OM Digital Germany Interview

[hoodlum]

https://www.43rumors.com/interview-...least-1-new-camera-and-2-new-lenses-per-year/

• OM Digital has a long term plan with forecasts for products and revenue goals
• Many Olympus managers and technicians moved from Olympus to OM Digital. An example is Aki Murata.
• We will focus on macro and wildlife
• They confirmed there will be many products this year
• they confirmed there is a camera with “WOW” potential coming in 12 months.
• The minimum commitment is to release at least 1 new camera and 2 new lenses per year
• we will design our own sensors and than Sony builds them for us
• for now we will continue all camera lines (Tough-PEN-OMD)
• 8-25mm f/4.0 lens is coming soon
• We are developing new telephoto lenses (but none with Fresnel tech)

 

[stevedo]

• 8-25mm f/4.0 lens is coming soon

They've definitely got my attention with this one.

 

[StefanKruse]

What I find most interesting is that many of the messages are aligned with what was said by the UK OMD guy not too long ago

 

[stevedo]

What I find most interesting is that many of the messages are aligned with what was said by the UK OMD guy not too long ago

They've obviously been mailing around the corporate hymn sheet.

 

[Dion Houston Sr.]

They've definitely got my attention with this one.

And mine -- I'd like something wider than 12... Hopefully the price point won't be too bad...

 

[JonSnih]

https://www.43rumors.com/interview-...least-1-new-camera-and-2-new-lenses-per-year/

• We will focus on macro and wildlife
• They confirmed there will be many products this year
• The minimum commitment is to release at least 1 new camera and 2 new lenses per year
• 8-25mm f/4.0 lens is coming soon

They could slowly introduce one of these fast primes from the roadmap every year to "balance" all recently released and future planned zooms. An F1.4/F1.6 prime line-up is coming? The O8-25mm F4 will hit the stores in Q2, as they did with the 12-45mm F4 lens last year. A macro lens might be the next delivery.

 

[mfturner]

Thanks for the link, I'm happy to see both of these interviews, including the UK one. The new company may not decide to keep everything I like, but that's OK. I'd rather they figure out how to stay profitable, and stay in business. Even if it takes dropping my favorite model within a line, or some lenses I might like.

 

[RS86]

Two lenses per year.. first one is definitely 8-25mm.. first time they mention field macro.. ~100mm Pro Macro incoming! Come on OMDS!

It's great if they really realized the strength of M43 in macro area. One Pro lens for field macro shouldn't be difficult to do, and camera phones or FF really can't compete in that area easily.

 

[retiredfromlife]

I hope the statement
"they confirmed there is a camera with “WOW” potential coming in 12 months."

Refers to the tech not just the price

 

[Ghostbuggy]

I am curious how they're going to price the new 8-25 Pro. Considering the rather budget oriented, plastic-fantastic 9-18 is already listed at EUR 500, the 7-14 around EUR 1130, it most likely will be somewhere between 800 and 900 EUR.

In addition the news sound rather positive, especially regarding cameras and sensors. Looking forward to more information on these. Still hoping for a modern rangefinder styled body, even if it's not exactly a Pen-F Mk.2

 

[StefanKruse]

They've obviously been mailing around the corporate hymn sheet.

exactly - meaning this is organized and not just some director improvising without backing or the internet making up stuff

 

[Lcrunyon]

I like the direction they’re planning. Of course, we have to wait and see how well they can pull it all off, but I do believe that they are telling us what they are truly trying to do. Hopefully, this messaging campaign will convince people to stick around and give them a chance.

I wonder if the 150-400 counts as one of the lenses for this year? If so, with the 8-25 also coming out soon, that could be it for lenses in 2021.

My bet is that a new “wow“ camera in about 12 months will probably be the next EM1X. It fits better with their stated direction, and they need to fix what was wrong with the original EM1X to best do that. I don’t know what will be “wow” about it, but it will have to have a new sensor, and probably a new EVF as well. Anything less than a better sensor simply won’t move the consumer base, at this point.

A lot of people are asking about prices, but I don’t think Olympus is going to suddenly become a bargain brand. Focusing on high-end, making the margins meet — they are going to be a more boutique company, and the prices are probably going to have to remain on the higher side.

 

[RS86]

I hope the statement
"they confirmed there is a camera with “WOW” potential coming in 12 months."

Refers to the tech not just the price

It's gonna be amazing tech I tell ya, for only a few hundred euros.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[Ghostbuggy]

Anything less than a better sensor simply won’t move the consumer base, at this point.

A lot of people are asking about prices, but I don’t think Olympus is going to suddenly become a bargain brand. Focusing on high-end, making the margins meet — they are going to be a more boutique company, and the prices are probably going to have to remain on the higher side.

The 20 MP sensor essentially is getting five years old soon, so I agree, another "refresh" with the same sensor won't cut it. The same goes for the EVF, which more or less has been (in terms of technology) unchanged since the original E-M1. The competition is boasting OLED panels with roughly 50% more resolution combined with high refresh rates, Olympus needs to catch up. In my opinion, pretty much all camera prices will go up, especially those which are more aimed at "professionals" or "enthusiasts". With electrical components getting rarer and more expansive, camera sales still dwindling, it is more or less logical the manufacturers will have to adapt their price policy accordingly.

 

[rogazilla]

To be honest, I am not so sure why people put so much energy concentrating on the sensor tech. I have the chance to look at files from Leica M240, M246, Fuji x100t, X-10, Sony A7, Em5.2, Em1.1, Em1.2 and to be honest, There is no earth shattering difference and mostly as you would expect that Fuji is about half a stop better in noise while A7 is 1 to 1.5 stop better. Of course with A7 I was able to go higher but I rarely go above 3200 while 6400 is a serious moment that I have to catch before I go there, it if is that dark with no light then it is not a situation I prepare myself to take picture in the first place. I have been lusting over the new X100v. Based on all the files out there you can compare, the 26mp sensor isn't much improvement over the 24mp and I only saw marginal improvement over the 16mp x100t files. What's really been improved over the past 5 years that I see is the processor and the AF algorithm. Of course it will sound better when you say your camera has a NEW sensor for marketing purpose but in reality as photographer, purely on a IQ perspective, until you go 47mp, 100mp for more details, it is hard to say much more is needed on sensor level.

I recently came across someone who say olympus files have noise even at ISO200 and was able to sat next to see what's happening in his LR. His pulling shadow from people's face that's not the main issue which he complained that's where the noise was. I proceed to adjust the LR default sharpening from 25 to 0 and the 'noise' artifact disappeared in front of his eyes. Just anecdotal experience and the LR sharpening also cause weird artifact on Fuji files. Wonder how many people start with the default and blame the small sensors?

While I never tried the EM1x but I do see there is a lot of opportunities such as a improved EVF and the biggest missing piece across the line up is software integration. The cameras need to connect bluetooth to people's tablet or phone like those smart watches. As soon as picture is taken its on the phone and allow people to share across platform, some simplified OWS allowing some adjustment or switching picture profile on raw. A seemless integration is truly lacking across all camera brands.

 

[RS86]

To be honest, I am not so sure why people put so much energy concentrating on the sensor tech. I have the chance to look at files from Leica M240, M246, Fuji x100t, X-10, Sony A7, Em5.2, Em1.1, Em1.2 and to be honest, There is no earth shattering difference and mostly as you would expect that Fuji is about half a stop better in noise while A7 is 1 to 1.5 stop better. Of course with A7 I was able to go higher but I rarely go above 3200 while 6400 is a serious moment that I have to catch before I go there, it if is that dark with no light then it is not a situation I prepare myself to take picture in the first place. I have been lusting over the new X100v. Based on all the files out there you can compare, the 26mp sensor isn't much improvement over the 24mp and I only saw marginal improvement over the 16mp x100t files. What's really been improved over the past 5 years that I see is the processor and the AF algorithm. Of course it will sound better when you say your camera has a NEW sensor for marketing purpose but in reality as photographer, purely on a IQ perspective, until you go 47mp, 100mp for more details, it is hard to say much more is needed on sensor level.

I recently came across someone who say olympus files have noise even at ISO200 and was able to sat next to see what's happening in his LR. His pulling shadow from people's face that's not the main issue which he complained that's where the noise was. I proceed to adjust the LR default sharpening from 25 to 0 and the 'noise' artifact disappeared in front of his eyes. Just anecdotal experience and the LR sharpening also cause weird artifact on Fuji files. Wonder how many people start with the default and blame the small sensors?

Are you talking about A7i? I think the main gripe is this, that there has been a huge jump in performance in A7iii, and M43 sensor hasn't got such yet after the 20MP PDAF was introduced.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Anyway, I'm still fine with the 16MP sensor even for macro. But as the system is by the words of OMDS CEO is aimed especially at field macro and wildlife photography, more MP like 24MP would be very nice.

FF people keep banging on about the cropping ability of big MP sensors, but they need a 80MP file to match M43 crop quality, and of course the new Alpha 1 is "only" 50MP. For 24MP that would need a 96MP file. This would likely attract more people to the system.

 

[rogazilla]

Are you talking about A7i? I think the main gripe is this, that there has been a huge jump in performance in A7iii, and M43 sensor hasn't got such yet after the 20MP PDAF was introduced.
...

Yes I only owned the original A7 for about 6 months. The lazy operation and way the camera operates frustrate me and I sold it. While I do see the power of higher iso on that camera over the Em5.2 I had at the time, it is really not evident unless you look at each picture at 1:1. I do agree that 24mp or there about is the sweet spot. I tried the high res mode and while the 50mp file is fun and amazing to look at, once its fitted to the 27 inch monitor that I have or printed on 8x10 even the 13x19, without a smaller file side by side, the difference is not enough to me over the compositions, color and the content itself. It may just be me but I don't understand the pursuit of mega pixel except for some specific business need. I have many pictures from my 12 mp days out of the Canon 5D that still look fantastic when I look at it on my monitor and in the photobook that I printed.

 

[BDR-529]

I hope the statement
"they confirmed there is a camera with “WOW” potential coming in 12 months."

Refers to the tech not just the price

Introducing a new MFT body with what will still be "wow"-technology after yet another year is nothing short of a tall order.

Unless they are talking about mft owners who live in total isolation from the latest development in mirrorless FF world. Then pretty much anything that is already so last year in FF domain would still cut it it (8k video, dual-ISO, BSI, 60MP, dual-pixel AF and so on)

 

[PakkyT]

In reference to the new sensor comments, to me it seems the struggle is as you get better sensor cell technology they are often offset by then making those cells smaller to fit more on the sensor itself. The trick being trying to have the new technology be slightly better with noise than the smaller cell sites are at making noise to give a slightly better over all image quality while still providing an upgrade in the MP of the sensor.

I think Oly had the right idea to stick with 20mp and further developing more pixels through sensor shifting. First you had to use a tripod but you still got bigger mega-pixel images using actual sensor data (not just digital trickery) and then later we got hand held versions. I would rather see cleaner sensor technology being used but not offset by more pixels crammed onto one sensor and see even further development in sensor shift to achieve those larger MP cameras where perhaps someday it gets to the point that it is just normal operation of the camera (you don't need to enable a hi-res special mode).

And what about some of those other technologies that were gushed about when first revealed and then sort of dropped off the radar? Are they still viable for the future? For example that "light-field" tech that allows you to pick or change the focus point of your picture after you have taken it. Or technologies already used by other manufactures that I don't think we have seen on Olympus such as backside illumination sensors? Or different sensor technology like Foveon sensors? I am not saying any of these example are viable now or should be used. Instead I am suggesting today's sensor technology for basic Bayer-filter type sensor has mostly been about making the cells less noisy and then cramming more onto a sensor. Without a break through in that same technology it might be a case of diminishing returns. Perhaps it is time, to state it in its most fundamental functionality, to really look into alternative ways to gather light photons and make an image with them.

For me a 24mp Olympus of basically the same sensor tech is not "Wow" other than "Wow, I only get a bit more cropping room and not much more for my $2400+ usd".

 

[BDR-529]

For me a 24mp Olympus of basically the same sensor tech is not "Wow" other than "Wow, I only get a bit more cropping room and not much more for my $2400+ usd".

The only theoretical "wow"-factor panny or omds could introduce is that panny-developed organic-sensor technology.

Only that could boost MFT sensor dynamic range and low light performance to almost current 24MP FF sensor levels.

The obvious problem is that by the time these MFT bodies would hit shelves somewhere north of $2500€, their FF competitors like panny S5 would sell for $1600€