know what is. I guess they could redesign those 3 lenses for AF for the FF Nex.
Anonymous
6 months ago |I didn’t try those Olympus lens but those 4/3 high end lens like 35-100 are on the class of similar offering from Nikon / Canon.
What I mean is , Sony don’t technically need to relies on Olympus for their optical technology as they have their own ex-Minolta staffs , Zeiss help and Tarmon doing the starter lens.
Of course if Sony and Olympus form a Marco 4/3 with open mount , then it will be fine for the customers as there will be more choice available
bart
6 months ago |Sony took over the business, negotiated rights on interlectual property (for which they are still paying Minolta) and some trademarks. They did NOT take over the people. There may be a few engineers who found employment at Sony, but they did not end up with Minolta’s optical engineers, as is rather evident from their current lens lineup. Rehashes of designs dating back to minolta, everything else comes from carl zeiss, tamron at all.
It is also rather evident from the public info on the sony – olympus investment deal.
amalric
6 months ago |Once the mirror box is dropped, and dSLR recedes, the Leica-type of outfit becomes attractive. Fuji went deliberately at it, Sony showed the RX1. Both have been successful in their small way. Panny also takes an interest. Oly stood silent, probably because it had some loint plans with Sony.
I insist that you don’t need nowadays to offer a full fledged system. just a few good lenses will do and a mirrorless body 135mm below the 2500 $ mark. I agree that it need be small, and therefore use the classic RF focal range. It would be a camera for journalists and top mangers, who can drop it in their luggage, without having to carry a photo bag. In fact the RX1 already fits the description.
Would that take away customers from m4/3? Hardly. Even at the top of the profession we see photogs. using both Micro and FF. Therefore to have a NEX scalable system is probably a good idea. If it works Oly could try its own. I have no idea of how the RX1 samples compare with the OM-D, however. Is it really worth the difference in $$?
Heh
6 months ago |Sure it’s better, think 4 times thinner depth of field, cleaner shadows and more controlled highlights. It’s also a lot less demanding on the lens. This applies to all 135 cameras.
However: the Sony RX1 is rather a toy for pixel-peeping geeks, since it has no proper controls (dials!). This makes it a pointless proposition for photogs, whatever the marketing people tell you. Try one and you will see.
Ulli
6 months ago |I can only agree with the shallower depth of field, if you need it that is(I am one of those but not at the cost of bulky hardware in return, not anymore thankyou. The other things you mentioned are either subtle or only at pixel level clearly visible. If your demands are that high, go ahead.
Anonymous
6 months ago |From what I remember of OM film lenses, they were about on par with Nikon, Minolta, Canon, nothing exceptional, other than maybe a tele or two and the 21 mm and even those were probably more hype, by Olympus Zealots than anything else. Nothing really exceptional came along till 4/3, in my opinion, so Whats the big deal?
Flash
6 months ago |The OM lens and zukios in general had much “better” contrast IMO then other Japanese lenses at the time, more similar to the top European lens like Zeiss, Vougtlander, and Leica. Design, glass, and manufacturing ability all play apart. I use to shoot with slow slide film and blow it up on a small theater size screen, I used many different lens and the old OM was very good. I do not believe the nice contrast is as important to me now with Photoshop and the like. But some of their glass in the past was very nice. Sort of what the new 75 is today, a market leader.
Per K
6 months ago |I too was around in those times and owned a OM-1 and a OM-10:
The Swedish magazine Foto did run a very well made comparative test over several issues of the paper. At that time there wasn’t test benches so it was a lot of photographs compared to say the least
One of the interesting findings was that each brands lenses had is distinct character. The interesting thing is that these differences to some degree prevail still today!
Which was best?
1. Leica and Zeiss
2. Canon and Nikon
3. The rest
6. “Pirate” lenses
As I switched from Oly to Contax (Zeiss lenses) after my Oly had fallen apart during travel in India, I can confirm that Zeiss lenses at that time was significantly better in micro contrast and color. Also the Contax 139 had even better ergonomy and build than Oly.
Rchard
6 months ago |So the Zuiko 350/2.8, 250/2.0 and 180/2.0 was considered among “The rest”?
The Real Stig
6 months ago |You are spot on. When Nasa tried the Zuiko 180mm f2 in about1984,they said it was the sharpest 35mm lens they had ever tested.
The Real Stig
6 months ago |Bulldust.
Rchar
6 months ago |Anonymous is probably a Canikon Zealot, so in his world, nothing Olympus is ever good. In the real world all SHG ZD lenses are all exceptionally good. I have the ZD 150/2.0 and it’s a fantastic lens. Atleast as good as anything Canikon have.
Per K
6 months ago |This is one of the great opportunities that Sony – Olympus cooperation could make possible:
1. Sony has problems with their lens design.
2. Olympus are doing extremely well in lens design
3. The Zeiss brand is very expensive
4. It could stay here but there is also a possibility for Oly to use Sony camera technology for a mirrorless 24 x 36 sensor camera. Why? Some love the Oly brand, some love the Sony brand. Cooperation would make possible higher volume and a better market share and a split of development and manufacturing costs.
In the modern industry win-win agreements are essential. I used to work in automotive in a company that acquired a couple of companies. I turned out in product development the Japan company was very good at designing cab body: Strong, light and safe. They specialized in this and now do cab body for all brands and so on. The instrument is developed outside the company by a supplier that has special competence in that area. The instrument is designed on the requirements by the purchasing company.
This is what happens with a lot also in camera business. In early days of digital small cameras Sanyo designed and manufactured cameras for most of the brands…..
BTW: Sorry for the guys above that seem to have some problems in their life and take it out on people expressing another opinion.
MarcoSartoriPhoto
6 months ago |Since the release of Sony RX1 I’m longing for a similar body, packed with a f1.8 Zuiko lens and an EVF. I don’t know if it’s planned, but I would buy it. There’s nothing wrong with it. It would be bigger than an OMD Em5, but still smaller than a DSLR. I’m not holding my breath waiting for a pocketable camera: I never put my OMD in a pocket, and not even Leica M nor a Fuji x100 can be comfortably put in a pocket.
bart
6 months ago |Hmm.. sitting in a train right now… e-m5 with 20/1.7 in my coat pocket…
There have been 135 format cameras with nice 35mm/2.8 lenses that are significantly smaller then the e-m5 also, especially when the lens is retractable.
MarcoSartoriPhoto
6 months ago |Garypen
6 months ago |I don’t see anything far-fetched about either part of this rumor.
It is perfectly reasonable to think that Sony will add a FF model to the NEX lineup. FF is hot right now, as witnessed by the huge interest in Canon and Nikon’s recent entry level entries.
It is also reasonable to assume that the Sony-Olympus partnership will include Olympus contributing lens models to the NEX platform, whose major drawback is generally considered to be its lack of a robust collection of lenses vs the deep bench lens choices of the M43 platform.
As for the folks posting arrogant putdowns of the term “FF”, get over yourselves. Right or wrong, “Full frame” is the commonly accepted marketing term for digital sensors that replicate 35mm film in size. Whether or not there are smaller digital sensors that can beat 35mm film quality, or larger sensors that aren’t as good, is irrelevant.
bart
6 months ago |For a photographer, that marketing meaning of ‘full frame’ is irrelevant, what it does is relevant.
Garypen
6 months ago |For anybody buying a camera, the marketing term “full frame” is totally and unequivocally relevant, as that is the terminology for a specific class of camera that uses a specific-sized sensor, as is used throughout the camera industry, as annoying as it might be to you and a handful of others.
Whether or not a photographer agrees with the term’s accuracy is actually what is irrelevant.
amalric
6 months ago |As you *might* know the original film Pen was a half frame camera. I still use on a digital pen the industar 69 28/2.8 which was made for the Russian half frame Chaika.
Nobody would dream to cal digital Pens half frame today because it is irrelevant. FF 135′s only reality depends on the survival of the mirror box. In digital mirrorless one would speak of a large sensor, and give the dimensions.
So yes, equating FF with 135mm is a convention of the past.
Jess
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