Good news: Olympus pays only a small penalty at Tokyo Exchange (+ firmware update).
Good news for the Olympus company: Tokyo exchange were extremely “gentle” with the company. Olympus has to pay a penalty of $129,800 only to remain listed on the Tokyo Exchange. Electronista reports: “The light penalty was based on the belief that just a handful of staffers had been responsible for hiding Olympus’ losses and that the core of the company was safe.”
Meanwhile Reuters reports that Sony is on pole position for an Olympus tie. -> every week someone else is in “pole position” 
And Olympus announced a new firmware upgrade for PEN cameras. It adds compatibility with the new 12-50mm power zoom lens. To upgrade follow those instructions:
- Simply launch the included Olympus camera software and connect the camera via USB cable to an Internet connected computer. Choose the Update function from the Camera menu in the software to apply available updates for camera bodies, lenses and accessories.
- Download the software updater from the following link: http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_downloads_updater.asp and follow the installer instructions.
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P.S.: Thom Hogan wrote a nice article about the right size-weight-quality balance of mirrorless cameras at Sansmirror (Click here).
Charlie
2 years ago |… and the new OM-(x) is now confirmed to have autofocus!!!
stimmer
2 years ago |Confirmed by who? Do you mean 4/3 lenses?
YouDidntDidYou
2 years ago |Olympus needs to strike partnership(s) with companies that sure the same strategic vision with and who also might be willing to sell back those share once Olympus in a stronger position in the future (Olympus knows all this hopefully, just saying for the 43rumors readers).
Still don’t think it will be Sony, Samsung, Fuji tc thats just Reuters spiel…
MikeS
2 years ago |Olympus pays Oly? Sounds about right
Good news, though. Looking forward to seeing what they have to show at CP+.
bean5y
2 years ago |Remember that T-shirt with all the Olympus classics listed in it?
They’ve redone the PEN, the OM is next..
I wish for Olympus to redo the 35 RC or RD and challenge the Fuji X100 with a more compact fast-prime (42mm equiv.) rangefinder style with a super fast lens (f/1.4) for less than US500 with full manual control. That would sell like hotcakes. Call it the E-R1.
I think the OM will sell ridiculously well. I’m sure admin will do a poll to see how many of us will buy the OM-D when all the specs + photos of the camera are out. I am 99% sure I’ll buy it.
littorio
2 years ago |>>>They’ve redone the PEN, the OM is next..
So my kids will get some sort of 4/3 – reincarnation with 1″ sensor?
YouDidntDidYou
2 years ago |what do you think of Thom Hogan?
ihateidiots
2 years ago |Some people obviously have an inferiority complex issue. GET OVER IT.
TheEye
2 years ago |Olympus getting slapped around with velvet gloves. Kinky!
Al
2 years ago |Too big to fail?
Pei
2 years ago |Whoever is looking to buy Olympus had a word with Tokyo Exchange
Archer Sully
2 years ago |+1
TheEye
2 years ago |Too Japanese to fail!
Reza
2 years ago |Admin, another good news the other day was that according to the wells fargo report Oly was the top mirrorless seller in Japan in December.
ckb
2 years ago |I was at BIC Camera and LAB electronics in Tokyo and Nagoya last week and obviously mirrorless cameras are very popular. Olympus displays were the best followed by Sony, Nikon and Panasonic. However, all mirrorless products seemed to have been discounted more than average. The best sellers for mirrorless based on their weekly best seller boards were the Pany GH2, Oly EPl2 and Nikon J1.
It was the first time I could compare each mirrorless products (including Ricoh and Pentax) at the same time and was impressed by the range of the features. The one trend I did not like was that the cameras were getting bigger, heavier and uglier. Small DLSR and high end mirrorless seem about the same size. Wasn’t the idea of mirrorless equal quality in a smaller package?
Joe
2 years ago |Sony is only interested in the endoscope business, I see no reason for a tie up of the camera business
panasonic
2 years ago |Olympus have water dragon in 2012
napalm
2 years ago |Sony?! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
just kidding. as long as they let the camera division alone, I think it’s fine. but I would have preferred Fuji
Robbie
2 years ago |I don’t mind Sony sensor though
napalm
2 years ago |but they have their own NEX, meaning Oly will once again get older sensors
nobody
2 years ago |Yes, but only 3 months older, like the sensors Nikon buys from Sony. Not 3 years older like the sensors Oly buys from Panasonic by now
bilgy_no1
2 years ago |Never Mind. If Sony, or any other of the rumoured companies, enters a partnership with Olympus, the camera division will be the last thing on their minds.
Esa Tuunanen
2 years ago |Dynamic range of that 12MP sensor was lowish already when it was introduced in E-30 so that sensor is more like five years old tech.
And G3/GX1 sensor is barely any better in DR with only GH1 and GH2 sensors being closer to modern tech. (remember that Canon PowerShot G12′s small sensor gives more DR at base ISO than G3/GX1)
Digifan
2 years ago |>+10.000.000
I’d hate it if Sony will be involved.
Sony will kill of Olympus’ camara division and canabalise its engineers.
Sony is a terrible company for consumers EVEN PRO consumers!!!
Terrible service. I’ve sworn off Sony products.
I’d even consider switching back to Canon.
Maybe even Samsung would be an alternative for CSC’s for me then.
lnqo-M
2 years ago |The is not Sony or Samsung so is involved by sensor in new OM-D camera, think i the is G3 or GH2 sensor to Panasonic.
Digifan
2 years ago |I mean if Olympus will be owned by Sony.
I don’t care if Sony would only supply a sensor, it would be Olympus service still. But if Olympus is owned or taken over or integrated in Sony the service would change, I’d hate that, Sony service sucks.
lnqo-M
2 years ago |OK, but Sony need support M43 first.
rrr_hhh
2 years ago |+1 I don’t really like the idea that Sony may get enough shares to lead the Olympus company in the direction it wants. I would fear for the future of the camera division then.
OlyFan
2 years ago |Yeah, yeah ok. Now where are the latest rumours?
Camaman
2 years ago |That article from Thom you posted is pretty good. It sets you straight as a possible DSLR to m43 convert.
Kasteel
2 years ago |Sony would be the manufacturer of th new OM-D sensor:
http://diamond.jp/articles/-/15791?page=2
nobody
2 years ago |Going by the Google translation, I would say this is just wishful thinking.
BTW, the OM-D’s rumoured base ISO of 200 doesn’t match the base ISO of the latest Sony sensors which is 80.
ihateidiots
2 years ago |This isn’t exactly good news. This simply means the management of Olympus will continue to fuck over the imaging division as they have always done for the last 5 years. I know the hard core and extremely stupid Oly fanboys will howl and cry, but quite frankly, what they need is new blood and money. They may get money, but definitely not blood.
YouDidntDidYou
2 years ago |re: Thom Hogan articles(s)
1. still measures against Nikon DSLR in every breath he takes ie where he goes about battery life, Mirrorless photographers can the shot right in camera far quicker (with less presses of the shutter) than most DSLR users so a mirrorless camera lasts for 300-400 is fine for most users.
1st mention of a brand is a Nikon mirrorless (and it’s in a positive light to them against a negative to others) and really, really strange no use of Panasonic or Lumix as the brand name for the GH2
2. his articles are far too long (he should try pagination) and he uses next to ZERO images to illustrate his points and they don’t feel like they are written for the internet.
3. dirt on the sensor – in 5 years of shooting on my 4 cameras which have sensor exposed (with extremely frequent lens changes) I’ve only had to clean the lens once on 1 of my cameras and that was recently to shoot long exposure with a pin hole lens.
4. time reality lag due to not using OVF – strange most DSLR users resort to shooting burst mode to capture fast moving action
5. lose some sophistication – huh! I can think of quite a few features that “high end” DSLRs are missing which can be found in many mirrorless and also it’s not that much easier to shoot a DSLR with gloves on
6. not using compact flash is a big bonus, it would actually put me off!
7. missing add-ons – most are now available or are on the way
8. give accurate auto focus over speed of subject acquisition any day, a blurry shot is not a keeper.
9. the one photo posted in the article isn’t relevant and ha way too much dynamic range and saturation it feels like CGI
anyways you have minds………………………….
ckb
2 years ago |What is your point?
I would be more likely to actually listen to you if you could write an article that is reasonably balanced and more than a half a page. I have yet to see a picture you have taken either.
I am more informed about mirrorless cameras because of what Mr. Hogan has written than anything you have said because at least what he says has information (good, bad or neutral) related to all brands and types. All cameras have good features and crappy ones. I can adjust my DSLR easier than my m43 but it does not mean I cannot still do it. I would like to be able to use my m43 more efficiently. Based on your comments you think m43 are great as is and need no change. Do you think the camera gods will spite you if you say something needs to be improved in m43? Back to my original note, what is the point of your comments.
Based on your comments, I get the impression you wear Affliction T-shirts.
youdidntdidyou
2 years ago |You are more misinformed because of what Thom Hogan has written about mirrorless cameras.
ckb
2 years ago |If that is so, please write an informative article.
Backup your assertation.
David
2 years ago |I imagine they will likely have to pay a much larger penalty in an investor-brought civil suit
Mark
2 years ago |Yeah, good news! I’m hoping for light treatment too incase I get busted stealing a new OM-D for myself.