m4/3s not doing as badly...

[OzRay]

...as some suggest:

This year Olympus system camera sales went up + 140-150%!

http://www.43rumors.com/olympus-confirms-the-e-m5-successor-is-coming-soon/

Whether we’re looking at volume or value, CSC shows very strong growth.
- (in UK) We actually had more orders than we forecast for the GH4 and ran out. We got some more in from Japan and ran out again. We’ve just put another order in.

http://www.43rumors.com/panasonic-u...ess-in-uk-mirrorless-sales-growing-worldwide/

 

[Zee]

I wonder if the fact that there is more focus on "pro" grade lenses is helping with this?

I know that having a few excellent fast primes, and a road map with some nice new lenses coming (40-150F2.8, 300F4) helped me to switch...

I think Pana has hit a home run with the GH4, especially for the video crowd. Not to mention being an excellent stills body to boot.

Z...

 

[kwalsh]

Yeah, there seems to be a whole lot of "m43 doing awful, sales down XX%" that overlooks the larger story of "all ILC sales doing awful, all ILC sales down XX%". It has been a bad few years for everyone. Looking at year over year sales numbers without the context of the rest of the camera market contraction isn't very sensible, but it doesn't make as exciting or provocative an article or blog title.

 

[OzRay]

I do think that bringing out cameras and lenses that are attractive to pros is elevating sales. It's not that m4/3 is always replacing other equipment, it becomes an additional system when relevant, though I have read that some do move fully to m4/3 after using it for a while, realising that for the type of work they do, they don't need anything else.

The GH4 has definitively set the cat amongst the pigeons when it comes to the video crowd. It was clearly a deliberate aim of Panasonic's and it appears to have worked a treat.

I actually don't mind the current differentiator between Olympus and Panasonic, one identifying with stills photographers and the other with videographers. Especially since Olympus is primarily producing lenses targeted at stills photography and Panasonic is producing lenses targeted at videography. I think this strengthens the entire m4/3 concept.

 

[Zee]

Totally agreed - and it's excellent for the system.

I'm one of those that will probably move fully in to M43 - as I'm considering selling of my remaining EF glass to fund the 40-150...

Z...

 

[T N Args]

I do think that bringing out cameras and lenses that are attractive to pros is elevating sales.

Yes, essential IMHO. No matter what the activity, men who are hot-headed enthusiasts generally want to have what the pros have, and look like they have 'pro gear'. Cycling, sports cars, musicians, tennis players, golfers, you name it.

I actually don't mind the current differentiator between Olympus and Panasonic, one identifying with stills photographers and the other with videographers.

I see it more as one company that is identifying with the past, and one with the future. All Olympus marketing, and visual product design, is connecting buyers to the past. Panasonic has a vision for the future of photography that is breathtaking in its ambition, pulling together hybrid photography, 4k and then 8k video as a source of quality stills, and large-screen, high-res electronic display as a medium for what amounts for an evolution of the art itself.

I reckon Olympus is more likely to succeed, because that is the nature of the great majority of enthusiast photographers. But good luck to the ambitious and imaginative one, they are going to need it.

 

[OzRay]

I wouldn't say Olympus is looking to the past. It's continuing its heritage of still photography; understanding the continued need for still photography, the ongoing interest in still photography and expanding on that knowledge.

Panasonic is more a newcomer to still photography, but has a very strong record in video, so it's natural that they emphasis those talents in their cameras. Panasonic, I read somewhere recently, have said that video is their main interest at the moment because there is a fair market in that sphere that hasn't been well tapped. They certainly appear to be proving that assumption correct.

 

[GBarrington]

I wouldn't say Olympus is looking to the past. It's continuing its heritage of still photography; understanding the continued need for still photography, the ongoing interest in still photography and expanding on that knowledge.

Panasonic is more a newcomer to still photography, but has a very strong record in video, so it's natural that they emphasis those talents in their cameras. Panasonic, I read somewhere recently, have said that video is their main interest at the moment because there is a fair market in that sphere that hasn't been well tapped. They certainly appear to be proving that assumption correct.

Agree 100%, video and still photography are two different things. Video captures a stream of time. It captures change. Without change, there is no reason to use video. Still photography captures a point in time, by definition, there is no change in what is captured. Photographers of any sort need to understand the nature of their projects before they select their tools.

I see the fact that the two major 4/3s companies starting to find different niches in which to specialize as a sign of strength of the system overall. It is strong because there is enough room for both to thrive while following different visions.

 

[tosvus]

The GH4, and it even started with GH2/GH3 has established Panasonic and m43 as a veritable player in the video market for sure. I just hope they can fix their jitter issues on some of the Power OIS lenses. Many if not all 35-100 and 14-140 lenses seem to suffer this (though it is not terribly widely reported due to the fact that many use the lens for stills only, or for occasional family video clips, where unsteady handholding will mask the effect). If they are unable to fix their lenses for this, my next best bet is to hope Olympus introduces better video, as I need their IBIS..

 

[Narnian]

Videography and photography are not necessarily that different going forward. I find the prospect of being able to pull stills out of 4K and higher video intriguing. Not needed for portraiture and landscapes but a dream for sports, news and wildlife.

 

[BobbyTan]

Definitely … in a big way, I think. The addition of 4K video and lenses like the Nocticron and the PRO series lenses = maturity of the m43 format. I see a number of FM'ers who previously were not interested in m43 and now coming out to say that they are interested in m43 for wildlife and sports, etc. For their wide-angle to medium telephoto needs they would still rely on their FF Sonys but for a longer reach they would go with m43. Fuji is also working on their long lenses, so it will be interesting to see if they are able to make their lenses as good as and as small as the Olympus PRO series lenses.

I have heard that Olympus will also release a super-telephoto zoom. It would be terrific to see a super-high-grade 150-350mm zoom lens from Olympus. I am predicting that a lot of sports and wildlife shooters will switch from Canon and Nikon to the Olympus OM-D. Good times ahead. Go Olympus!

And Yes, Panasonic hit a home run with the GH4. I understand their sales is like 4x what they had predicted for the GH4.

I wonder if the fact that there is more focus on "pro" grade lenses is helping with this?

I know that having a few excellent fast primes, and a road map with some nice new lenses coming (40-150F2.8, 300F4) helped me to switch...

I think Pana has hit a home run with the GH4, especially for the video crowd. Not to mention being an excellent stills body to boot.

Z...

 

[kwalsh]

I am predicting that a lot of sports and wildlife shooters will switch from Canon and Nikon to the Olympus OM-D.

I'm certainly hopeful that will happen over time, but I still think there is an uphill battle there with a number of years to go. The higher end APS-C Canon/Nikon PDAF systems along with their extensive high quality telephoto lineups is not going to be tackled by a few Oly/Panny telephoto lenses and on-chip PDAF or DFD when it comes to really demanding telephoto AF/tracking. Just not in the same league at all still. Which is of course not to say you can do some excellent work with the m43 options especially when the 300/4 and 40-150/2.8 arrive.

I think it is going to take time with early adopters learning to "make do" with the present limitations in m43 while they get to reap the advantages of smaller kit. Hopefully over time the compromises will get less and less and it will fit for more and more people, but it is going to be a slow process.

 

[BobbyTan]

I think I am going to have to disagree with you here. I am betting the Olympus will be hugely successfully with their PRO line, and particularly with the 40-150/2.8 and 300/4 lenses … and with their super-telephoto zoom when it comes out hopefully before the end of 2015. Time will tell.

I'm certainly hopeful that will happen over time, but I still think there is an uphill battle there with a number of years to go. The higher end APS-C Canon/Nikon PDAF systems along with their extensive high quality telephoto lineups is not going to be tackled by a few Oly/Panny telephoto lenses and on-chip PDAF or DFD when it comes to really demanding telephoto AF/tracking. Just not in the same league at all still. Which is of course not to say you can do some excellent work with the m43 options especially when the 300/4 and 40-150/2.8 arrive.

I think it is going to take time with early adopters learning to "make do" with the present limitations in m43 while they get to reap the advantages of smaller kit. Hopefully over time the compromises will get less and less and it will fit for more and more people, but it is going to be a slow process.

 

[kwalsh]

@BobbyTan - I completely agree Olympus is going to be very successful with these lenses given what we've seen so far. Each time a new high quality class of lens comes to m43 it attracts more shooters who were holding back because they didn't have a good choice for their shooting. But I still don't see it catching some significant portions of the market, something like a 7DmkII is just a telephoto sports and wildlife shooting machine when paired with the excellent Canon telephoto options. If I'm just carrying my gear from my car to the sidelines to shoot sports the 7DII+70-200/2.8L is going to be the better choice no questions asked compared to the E-M1+40-150/2.8. Now, go haul that stuff way out into the woods and we will have some different choices to make As said, time will well, but I expect at most sporting events - both amateur and pro - you won't be seeing many if any m43 cameras on the sidelines. Two lenses and a bit better tracking AF do not suddenly make m43 a sports camera. Birding and wildlife I wonder about, that to me will be the place to see how many and how quickly people come over from their DSLRs.

 

[BobbyTan]

I guess you are right - against the 7D Mk II it won't have a chance. I've owned the 7D twice before and I was totally unimpressed with it - the 7D noise is worse than the E-M1, but the 7D II would be a different beast altogether. Like the 5D II vs 5D III - the difference is night and day. But Olympus would be able to close the gap if the C-AF in the next iteration of the OM-D is vastly improved. When it comes to pro-grade long lenses I think they are now able to satisfy most sports and wildlife shooters, so they just need to make a better body. Nearly there!

@BobbyTan - I completely agree Olympus is going to be very successful with these lenses given what we've seen so far. Each time a new high quality class of lens comes to m43 it attracts more shooters who were holding back because they didn't have a good choice for their shooting. But I still don't see it catching some significant portions of the market, something like a 7DmkII is just a telephoto sports and wildlife shooting machine when paired with the excellent Canon telephoto options. If I'm just carrying my gear from my car to the sidelines to shoot sports the 7DII+70-200/2.8L is going to be the better choice no questions asked compared to the E-M1+40-150/2.8. Now, go haul that stuff way out into the woods and we will have some different choices to make As said, time will well, but I expect at most sporting events - both amateur and pro - you won't be seeing many if any m43 cameras on the sidelines. Two lenses and a bit better tracking AF do not suddenly make m43 a sports camera. Birding and wildlife I wonder about, that to me will be the place to see how many and how quickly people come over from their DSLRs.

 

[T N Args]

GH4 is that body.

 

[BobbyTan]

No IBIS though. IBIS is a very big deal with the longer lenses.

GH4 is that body.

 

[T N Args]

I know. One excuse for not having OIS on longer lenses, I suppose, is that they are best on a tripod anyway. Check out those pro-grade sports and wildlife shooters who you say are the target market for these lenses, yes they are using tripods, very intelligently I say.

So the GH4 is that body, what's really needed is for Panasonic to deliver the lens, but meanwhile GH4, mZ300/4, tripod.

 

[broody]

It's pretty impressive how M43 has managed to gain ground while simultaneously eschewing the entry-level/casual market, and focusing on higher-end products. This system is only getting more exciting!

 

[OzRay]

I know. One excuse for not having OIS on longer lenses, I suppose, is that they are best on a tripod anyway. Check out those pro-grade sports and wildlife shooters who you say are the target market for these lenses, yes they are using tripods, very intelligently I say.

So the GH4 is that body, what's really needed is for Panasonic to deliver the lens, but meanwhile GH4, mZ300/4, tripod.

Sports photographers don't use tripods, or very rarely, a monopod is their usual tool of trade.