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

[one eye jack]

OMDS did not bring back PenF, will they bring back EPM mini like Robin Wong suggest as a entry level camera for smartphone users? I think if OMDS does so it will costs over $1000.

Thread views crossed 113k.

Well Hasselblad is also jumping into the adventure outdoor photography market in digital medium format with X2D 100C Earth Explorer in earth brown tone in a limited 1000 pieces edition only.

Hasselblad launches an adventure camera kit – and it's truly "one of a kind"

Adventure photographers! Check out Hasselblad's new adventure camera kit – and which is EXTREMELY limited edition

www.digitalcameraworld.com

 

[Pitachu]

Not sure when JIP is prepared to invest further into OMDS to bring back the EPM or PenF.
Heard the Olympus EP7 is still available and popular in some countries.

Meanwhile, Panasonic has brought back the G100 and re-badged it as G100D.
For less than US$600 with a 12-32 lenses, it does offer a good alternative to a Mobile phone.

After a sneaky launch in Japan, the Panasonic Lumix G100D hits the West

The "new" Panasonic Lumix G100D offers a couple of minor updates for content creation

www.digitalcameraworld.com

OMDS did not bring back PenF, will they bring back EPM mini like Robin Wong suggest as a entry level camera for smartphone users? I think if OMDS does so it will costs over $1000.

Thread views crossed 113k.

Well Hasselblad is also jumping into the adventure outdoor photography market in digital medium format with X2D 100C Earth Explorer in earth brown tone in a limited 1000 pieces edition only.

Hasselblad launches an adventure camera kit – and it's truly "one of a kind"

Adventure photographers! Check out Hasselblad's new adventure camera kit – and which is EXTREMELY limited edition

www.digitalcameraworld.com

 

[Pitachu]

On the future of M43, I do agree with Robin that small cameras are in the trend now, as photographers are tired of Full Frame and APS-C and looking at new and more convenient ways to capture certain images eg. Street / Travel Photos etc. And for normal consumers, many are already tired with what mobile phones can capture and want to explore more creative ways to capture their images.

Don't be mistaken, I am not saying Full Frame, APS-C or Mobile phones are not good, but they are so good that they have now probably reached the peaked and manufacturers find it difficult to put in more features to attract users.

M43 has probably reached its peak too, but I am not talking about the OM-1ii or the G9ii. I am talking about those tiny M43 cameras Olympus Pen, EPs etc and Panasonic GF and GX series. And why do I like this instead of the popular Fujifilm X100vi?
1) Price (the Fujifilm X100vi is $2300)!!!!!!
2) Ability to change lenses. M43 have excellent prime lenses (eg. 12mm F1.4, 17mm F1.4, 45mm F1.2) etc.

https://robinwong.blogspot.com/2024/09/small-cameras-can-save-future-of-micro.html

 

[JW73]

Small new m43 pens are still available to buy online but who is buying?. The problem is majority of people use mobile phones for their travel or daily record of life and is really good enough. The recent trip i went l i brought om1 with lens and lX100. In the end 90% of the time I used the mobile phone as it is so much convenient and always there for moments.

I dont really see people using x100 outside. probably people buy and keep as souvenir.Lol


For birding , macro or serious scapes photography, non-professional photographers will still be looking for mirrorless and lenses. Thus the declining sales of photography equipment of the masses.

I can get a FF dslr at a low price now, but i asked myself, for what?

 

[Pitachu]

Look at the report below for May 2024, No. 11 and 15 are small tiny M43 camera.
These 2 small cameras can pair with some good M43 lenses from PanaLeica and Olympus.

I used to own the LX100, but it is a fixed lenses camera.

I did try using my iPhone for 2 family trips as the only camera and not happy with the results, even though I have quite a bit of accessories eg. Holder, Filters etc for my iphone. Especially when sun is behind me and there is no viewfinder.

I mainly use my OM-1 with bigger lenses, so not really ideal for street / travel photos. For my next family trip, I plan to use my OM-1 with a small 12mm prime to see how it goes, but looking for a smaller camera body for casual shots.

Japanese market: Here are the best-selling cameras in May – sonyalpharumors

www.sonyalpharumors.com

Small new m43 pens are still available to buy online but who is buying?. The problem is majority of people use mobile phones for their travel or daily record of life and is really good enough. The recent trip i went l i brought om1 with lens and lX100. In the end 90% of the time I used the mobile phone as it is so much convenient and always there for moments.

I dont really see people using x100 outside. probably people buy and keep as souvenir.Lol


For birding , macro or serious scapes photography, non-professional photographers will still be looking for mirrorless and lenses. Thus the declining sales of photography equipment of the masses.

I can get a FF dslr at a low price now, but i asked myself, for what?

 

[ricohflex]

Japan economy is down. Naturally people refrain from spending big bucks on non-essential items.
It seems there are ZERO cameras from OMDS with the logo "OM System" on the camera, in the list.
Meaning few or no one like it. Even in Japan. I told you so.

The choice of " OM System " for a camera brand name is a terrible marketing blunder.

There are 2 cameras named "Olympus" in the list.
Meaning the Japanese are still fond of the old camera company name, that Maitani made world famous.

It is commendable that the BIG manufacturers like Canon and Nikon still make lower budget entry level cameras for the masses.

What the BIG names still remember and practice.
The silly OMDS has long forgotten.
In order for MFT to survive they need to stick to Small, Light, Cheap.
But instead they made very expensive camera bodies with silly very expensive big aperture lenses or silly very expensive long zoom lenses.
The very few buyers of these are not enough to sustain the company.

 

[Pitachu]

OM-10 is in the list (NO.41), even higher than the EPL7.
The list is about small and cheap cameras becoming popular again.
All the top of the line Canon R1,R5, Nikon Z9, Sony A1, A9iii are all not in the list, so not surprising OM-1 not in the list too.

I was told by a manufacturer of camera accessories that even big brands like Nikon and Canon may not make money from their low end camera bodies. They actually make from the lenses and flash and accessories. And bear in mind that the volume of cameras compared to 10 years ago has dropped by 90%.

So when JIP took over OMDS, being an investment company, they will of course get OMDS to focus on the OM-1, followed by the OM5.

Japan economy is down. Naturally people refrain from spending big bucks on non-essential items.
It seems there are ZERO cameras from OMDS with the logo "OM System" on the camera, in the list.
Meaning few or no one like it. Even in Japan. I told you so.

The choice of " OM System " for a camera brand name is a terrible marketing blunder.

There are 2 cameras named "Olympus" in the list.
Meaning the Japanese are still fond of the old camera company name, that Maitani made world famous.

It is commendable that the BIG manufacturers like Canon and Nikon still make lower budget entry level cameras for the masses.

What the BIG names still remember and practice.
The silly OMDS has long forgotten.
In order for MFT to survive they need to stick to Small, Light, Cheap.
But instead they made very expensive camera bodies with silly very expensive big aperture lenses or silly very expensive long zoom lenses.

The very few buyers of these are not enough to sustain the company.

 

[ricohflex]

Take note and monitor. A manufacturer is responding to changing market tastes.
Their (APS-C) Fuji X 100 VI is in very high demand.
Could Fuji make MFT camera? Could Fuji make Full Frame camera?

 

[Pitachu]

My guess is that it is unlikely Fujifilm will make Full Frame cameras. If it wanted to, it could have make Full Frame camera many years ago.
Full Frame camera is a very crowded space with very strong players, plus the current trend is towards small sensor cameras.

And I don't think Fujifilm will make M43 cameras too, although there is space for 1 or 2 more player.
Simply because every camera manufacturer make more money selling lenses and accessories than camera bodies.
OMDS & Panasonic Leica already flooded the mkt with very good m43 lenses.
So I don't think Fujifilm would want to release a M43 body for uses to use their existing lenses.

So it is very likely that Fujifilm will release a 1 inch sensor camera body that have interchangeable lenses.
Or maybe a Large Format Camera Body.

Just my thoughts

Take note and monitor. A manufacturer is responding to changing market tastes.
Their (APS-C) Fuji X 100 VI is in very high demand.
Could Fuji make MFT camera? Could Fuji make Full Frame camera?

 

[Pitachu]

Visited the OM System Plaza while in Tokyo, just to try some lenses I have not tried before. This is probably the only showroom left in Asia I think. Was surprised that there is about 15 people inside the showroom within 30 mins of opening on a weekday. Mostly Japanese and a few tourist like me. Half of the place is dedicated as an exhibition area showcasing photos taken with Olympus gear.

 

[hansia]

There’s another OM Plaza in Taipei too. OM appears to have chosen to focus marketing in Europe and US, as is clear from the ambassador list.

Long time user from film days to mirrorless. Appreciate the camera weight loss as i get older and fatter. Big difference for tele. Great for travel.

For other use cases there’s always full frame…

 

[one eye jack]

Fancy your first Leica D Lux 8 in m43 format? Designed in Germany and made in China. According to reviewer there is no Panasonic version at this time or in future?
Fixed lens, 17mp sensor.

Thread views crossed 115k.

 

[ricohflex]

This is NOT a Micro Four Thirds camera.
It uses a sensor that is Four Thirds size.
Price is high at $2450. Made for Leica market.
Good point is that they make a filter thread for the lens. 43mm thread.
Some camera manufacturers purposely do not have a filter thread on their point + shoot compact.
In the hope of making extra money by forcing owners to buy an accessory SILLY BIG TUBE (filter adapter tube) that fits on to the camera body.
Just so that the owner can finally screw on a filter.
Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic Lumix and Canon have been guilty of this brain-dead money hungry idea.
Will most people pay $2450 for a FT compact?
Well it is aimed at Leica crowd.
Trump has promised to hit products from countries that shun US dollar with a 100% Tariff .
If he is elected on 5 Nov 2024, the price of USD$1595 becomes USD$3190.

 

[one eye jack]

Ricohflex, do your homework please.


The specifications of the MFT system inherit the original sensor format of the Four Thirds system, designed for DSLRs. However, unlike Four Thirds, the MFT system design specification does not require lens telecentricity, a parameter which accommodated for the inaccurate sensitivity to off-angle light due to the geometry of the photodetectors of contemporary image sensors. Later improvements in manufacturing capabilities enabled the production of sensors with a lower stack height, improving sensitivity to off-angle light, eliminating the necessity of telecentricity and decreasing the distance from the image sensor at which a lens's rear element could be positioned without compromising light detection.[3] Such a lens, however, would eliminate the room necessary to accommodate the mirror box of the single-lens reflex camera design, and would be incompatible with SLR Four Thirds bodies.

Micro Four Thirds system - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Duo Serephy]

Not so much about MFT but the camera industry as a whole.

I can’t help but thinking, other than camera phones, the downward sales of cameras may be due to too many cameras in the 2nd hand market.

When I was in Japan, I saw plenty of people using old gears. If an old Sony NEX 3 can meet my needs today, would I want to buy a Sony A6700?

Recently, I came across an old news, Pentax, when came out with the K-1ii, they offer the K-1i owners an upgrade service, to change the motherboard to the new mark 2 variant.

MFT is a powerful format, small compact, light weight. It is lead down by a not so great autofocus, poor marketing and maybe too many 2nd hand cameras in the market.

If MFT cameras manufacturers can improve the af issues and offer a retrofit service that brings the performance of the yesterday cameras to todays standards, we will have a winner.

 

[ricohflex]

If the camera body cannot change lenses.
Is it Micro Four Thirds system?

Wikipedia definition
Quote {
The Micro Four Thirds system (MFT or M4/3 or M43) (マイクロフォーサーズシステム, Maikuro Fō Sāzu Shisutemu) is a standard released by Olympus Imaging Corporation and Panasonic in 2008,[1] for the design and development of mirrorless interchangeable lens digital cameras, camcorders and lenses.
} UnQuote


Leica website describe DLux8 as having a 4/3" CMOS sensor. It seems they have never described it as a MFT camera.
Do ask Leica whether DLux 8 is officially a MFT camera.
Let us know the answer.

 

[one eye jack]

Ricohflex, again you have ignored the facts...namely mft INHERITS the sensor of 4/3. The marketing department of Leica have made a mistake. You blame Leica but not yourself for your own mistake. You should say "my bad"...

If the camera body cannot change lenses.
Is it Micro Four Thirds system?

Wikipedia definition
Quote {
The Micro Four Thirds system (MFT or M4/3 or M43) (マイクロフォーサーズシステム, Maikuro Fō Sāzu Shisutemu) is a standard released by Olympus Imaging Corporation and Panasonic in 2008,[1] for the design and development of mirrorless interchangeable lens digital cameras, camcorders and lenses.
} UnQuote


Leica website describe DLux8 as having a 4/3" CMOS sensor. It seems they have never described it as a MFT camera.
Do ask Leica whether DLux 8 is officially a MFT camera.
Let us know the answer.

 

[ricohflex]

From 23 Oct 2024

Credit : https://www.digitalcameraworld.com

Top 50 selling combinations (body alone/with kit lens/with double kit lens) by BCN in Japan only.
Can say cherry pick as they sample certain stores.
Of course this statistics is manipulated.

The numbers in brackets denoting last month's position.

Olympus E-P7 mentioned 3 times.
Olympus E-M10IV mentioned once.
Panasonic G100 mentioned 3 times.

OM System is 100% absent.

Canon & Sony form the bulk.
Nikon & Fuji got some presence.

No top models in the list.

Conclusion : OM Systems can close shop. The business is not sustainable.

Ranking is from top down.
Canon R50 double lens kit (2nd place)
Canon R50 (White) double lens kit (3rd place)
Canon R10 with 18-150mm lens (1st place)
Sony ZV-E10II double lens kit (5th place)
Sony A6400 double lens kit (11th place)
Sony ZV-E10 with double kit lens (8th place)
Panasonic G100 with kit lens (10th place)
Canon Kiss X10 double lens kit (12th place)
Sony ZV-E01II with kit lens (9th place)
Sony A6400 (Silver) double lens kit (19th place)
Sony ZV-E10 with powerzoom kit lens (4th place)
Sony ZV-E10 (White) with powerzoom kit lens (outside top 50)
Canon R50 with 18-45mm lens (30th place)
Canon R100 double lens kit (21st place)
Canon R50 (White) with 18-45mm lens (18th place)
Nikon Z50 double lens kit (15th place)
Nikon Z fc (Silver) with 16-50mm kit lens (14th place)
Canon R6II (40th place)
FujiFilm X-T5 (Silver) with kit lens (20th place)
Olympus E-P7 (Silver) with double kit lens (6th place)
Canon R100 with kit lens (outside top 50)
Nikon Z fc (Silver) with 28mm kit lens (49th place)
Sony A6700 with kit lens (24th place)
Sony ZV-E10II body only (outside top 50)
Panasonic G100 (33rd place)
Fujifilm X-T50 (Silver) (25th place)
Sony ZV-E10II (White) lens kit (17th place)
Canon RP with 24-105mm lens (37th place)
Olympus E-P7 (White) with double kit lens (13th place)
Olympus E-P7 (Silver) with kit lens (32th place)
Sony A7cII (29th place)
Canon R10 with kit lens (43th place)
Nikon Z30 double lens kit (7th place)
Fujifilm X-T50 with kit lens (22th place)
Canon R5II (39th place)
Nikon Z fc with 16-50mm kit lens (outside top 50)
Nikon D7500 with kit lens (outside top 50)
Sony A7cII with kit lens (27th place)
Nikon Zf with 40mm lens (42th place)
Olympus E-M10IV (Silver) with double zoom kit (outside top 50)
Canon R6II with kit lens (outside top 50)
Sony A6700 body only (48th place)
Canon R8 (44th place)
FujiFilm X-T5 with kit lens (35th place)
Sony ZV-E10 (White) with powerzoom kit lens (26th place)
Sony A7cII (Silver) (28th place)
Nikon Z8 (23th place)
Sony A7IV (outside top 50)
Panasonic G100 vlog kit (50th place)
Nikon Z fc with 28mm kit lens (was out of top 50)

 

[Pitachu]

From 23 Oct 2024

Credit : https://www.digitalcameraworld.com

Leica is not in the Top 50 lists too. Based on your analysis, Leica should close shop too.

In case you are not aware, there is a manufacturing model known as JIT, where products are manufactured according to demand. That is the reason for pre-orders. These saves a lot of wastage and uncertainty.

After JIP bought over Olympus, most of the OM Systems products are JIP
eg. 150-400 F4, EM1 mk3 Astro, and even the Olympus EP-7 for some time.

OM System now do not have a maintain a factory and do not keep much stock
and probably can survive for quite some time.

Conclusion : OM Systems can close shop. The business is not sustainable.

Ranking is from top down.
Canon R50 double lens kit (2nd place)
Canon R50 (White) double lens kit (3rd place)
Canon R10 with 18-150mm lens (1st place)
Sony ZV-E10II double lens kit (5th place)
Sony A6400 double lens kit (11th place)
Sony ZV-E10 with double kit lens (8th place)
Panasonic G100 with kit lens (10th place)
Canon Kiss X10 double lens kit (12th place)
Sony ZV-E01II with kit lens (9th place)
Sony A6400 (Silver) double lens kit (19th place)
Sony ZV-E10 with powerzoom kit lens (4th place)
Sony ZV-E10 (White) with powerzoom kit lens (outside top 50)
Canon R50 with 18-45mm lens (30th place)
Canon R100 double lens kit (21st place)
Canon R50 (White) with 18-45mm lens (18th place)
Nikon Z50 double lens kit (15th place)
Nikon Z fc (Silver) with 16-50mm kit lens (14th place)
Canon R6II (40th place)
FujiFilm X-T5 (Silver) with kit lens (20th place)
Olympus E-P7 (Silver) with double kit lens (6th place)
Canon R100 with kit lens (outside top 50)
Nikon Z fc (Silver) with 28mm kit lens (49th place)
Sony A6700 with kit lens (24th place)
Sony ZV-E10II body only (outside top 50)
Panasonic G100 (33rd place)
Fujifilm X-T50 (Silver) (25th place)
Sony ZV-E10II (White) lens kit (17th place)
Canon RP with 24-105mm lens (37th place)
Olympus E-P7 (White) with double kit lens (13th place)
Olympus E-P7 (Silver) with kit lens (32th place)
Sony A7cII (29th place)
Canon R10 with kit lens (43th place)
Nikon Z30 double lens kit (7th place)
Fujifilm X-T50 with kit lens (22th place)
Canon R5II (39th place)
Nikon Z fc with 16-50mm kit lens (outside top 50)
Nikon D7500 with kit lens (outside top 50)
Sony A7cII with kit lens (27th place)
Nikon Zf with 40mm lens (42th place)
Olympus E-M10IV (Silver) with double zoom kit (outside top 50)
Canon R6II with kit lens (outside top 50)
Sony A6700 body only (48th place)
Canon R8 (44th place)
FujiFilm X-T5 with kit lens (35th place)
Sony ZV-E10 (White) with powerzoom kit lens (26th place)
Sony A7cII (Silver) (28th place)
Nikon Z8 (23th place)
Sony A7IV (outside top 50)
Panasonic G100 vlog kit (50th place)
Nikon Z fc with 28mm kit lens (was out of top 50)

 

[JW73]

BtW Happy Om System week. This week it’s the 3rd anniversary of OM System .