kye Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 43rumours reports that on Jan 30th, OM SYSTEMS will announce: OM-1II 9-18mm II 150-600mm f/5.0-6.3 The article has more details, and also linked to this video. Anyone interested in these things? Emanuel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSMW Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 Looks like a firmware upgrade and the final removal of the OLYMPUS brand name. The latter doesn’t make any real difference, it’s just white lettering at the end of day, but the internal changes are not very impressive. However, I do love this camera. I wish I could have kept it and made it work for me but the simple reality was my full frame Lumix was better for both video and stills. But the size, build, ergos etc were spot on and paired with some of their fast PRO primes and lenses such as the 75mm f1.8, a really great compact system. If I wasn’t shooting professionally, it would easily be my first pick. And of course it could (and is by some) used professionally, but I think for event work in lower light or after dark, it would be very hard to go to 4/3 after using FF for several years from an output POV. Probably the most perfect camera physically I have had in my hands. Along with Canon’s R3. John Matthews 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ac6000cw Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 44 minutes ago, MrSMW said: Looks like a firmware upgrade and the final removal of the OLYMPUS brand name. The latter doesn’t make any real difference, it’s just white lettering at the end of day, but the internal changes are not very impressive. That was my take on it too (apart from fitting bigger memory chips to increase the internal buffer size). No video changes mentioned yet. All feels a bit lukewarm really. But as an OM-1 owner I am of course hoping some of the improvements turn up in a future firmware update for it... 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kye Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 26 minutes ago, ac6000cw said: That was my take on it too (apart from fitting bigger memory chips to increase the internal buffer size). No video changes mentioned yet. All feels a bit lukewarm really. But as an OM-1 owner I am of course hoping some of the improvements turn up in a future firmware update for it... 😀 It's also nice to see signs of life from the brand and for the system overall, considering that lots of MFT users would best be described as..... skittish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ac6000cw Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 18 minutes ago, kye said: It's also nice to see signs of life from the brand and for the system overall, considering that lots of MFT users would best be described as..... skittish. I think a small proportion of camera owners are just generally skittish/followers of fashion, whereas most users buy a camera and only consider changing it when it breaks or no longer meets their requirements (which could be for performance/size/weight/fashion reasons among others). Based on what I've seen at camera store 'open days' and exhibitions, Olympus/OMDS does have good brand loyalty but it's a bit of a niche user base of outdoors types (especially wildlife photographers) and those who like small/light cameras. I've never felt that Lumix has that sort of brand loyalty (other than in the 'more serious' video niche market maybe) - it's the 'high on features at reasonable prices' area that Panasonic has historically appeared to be targeting. I'm probably about to become primarily an Olympus/OMDS camera user, after being basically a Panasonic 'hybrid' camera user for years (starting with a TZ7/ZS3 compact 15 years ago). It's mostly because I like the ergonomics of the E-M1 iii and OM-1 better than those of the G9 - even though that has better video quality. Not something I'd ever thought might happen a few years ago... (The difficult decision is - do I keep the GX80? My G80 is already basically redundant. If both go then my only Panasonic camera will be the G9. Also, do I replace both GX80 & G80 with an OM-5 to keep a relatively small/light m43 body?) kye 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zlfan Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 5 hours ago, kye said: 43rumours reports that on Jan 30th, OM SYSTEMS will announce: OM-1II 9-18mm II 150-600mm f/5.0-6.3 The article has more details, and also linked to this video. Anyone interested in these things? doubled the buffer size, this is not trivial. means that om1 2 can do 200 raws at 120p, about 2 sec. will see hdmi raw out if it is full frame 6k. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSMW Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 1 hour ago, ac6000cw said: Based on what I've seen at camera store 'open days' and exhibitions, Olympus/OMDS does have good brand loyalty but it's a bit of a niche user base of outdoors types (especially wildlife photographers) and those who like small/light cameras. I've never felt that Lumix has that sort of brand loyalty (other than in the 'more serious' video niche market maybe) - it's the 'high on features at reasonable prices' area that Panasonic has historically appeared to be targeting. This is the feeling I have re. the only real two brands in M4/3. Lumix seems more orientated towards video and has a fairly loyal (but skittish!) fan base and the company formally known as OLYMPUS, more towards stills and primarily wildlife and travel. What I think is kind of missing from Lumix is any form of real brand identity. Canon I think of of serious sports photography and Nikon also, but not quite at Canon's level. Sony is just...well Sony, the Yoof especially golden brand that does everything, but nothing quite as well as anything more specialised. Whether this is true or not, I don't know but folks seem to generally agree the ergos tend to not be as good, the rear LCD's always the lowest res, the colour science though better not the best, etc and maybe lacking in any kind of soul, ie, just functional? FUJI is the fun brand with soul and primarily based on it's Jpeg engine but respect for it's medium format system. Orchestral Manoeuvre's in the Dark, or whatever they call themselves, the artist formally known as OLYMPUS, clearly punching for the wildlife/travel market. But Lumix. Who and what are Lumix? For want of a better term, the enthusiast filmmakers love(d) the GH line, but for stills? To me they have zero brand identity. A loose collection of mostly 'Content Creator' ambassadors, some or all of whom were once photographers or videographers but now create 'content' based almost solely around the brand. I don't wish to piss on them from high because I am a user of the brand, but there is something distinctly lacking IMO in their brand identity and who their market are and in this day and age, is that enough? I don't know and could be talking utter bollocks. About everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emanuel Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 To kill a brand is the most stupid thing ever any time at any rate, always. These people never learn. If something makes the human being to be stupid other than the human race extermination is this thing. A change is far to be humans killing human things. No notion at all for what capital means. - EAG :- ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emanuel Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 To create a second brand is a whole distinct story though ;- ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSMW Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 1 hour ago, Emanuel said: To kill a brand is the most stupid thing ever any time Not necessarily... If the brand is out of date or has negative connotations, then it makes sense to either modify it, or kill it and start again. In the case of killing the OLYMPUS brand, IMO, that one is not brave but just stupid. It may have not been the most cutting edge (but still was in some regards, IBIS springs to mind for one thing) but in no way was it a 'negative', but instead had something that money cannot buy. Heritage. A brand that 'deserved' to die was the MG car company. Nothing against the Chinese company that bought it, but if they imagine for even one second there is the slightest connection between their current offerings and the sports cars of the '30-80's, err, nah, there is zero heritage carry over. But seriously, could you imagine Nikon or Canon becoming NKS or CNS? Unless there is some legal ownership brand thing going on, seems an utterly stoopid move to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Members BTM_Pix Posted January 23 Super Members Share Posted January 23 16 minutes ago, MrSMW said: Unless there is some legal ownership brand thing going on, seems an utterly stoopid move to me. The final deal went through in January 2021 so it could be something to do with a 3 year grace period to still use the Olympus name on products or some such. They'll still be getting called Olympus by everyone over the age of 40 though as no one has got the time for another round of marathon/snickers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjohn Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 As an amusing side note, Line Audio (a maker of fantastic and very affordable microphones, based in Sweden) had to change the name of their omni microphone model a few years ago from OM-1 to Omni-1, apparently at OM Digital's insistence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercer Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 1 hour ago, bjohn said: As an amusing side note, Line Audio (a maker of fantastic and very affordable microphones, based in Sweden) had to change the name of their omni microphone model a few years ago from OM-1 to Omni-1, apparently at OM Digital's insistence. Ironically, in 1971 Leica forced Olympus to change the name of their 35mm SLR from M1 to OM1... the cycle continues. bjohn 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanveer Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 . I edited my comment. It should be deleted. It shouldn't be in an Olympus thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSMW Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 5 hours ago, BTM_Pix said: marathon Mmmm, peanuts and chocolate. Yup, of that era. And don’t ask me what has a hazelnut in every bite… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kye Posted January 23 Author Share Posted January 23 4 hours ago, MrSMW said: And don’t ask me what has a hazelnut in every bite… A hazelnut? Happy Daze 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Daze Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 2 hours ago, kye said: 6 hours ago, MrSMW said: And don’t ask me what has a hazelnut in every bite… A hazelnut? I know this one: Squirrel shit! Is this off topic? kye 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emanuel Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 16 hours ago, MrSMW said: Not necessarily... If the brand is out of date or has negative connotations, then it makes sense to either modify it, or kill it and start again. That's not killing : ) No one can kill what by itself is already killed ; ) In any case, who or what let it to be killed is still out of the tune, i.e., plain stupid, so the premise stands. To erect a brand is not a little thing. The problem is many of those who do it have no clue at all about it :- ) Many of players working in this industry and many others by the way are full stupid. The trouble I see here or in other places is that many geeks like us because they feel it that way tend deify their stupid decisions and justify them like they are not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emanuel Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 That said, I obviously agree with everything other written : ) I doubt though for any grace period over that or the lawyers working there follow the norm and are no less stupid too! LOL :- ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Members BTM_Pix Posted January 24 Super Members Share Posted January 24 4 hours ago, Emanuel said: I doubt though for any grace period over that or the lawyers working there follow the norm and are no less stupid too! LOL :- ) Why is the notion of a transition period stupid exactly? A transition period enables the new company to hit the ground running not only with existing brand awareness but also with existing branded inventory which in the case of Olympus would have been extensive. It also enables the selling company to have limited exposure to its brand name being subsequently damaged by the new company's use of it on terrible or even dangerous products. This is particularly relevant in this case as Olympus is not a single division company and only sold the imaging division. "“Following the transfer of the Imaging business, Olympus will concentrate on Medical and Scientific Solutions, in our ongoing efforts to become a global medtech company which offers products and services to make people's lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling.” Yasuo Takeuchi, President and CEO of Olympus Corporation This deal to buy the imaging division of Olympus would have been far less attractive without a period in which they could sell existing inventory and a limited number of additional runs with the existing branding. This would be exactly the same if someone bought the lens part of Arri, whereby the buying company would want a period to establish themselves whilst selling the existing branded products but Arri wouldn't want the hit to the rest of their brand value if that company then started selling $30 800mm telephoto lenses for iPhones made out of a coke can and some bits of clear plastic. Its obvious that OM Systems couldn't use the name forever but that a transition period would be required to allow them to re-brand and re-tool when newer iterations were to be released such as here with the TG-6 and TG-7. So whilst I don't think it is 100% certain that there was a definitive three year transition period in place, I don't find it fanciful enough to be considered stupid either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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