WHATS NEXT FOR M43, after Olympus, what future is left?

[one eye jack]

What has this got to do with cameras and lenses, plenty. At the end of the show host comment that it's something people should watch but nobody talks about it. I think as singaporeans or others who stumble on here will learn and understand geopolitics and history. In a nutshell, how the supply chain in the world really works. Most stuff from energy (oil) , fertiliser, food, raw materials are transported by sea and the cost of shipping insurance that determine the cost of a product, production, the implications to countries, labour , all are mixed into the overall picture about how human life works. Enjoy the show and be enlightened and wise . Count yourself lucky for now. Eye opener @48:00.

 

[Pitachu]

That is an interesting and valid perspective. But I am sure the China Govt is already aware of this by now and will adapt themselves accordingly. We have seen how China change and adapted itself to the changing world the last 30 years and I have no doubt that China is able to do it in the next 30 years.

What has this got to do with cameras and lenses, plenty. At the end of the show host comment that it's something people should watch but nobody talks about it. I think as singaporeans or others who stumble on here will learn and understand geopolitics and history. In a nutshell, how the supply chain in the world really works. Most stuff from energy (oil) , fertiliser, food, raw materials are transported by sea and the cost of shipping insurance that determine the cost of a product, production, the implications to countries, labour , all are mixed into the overall picture about how human life works. Enjoy the show and be enlightened and wise . Count yourself lucky for now. Eye opener @48:00.

 

[Pitachu]

The pattern is clear. As Olympus products are being sold out, it will be rebranded as OM-Systems products.
This also gives an indication that JIP is confident to sell more of such products. Otherwise as an investment company, JIP would not manufacture any another batch for sale.

UPDATE: Olympus 150-400mm rebranded as OM 150-400mm – 43 Rumors

www.43rumors.com

OMDS also has continued its R&D and has filed patents.

New OM patent for astronomical tracking – 43 Rumors

www.43rumors.com

All these are contrary to what all the soothsayers & doom mongers have been saying about M43 and OMDS

 

[Pitachu]

I was pondering on why Sigma made the decision of not manufacturing anymore lenses for M43 anymore and decided to do a bit of research.
Sigma only made 7 lenses for M43 from 2012 to 2017. All the lenses are prime lenses and 3 of them are 30mm (60mm in FF format).
There was no updates for the lenses for the last 6 years since 2017! And Sigma complain of poor sales 6 years later in 2023 and decided to stop manufacturing without reviewing what it has offered to M43 users the last couple of years. I am open to using 3rd lenses and have recently bought a Laowa 6mm for OM-1. Come on Sigma, if a late comer like Laowa can come up with an innovative lenses that attract my attention, I am sure you can do a better job instead of shifting the blame to M43.

 

[Blu-By-U]

Think Sigma is making enough just being a subcontractor for m43. No need to be a direct.

This Oly future into astro photography.

New OM Patent Looks Like an Extreme Version of Pentax's AstroTracer

Slow and steady wins the space race. A patent issued to OM System shows a star tracking function that combines sensor and optical stabilization to enable longer night sky exposures.

petapixel.com

 

[felixcat8888]

Took this from a Olympus FB group

 

[Pitachu]

This is a good video comparing M43 and Full Frame.
No it does not bash FF but highlight the strengths of both.

 

[ricohflex]

Some one produced the chart below.
Canon share is almost double Sony.
But Sony value of product sold is higher.
It means Canon sold a lot more cheap cameras.
Which is good.
Planting the seeds to grow its future user base.

In the chart, OMDS is not reflected. Market share too small.
Micro-Four-Thirds (OMDS) is missing in action. Or missing not in action.
Looks like dying or dead.
How to keep the factories running, pay staff salaries, rentals, etc....
Well, if a business wants to continue losing tonnes of money for next 50 years, it is their problem.
They got money to burn. Their shareholders do not seem to mind.

Credit: petapixel.com

 

[one eye jack]

The force is with omds.

 

[Pitachu]

The report represents 94.3% market share.
There is still a balance of 5.7% shared between Olympus, Leica and Pentax (cannot think of any other active brands).
I joined quite a few photo groups and for every 20 Olympus users I know, I hardly come across 1 Leica or Pentax users.
So if I assume Olympus 3% market share our of the 5.7%, 3% out of 7.2million units it is still 216K units.
Most of the sales of camera bodies are from the OM-1 (about $2700), x 216,000 = $583million
(just from camera body sales, quite a decent figure)

Also, OM-Systems is manufactured on a batch basis by outsourcing (this is the owner JIP expertise).

Some one produced the chart below.
Canon share is almost double Sony.
But Sony value of product sold is higher.
It means Canon sold a lot more cheap cameras.
Which is good.
Planting the seeds to grow its future user base.

In the chart, OMDS is not reflected. Market share too small.
Micro-Four-Thirds (OMDS) is missing in action. Or missing not in action.
Looks like dying or dead.
How to keep the factories running, pay staff salaries, rentals, etc....
Well, if a business wants to continue losing tonnes of money for next 50 years, it is their problem.
They got money to burn. Their shareholders do not seem to mind.

Credit: petapixel.com

 

[ricohflex]

The legend of the chart says the orange colour line represents Japanese company.
On the chart the 5.7% without the orange line, represents Non-Japanese companies.
Probably include Leica, Hasselblad, Alpa, Red, Black Magic, Zeiss, GoPro, Linhof, Arca-Swiss, Cambo, Sinar, Silvestri, etc....

But would definitely exclude OMDS.

 

[Pitachu]

Does not make sense for OM to have zero market share. In most countries, OM is more popular than Panasonic.

The legend of the chart says the orange colour line represents Japanese company.
On the chart the 5.7% without the orange line, represents Non-Japanese companies.
Probably include Leica, Hasselblad, Alpa, Red, Black Magic, Zeiss, GoPro, Linhof, Arca-Swiss, Cambo, Sinar, Silvestri, etc....

But would definitely exclude OMDS.

 

[Pitachu]

Let's try to give some thoughts to M43 future.....

If there is no more future in M43, why would Panasonic want to introduce another M43 camera and 2 new lenses?
Why didn't Panasonic just focus on its Full Frame Models?
It is likely that Panasonic has analyzed OM Systems Body and Lenses sales and find that there is still market potential.
Panasonic is not dumb (and so is JIP the owner of OM Systems). Both Panasonic and JIP have a lot of other businesses
they can work on. But the fact that they continue to work on M43 means that there is so future, at least for the short to medium term.

Last minute G9II specs: Has same GH6 sensor, 1,5sec pre-Burst, weights 658g – 43 Rumors

www.43rumors.com

 

[Pitachu]

There must be some trend going on with videographers using M43 format which I am not aware as a photographer.
But Black Magic announced another 2 new cameras using M43.
This is good news for us, at least I know M43 will be here to stay !
Anyone knows why Panasonic and Blackmagic is introducing new M43 cameras???

Blackmagic announced two new Micro Four Thirds cameras! – 43 Rumors

www.43rumors.com

 

[ricohflex]

It depends on market take up rate of the Lumix GR 9 Mk2 at this high price point.
Probably meant for those with sunken costs - already fallen deep in the M43 hole and cannot get out.
As to (world wide) new buyers who have yet to build a system, at this price point they have much better options in Canon or Nikon full frame.

About Japan camera manufacturers in general.
Japan has been printing mountains and oceans of money for past 6 years.
Japanese Yen is going down.
Cost of living in Japan will shoot up.
In this situation, who got spare money to buy cameras + lenses?
Ordinary people in Japan have to deal with inflation.

Somewhere along the way, some Japan camera manufacturer will have to throw in the towel.
It may be OMDS.

 

[one eye jack]

There must be some trend going on with videographers using M43 format which I am not aware as a photographer.
But Black Magic announced another 2 new cameras using M43.
This is good news for us, at least I know M43 will be here to stay !
Anyone knows why Panasonic and Blackmagic is introducing new M43 cameras???

Blackmagic announced two new Micro Four Thirds cameras! – 43 Rumors

www.43rumors.com

OM1 MK2 gets the job done at 12800 ISO!

OM1 MK2 for stills and video is a million , billion % worth it in 2022.

 

[ricohflex]

Robin was using the EM1 Mk2.
He was criticizing the OM System OM1 and said it will definitely fail in the scene he was taking.
Most other brands latest top cameras can easily handle 12,800 and beyond. So it is nothing for M43 to trumpet.

 

[one eye jack]

Ricohflex will not acknowledge the facts but when so called "experts" talk about m43 sensor equivalency Vs 35mm full frame they forget to factor in ISO equivalency. So for a base iso of 200 for m43 , it is 800 for full frame because iso is light falling on per square inch of sensor not light falling on full area of sensor. So to match fullframe m43 iso have to be lower than fullframe iso which will require engineering creativity. Watch the boring 35 minute video to the end. Also the simple fact that depth of field is the SAME for equivalent focal length and aperture but for exposure or iso people forget to calculate the equivalency.

Examining the Myths and Confusion Around Crop Factor Equivilancy

There are countless videos and forum threads discussing and debating about the principles of crop factor, depth of field, and sensor size. However if you are the type to geek out over the math and physics of photography then this is the video for you. This is no simple examination, at 35 minutes...

fstoppers.com

 

[ricohflex]

Go straight to 6:34 and view till 7:26. Enjoy.

A very long time ago, consumers fret over these concepts.
Because full frame sensor cameras were prohibitively expensive for the average consumer.
As time passes technology improves, bigger sensors costs drop.

Now in 2023, full frame sensor cameras cost are within reach of consumers.
The average consumer does not need to buy a pitifully small sensor M43 camera anymore, for cost reasons.

That being the case, all the yada yada over "equivalence" is irrelevant.
Not longer necessary because most consumers own the full frame sensor cameras.

 

[one eye jack]

For fullframe snobs and camera companies selling fullframe , the depth of field is settled. This often used argument is already irrelevant. Slanted Lens opinion about image quality of medium format is superior is their opinion as they are commercial photographers as it pertains only to them and dare you say medium format is cheap? For ordinary people their smartphones serve their photographic needs adequately for sharing in social media. Different strokes for different people , to insist that only fullframe is the way to go is just insincere when camera companies crippled severely their entry level fullframe cameras not only to save costs but to steer you to their expensive models. Again sensor size matters if you have a need for it which most often matter only to commercial photographers. BTW I do own fullframe camera but not for the reasons you argue for. I dare say camera companies are shooting themselves in their foot if they keep on marketing their products when in fact their market segment is limited to photo enthusiasts and commercial photographers. They should be more creative if they want their brands to be on the lips of ordinary people.

Watch to the end, surprising answers.