New firmware update for PEN cameras (+ funny bug on the E-P3 + financial results)
Olympus quarter results history for the imaging division (Source: Photoscala).
Photoscala (Click here) analyzed the latest Olympus financial results. Olympus managed to stop the decline. There was a slightly profit in first fiscal quarter of 2011. The bad news for Olympus is that North American sales fell by 26.3%, while in the other regions they recorded increases. But as you see from the table on top (made by Photoscala) Olympus isn’t doing very well in the camera division. It looks like Micro Four Thirds alone is not helping them to much. Olympus needs to do more! Do you have any ideas? 
Olympus Japan (Click here) announced a new firmware update for PEN cameras. The E-PL1/PL2/P2 are now compatible with the new Olympus VF-3 external viewfinder. But there is a bug Olympus didn’t solve yet. When using the new VF-3 on the new E-P3 (with touchscreen enabled) the the two rear wheels will no longer work! You have to disable the touchscreen funtion to enable their functionalities (Source: SystemKameraForum).
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Woodent
10 months ago |I wish they added peaking mode (a-la Sony) for manual focusing in some of the firmware updates…
Eric
10 months ago |+1
It is becoming increasingly more difficult for me to ignore that feature with every video I see of it. Simply brilliant. Sony may not have any native lenses worth buying, but a NEX-7 + Zeiss ZM 28mm f/2 would make a great street/landscape camera thanks to that feature. The news that they’re also now using offset micro lenses on the edges of their sensors to correct the corner sharpness issues caused by the extremely short registration distance is also good news.
TR
10 months ago |+2 for me it will be hard to resist NEX-7 + voigtlander 35mm 1.4. But I’ve got to say there is no way I can see them giving us this on a firmware update – if they do do it they will want us to buy a new body.
Mr. Reeee
10 months ago |Absolutely. Peaking looks pretty amazing. I would suspect that Sony has peaking patented up the wazoo, too, so it’s doubtful we’ll see it on M4/3 anytime soon.
When I saw the NEX-7 photo last week and read the EVF and LCD specs, the first thought that came to mind was my Voigtländer 35mm f1.4 sitting on the front of it.
I could see a bunch of Voigtländers on a NEX-7, starting with the 75mm f1.8.
Rainbow Imaging’s Leica M mount to NEX adaptors are the same price as their M to M4/3. Adoaptors for my Pentax SMC Takumars and Nikon lenses woild be the same. At 22 bucks a pop, DELIVERED, that would be a pretty cheap transition.
I could hang into my GH2 just for the Voigtländer Nokton 25mm and Panasonic 7-14mm.
Voldenuit
10 months ago |The Ricoh GXR has peaking, so I don’t think it’s exclusive to Sony. Panny & Oly need to jump on the bandwagon with this, as it’s a genuinely useful feature.
I’ve had enough practice using manual lenses on my GF1 to get spot-on MF 90% of the time, but with lots of glare or as I get mentally exhausted at the end of a shoot, it gets harder to hit the target.
NiKo
10 months ago |Indeed, but I think Sony patented the peaking concept and I’m not sure Olymponic will accept to pay the bill… let us see
Maley
10 months ago |Well if Ricoh can afford it, and i doubt it is patented anyway, Olympus could surely affort it too.
Ulli
10 months ago |I think Ricoh does use a variation on the focus peaking
ange7
10 months ago |YES!! Canon dslr users can get it too via the Magic Lantern firmware hack. Ricoh GXR has an amazing version of it. Pro video cams have had it for years. I mainly use manual lens so peak mode with the stabilization in my ep-2 plus the vf2 would be a sweet combo. Come on OLYMPUS.
Oliver
10 months ago |Olympus needs to do more! Do you have any ideas?
Oh yes! I have an idea: Let´s wait and see! Now it´s the first time Oly has an entire system of MFT cameras. First there were a P1, then suddenly P2 and then suddenly PL1. And we had only few lenses.
Now, there is a program of 3 new PENs with different features, sizes and prizes. We have an entire program of different lenses – with 2 new “primes” showing Olympus is understanding and delivering what we want. MFT is the most extended and extendable EVIL-system on the market. But of course it needs some time to see the efforts in the official financial results!
Duarte Bruno
10 months ago |Funny bug? I don’t see anyone else laughing…
Gasper
10 months ago |We neeed camera with OS, so independent developers can make applications. Add Wifi or 3G support and Facebook and you have a winner. I think Samsung/Android will be the first with this concept.
Lanturlu
10 months ago |I think so too, imagine a good camera with stuff like HDR photo and/or Photosynth. Pity Samsung didn’t join m43…
NiKo
10 months ago |Yeah, and art filters over bluetooth too.
Neonart
10 months ago |Like totally. LOL. ROTFL.
GPS art filters over bluetooth with a Doodle Jump and Fart HDR app. Thats what every camera needs dude!
W3RD
michael
10 months ago |Agreed. The problem with art filters is that they aren’t flexible enough to be useful. There are half a dozen free apps for my phone that do a better job and give me more control over the final picture.
Android-based cameras WILL happen. The only question is whether Olympus will be a leader or a follower. Their adoption of touchscreens is a hopeful sign.
Also, it took a lot of thought for me to buy another Olympus (the E-PL2) after they basically abandoned the 4/3 line.
And finally, the PENs are nice, but far too similar to each other. How many cameras need to be released with identical form factors and image quality? Olympus can convince me that they’re committed to m4/3 by not releasing the same camera over and over again.
Mr. Reeee
10 months ago |How about they just make simple, solid cameras with good interfaces, plenty of external controls and great IQ. They can leave all the fluff features and crapware for lovers of Photoshop WOW! books to tinker with on their computers or iPads.
All that junk makes cameras more complex than they need to be.
Neonart
10 months ago |But, but… what about the spec sheets!?
We need more specs to take better photos!
For goodness sake!!! THINK ABOUT THE CHILDREN!!!
jak0b
10 months ago |So here’s what I’m looking for in a camera:
– Range finder body, a box, with only the lens extruding from the body, perhaps with the possibility of an extra grip like ep3
– Large build in high def EVF
– Tilt and swivel screen, it has to tilt to the side in order to avoid tripod
– At least two multifunction dials, aperture and shutter speed,menu scrolling, etc.
– When manual focusing I want a small zoom box which can be moved in the entire frame (like Panasonic or Rico GXR M mount)
– Build in flash (small)
– Hot shoe ( not proprietary)
– A streamlined UI
– Better battery life
– No AA filter
– Decent ISO 3200 everything above is overkill
– IBIS
– 1080p 60fps (AVC HD 2.0 ?)
– Autofocus
Leiya
10 months ago |+1
For manual focus, I wan the option of Sony’s Peaking as well as Panasonic’s picture-in-picure.
Also, I totally agree with your ISO 3200 comment. I always think anything over ISO 1600 is just ridiculous. I’m happy with my E-PL1′s maximum of ISO 3200 – it’s only my last resort. I usually keep below ISO 1000 or 1250. I think maybe toning the sensor down to 10 megapixels is one quick solution. We’re all fine with 10 megapixels, are we not?
Bernd
10 months ago |……Olympus isn’t doing very well in the camera division. It looks like Micro Four Thirds alone is not helping them to much. Olympus needs to do more! Do you have any ideas….
yepp i have… olympus should stop selling overpriced stuff.
face it.. there is only a small group of people who want a M43 system.
small compared to the group of moms and dads who want a camera.
moms and dads are not willing to cash out 800 euros for a system like M43.
it´s too much tech for them.. most are pretty happy with their mobile camera.
so 800 euro is definately too much to make it a big seller.
at least here in switzerland.
NiKo
10 months ago |Moms and dads probably just want and need an E-PM1 with kit lens, that’s it. Let’s see how it sales, I bet it will perform surprisingly well.
Mr. Reeee
10 months ago |Then why buy an interchangeable lens camera if you never change the lens? An LX5 or XZ1 would just fine.
A friend was visiting with his family, Canon D60 and 18-135mm kit lens. My girlfriend’s old Canon 50mm f1.8 was kicking around, so I let him use it.
I had to show him how to change the lens.
This is the mom and dad crowd.
Ahem
10 months ago |The financials aren’t that bad as I expected; they’re actually VERY good. Year-on-year revenues are essentially flat in yen terms for first quarter, and operating profit improved slightly as well. This is in stark comparison to previous quarters, which had huge decreases YoY.
Why YoY? Because camera sales are very cyclical. In other words, there are much more camera sales in December than, say, February. Therefore you need to compare the same quarter between years, not quarter-on-quarter.
Also, yen has strengthened against the dollar in the past year, which is probably a major factor of US sales decrease – they might have very well sold more camera units than previous year, but due to forex and hedge sales could have declined in yen terms. Impossible to tell from the released figures, though.
What this means is that Olympus imaging division has stopped four quarters of up to 27% YoY declines in sales AND operating profit. This is huge news, and very good news for Olympus – whether they want to keep the imaging division, or spin it off. Bean counters at Olympus are very happy
This all assumes Photoscala’s analysis is correct, which I can’t be arsed to check.
Dummy00001
10 months ago |Thanks for the break down. That was informative.
sneye
10 months ago |Olympus seems to have a lasting problem in the American market. I believe that proper marketing and distribution could somewhat improve things for them, but it may be a lost battle. The importance of brand recognition in the American consumerist culture works against Olympus, which is perceived as a marginal (and ironically, new) player in the camera industry. Only an expensive, long term advertising campaign could maybe change that status.
Ahem
10 months ago |US market is becoming less and less important, and I’m sure Olympus is much more concerned about carving a corner for themselves in China.
Eric
10 months ago |Yep. There is certainly a problem in the US when it comes to brands other than Nikon or Canon. People seem to be unaware that other companies also make good cameras. They view the big two as a premium. I agree, I think it’s mainly a marketing issue. I rarely ever see an ad for any non-canikon camera here; with Pentax being the most invisible of all. I once asked a Best Buy employee about a Pentax camera and he had never even heard of them…and he was working in their camera department!
Mr. Reeee
10 months ago |Why were you at BestBuy looking at cameras?
That’s like going to there to look at audio equipment. All they have is Asian mid-fi garbage.
The only reason to go there is if you know exactly what you want and know they have it in stock. Print the specs from their web site and hand it to the sales person.
Eric
10 months ago |Ha. Very true. But when killing time I can’t help myself but go browse.
Luckily I still have a legitimate photography store in my town that happens to carry a lot of Olympus Gear (Biggs Camera), so when something must be bought in person I go there 9 out of 10 times.
Mr. Reeee
10 months ago |Okay, I admit to killing time there on occasion. At least you can play with the cameras and not worry about EVER being bothered by the salespeople. Seriously.
jens
10 months ago |i bought a E-PL1 14 month ago and paid 489 euros.
today i get the same camera for 230-250 euros.. 14 month later.
i also bought a canon DSLR for 499 euros in 2009.
i sold it 2 month ago on ebay for 390 euros.
my olympus i not making worse images because it´s becoming cheaper… but the value for olympus M43 gear drops so fast im not going to buy a NEW olympus camera again.
it seems like olympus is making a new modell every 6 month.
Bernd
10 months ago |….it seems like olympus is making a new modell every 6 month…..
you mean they put a new name sticker on their cameras and add a few art filters!
ok the E-PL3 and co. has better AF… but overall olympus is making small steps and try to sell you a new modell every few month.
that´s bad for your gear value as you noticed.
i can sell my 5D MK2 for 85% of the price i paid in january 2009.
Oliver
10 months ago |Sorry, but you can´t get a brandnew E-PL1 for 230-250 euros. You´re paying at least 279 at the moment. Otherwise you´re not going to get a really new one.
And talking about ebay: it´s the best place to sell old stuff for much money to idiots.
The thing with Canon is: year after year they bring out the same camera with some more megapixels. So the older cams don´t look as old fashioned as they would if Canon would start to create more innovative changes. 
jens
10 months ago |well there are other countrys then the one you live in. believe it or not!!
and i can get a brand new one for 249,90 euros.
….cams don´t look as old fashioned as they would if Canon would start to create more innovative changes. …
like olympus with it´s ART FILTER crap.. ROTFL… you know your talking BS.
Ulli
10 months ago |E-PL1 for 179 euros
http://www.ringfotopeter.nl/webwinkel_producten.php?cat_id=132
Uwe L
10 months ago |bullshit…. you can get the body for 200-220 in germany and the kit for 250.
http://www.eg-electronics.com/product_info.php?pName=olympus-pen-epl1-body-schwarz-p-69984
NiKo
10 months ago |You can’t (and don’t have to) innovate with DSLRs as much as you have to with EVIL cameras. Canikon has made all their technologies profitable long time ago, just bringing nice to have there and there, while Olysonic still have to invest a lot in R&D to keep up with competition and continuously enhance their product lines at a fast pace…
Frank
10 months ago |The problem with M4/3 is that there is no upgrade path to 4/3.
Why is it a problem ? Beacuse if you buy into M4/3 you can’t upgrade to 4/3.
I think Olympus should do two things :
-Make a new sensor.
-Create a new E-50 and a new E-7 camera with the new sensor.
People buying into the E-50 and E-7 will have a “downgrade” oportunity to M4/3, and will become M4/3 customers in the future.
I’ve owned the E-1 and now the E-450 (in anticipation of the E-50), and a lot of glass that I will eventually use on an E-PL3 or E-P3.
Ahem
10 months ago |Upgrade path? I moved from APS-C to MFT, and I have no desire to get a bigger camera, and I bet I’m not the only one. I
Eric
10 months ago |Ditto. Why on earth would I want a 4/3′s camera? If I wanted a big honking DSLR I would get someing with a much larger sensor (again). The only reason I’m willing to settle for a 2x sensor is if the lens and camera size justifies the IQ hit I take by going to a 2x system. Sadly cameras like an E-3 and E-30 are no smaller than a D700 or D7000. There is no way I would ever consider a 4/3′s camera.
Neonart
10 months ago |Yeah, a 1.5X sensor makes a way better photographer than a 2X one.
Eric
10 months ago |That’s not the point. A good photographer can get wonderful results with an iPhone. The point is classic 4/3′s simply offers few advantages over APS-C systems and even fewer over full frame systems. So why choose that system? The only two reasons I can think of is if you’re into zooms (which I personally am not) then Olympus has some fantastic ones for the 4/3′s system. Second, if you spend most of your time shooting over 300mm’s then you’ll save yourself a bit of back ache by going with 4/3′s over APS-C. However, if you regularly shoot under 300mm’s then I personally would choose a Pentax K-5 or a D7000 without thinking twice about it. That 16mp sensor is simply in a different class from anything in the 4/3′s world. Of course if shallow DOF is important to you then full frame is the way to go, and you’ll get even higher IQ and much better view finders as a result.
IMO m4/3′s is what 4/3′s should have been from the start.
Leiya
10 months ago |Wow. Eric. I totally agree with you!! I own a Canon 60D and “downgraded” to an E-PL1 (used alongside the 60D). And my camera “philosophy” is exactly the same as yours!!!
Neonart
10 months ago |I would add to that weather-resistance. The E1,E3,E5 along with the 14 lenses and adapters that match in WR make it quite unique. Not to mention the uniqueness of some of the 4/3 glass, including the standard grade stuff.
Whats out there that will get you 24-400mm equiv in 2 bright, fairly compact, lenses with fantastic optical quality and tough as nails design?
But, I understand what you mean from a consumers point of view of a spec sheet. For real photography though, 4/3 is fantastic.
cL
10 months ago |Eric The body size is about the same with APS-C right now, but the lens size is still much smaller with 4/3. Keep in mind of that. As for IQ hit, you won’t feel any because the sensor stays at 12MP instead of downgrade into 16MP (more pixel is good for crop but not for anything else). All the problems you have to deal with when you go to 4/3 is high ISO noise (one stop…, one usable stop, not what’s on the specs) and DR loss (which is not even a big issue as everyone makes it to be).
What you get from 4/3 is a more usable camera overall. I personally think Olympus’s interface is better and LiveView implementation is more complete.
Biggest selling point of 4/3 is lens. Significantly smaller than their equivalent lenses. And zooms are smaller than Canikon primes. Do not say you’ll never buy one, just rent one and see if you like it. See how Super Control Panel is much easier to use than your “I can’t do anything without going into Menu or use a direct button” Canikon. And see how zooms can outperform primes with SHG glasses (they’re heavy for a reason…, quality. But they’re about 30% smaller than APS-C counterparts).
E-30 is not bigger than D700 nor D7000, those two are E-5 size….
Mr. Reeee
10 months ago |Exactly. If I wanted a dramatic increase in IQ over M4/3, I wouldn’t be looking at APS-C, I’d look at a full-frame camera. I wouldn’t buy a current FF, because I wouldn’t want to carry one.
I hate to beat the same old dead horse, but if ANY camera company released a full-frame camera that didn’t require a hand truck or Sherpa to hump around, or selling of a vital organ or offspring to purchase (Leica!)… they’ll clean up!
Neonart
10 months ago |Agreed.
Sony tempted me a bit when the A850 was ~ $1900.
I cant even imagine what a FF camera the size of an M9 or any of the film SLRS, like the OMs, for under $2K would do to the market!? Like you mentioned earlier, leave the fluff OFF! Just an dang camera!
bright wide angle
10 months ago |Notes 4 Olympus:
- find us a better sensor – top priority
- peaking mode asap and please don’t forget us: first generation PEN owners
- mZD 14-54 f/2.8-3.3 – top priority!
- give Panasonic lens data for CA correction!
- give me my LH-48 free of charge! and never *** with SHG target again
- (even) better EVF than VF-2.
Leiya
10 months ago |Not sure about a better zoom. I think I want more primes. I think I’d want a 17mm f/1.8, a 7mm or 10.5mm f/4 or 2.8 or even faster and a 50mm f/2 macro.
Mr. Reeee
10 months ago |Yes! Yes! More primes! BRIGHT primes!
Check out the EXIF data when shooting with a zoom. I know for me, I’m generally shooting at the extremes, with a smattering in the middle. So, I prefer the smaller size and better IQ of bright primes to any zoom.
Switching lenses is pretty quick, especially M4/3 lenses and older manual primes, so I rarely bother with zooms. The exception being the 7-14mm, but usually it’s mostly at 7mm, some at 14mm and very few in the 10mm zone.
Dummy00001
10 months ago |> Yes! Yes! More pancake primes! BRIGHT pancake primes!
FTFY.
Tripp
10 months ago |I believe the single big move that could change their sales numbers would be replacing the underperforming, always too little too late Panasonic sensor.
mario_lem73
10 months ago |Yep! can not imagine why they can not find at least one good sensor for last 6 years… Are they blind or what?
Ben
10 months ago |Yeah, I’m also gonna pass on the E-P3 to replace my E-PL1…
I really was waiting for it and had my money ready, but seeing the price and the marginal update in image quality I’m going to wait a little longer…
Maybe their next camera will be better…
Ahem
10 months ago |Same here – I’m spending my money on lenses. Some of them will be Olympus, as it looks like the new ones are actually good.
Ben
10 months ago |Yes, I’m also thinking of buying the 45mm.
Leiya
10 months ago |I’m thinking the 12mm as well
Dummy00001
10 months ago |Uhm… I own a 43 camera. And I also waited for a body with better sensor. Guess what have happened.
IMO If you do not like the sensor, then you should avoid buying lenses. (At least expensive ones.) As they are pretty much all focus-by-wire, and use proprietary protocols, chances of an adapter to other mirrorless systems being developed are very slim.
Ben
10 months ago |Yes, but I have a €500 voucher to spend in the Olympus webshop (before the end of the year)… I was planning to spend it on the E-P3 but now I have to find something else…
michael
10 months ago |Agreed. I couldn’t wait to get the E-P3 or E-PL3, but they turned out to be disappointing. Instead I just bought the E-PL2. The new ones were a step down (or at least, not worth the extra $375), as far as my needs are concerned.
stopkidding
10 months ago |I have the same issue with the E-P3 and the VF2!!! I called Olympus and left a message on the Olympus Facebook page. I was asked to call the support number and then got no response… I hope they fix it soon!!!
Boooo!
10 months ago |Sooo…
Did everyone forget that Olympus makes several dozen compact (“idiot”) camera models, and not just 4/3 and m4/3 stuff?
FE, VG, SP, SZ, VR, X, T, TG, mju…
Perhaps they’re having financial issues because of those?
Agrivar
10 months ago |++ 1000
maxter
10 months ago |well, maybe for Q2 of 2011, they should release a bunch of new cameras, lets say 3, with some fancy new features.
oh wait… they already did that. Guess that should boost their sales quite significantly if m43 has anything to do with them beeing profitable or not
spanky
10 months ago |Olympus should release some cameras that don’t all look like each other. There’s little or no way to intelligently differentiate between all the E-PEN models out there. That, and they definitely need a marketing campaign for North America. A lot of the younger folks getting into photography don’t know about Olympus products. Canon and Nikon have name recognition in photography, Panasonic has name recognition from their range of other consumer electronics, Olympus doesn’t have any of that.
Trevor
10 months ago |Clearly, Olympus should switch their efforts to light field technology and give up on m43. Olympus can announce there are some things m43 can still do better than light field cameras for a while, so they will continue to “develop” m43. They can then make an adapter for m43 lenses so you can still use them on the new light field cameras (even though they’ll be pretty much useless). Olympus can sit back in amazement while, despite their clearly superior design concept, Canikon continues to crush them in sales with their clunky DSLRs.
WT21
10 months ago |So, Oly’s hope is to thrash yet again into a new platform? They thrashed around and seemingly abandoned 43 (only to say they didn’t really mean it, and it was a mistake) and now they should do it with m43? Who would then buy ANY new Oly tech releases?
Trevor
10 months ago |WT21, check you sarcasm detector. You did reiterate my point though.
I know many OM folks who never bought into 43, many 43 folks who haven’t/won’t buy into m43, and the smart money says a day will come when m43 folks are left by the wayside as Oly searches yet again for something to beat the autofocus 135 SLR (m43IS anyone?). So, I’m unsurprised people are not flocking to them.
Perhaps what Oly should consider is producing what the majority of the market is demanding, doing it better than other companies, marketing their advantage (glass alone they win), and sticking with it.
Dummy00001
10 months ago |+1, Funny
Björn Utpott
10 months ago |Olympus needs to focus on fewer products and do them well. It’s unfortunate that it took them two years to bring a lens to market that would also appeal to owners of Lumix G camera bodies. A missed opportunity, especially given Olympus’ expertise in lens design and fabrication. I tried the M.Zuiko 12mm F2.0 lens briefly in a shop last weekend, and it worked beautifully on my GH2: fast and accurate focus despite low light levels.
Also, the market for a serious, weather sealed body has been wide open since the existence of MFT. Something else that Olympus has experience in and chose not to exploit.
Neonart
10 months ago |Exactly!
Things Olympus shown they cam do really well and receive praise from in the media:
High quality lens design, both primes and zooms.
Roubust weather resistance to both bodies and lenses.
An escellent viewfinder.
Great colors and JPGs.
But they’ve spent the last several years spitting out slow, boring lenses. No built-in finders, and no real roubust cameras in m4/3.
Thankfully it looks like the lens design team woke up and that the product line has some structure.
Get a stout body out there with a built-in VF at least, and people will take notice. Give it some weather resistance and a sensor with a marked improvement and the media will do the advertising for you.
WT21
10 months ago |I have no real need for weather sealing, but I’m beginning to come around that this might be needed as a differentiator, since no one else is doing it.
Neonart
10 months ago |Once you get used to it, it’s outstanding! A really liberating feeling to shoot in rain/snow/sand/whatever.
However, I agree that its a feature that won’t be missed by many and would require lenses to match.
But yes, it would be a feature to distinguish it from the rest which would get alot of media attention which equates to free advertising.
WT21
10 months ago |For a small, niche player that effectively killed their legacy product line through ineptitude (e.g. 43 DSLRs — bad marketing and spin control), they are doing OK. Remember, their new cameras and lenses are only just now coming out. The released nothing of note from last summer until a few months ago except two OK releases in the EPL2 and E5. One year, two iterative bodies. Not very much there.
So, the EP3, EPL3, EPM3, 12mm and 45mm are really their first serious statements, and those results will show up in Q3. So, you have to wait it out, but they are a small player. Don’t expect them to blow Sony or even Panny out of the water. They are way out-gunned. (and I’m happy EP3 owner, so I want to see them do well, but you gotta face reality).
What should they do next? Another great lens (like the 12) and a pro (or pro-ish) body with built in EVF. That’s when their new system will look serious.
Sadly, I think it will be VERY hard (really impossible) to recover their 43 business after many of their mis-cues. Then again, it was never more than a niche product itself, so perhaps just incremental improvements is good enough for Oly.
In the end the NUMBER ONE issue they have is the sensor and possibly the sensor supplier (for either their DSLRs or their micros), and it does sound like they are trying to address that.
Buel
10 months ago |The financials could have been worse. Nevertheless, I don’t see that Olympus made a turn around. The new cams suffer the same thing as the ones before: a below average sensor with a below average resolution. Additionally, the differentiation between the new cams is not really strong. Panasonic is doing a better job here. I still think it’s in the realm of possibility that Olympus fails and shuts down or sells the camera business. (Imagine the rumored Nikon 2.7 crop mirrorless system delivers better or the same iq as Olympus does … Possible? Possible!) The good news is that the system does not depend on Olympus only.
WT21
10 months ago |I agree with everything except the contention that the Nikon system will deliver the same IQ. The sensor is just too small, and it’s not like Nikon compacts (with small sensors) have leading IQ.
Kylberg
10 months ago |m4/3 is still a very new concept/system, not yet mature. While is has been easy for CaNikon to crank out low/medium end DSLR’s and earn a lot of money on them, Olympus has struggled to do the same with 4/3 DSLR.
) No excellent flagship that strengthens the brand image like CaNikon do with their high end models.
It seems Olympus do not yet know the role of m4/3: Is it an upgrade for compact users – or is it an alternative to DSLR? Currently Olympus seems to see the first as “main”. It’s problem is that there is no REAL Pro alternative in the Olympus line-up. (I know I make the Olympistas angry here
Is it possible to develop m4/3 sensors to a “flagship” level? A camera that would be THE modern interpretation of Leica. Olympus certainly can build excellent lenses, but until now they do not focus (!) on serious users – instead they concentrate on point-and-shot users. – Not much money in that…..
Then we have Olympus compacts – in early days of digicams the really had an edge in image quality – but now? Is there any intersting compact except the ZX-1?
amalric
10 months ago |Pens are good enough, and perhaps much more than that. See the comparison at the Phoblographer between the Leica, the X100 and the E-P3, the latter competing quite well, especially in real use, at a fraction of the price of the other two.
4/3 was killed by moneyed Westerners asking always for more, and more expensive, until it became an absurd endeavour, a living dinosaur.
And now they’d like to f*ck Micro with the same absurd requests. Oly according to stats must sell some 150 million cameras a year to make a profit. Do you think you know better, you a dozen wannabe pros with your pockets full of money?
If you really have it and you are not just *pretending*, buy a Leica, instead of whining over 4/3.
Kylberg
10 months ago |I do not think the Phoblographer is a good source of wisdom!
I was just comparing successful CaNikon with less succesful Olympus. The later having a big hole in their product line-up on the high end side. High end cameras paves the way for sales of afforable meduim range. This leads to Olympus have weak sales in the mid range where the big profit is. (Mid range is 7D, D300, E5, D7000, D60, D600, D5100, K5, K-r, E30. What are the olympus volumes here compared to CaNikon?) This is not about technology as much as about marketing and business economy!
Yes, the cheaper cameras means you need higher volumes, not least because profit margins are lower at the low end.
The conclusion is that Olympus can never catch CaNikon because they lack the financial muscle to do that. They are inovative for sure, but that is not enough. Panasonic, Sony, Samsung are maybe less inovative, but definately have the means to challenge the CaNikon domination – and they will.
Oliver
10 months ago |Spend more on marketing!!
amalric
10 months ago |Give it up. m4/3 was never about competing with C&N but side stepping them with disruptive mirrorless technology.
cL
10 months ago |Okay, I don’t know how come this site has become an Olympus financial site, but here are a few basics on how to read financial data.
1) Revenue – Operating Cost = Operation Profit (aka, contribution margin)
2) Operation Profit – Financial Cost – Taxes = Net Profit (aka, distributable profit available to shareholders)
I am mentioning this because the above data is for Operation Profit only. Net Profit could get worse, BUT Operation Profit is the key figure to look for by financial people as it concerns the ability to pay (for operation expenses, interests, rent, taxes, etc., but not dividends).
While both Operation Profit and Net Profit are subject to manipulation to make them look better than they are (or worse than they are, if the company is on tax evasion mode), Operation Profit is the more objective of the two. Do a DuPont to dispel the manipulation made by financial people, but that’s not the scope of this talk.
Now we understand the basics, here is what you can “interpret” from the data: (interpret implies speculation, as we have no insight info, other than publicly available data, which “sometimes” are given to public because company wants you to think this way, depends on how good the management is at market manipulation, which I have the gut feeling Olympus is pretty bad at it)
Premises:
1) Fiscal Year (FY) 2009′s figure is better than FY 2010′s
2) First m4/3 (Olympus E-P1) was released later half of 2009
3) Olympus began to pump R&D into m4/3 after m4/3′s surprise success
Interpretation:
1) E-620 was doing a very good job at raising first half of FY 2009′s profit and continue to contribute to profit during Christmas season along with Olympus E-P1. (This dispels 4/3 was losing money business, as 4/3 has just seen the profit turning into its favor…, keep in mind 4/3 was a new system, so profit horizon usually won’t be seen until 2-3 years later)
2) 2010′s lowered figure is due to renewed interest in R&D investment (this time for m4/3). With razor thin profit margin, it is completely normal to dip into negative territory (critical decision is really on whether the company should do it for the sake of long term profitability, not whether it’ll be red ink or not, because this is “OPERATION PROFIT”. Company can always raise capital through financial activity to endure the short term loss, “IF” they believe the project is very promising, such as m4/3).
3) In 2011, the result from the 2010′s R&D will be realized, therefore, 2011 is expected to generate large revenue after the release of three new PEN models. That is, 2010 is the money using year, 2011 is the revenue generating year of the R&D cycle.
Recommendation: (I will only talk about this briefly. Detail is for paying client. Besides, what can you do with it without the magic hand to execute it without glitch?)
1) Currency hedging
2) Renewal of marketing
3) Alternating R&D cycle
4) Improve investor relationship
Dummy00001
10 months ago |Thanks for the explanation.
mochapaulo
10 months ago |It should another never end debate but I think a lot of people already point out some similar factors such value drop, fast upgrade frequency and matters on crop factors or size. It may be all related however, Olympus just can’t simplify the products line but keeps the old way of competing head to head with other brands such as Canon, Panasonic, Sony, etc. She should be smart to slim up the variety such as high/entry level m4/3, underwater series and a prosumer (e.g. XZ-1) that is already good enough to let it cut down management and research cost and redistribute resource to strength the product line for m4/3 or others.
Olympus is just too weak on Compact DC which just can contribute some budget model with OEM style. Do those model worthwhile to exist? I think no. Especially when a lot of people want to pay a model that worth every penny to use for over 3 years, they may prefer popular brands or cameras with rich functions. Olympus might need to follow the step of Ricoh. Ricoh is quite success to maintain her vitality of distributing limited model such as GXR (w/ different module), CX series, GRD series and some industrial use model. Except the GXR concept, all other series just provide one model for each season. She still survive well and good enough to buy Pentax in the near future.
Olympus’ products should be fine but the her managing style is really a problem
om-4
10 months ago |What firmware upgrade? I own the VF-2.
Oly should fix the multi buttonpush for magnify with legacy glass on the older pens.
I have zero AF m43 lenses. Sometimes do use the PL25, though.
I like my E-P2 but hate the routine for magnify with manual lenses.
Insane if you want to change things other than having control over a green square.
Give me a programmable button and return to overall view with half press of the shutterbutton.
Geez, how hard will that be. Just a little tweak for much smoother handling.
Dummy00001
10 months ago |I’m not sure about the product side of things in the Olympus, but sure their marketing is slacking: m43 is still categorized by many as a “small sensor” camera.
I think they need to work more on improving the image of the m43 in general, esp. among those who are giving buying recommendations. But then we are back to the sensor problem…. Ouch.
Frankly, if Oly breaks even with the current line-up, they should simply go on doing what they do right now. IMO with current global market situation, tsunamis and so on, those are fine results for a small company it is.
P.S. Another idea could be, anticipating wider adoption of mobile phones, Oly could start designing a pancake/collapsible zoom lens ~5mm thick. Imagine a mobile phone, though still with the handicapped sensor, but at least a decent zoom lens. After all, what Oly does the best is the optics. Tiny sensors are already here – tiny lenses are what’s missing.
P.P.S. And probably Oly should start diversifying into more markets.
infinity jr.
10 months ago |- high DR sensor
-compact fast standard zoom
-reasonable prices
-f/2.0 17mm markII MSC pancake
-stop chasing NEX3
-tilt/swivel screen
-get all-new marketing department
-streamline Point-n-Shoot line
Ed
10 months ago |Open up the camera’s software systems to 3rd party developers. Make it an official and better version of CHDK or MagicLantern (Canon) or PTool (Panasonic) hacker tools.
Let 3rd parties create new capabilities and improvements, creating an ecosystem built around the Olympus cameras – an ecosystem that enables the marketplace to create add more value to the customer for buying an Olympus camera.
Similarly, open up the hardware interfaces.
Start running a 21st century business model instead of a 19th or 20th century vertical industry model where it was assumed that the vendor knows best.
IBM, Microsoft, Apple and Google opened up their product lines to 3rd party add-ons. Look what happened to their markets – growth!
Kaiser SOze
10 months ago |Exactly Ed. If I could use Instagram, PS Express, or Get Olympus APPS on my PEN that would be awesome. I could be at a shoot and use my PEN to immediately send my clients a up to the second photo using the PENPAL module.
zuikaku
10 months ago |your nose did it, i think. japanese have small nose, me too. this happens E-P3 with VF2.
zuikaku
10 months ago |bug,, your nose did it, i think. but, OLYMPUS can change some design for EVF usability.