(FT3) More new Pen’s to come at photokina? Almost all Olympus DSLR discontinued?
A big camera retailer (because of privacy reasons I can’t tell you who it is) told us that Olympus DSLRs are ALL listed as discontinued except the E-620 with the note that “MORE PEN CAMERAS” are on their way!
So is Olympus going to release more than one new MicroFourThirds camera?
Send us your rumors at 43rumors@gmail.com! Every litte help….helps! You can also use the form on the right sidebar (click “SHARE”). You can avoid giving me your name and email and the form doesn’t store your IP-address. Only send the message 
Alfons
3 years ago |They can’t be so dumb that they would leave all the four thirds users hanging. I’m still expecting a good E-3 replacement to be revealed – be it m4/3 or 4/3.
Good_Speed
3 years ago |OMG~
I want E-3 successor!!!
Rich R.
3 years ago |I hope Olympus does release a better E-Series camera, The pen series is nice but it is not for serious photography. I have been looking at Cannon and will take the plunge if I can not replace my E-30 with an E-series, perhaps my grandaughter can use what will be my Oly junk.
My first Olympus was an OM10 I have been using them all along but things do change. Perhaps it time to go full frame.
Ashton Sharapova
3 years ago |I luff you olympus – plz to make e-p3 with body flash, i will give you buckets of duckets
spanky
3 years ago |I’m confused by the article, or perhaps I’m confused by Olympus’s terminology. Are the PENs just their compact mirrorless camera line, or their designation for ALL their mirrorless cameras? They don’t have any large mirrorless cameras, so we don’t know for sure if that’s the case. If they do away with their larger cameras completely it would be bad for their fan base who I’m sure love the form factor of the E-series DSLRs.
If, however, they mean to say the PEN designation applies to all mirrorless cameras, that could mean we could see some large mirrorless cameras coming from Olympus. That makes sense given all the talk about Olympus threatening to go shopping elsewhere for their sensors unless Panasonic grants them access to their latest sensor. The new GH2/3 sensor would find a nice home in a large-body E-series like mirrorless camera which Olympus could ship bundled with their 4/3 adapter to satisfy current E-series users.
We’ll see. Should be an interesting end of the year in photography.
shuber182
3 years ago |Ok, here we go again. First Oly said no 4/3 new camera. Next we saw rumors of an E3 successor, now Oly is discontinuing all but the 620 ??? I’ll just wait and see what they are up to. At any rate, if they do keep up with the 4/3 dslr’s they really need upgrade the sensor for cleaner images.
napalm
3 years ago |Oly didnt say those. what you mentioned all came from RUMORS.
elliot
3 years ago |Sort of makes sense since regular 4/3 camera sales have fallen off a cliff. They’re just not selling well, and m43 sales are taking off. Olympus is a small company with low marketshare and they need to focus on where the sales and sales growth is.
Story is that Panasonic tried 4/3 with a couple of cameras, failed, and pushed forward with the m43 which finally saved the sensor size from irrelevance. Olympus is alone now with 4/3 sales and the lack of competition isn’t helping it at all. Oly is following Panasonic to the growth market.
marilyn
3 years ago |crap you olympus……
acahaya
3 years ago |What does this rumor tell us?
1. All until now available E-DSLRs except E-620 are discontinued
Entry level will be covered by PENs, makes a lot of sense to me because E-420/520 were sold (too) cheap whereas the PENs are rather expensive.
E-620 will stay (it is now 1 year old)
E-30/E-3 will be replaced by new camera(s) (E or PEN or whatever new concept) introduced at PMA
2. More PENS to come
Sure, did you think they stop releasing new models now after working hard to get a decent market share
OLYP
3 years ago |Well, this is exactly what i have expected. Why do you need a E-4xx E-5xx E-6xx,…
the E-4xx was small (not important anymore because of the new PEN Series)
the E-5xx was for “richer” E-4xx buyer, wh wanted the I.S. and a grip
the E-6xx is a little bigger E-4xx with all functions of a E-5xx, so it is the replacement for both and will be continued
markenting of olympus will be
“You want a small camera with DSLR IQ” – buy a PEN*
“You want a small DSLR” – buy the E-6xx
“You want to be a pro” – buy E-5/E-3 and i believe there will be a next E-30
The PEN will still be classified in
expensive and retro (many controlls) E-Px
cheap and easy (more like P&S) – E-PLx
(maybe a pro-line? E-PPx [dont believe in this])
Guy Jordan
3 years ago |An Olympus tech rep at New England Camera Club Conference told me this summer that an E-3 successor would definitely be announced at PhotoPlus, if not at Photokina, and that I would be pleased. My experience with these guys is that Oly Japan tells them very little and they repeat even less, so if he says that at a public show, I trust it’s true.
As film cameras matured, and more and more photographers chose “their camera,” the number of models offered dwindled. Leica ended up offering two or three. If Olympus believes that micro 4/3 satisfies the small camera/transition to SLR market, then a simplified lineup of PENs, one introductory SLR, and one pro model would not be a bad idea.
Tobias W.
3 years ago |If Olympus is killing the E-3 successor, that’s it with Olympus for me. I’ll be heading to Panasonic then to use my existing lenses and any bigger investment will probably go to Canon…
Gianca
3 years ago |Amazon us lists the E-3 as “only 3 left in stock”.
http://www.amazon.com/Olympus-10-1MP-Digital-Mechanical-Stabilization/dp/B000X1T3IQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1281972310&sr=8-1
Calumet photo lists the E-3 as limited availability.
Good signs.
Eric
3 years ago |I could tell where Olympus’s focus is just by watching tennis this weekend. I saw a PEN ad on almost every commercial break, but I never once saw an ad for regular 4/3′s.
Makes sense though, serious amateurs and photographers are the only users interested in regular 4/3′s, and they don’t need advertising to be aware of what camera to buy (and many in that group prefer larger sensor cameras anyway). As far as the lower end of 4/3′s cameras such as the E-620, I simply don’t understand the point in cameras like that anymore. Mirrorless cameras are going to wipe out entry level DSLR’s and Olympus knows it.
Duarte Bruno
3 years ago |Quoting: “As far as the lower end of 4/3′s cameras such as the E-620, I simply don’t understand the point in cameras like that anymore. Mirrorless cameras are going to wipe out entry level DSLR’s and Olympus knows it.”
I couldn’t agree with you more.
Panasonic created a MONSTER! And no one believed it (not even Pana themselves) except for the market.
Then Panasonic started believing, Samsung too, Olympus was forced to believe it and Sony must be wondering what to do with the 200+ Alpha models they were planing… I guess they are already kicking themselves in the but for giving the NEXes a single digit name because there’s not enough digits for the 20+ NEX models they are planning already…
Nathan
3 years ago |Don’t panic. The E-420, E-520 are old, the E-3 is due for replacement, the E-30 will probably be replaced at some later time, if at all. There is no need for an E-420 replacement, the E-520 replacement is the E-620. The E-30 doesn’t need to exist, and the E-3 is soon to be replaced. PEN will fill out the low end better than E-420 did.
Michael
3 years ago |Ok but, the E-420 is still cheaper than comparable featured PEN and in low budget the price is main point. I see that Micro Four Thirds could fully replace entry-level E-System (or even a semi-pro level cameras) when Olympus and Panasonic do it right. With decent camera bodies and compact fast primes it is possible. What they bring until now is nice but in point when Olympus will claim that a mFT is professional tool (as E-3 for example) it would be better for more serious users (it has Leica-M-series-capacity in more reasonable cost). Standard grade/high grade lenses category for Micro Zuiko Digital and the same from high-end to low-end bodies offering needs time to develop. Let’s see what Photokina/near future shows.
Biro
3 years ago |I’m with Nathan on this. Think about it: If Olympus is planning to replace the E-3, then it make sense that the E-3 would be discontinued.
Frankly, I have no idea why the E-420/450 and E-520 were even continued once the E-620 came out. Okay, maybe an entry level E-420/450… but certainly not the E-520.
The E-30, while a great camera, seemed to be stuck in the netherworld between the pro E-3 and the consumer-friendly E-4/5/6 series. $1000 for a body only is a lot of money.
So it makes sense that all these cameras, with the exception of the E-620, would have been discontinued by now. And some cameras in the Pen series will no doubt replace the E-4XX.
New cameras are coming and no doubt some will be traditional four thirds.
43photo
3 years ago |Excellent idea to maintain the line of the two best 4/3rds cameras, the E620 and E3. All the lower end models can easily be replaced by pen/ micro.
A very clear product line from a Olympus. Look forward to the E620 and E3 successors!
Reader
3 years ago |The plural of “Pen” is “Pens,” not, as your headline shows, “Pen’s.”
Thevoiceoverman
3 years ago |I walked into Jessops on New Oxford Street central London today. The Pen display used to be the first thing you could see when you walked in the door with Olympus DSLR’s behind. Now? All gone. Not even on display.
The most prominent cameras are Sony Nex.
Watch this space…
jt
3 years ago |Olympus sees what they have that is selling- and it isn’t their regular 4/3 cameras.
elliot
3 years ago |“serious amateurs and photographers are the only users interested in regular 4/3′s”
Not really. Sales plummeted for regular 4/3 and Oly and their competitors know it. Olympus has no commercials and virtually no print advertising because they’re spending their money on the products that are selling.
If you look at the recently released 2010 1st six month sales figures (you can see a chart on bythom.com) “Panasonic has shown a marked uptick, with Olympus and Pentax having modest ones.” And virtually all that can be attributed to m43. Regular 4/3 is going nowhere.
Now that doesn’t mean that a couple of long-planned 4/3 cameras won’t actually come out, but don’t expect them to be marketed well, or to sell well, or for Olympus to apportion its limited r&d budget to further develop regular 4/3.
Billy
3 years ago |If the E3 and E30 are discontinued that is a good sign that Olympus is about to announce a replacement.
Also why would olympus advertise 4/3rds products when their newest one is over a year old? It makes no sense, you advertise whats new.
Olympus will have the flagship E3 successor and maybe an E30 successor then a “pro” Pen and then the 4/3rds entry line will be all micro 4/3rds.
I would be shocked and suppremely pissed if they stopped developing 4/3rds cameras as I want my 4/3rds lenses to continue to work to their full potential (read: fast autofocus for wildlife).
Inge - M.
3 years ago |So easy
E-3 out, and in E-5(GH2 sensor).
E-30 out, and in E-50?/modlar camera.
E-620 is not yet out, but E-420, E-450 and E-520 is out!
E-P1 is out, and is in E-P3 maybe (GH1 sensor) and also E-PL2/E-Pxx is in?
No panic HEHE!
Les
3 years ago |E3 replacement? I’m still waiting for the E1 replacement! That overweight D200 copy they called the E3 certainly wasn’t it.
Seriously, I wish them well, but it’s obvious their heart hasn’t been in 4/3 for a while. I would have been more surprised if the 420 and 520 hadn’t been discontinued. They only really need one small and one large SLR (but not an elephant like the E3).
Tropical Yeti
3 years ago |To Billy & Inge – Nice you chimed in. Reading this rumor site, I get impression only pessimists buy 4/3 cameras. Now I know, we are at least 3 optimists here…
RobJ
3 years ago |This isn’t remotely surprising. Olympus has too many low end DSLRs– the 420, 450, and 520 are just not needed anymore. The 620 will drop in price and be the new low end, with the E3 replacement coming out to satisfy the small number of pros who shoot Olympus. Beyond that, it will be all m4/3rds cameras, as that’s clearly where the bulk of the growth and sales are.
RW
3 years ago |There is a danger in reading too much into these stories. Discontinuing a camera doesn’t mean that it is an evolutionary dead end. The Panasonic GH-1 is discontinued now – but it doesn’t mean that the GH line is finished.
It is the eternal problem with reading rumors – clearly everybody here does that – but rumors are not complete information by their nature.
Don’t panic!
Miklos Rabi
3 years ago |It means only one thing.
Oly is going to change its oldish product-line. What’s wrong in it?
Go back, and shoot!
Miroslav
3 years ago |Evolution: Oly stops producing DSLRs, only E-5 stays, E-4xx line is replaced by PENs, E-5xx and E-6xx by “pro” mirrorless DSLR lookalikes. New mirrorless bodies need a couple more features ( EVF, articulating LCD, better flashes, faster bursts, stacking modes, … ), better AF with 4/3 lenses and all will be well
.
We will know more in a weeks time, but I hope our rumor site is going to give us some leaks this weekend, as usual before official announcements
.
Inge - M.
3 years ago |Not only E-5 so can use so DSLR from Olympus, also E-xx (Olympus modular camera system)so come next year.
But Olympus need waterpro m4-3 camera and lens.
Franssales
3 years ago |Phase focusing detect and better low light performance are on top of my list. Fujifilm already makes the module which enables it for pocket cameras, so it can be licenced. But articulating screen would be useful, too.
bilgy_no1
3 years ago |Olympus just needs two very good cameras to go with the excellent 4/3 SHG lenses. The first weather sealed for the best nature and outdoor sports activity. The second a more portable street type photography. If they can fit both demands in one cam, that’s great.
Entry level is already all m4/3. E620 is the newest (not counting stuff like the E450 and E600), and it’s already 1.5 years old. E-P1 is available for less than €365 with a lens and much more camera than the E450 or most entry level models from the competition.
Still, Olympus needs to improve market penetration with better models in the m4/3 line up, best before too many others enter the mirrorless game.
Peter
3 years ago |I think the main problem is (sorry about my English):
Olympus like to show the news on photokina, so of course they won`t tell secrets before photokina.
But we all, me to(!) like to know it better yesterday than today becouse of all the rumors and because Olympus just talk about these ugly-kids-pen-kameras and lenses! Give us new real good kameras and lenses and don`t loose more and more people changing to Nikon and Canon and…..
Peter
3 years ago |DiscontinuedDiscontinuedDiscontinuedDiscontinuedDiscontinuedDiscontinued
https://www.olympus-shop.com/de/shop/products.html
newsed1
3 years ago |Pity. I really wanted an updated 620 with an EPL-1 sensor and video. The entry 43 stuff was such good value compared with the M43 kit….
BobD
3 years ago |Well we haven’t seen any lenses discontinued, which is a good sign.
Then again, we haven’t seen new 4/3rds lenses lately either.
In order to sell lenses, they have to have the bodies that we all are willing to use.
Assuming they have not lost sight of that, we’ll hopefully see a few new 4/3rds bodies that will continue to help sell their excellent glass.
crazympus
3 years ago |I just know one thing..Olympus is the best system for amateurs. Compare cameras, lenses, prices but from a user point of view ie. experience the differnces….Olympus is superior.
Really hope for that camera with 43 and m43 mounts in the same body.
Neville van Eerten
3 years ago |Peter
Those are software products, not cameras that are discontinued.
I don’t see any conflict with what we already know.
Why have a 420 and a 520 and a 620, makes no sense? I agree with Nathan.
Neville van Eerten
3 years ago |@thevoiceoverman
Tell Jessop to ready the dpreview on Sony NEX versus EPL1!!!
Alaska Fan
3 years ago |I was just on the Olympus America web site tonight, using the Contact Us feature. Messages are posted based upon your camera. When I posted my message, it went to “ARCHIVED PRODUCTS -> E-3″. So there may be germ of truth in the rumor. I just hope it doesn’t mean Oly is abandoning the full-sized DSLR E-XX line. I will be one seriously p.o.’d Oly customer if that’s true.
Sue
3 years ago |I’m through with Olympus teasers and games. Working on switching systems. I’m done. Too bad. I really love my E3 and wanted a successor. Time to move on.
bilgy_no1
3 years ago |Sue, the above rumour does not mean that there will be no E-3 successor. Olympus have indicated that there will be new 4/3 cameras. It’s just that all the older models will be discontinued. And that is quite normal:
E-3: released 3 years ago
E-420/520: released 2.5 years ago
E-30: released two years ago
E-620: released 1.5 years ago
E-450: released over 1 year ago (and basically the same as E-420)
It’s logical that these cameras will go out of production to make room for something new.
alienchow
3 years ago |Wow. Jumping ship 1 month before Photokina doesn’t make much sense. ALL manufacturers will be updating their lines. Anything you buy now will be old news in a month, and you will probably be lusting after an E-5.
Remember, these aren’t Olympus teasers and games. They are rumors. Take this site, and all rumor sites, for what they are. A bit of fun and speculation. Even the admin says as much.
Alfons
3 years ago |On Olympus America’s shop plenty of lenses are labeled “out of stock”. To me that says that Olympus hasn’t had time to make more copies or they are not willing to do so.
Of course there has not been a lot of orders for 4/3 lenses from shops either. On my local stores there has been the same lenses and bodies on the showcases for years now. Who would have bought E-3 and pro lenses for those prices when there has been much better bodies and as good lenses for less money from other companies.
Software products discontinued? I my self never used studio nor master for anything more than updating firmware. Olympus seems to have done a real clean up discontinuing non profitable sectors. Maybe Olympus is designing another software. Sounds funny that they would not give any software with camera. I think Leica offered Lightroom with their bodies.
Future seems to be m4/3, but I’m not ready for that future yet. I’m starting to worry if I should throw away my wishlists for E-5.
Thomas
3 years ago |If they allow me to use my 14-54 and 50-200 on a new camera (via an adapter) with an updated sensor and decent AF speed I don’t care whether they call it 4/3 or m4/3 or whatever and I’ll be happy for years to come. That ZD glass ist just wonderful! Try to find something like the 14-54 (II) from another manufacturer (considering the price, of course)…
Roger
3 years ago |What is wrong with you people that want to jump ship just because they may drop a certain model. Does your camera work for you now?
I see no evidence that Oly is going to drop 4/3; after-all, they just released the E/5. To me, Oly is a good company that is thinking about the dealerships in that they wait for products to dry up before releasing new products into the line-up.
Basically, the DSLR market now is demanding video. This is really the main upgrade of the E/5. I believe we are going to see an E/30 replacement coming that will include video as the main upgrade to this system. I personally don’t care about video on my DSLR, I have no use for it. What I do care about is real world color and contrast of my photographs and Oly and the 4/3 system can’t be beat!
The best thing to do and to stop worrying about discontinued products and go out and shoot. After-all, how old are those film SLR cameras that some people are still using and some actually prefer. Don’t worry, be Happy!