Olympus Quits
Jun 24, 2020 14:37:17 #
Jun 24, 2020 15:02:25 #
WOW!!!
IMHO Olympus is at the absolute forefront of camera technology. Marketing and product perspective--perhaps not so much.
Hope the line continues in some form.
IMHO Olympus is at the absolute forefront of camera technology. Marketing and product perspective--perhaps not so much.
Hope the line continues in some form.
Jun 24, 2020 15:14:49 #
Another link with information:
https://www.ephotozine.com/article/breaking-news---olympus-imaging-business-to-be-sold-to-jip-inc-34806
https://www.ephotozine.com/article/breaking-news---olympus-imaging-business-to-be-sold-to-jip-inc-34806
Jun 24, 2020 15:58:34 #
When I was switching to mirrorless 20 months ago I thought seriously about going with Olympus. It was lighter and had the stabilization that I needed after having my health issues. I decided to go with Sony.
Point 1 is the Northrup article bothered me, but as nice as the bodies and lenses were I didn't see much innovation in the sensor technology. I just looked at the last two years of new cameras from Olympus and they have added a few tricks to the old sensors, but they are still the old 16 & 20 sensors.
Point 2 is that I worked with a lot of different companies as a senior insurance broker, and was in fact with both companies that acquired others and were on the receiving end of being acquired a few times more. As a manager and the acquiring, I often found that the best people were often leaving because the culture just didn't fit with them. As an employee for an acquired company I left because of the same issues, I found when I was on the other end. Methodologies were totally different, especially on how the customer was viewed. I also found that the acquiring company was interested in getting the customers, not necessarily in keeping the employees. My view was that the employees were the lifeblood of the company.
Point 3 is American buy-out companies look at the parts rather than the whole. Olympus has probably the best stabilization in the business. If they can make more by selling pieces, that's what they will do. I'm not familiar with the Japanese model.
Point 4 is that acquiring people are probably not camera people. The thing I've admired most about this industry is the enthusiasm of its representatives. If employees start leaving it will be a death knell for the brand.
My last point is that true camera manufacturers are dealing with a shrinking market. As phone cameras have become better, the number of customers buying true cameras is shrinking which is a continued trend over the last few years.
I own several vintage Zuiko lenses; they are top-notch. The realities of modern business really sucks sometimes. I wish you Olympus users and employees the best, but I am not optomistic about the brand.
Point 1 is the Northrup article bothered me, but as nice as the bodies and lenses were I didn't see much innovation in the sensor technology. I just looked at the last two years of new cameras from Olympus and they have added a few tricks to the old sensors, but they are still the old 16 & 20 sensors.
Point 2 is that I worked with a lot of different companies as a senior insurance broker, and was in fact with both companies that acquired others and were on the receiving end of being acquired a few times more. As a manager and the acquiring, I often found that the best people were often leaving because the culture just didn't fit with them. As an employee for an acquired company I left because of the same issues, I found when I was on the other end. Methodologies were totally different, especially on how the customer was viewed. I also found that the acquiring company was interested in getting the customers, not necessarily in keeping the employees. My view was that the employees were the lifeblood of the company.
Point 3 is American buy-out companies look at the parts rather than the whole. Olympus has probably the best stabilization in the business. If they can make more by selling pieces, that's what they will do. I'm not familiar with the Japanese model.
Point 4 is that acquiring people are probably not camera people. The thing I've admired most about this industry is the enthusiasm of its representatives. If employees start leaving it will be a death knell for the brand.
My last point is that true camera manufacturers are dealing with a shrinking market. As phone cameras have become better, the number of customers buying true cameras is shrinking which is a continued trend over the last few years.
I own several vintage Zuiko lenses; they are top-notch. The realities of modern business really sucks sometimes. I wish you Olympus users and employees the best, but I am not optomistic about the brand.
Jun 24, 2020 16:53:17 #
rwoodvira wrote:
When I was switching to mirrorless 20 months ago I... (show quote)
So, when I took early retirement from IBM where we designed and manufactured Memory,Logic and specialty chips for internal and external consumption. We had 8500 people. Today less than 1000 since it was sold to a Chinese company. My sense is all they wanted was the technology and design rules and clients.
I was never high on Olympus technology. I was a Nikin guy in 1962 with Film and still with Nikon today in digital.
Jun 24, 2020 18:28:50 #
For a more positive view, see Tom Stirr's article at https://smallsensorphotography.com/olympus-to-sell-imaging-business.
Jun 24, 2020 22:31:36 #
wthomson wrote:
For a more positive view, see Tom Stirr's article at https://smallsensorphotography.com/olympus-to-sell-imaging-business.
That link does not work
Jun 25, 2020 16:03:18 #
It seems to be OK at my end. You might try https://smallsensorphotography.com/ and then search for "Olympus Sale".
Jun 25, 2020 16:31:32 #
Just received a note from Tom Stirr: "I received a comment from a reader that shed more light on JIP… they are a vulture capital firm… so this does not look that positive for Olympus. I have taken down the article as my assessment was inaccurate.
Looks like it could be the end for Olympus cameras…"
Looks like it could be the end for Olympus cameras…"
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