Olympus will Discontinue Pens?

[drd1135]

http://www.43rumors.com/ft4-olympus...iscontinued-new-pens-coming-in-late-may-june/

 

[alex66]

Perhaps, but something will replace them; I can see the EPx line going or having a built in EVF someplace even though one of the managers says they won't, could be to put people off the scent. The EPM will live on in one guise or another as their low cost option, The problem with the EP5 is the option to get either the EM5 or 10 for the same or less and having a built in EVF makes them a better option. Now they may rename them to something else but my guess would be them both being lower cost options to the EM10, it may drop down to just one EPL style at EPM pricing. They may bring out their small camera if the GM sales are good enough to warrant it along side the Pens.

 

[madogvelkor]

I suspect only those models are being discontinued, not the lines. The E-PM is due for a new model, it came out in 2012, I believe. So a new release available in the summer would me expected. Maybe something a bit smaller, bundled with the new pancake zoom as a competitor to the GM1.

The E-P5 rumor seems a bit odd. I think they're on a 2 year replacement cycle and it has only been 1 year. Unless they over produced the camera and are just going to sell off stock. I've always thought the price made it a bit of a hard sell, especially with the E-M5 being discounted, and now with the new E-M10.

 

[madogvelkor]

The other option with the E-P line is to go all out and make it a pro camera like the E-M1, sans EVF. Basically a more compact E-M1, with the option to add an EVF as needed.

Perhaps, but something will replace them; I can see the EPx line going or having a built in EVF someplace even though one of the managers says they won't, could be to put people off the scent. The EPM will live on in one guise or another as their low cost option, The problem with the EP5 is the option to get either the EM5 or 10 for the same or less and having a built in EVF makes them a better option. Now they may rename them to something else but my guess would be them both being lower cost options to the EM10, it may drop down to just one EPL style at EPM pricing. They may bring out their small camera if the GM sales are good enough to warrant it along side the Pens.

 

[drd1135]

It's interesting that the E-PL line wasn't mentioned. It may be that that's the price point at which they can sell the Pens. I really think an expensive PEN will need a built-in EVF, just like the Fujis. I agree that a really small PM would also be good.

 

[Steven]

I always thought 3 PEN lines was too much. I guess they are freeing up capacity for different Omd models instead.

 

[taz98spin]

Pretty sure, they were hinting at the current Pens would be discountinued and a new E-PM3 and E-P6 would be released in a few month!

 

[dhazeghi]

I suspect only those models are being discontinued, not the lines. The E-PM is due for a new model, it came out in 2012, I believe. So a new release available in the summer would me expected. Maybe something a bit smaller, bundled with the new pancake zoom as a competitor to the GM1.

Agreed. The notion that the Pens are going away is absurd. They are the model that sells in Japan, China and really across East and Southeast Asia. But the E-PM2 (and E-PL5) is now 18 months old, and it's clear they're trying to clean out the remaining inventory with the $400 2 lens kit deals.

I imagine this is their opportunity to add WiFi, TruPic VII, focus peaking and a few other gizmos.

The E-P5 rumor seems a bit odd. I think they're on a 2 year replacement cycle and it has only been 1 year. Unless they over produced the camera and are just going to sell off stock. I've always thought the price made it a bit of a hard sell, especially with the E-M5 being discounted, and now with the new E-M10.

Discontinuing the E-P5 after only 10 months seems strange to me too. Unless this is their way of tacitly acknowledging the shutter-shock issue (like Nikon's D610 was for the oil spot issue), but somehow I doubt it.

 

[Wisertime]

I always thought 3 PEN lines was too much. I guess they are freeing up capacity for different Omd models instead.

Agreed

 

[daum]

NOOO!!! The E-P5 is my favorite m43 camera. I love the size, buttons, the form, and no distracting, protruding EVF for when i tilt the screen. I much prefer the smaller body instead of a mini DSLR-ish OMD. I hope this is not true, I'll have to stock up on back up E-P5s.

 

[Luckypenguin]

The E-P5 rumor seems a bit odd. I think they're on a 2 year replacement cycle and it has only been 1 year. Unless they over produced the camera and are just going to sell off stock. I've always thought the price made it a bit of a hard sell, especially with the E-M5 being discounted, and now with the new E-M10.

Copied from another thread.

On specifications it (the E-P5) is second only to the E-M1 in the Olympus hierarchy which is why it costs as much as it does. Whether the viewfinder is built-in or detachable doesn't significantly alter the component value of the camera.

The E-P5 isn't overpriced for what it offers, but rather it was released into a market that evidently wanted the viewfinder built-in to either a larger body or the same size body but with a small, letterbox shaped rear screen.

Discontinuing the E-P5 after only 10 months seems strange to me too. Unless this is their way of tacitly acknowledging the shutter-shock issue (like Nikon's D610 was for the oil spot issue), but somehow I doubt it.

Just to avoid perpetuating this further; a properly working E-P5 should not be more prone to shutter shock than most other Micro 4/3 cameras. If it is then the unit is faulty and should be sent back.

 

[dhazeghi]

The E-P5 isn't overpriced for what it offers, but rather it was released into a market that evidently wanted the viewfinder built-in to either a larger body or the same size body but with a small, letterbox shaped rear screen.

I don't quite follow. The GX7 is the same size and has an EVF and they both have 3.0" 3:2 LCDs. Why would a larger body or a smaller LCD be the only possibilities when adding the EVF?

 

[Luckypenguin]

The GX7 has a 16:9 ratio screen, which means that like the E-PM2 and E-PL5 the screen diagonal when shooting at the full 4:3 aspect ratio is about 2.4".To maintain a 3" rear screen with a more favourable aspect ratio a Pen with a built-in EVF is going end up about the same height as an E-M10 but with the viewfinder on the left rather than in the middle. It could be slightly shorter than an E-M5 because that model still has the accessory port above the viewfinder.

 

[dhazeghi]

The GX7 has a 16:9 ratio screen, which means that like the E-PM2 and E-PL5 the screen diagonal when shooting at the full 4:3 aspect ratio is about 2.4".To maintain a 3" rear screen with a more favourable aspect ratio a Pen with a built-in EVF is going end up about the same height as an E-M10 but with the viewfinder on the left rather than in the middle. It could be slightly shorter than an E-M5 because that model still has the accessory port above the viewfinder.

I stand corrected. That's what I get for using wikipedia to look up camera specs.

 

[Luckypenguin]

I stand corrected. That's what I get for using wikipedia to look up camera specs.

Yep, the letterbox slot style screen is a sacrifice that needs to be made if the basic Pen size is to be maintained whilst including a built-in EVF. That might also require making the camera a little wider or further squeezing the rear button and four-way controller layout.