Maybe JIP (Olympus) might not be so bad for video shooters.

[John Matthews]

Here's an interview reported from 43rumors.com that happened with JIP director Shinichi Inagaki by Toyokeizai. According to 43rumors.com, here are the main takeaways:

Original interview: https://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/374348?page=3

Quote

 

JIP will not sell :
They said there have been no cases of bankruptcy in their past 30 investments. They are confident they can regenerate the business and definitely do NOT plan to sell the business to the best bidders. The hope is to achieve a profitability in the first year. After that, instead of selling it to external companies, they will search for a way to revive it under JIP company.
This self-confidence is underpinned by the success of the PC “VAIO” business. It returned to profitability in the fiscal year ended May 2016, and has continued to increase profits every fiscal year. EMS (manufacturing outsourcing) business for robots has also started, and the core of the business is increasing.

JIP will maintain Olympus brand and not withdraw from overseas markets:
The Olympus brand will be maintained for the time being, and the maintenance of the sold products will be continued. Unlike the “VAIO”, there is no plan to withdraw from the overseas market, and they will continue to sell overseas such as in Europe, which is their “main market”.  They also plan to keep using the new fab in Vietnam.

JIP plan to regenerate the MFT business:
Key to success is “focusing on unique features and technologies. They plan to shift from consumer-oriented market to the business-oriented market where “its features can be maximized”. JIP also plans to focus on the “video business” which so far Olympus hasn’t really focused on: “we are considering various markets such as consumer products specialized for video and business such as surveillance cameras”

The issue with human resources:
It has not been decided whether all human resources in the video business will move to the new company. JIP is negotiating with Olympus to acquire talent along with acquisition

 

This could be interesting in the sense that Olympus/JIP has nothing to protect in terms of the higher-end video market, unlike Canon, Sony, Panasonic, etc.

I know most people think they're dead, but I'm going to wait on making that assessment of the situation.

[Marcio Kabke Pinheiro]

Japanese translations are complicated. A lot of people are supposing that "video" and "business" means surveillance cameras.

Worth read the full article, I thought that the tone was not so rosy.

[John Matthews]

11 minutes ago, Márcio Kabke Pinheiro said:

Japanese translations are complicated. A lot of people are supposing that "video" and "business" means surveillance cameras.

Worth read the full article, I thought that the tone was not so rosy.

That doesn't really register on my "common sense" radar. They apparently say they'll keep the Olympus name, but just make surveillance cameras? I have nothing against surveillance cameras sporting Olympus optics as that would make sense in some ways, but I imagine there would be better avenues for enriching JIP... speaking only on speculation, of course.

[Trek of Joy]

My bet is "video" will be trying to make inroads on volume/growth opportunities like surveillance cameras and the automotive world. Supposedly the auto industry was on track for about 150 million cameras for automotive use this year before COVID, which is double the volume from just a couple years ago.

I doubt they're buying Olympus to make a significant investment in an entirely new product segment for a small slice of a rapidly declining market, while also pledging to make a profit. They're going to leave high end video cameras to the likes of Canon, Sony and Panasonic. Just like Nikon and Fuji. 

Just my opinion.

Chris

[hoodlum]

4 hours ago, John Matthews said:

That doesn't really register on my "common sense" radar. They apparently say they'll keep the Olympus name, but just make surveillance cameras? I have nothing against surveillance cameras sporting Olympus optics as that would make sense in some ways, but I imagine there would be better avenues for enriching JIP... speaking only on speculation, of course.

There are 3 pages to the interview and on page 2 it mentions that the surveillance cameras would be a mid to long term new market in addition to the existing business.

Quote

On the other hand, in the future, it will be essential to find promising new markets that can utilize these strong technologies. From a medium- to long-term perspective, we are also considering various markets such as consumer products specialized for video and business such as surveillance cameras. It is said that it is necessary to find the optimal market by repeating challenges beyond the current Olympus camera lineup.

 

[John Matthews]

8 hours ago, hoodlum said:

There are 3 pages to the interview and on page 2 it mentions that the surveillance cameras would be a mid to long term new market in addition to the existing business.

I think it would be wise to wait and see as translations by google, especially of this length, are almost always flawed. I was hoping that a bilingual Japanese/English speaker could enlighten us on what exactly it says.

Again, I find no problem with JIP using OMD/Zuiko or even Olympus for synergy of JIP's current businesses as that would be very normal. Olympus branded (anything related to imaging and audio) would be in this category.

If JIP "only" released a E-M1 III with 10-bit, better log, maybe some more monitoring tools, and better slow-mo, they'd have a hit on their hands. Actually, I'm fairly sure these things could happen even WITHOUT a new body, just wit firmware updates of the E-M1 II or III. Just a few talented engineers could turn this around.

Think of what already exists with MFT:

1. over 95 lenses at every price-point to choose from

2. excellent, robust bodies of all sizes and shapes

3. a wonderful used market worldwide

4. "good enough" quality for most pro and hobbyist work, proven over and over by content produced

5. for Olympus specifically, they've already got decent PDAF, something that other MFT manufacturers have not undertaken

6. did I mention over 95 lenses to choose from RIGHT NOW, not on some lens map or "maybes", especially in a shrinking market? Sorry, had to mention it twice as this is incomparable with ALL other mirrorless cameras. IMO, more important than sensor-size or the marginal quality benefits with other systems.

Sadly, their biggest asset might be one reason why JIP or Panasonic won't do well. With those 95 lenses at all price levels, there might not have the same revenue stream possibilities. My fear is that they won't turn a profit on bodies alone- no matter the cost; so; it will all be about getting production costs down on high-quality bodies, something that doesn't always mix together.

No, I'm not an analyst in the industry... just a guy who has an opinion to share with some business and company knowledge and likes video and photography.

[Amazeballs]

Theh could still produce a lot of expensive high quality lenses for MFT if only they wanted. F1.7-2 zooms, 1.0 primes with AF, more wide angle stuff, etc. 

[John Matthews]

22 minutes ago, Amazeballs said:

Theh could still produce a lot of expensive high quality lenses for MFT if only they wanted. F1.7-2 zooms, 1.0 primes with AF, more wide angle stuff, etc. 

That would be cool, but those lenses will cost too much to produce IMO, judging from what has already been produced. Mind you, only 700 Euros for the Sigma 18-35... make it a native MFT mount, smaller, and it could be a winner at that price. But with the lenses like the Panasonic 10-25 at 1700 Euros, they can kiss the market goodbye... would rather zoom with my feet, have better optics, and save a lot with a prime or two. Still, super practical.

I think if they make more lenses, they'll need to be small, fast primes at a low cost- bringing into question of why go FF or APS-C in the first place! Of course, they already have a ton of F1.7, F1.8 lenses; so, they'll need more F1-f1.4 lenses on the cheap. Not sure if that's even possible. Remember they're competing against the used market as well. Right now, you can get a 17, 25, 45 f1.8 for 500 Euros easily on the used market.

[Marcio Kabke Pinheiro]

5 hours ago, John Matthews said:

I think it would be wise to wait and see as translations by google, especially of this length, are almost always flawed. I was hoping that a bilingual Japanese/English speaker could enlighten us on what exactly it says.

Again, I find no problem with JIP using OMD/Zuiko or even Olympus for synergy of JIP's current businesses as that would be very normal. Olympus branded (anything related to imaging and audio) would be in this category.

If JIP "only" released a E-M1 III with 10-bit, better log, maybe some more monitoring tools, and better slow-mo, they'd have a hit on their hands. Actually, I'm fairly sure these things could happen even WITHOUT a new body, just wit firmware updates of the E-M1 II or III. Just a few talented engineers could turn this around.

Think of what already exists with MFT:

1. over 95 lenses at every price-point to choose from

2. excellent, robust bodies of all sizes and shapes

3. a wonderful used market worldwide

4. "good enough" quality for most pro and hobbyist work, proven over and over by content produced

5. for Olympus specifically, they've already got decent PDAF, something that other MFT manufacturers have not undertaken

6. did I mention over 95 lenses to choose from RIGHT NOW, not on some lens map or "maybes", especially in a shrinking market? Sorry, had to mention it twice as this is incomparable with ALL other mirrorless cameras. IMO, more important than sensor-size or the marginal quality benefits with other systems.

Sadly, their biggest asset might be one reason why JIP or Panasonic won't do well. With those 95 lenses at all price levels, there might not have the same revenue stream possibilities. My fear is that they won't turn a profit on bodies alone- no matter the cost; so; it will all be about getting production costs down on high-quality bodies, something that doesn't always mix together.

No, I'm not an analyst in the industry... just a guy who has an opinion to share with some business and company knowledge and likes video and photography.

The problem is that the common thinking now is:
- "I need the full frame look - DOF so thin that only the eyelashes are in focus, will move to medium format"
- "I need to shoot ISO 102500"
- "Smaller sensors are garbage"

[John Matthews]

2 hours ago, Márcio Kabke Pinheiro said:

The problem is that the common thinking now is:
- "I need the full frame look - DOF so thin that only the eyelashes are in focus, will move to medium format"
- "I need to shoot ISO 102500"
- "Smaller sensors are garbage"

The worst of this is that soon some will add on top of it "8k" as a "necessity." ... FF at all costs, never mind lens selection.

[leslie]

I'm bucking the trend, i have my eye on low shutter count mark two, e-m10. Mostly for the remote port so i can wire up a remote shutter, The mark 3 e-m10 is tempting but no remote shutter port, Wifi or bluetooth shutter control isn't good enough / suitable for me or my project.

[sgreszcz]

On 9/11/2020 at 5:15 AM, leslie said:

I'm bucking the trend, i have my eye on low shutter count mark two, e-m10. Mostly for the remote port so i can wire up a remote shutter, The mark 3 e-m10 is tempting but no remote shutter port, Wifi or bluetooth shutter control isn't good enough / suitable for me or my project.

I've seen E-M10iii for less than £200.  Looking for a steal as a B-Cam to my E-m5iii.  Same image, just no PDAF.

 

On 9/9/2020 at 6:44 PM, John Matthews said:

That doesn't really register on my "common sense" radar. They apparently say they'll keep the Olympus name, but just make surveillance cameras? I have nothing against surveillance cameras sporting Olympus optics as that would make sense in some ways, but I imagine there would be better avenues for enriching JIP... speaking only on speculation, of course.

Would love to see them open source the code.  That could be revolutionary like Magic Lantern or the GH2!  Imagine what people could squeeze out of that hardware.  Olympus has the best IBIS hardware and PDAF sensor, they just need more software features like zebras and better codecs beyond the C4k which is quite nice.