No more E-series?

[frode_inge_helland]

<p>Not too bad news?<br />http://www.43rumors.com/olympus-surprise-we-will-do-the-hybrid-ft-and-mft-camera-by-end-2013-no-classic-ft-e-7-camera-anymore/</p>

[richsimmons]

<p>No surprise. The writings been on the wall for a long, long time. Especially with their success with mirrorless micro 4/3rds. It's why I jumped ship to Nikon over a year ago.</p>

[mukul_dube]

<p>Does not trouble me. I use an E-300 and an E-510 and have just bought a refurbished E-3. My bodies and lenses give me what I ask of them, they are probably good for several years more, and nothing else matters.</p>

[Greg M]

<p>No more E-series DSLR's, that's for sure.</p>

<p>Not surprising at all. Look at how long it's been since any new lens was developed for the four-thirds. They've stated all along that line is "mature", which was just another way of saying "we're done there". The E-5 has been it on the body side and they've discontinued all other levels of cameras.</p>

<p>It will be interesting to see how many generations, if beyond one, the hybrid body survives. The future for Olympus has been set for a while with Micro Four-Thirds. This hybrid-thing is just a side-bar for those still using the four-thirds lens system. If that were a huge number with enough sales to jusitfy it still being around, they would still be making it and developing new models.</p>

<p> </p>

[bruce_rubenstein]

<p>From <a href="http://www.sansmirror.com/newsviews/the-final-three-results.html">Thom Hogan</a>:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>At Olympus the numbers were ugly. At least for cameras. Their endoscope business continues to do decently, as does the information and communication group, both of which are bigger than the imaging group. <br>

The imaging group reported 17% lower sales than last year, and the loss in operations more than doubled. Mirrorless camera sales for the year rose 12% (28% during the last quarter of the year), but there were a bunch of little footnotes that some analysts picked up on: digital camera inventories grew 22% year to year, Olympus has <em>doubled</em> the projected loss for the year in imaging from their last estimate, and the words "further drastic reform is under review" was associated with the imaging group.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>No more DSLRs. Drop most of the P&S cameras. Clear out all the inventory of old model cameras. Olympus should probably take a one time loss and bury all the old stock they still carry on their books. The cheap old cameras cut sales on the new, expensive ones. </p>

[Member69643]

<p>Olympus makes nice cameras. So does everybody else. To stand out from the crowd they had to do something remarkable. Enter the OM-D. It's a truly remarkable camera and, here's the kicker, it was <em><strong>unavailable</strong></em> a good part of last year because Olympus severely underestimated demand. If they'd made enough of the things they'd have the money people put into the 6D and D600 in their pocket instead of watching it float out the door to Canon and Nikon. </p>

[frode_inge_helland]

<p>Olympus is one of the most innovative in the buisness. I cannot recall Canon og Nikon <em>ever</em> have contributed with any idea that have given the camera developement momentum or new direction. The two giants have always been surfing behind the developement, picking up what other has conceived.<br>

I find the MFT an complete natural step forward. The new electronic viewer have made the mirror outdated. It is an mechanical anachronism in a modern electronic camera. It will soon disappear even in professional cameras.<br>

I am myself an E-series enthusiast, but has welcomed the MFT and is awaiting an OMD that can make full use of my E-series lenses. In the meatime I will use my E-30 (sniffing on an second hand E-620) as long as it will last.</p><div></div>

[GerrySiegel]

<p>Frode, the question (?) mark at the end of your comment is appropriate. Olympus has said, in the Teroda interview elsewhere, albeit in Olympus oracular coded fashion :-) that they will this year release a new platform for the full size four thirds lenses. It may not look like the E 3 or E 5. Which does not bother me. There has been a lot of discussion of the future shape of Olympus cameras based on interviews, rumors, and pure speculative desires. ( Like " they have to produce a sensor yielding 16 meg blah blah")<br /> I would not rely too heavily on this statement on the rumors site which quotes a regional manager. Olympus may surprise us yet. They have before. Whatever they come out with may not look like what we in <em>see in our head</em> as as E-7 or the next body shape. <br /> Who really cares if it is a good usable and full featured platform for its lenses , as you say above. However, to be a suitable platform for the HG and SHG lenses, Oly must know that it has to be robust, water resistant, and produce good quality images. And even be semi pro status. Equal to use with a US 6 K lens or a 2K lens.<br /> The trend is leaning away from the old big ( define big) models, and for me, that is not such a bad deal. <br /> E-5 is just ca 2-1/2 years on the market and still gets listed as a desirable camera for its price. Is this too long to wait to play in this DSLR game. Maybe. Well perhaps,for competing on scale vs other brands. But not for me in my personal uses. <br /> I am still using an E-3 and the 12-60. And only watch these predictions from my peripheral vision. If they drop all E cameras then we can say we are obsoleted for good, granted. The ED 4/3 lens lineup<strong> is</strong> mature and of superb quality vis a vis others. Primes and zooms for all seasons... What else do we really need or must have? <br /> I am gratified the company is not in the tank after its financial mismanagement. It looked bad for a while. Sigh of relief..</p>

[GerrySiegel]

<p>'Rumors fly and they often leave a doubt. But you've come to the right place to find out..'. (song lyric by I. Berlin)</p>

<blockquote>

<p>http://www.dpreview.com/news/2013/02/13/Olympus-denies-ceasing-DSLR-production<br /> http://www.dpreview.com/articles/7898773566/cp-2013-interview-with-olympus-toshi-terada</p>

</blockquote>

<p>If Olympus was same as the Saturn division of General Motors, you would see a nice letter to owners saying " "<em>Gomenasai</em> . We are emerging from bankruptcy, hope to sustain corporate growth and compete against better sellers with bigger cupholders and blue tooth screens. Regrettably we now find the US car market can no longer sustain our once wunderkind- now foundling product-,the Saturn series. Volkswagen made us an offer that we had to refuse. We are thus as of (-date--- )discontinuing this once proud Saturn line. Loyal GM customers, please be assured that repairs and parts will be available for ten years or until next shareholder meeting-- whichever comes first.." OK, but that is what happens here. A lot. And the unions and dealerships grin and bear it. The cars still run. But have little used value and no new models in sight with the Saturn planet symbol. That is the free market here. Plug in E series for Saturn. It does not fit the Japanese Olympus Co. model. All rumors notwithstanding. <br /> Saying this free standard market approach does not apply the same in Japan. Seriously, we like to measure Olympus by the standards of US corporations. Japanese companies like Olympus-san will sustain a loss(year after yea) to position themselves and avoid the shame of abandoning a customer base. Think of how long the OM series hung on when it was outpaced by everyone. Yes, you are right. In that a few name companies have tanked. Konica Minolta for one. ( My Konica AF a nice but eccentric model had small sales, and I am not even sure I can get it repaired.)<br /> Is that not an exception to Japanese corporate decisions and workforce management... Minolta as it happens, was absorbed by Sony and so lives on. <br /> So whether I buy an E-5 as some did, as they said, thinking it was the' Last of the Mohicans, model"or not is a matter of timing and a look at why we chose Oly-san in the first place. It was not that there was not other choices. I mean they had a certain style and was full born with some great optics no small offering for a new model line... <br /> I will bet a box of irradiated pineapples that we do see another E designated model by year end or one that fulfills the promise of full uncompromised compatibility with the Zuiko ED lens range.<br>

Owners would dearly love to see a clearer and decisive announcement on what is in the offing; understandable, we are all antsy about our significant investment in great lenses and want to think they are usable for a long long time and then some. That has not been the company's approach but news is now just starting to flow, (see the above links as a hint.) A mild not unequivocal hint but a statement of some assurance IMO that we do not own Saturns so to speak.. My impression or guess is that Olympus was not quite sure how to engineer a PDAF and CDAF combination that would be attractive and solve the problem and be affordable. My impression also is that they will accomplish that task this y year.<br /> Now, for shooting in the sometimes cool and wet fjords of Norway, Frode, I would take my E-3 as well as my Panasonic GH2. One is light and nimble and one is really solid and so good for photographing fjords:-) I would wager .</p>

[frode_inge_helland]

<p>Greg<br>

You are very welcome. I live in Ålesund and will take you around in the region. </p><div></div>

[john_robison3]

<p>If Olympus camera division survives, good, if not then so what. This from a long time Olympus user. Since 1971 in fact, from Pen F through OM to finally a digital SLR that I could stick all my OM legacy Zuiko glass on. I'd hate to see them go but what are you going to do? My little DSLR is not their top of the line but a cheap E-410, good enough as far as it goes. I'll just hang onto it till the electronics go stupid or the buttons break then toss it in the dumpster. Then I'll look around and if Olympus is still viable I'll probably opt for a used OM-D.</p>

<p>I'll tell you this. I still have my original OM-1,(non md) bought used in Feb. 1974. The light meter is dead and the shutter is not capping properly during film advance/shutter cocking so I don't use it.....but I just can't toss it in the trash. I will have no such qualms when the E-410 goes belly up. I can't explain why I feel that way, I just do.</p>