Official JIP/Olympus press release announcement

[hoodlum]

It is official now.

https://www.olympus-global.com/news/2021/contents/nr02010/nr02010_00000.pdf

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

Less then 360 million $ capital, not sure how much R&D they can squeeze out. I do hope they have more stuff developed then the road map offered to get their legs going for the next few years.
I really do hope OM Digital Solutions manages to survive and carry on the legacy of Olympus, I don't see any of the other brands managing to give customers the build quality and portability that Olympus does.
(PS. To be honest with the increasing costs of living, almost everything needs a subscription this days, entertainment, vehicle ownership, connectivity, with the price increase on devices like phones, consoles, computers, cameras, I don't see the market of over 2.000 $ lenses and cameras to be thriving and growing for much longer for the average person, aka non working professional photographer).

 

[mfturner]

Certainly companies like Lensrentals and Borrowlenses have found a market here in the US, although I suspect it's with pros who have less emotional attachment with their gear. Not exactly subscription model, but maybe had some similarities. Still, the Olympus 150-400 pro seems like a once in a lifetime vacation rental lens for me rather than one I'd own, maybe I will someday upgrade my 75-300 with one of the 100-400 lenses, but i don't use it very much as it is.

 

[hoodlum]

Their web site is up now.

http://om-digitalsolutions.com/en/

 

[PhotoCal]

The Learn Center is gone. Too bad.

 

[hoodlum]

The Learn Center is gone. Too bad.

OM Digital took over the existing sites and the Learn Center is still there. This would be the landing site for consumers.

https://learnandsupport.getolympus.com/company-philosophy

 

[exakta]

Hmmm...the websites still say Olympus everywhere, I wonder how long that will last. So as of today, no immediate change for users. Ho-hum.

 

[hoodlum]

Hmmm...the websites still say Olympus everywhere, I wonder how long that will last. So as of today, no immediate change for users. Ho-hum.

The only change is the message from OM Digital Solutions and the copyright at the bottom of the page which now also references OM Digital Solutions.

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

I do wonder if it's lack of interest from JIP or lack of experience (doubtful) or budget cuts/reduction.
This is the kind of frustration that can give to some of the user base. If we only knew if JIP is really not interested in working hard to keep the business going or admiting that hard choice need to be made and sacrifices to be done to keep the business going (like fewer cameras, smaller Marketing reach, closing down the availability on some markets, staff reduction that could lead to slower release dates, etc).
The frustration of shady corporations in a capitalist system with the goal of monopoly.

 

[DickB]

I just sold all of my Olympus gear: E-M1iii, E-M1, and some nice lenses. Not because of the JIP situation necessarily, but because I also had Panasonic (m43 and L-mount) gear. It just got to be too much for this old brain to remember how everything worked on each kind of camera when I switched back and forth. So something had to go and I chose to stay with Panasonic. I wouldn't say that Olympus's problems and the sale had nothing to do with it, but it was probably in the back of my mind at least. I've enjoyed my Olympus gear a lot and hope I don't regret it too much.

 

[994]

The frustration of shady corporations in a capitalist system with the goal of monopoly.

Really? It’s likely the whole thing would be shut down without JIP. It’s a shrinking market swallowed by cell phones. At least we still have some options and some service. If anyone is not comfortable with it, then they can dump their Oly gear and try something else. JIPs goal is not monopoly, unless they are insane. It’s just to run a business for profit. A business that, for anyone who understands the market, will slowly wind down.

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

I just sold all of my Olympus gear: E-M1iii, E-M1, and some nice lenses. Not because of the JIP situation necessarily, but because I also had Panasonic (m43 and L-mount) gear. It just got to be too much for this old brain to remember how everything worked on each kind of camera when I switched back and forth. So something had to go and I chose to stay with Panasonic. I wouldn't say that Olympus's problems and the sale had nothing to do with it, but it was probably in the back of my mind at least. I've enjoyed my Olympus gear a lot and hope I don't regret it too much.

That does make me wonder (and be surprised by my own lack of realization) if a combo of Panasonic S5 and a compact 20-60mm or 24-70mm f 4 could do the job for sharp and high quality landscape and portrait images and the Panasonic G9 with the 100-400mm or 200mm f 2.8 and TCs for light and portable setul for wildlife. They would have similar UI between the two and keel the system small.

Any comments you could give on AF performance between Panasonic G/S and Olympus? Any noticeable IQ differences between Micro Four Thirds and 35mm sensors?

 

[DickB]

That does make me wonder (and be surprised by my own lack of realization) if a combo of Panasonic S5 and a compact 20-60mm or 24-70mm f 4 could do the job for sharp and high quality landscape and portrait images and the Panasonic G9 with the 100-400mm or 200mm f 2.8 and TCs for light and portable setul for wildlife. They would have similar UI between the two and keel the system small.

Any comments you could give on AF performance between Panasonic G/S and Olympus? Any noticeable IQ differences between Micro Four Thirds and 35mm sensors?

That's pretty close to what I've come up with:
G9: 12-60, 50-200, 100-400
S5: 20-60, 24-105 (on order), hopefully a 70-300 someday; it's on the Lumix roadmap.

That gives me an almost complete range of focal lengths in m43 except for UWA. However, I mostly use only the 50-200 and 100-400 for wildlife and intimate landscapes. The 12-60 is a very nice lens though and will be used sometimes for sure.
I'll use the S5 for wide to normal landscapes. The 24-105 is also supposed to be good for 1:2 closeups so that will be nice. The 20-60 is better than I hoped for a kit lens and 20mm is as wide as I want to go. I just ordered the 24-105 for more reach and hopefully a little better IQ.

You're right, the similar UI is the main reason I like this combination. The Olympus gear was excellent in every other way. I believe the AF was actually somewhat better in general, comparing the EM-1iii to the G9, but one thing it was missing was animal/bird detection which I use a lot on the G9. IQ was pretty much a toss-up. I can't comment on JPGs out of the camera because I never shoot them, only raw.

For a lot of uses the IQ difference between m43 and FF is not that noticeable. The S5 however produces very clean and detailed images, and the extra 4MP also helps. I'm able to get more from its raw files than from the G9, especially in less than ideal lighting.

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

Really? It’s likely the whole thing would be shut down without JIP. It’s a shrinking market swallowed by cell phones. At least we still have some options and some service. If anyone is not comfortable with it, then they can dump their Oly gear and try something else. JIPs goal is not monopoly, unless they are insane. It’s just to run a business for profit. A business that, for anyone who understands the market, will slowly wind down.

Very true, most consumers (soccer mom, football dads, Social Media Dreamer teens) are jumping on phone for their imaging and video needs. Whether it's for the better or just better (for their needs) that's no one else but themselves to decide.
With the high volume lower cost of production completely eradicated, compacts, ultra compacts, zoom bridge cameras, even the low end DSLR and Mirror less are having to compete with phones.
Goes to show that its not the high end/professional gear that is pushing the industry financially (duh) and with so many competing for the significant smaller market size for further revenue. Top it off with the high cost of the devices (the price increase of 100-150£ on some items I've noticed since the "Trade War with China") and the high quality of cameras and lenses for the past 5 years user don't upgrade as often. It's not surprising the aggressive nature of competing that we see from the brands, like Sony releasing cameras yearly (sometimes even quicker) withe evolutionary progress, the weak showing of first gen mirrorless from Canon and Nikon (missing features and capabilities that the other brands have at the time or release) feeling like rushed products even when showing up late to mirrorless change.
We have outliers in this competition, Pentax being headstrong and stubborn on sticking with DSLR as they are the last to remain on that design, possibly hoping to find their niche with DSLR only and forever fans. Olympus resisting to bring larger format sensors because they believe in portability and size above all, being the last camera maker to have only one size format (Canon: 35mm, APSC, 1 inch, Nikon: 35mm and APSC, Pentax: Medium Format, 35mm and APSC, Sony: 35mm, APSC, 1 inch, Panasonic: 35mm, Micro Four Thirds, 1 inch, Sigma: 35mm and APSC, Leica: Medium Format, 35mm, APSC, Fujifilm: Medium Format, APSC, 1 inch, Hasselblad: Medium Format and 1 inch, in drones).

If the decision was so simple as: this brand is better for me so I will just jump or staying in my current brand is best because they just work now. The more money you put into something the more emotionally involves/dedicated one gets, for some of us money comes hard enough that every expensive feels like literally a piece of us (our time and hard work). And like all of us we look for best value for money, some are willing to drop 4 figures easily to get better/more while others are happy enough with 3 figures for their needs, but not companies can't/won't offer between the two. Unfortunetly I find myself in that area where I want more then f 3.5-5.5/4.5-6.3 and better build quality (weather sealing) but don't want the full on price of professional grade gear. When I do end up paying the professional price though I do worry if the stuff will still be supported (by new cameras and firmware) down the line and not go belly up.
I love all Olympus products for what they are and I am willing to pay the price for them, I just wish there was more honesty from the company themselves on their current state financially and roadmaping.

I may be alone on this one but the CEO has only finance background and while he has a lot of years in Olympus (32) he doesn't have a lot of leadership experience. (Look at the current state of Intel if you want to see what decades of leadership with a financial background CEO gets you and look at AMD with an engineer CEO at a help has done in the last 5 years. Similar thing with Sigma and Tamron, uping their quality game while being a cheaper while Canon/Nikon/Sony mostly stagnating).

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

That's pretty close to what I've come up with:
G9: 12-60, 50-200, 100-400
S5: 20-60, 24-105 (on order), hopefully a 70-300 someday; it's on the Lumix roadmap.

That gives me an almost complete range of focal lengths in m43 except for UWA. However, I mostly use only the 50-200 and 100-400 for wildlife and intimate landscapes. The 12-60 is a very nice lens though and will be used sometimes for sure.
I'll use the S5 for wide to normal landscapes. The 24-105 is also supposed to be good for 1:2 closeups so that will be nice. The 20-60 is better than I hoped for a kit lens and 20mm is as wide as I want to go. I just ordered the 24-105 for more reach and hopefully a little better IQ.

You're right, the similar UI is the main reason I like this combination. The Olympus gear was excellent in every other way. I believe the AF was actually somewhat better in general, comparing the EM-1iii to the G9, but one thing it was missing was animal/bird detection which I use a lot on the G9. IQ was pretty much a toss-up. I can't comment on JPGs out of the camera because I never shoot them, only raw.

For a lot of uses the IQ difference between m43 and FF is not that noticeable. The S5 however produces very clean and detailed images, and the extra 4MP also helps. I'm able to get more from its raw files than from the G9, especially in less than ideal lighting.

Wow, that's a very sweet setup (damn, sorry for being off topic here).
I can see the benefit of Panasonic S line for landscape and very contrasty scenes, lots of highlight and shadow recovery. I do wonder if they would be willing th squeeze that S1R sensor in a S5 body. One alternative would be (IF they can manage it) Sigma Foveon 35mm for landscape usage.
I love not just the idea but also the effectiveness of Animal AI Detection and Tracking. Very useful in complex compositions like through foliage, contrasty light (like dark subject with bright background, usually what you get with birds in trees, especially in autumn/winter).
One could hope for OM-D Corp to bring that to E-M1 III but they have stated no desire to do so while the G9 already has it and I don't see why the succesor wouldn't either.
And in an interesting reversal of rolls Panasonic bodies are focused on video which makes them bigger for the higher bitrate data that puts a lot more heat and needs more heat dissipation capacity but focuses lenses on smaller size. And then Olympus makes still oriented smaller cameras but with, generally, bigger lenses aimed for travel and wildlife/sports photographers

 

[DickB]

Wow, that's a very sweet setup (damn, sorry for being off topic here).
I can see the benefit of Panasonic S line for landscape and very contrasty scenes, lots of highlight and shadow recovery. I do wonder if they would be willing th squeeze that S1R sensor in a S5 body.

Yes, I would very much like an S5R!

 

[hoodlum]

There is a new Olympus Affiliate program.

https://www.getolympus.com/us/en/affiliate_program

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

There is a new Olympus Affiliate program.

https://www.getolympus.com/us/en/affiliate_program

Well if its that simple and easy why not get this whole community to join and everyone gets "free stuff" of each other

We could name it Micro Scheeme Thirds

 

[Mountain_Man_79]

Actually looks like you can purchase again off getolympus, plus the new 150-400 available for preorder.

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

Less then 360 million $ capital, not sure how much R&D they can squeeze out. I do hope they have more stuff developed then the road map offered to get their legs going for the next few years.
I really do hope OM Digital Solutions manages to survive and carry on the legacy of Olympus, I don't see any of the other brands managing to give customers the build quality and portability that Olympus does.
(PS. To be honest with the increasing costs of living, almost everything needs a subscription this days, entertainment, vehicle ownership, connectivity, with the price increase on devices like phones, consoles, computers, cameras, I don't see the market of over 2.000 $ lenses and cameras to be thriving and growing for much longer for the average person, aka non working professional photographer).

I mean... Damn worst timing (I know it's unrelated to the thread topic) but goes to show how expensive stuff get:
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Asus-...from-US-1-849-99-to-US-2-109-99.513133.0.html
Stuff gets more expensive at a faster rate then the wages (and I mean minimum wages) do.
(expect other tech to rise in prices after 2020)