Which camera companies are going to be around in 2018? Is m4/3 doomed?

O

OldCorpse

Rockin the Boat
Interesting article from the inimitable Roger Cicala, including this quote:

"Obviously the micro 4/3 manufacturers are having financial problems, but their products are excellent. If the industry as a whole was stronger I’d think they might be acquired. But I think Panasonic’s overall problems would limit their interest in picking up Olympus’ cameras and Sony has made it pretty clear they’re investing in Olympus’ medical equipment division, not consumer imaging. I wonder if this is the reason Zeiss, which is a member of the 4/3 consortium, decided to develop lenses for Fuji and NEX cameras, but not micro 4/3. They know a lot more about the camera business than I do.Still, I don’t expect micro 4/3 to vanish in the next couple of years, but I think it might by 2018."
 
To get an idea of where we will be look back 5 years and then multiply the amount of change by a factor of four or five. Technology is changing very fast.
 
the lensrentals blog is one of my daily visits
for this, and for a lot more: apart from the imatest results with several copies that nobody else can provide, he writes awesome pieces such as this and this (if you haven't read them, I doubt you have anything better to do today)
 
I bought into this Micro Four Thirds lens system -- knowing from day 1 that it was doomed.

The Four Thirds system was founded on the proposition that consumers could never afford large sensors. Micro Four Thirds came along as an affordable update for consumers. Well, large sensors are getting cheaper by the hour, and Micro Four Thirds lenses aren't that cheap. (last week a Canon 85mm EF f/1.8 was cheaper than the Olympus 45mm f/1.8 at B&H)

Then, Panasonic went broke, and while they were on the ground Sony stepped in and bought a majority share of Olympus. Everyone can say what they're saying publicly -- but the truth is that Sony can now just sit back and kill Micro Four Thirds by doing nothing -- like -- having Olympus focus on "medical" imaging.

Regarding Zeiss -- their bread and butter consumer income relates to all things Sony.

The real question is why Leica never stepped in and created real deal (not branded) Leica lenses for the Micro Four Thirds system. But -- that's all irrelevant at this point.

Will Micro Four Thirds be cancelled next week? Probably not. More likely -- a slow demise while Sony pursues world domination with the E Mount. They won't succeed -- but that's a different discussion.

If Panasonic ever gets their finances back in order (and I expect they will in time) -- the real trick is to create a sensor LARGER than "full frame 35mm" -- one that older lenses can't be used on -- and then invent their own new lens system for their own new big sensor. That's my thought. I entirely expect it will never happen.

What I do expect is that Sony buying a majority share of Olympus is the first nail in the Micro Four Thirds coffin.
 
Andrew Gupta said:
The real question is why Leica never stepped in and created real deal (not branded) Leica lenses for the Micro Four Thirds system. But -- that's all irrelevant at this point.
Click to expand...

lol, gold.

The real question is... well the real question is irrelevant. Made me chuckle.
Not disagreeing with anything you said just liked your turn of phrase :)
 
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