Odd Olympus UK statement: “Don’t panic. As far as we are concerned it is business as usual.”

In an interview released at Amateur Photographer Olympus UK’s Mark Thackara issued some odd statements:

Nobody can promise that Olympus will be here in 100 years time, as you can’t say that about any brand. What I can say is, we have seen the product road map, including the new lens one, and it’s very exciting. The company wouldn’t be bringing out news lenses if they didn’t believe in the system. We are quietly positive.

Don’t panic. As far as we are concerned it is business as usual. Businesses change hands and flourish, so there no reason this won’t be the case here. I have been through all sorts of ups and downs in my 35 years with Olympus. Our basic technology and core proposition are still very good.

Olympus just decided to sell their imaging business and he says “we are quietly positive“…”Don’t panic….it is business as usual.”….really? If you believe in something you don’t sell it…period.

a bit of everything…


Z CAM E2-M4 – What’s New?

Food Landscape Photography at Home: Photography Tips for Creative Visual Storytelling (Explora).
Olympus M.ZUIKO 45mm f/1.8 Prime Lens Image and Sharpness Test Samples (Sandra & Markus Trachsel)
Olympus Q&A, Photography Chat (Rob Trek).
How to create cool looking vlogs and stunning videos // Part 4: All about Professional Features (Olympus Europe).

Plenty of news on the facebook OMD group, Panasonic FF and the GH5 group.

Did Olympus choose the worse possible time to sell their business?

As you can see from this latest Cipa data the camera market sales crashed by 72% in May. Now what’s the bargaining power for Olympus when selling the business to JIP? I think they might have chosen the worse possible year to sell their imaging business…for three reasons:

  1. This year sales will be terrible but 2021 sales will obviously look much better
  2. The 10 year long Camera market shrinking was expected to reach the bottom this year anyway. From now on sales are expected to stay steady (Source: Canon estimates)
  3. Olympus just made the massive investment to move the factory from China to Thailand. And from 2021 they could expect to have steady sales for a lower production cost

I still have the crazy hope Olympus will at the end decide to NOT sell the business to JIP….

a bit of everything…


A Look At The Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro Zoom for Micro Four Thirds Cameras

What a GX10 should look like and will Panasonic do it? (Dpreview forum)
Dutch E-M1III test at Pixelmania
New from Manfrotto: 504x Fluid Head and Kits Replace the Venerable 504HD (Explora).
How to create cool looking vlogs and stunning videos // Part 3: All about Image Stabilisation (Olympus Europe).

Plenty of news on the facebook OMD group, Panasonic FF and the GH5 group.