Some mental issues

Olympus UK’s Mark Thackara:

Nobody can promise that Olympus will be here in 100 years time, as you can’t say that about any brand. What I can say is, we have seen the product road map, including the new lens one, and it’s very exciting. The company wouldn’t be bringing out news lenses if they didn’t believe in the system. We are quietly positive.

Don’t panic. As far as we are concerned it is business as usual. Businesses change hands and flourish, so there no reason this won’t be the case here. I have been through all sorts of ups and downs in my 35 years with Olympus. Our basic technology and core proposition are still very good.

He can say anything to sell you remaining stock, literally everything.

Most fun fact that

Expect new video in few months from same guy who will explain that Olympus closure is nothing and it is fully ok and is good for camera users.

This guy made exactly such video. 100%.

Olympus Has Fallen

Cooking books

Revenue Declined 8% due to difficult business environment, lack of new products in 1H caused by the restructuring of manufacturing bases, and COVID-19 impact in 4Q. Operating loss decreased due to absence of restructuring expenses recorded last year and improved SG&A efficiency.

Some dealers are moving toward resuming business but still many regions are under severe outing restrictions. Online marketing (such as utilizing SNS) will need to be strengthened Expect demand in end consumer market to take more time

In the digital camera field of the Imaging Business, if the market contracts more sharply than anticipated, the Olympus Group may be unable to adequately counter the resulting sales decline with the restructuring measures currently implementing, and this may adversely affect the Olympus Group’s earnings.

https://www.olympus-global.com/ir/data/brief/2020.html

Most people don't get the trick company used.

As they moved release date of report they actually make you think that it include April and May data, and of course it does not have any of it.

Olympus disaster happened in this last two months.

And the process has began, slowly, but steady.

Olympus plans to exit its camera business in South Korea hit by decreasing sales, focusing instead on optical equipment for medical purposes and scientific equipment, the Korean branch of the Japanese manufacturer said Thursday.

In a statement, Olympus Korea said it will “cease its imaging business in Korea, effective June 30, 2020.” Its Brand Store, a store operated by Olympus Korea in southern Seoul, and its online shopping mall E-store will also be closed on the same day.

The company, however, added it will keep operating the service division until March 31, 2026. The division is responsible for repairing and exchanging Olympus products.

The Korean unit said the decision was mostly because of declining sales volume.

“Olympus Korea had made strenuous efforts to increase the profitability and efficiency of its imaging business by concentrating on mirrorless cameras, including OM-Dand PEN as well as interchangeable lenses. However, over the last few years, the market has sharply declined. As a result, it has become barely possible to sustain the business with profit, leading to the decision to withdraw the imaging business from the market,” the company said.

Some people thought that Olympus was planning to reduce or even close its imaging business, but that is not the case. Imagery continues to play an important role in the business, by being at the forefront of technologies or innovations. We will therefore certainly maintain the imaging activity as an important part of Olympus society. The rapid pace of technological development could help accelerate certain developments in medical devices or life sciences. The photo division is also our public face, and contributes to the fact that many people know about Olympus, which should promote the presence of the brand.

From French interview. Quite shitty one.

I am sure that Olympus is planning to do lot of things with all of 4-5 people marketing they'll soon have left in the world. And 10 influencers.

At Olympus, we work hard to make people’s lives healthier, safer, and more fulfilling through our technologies and products, and we prioritize the well-being of our team, ambassadors, and customers above all else.

Due to recent public health concerns we have made the difficult decision to postpone all consumer events in the United Stated and Canada until further notice. We look forward to rescheduling these events as soon as possible and will contact registrants directly once revised event information is confirmed.

We are also providing information regarding the best ways to clean and disinfect your camera gear. If you have any additional feedback or questions, please contact our Customer Service team at getolympus.com/contactus for further assistance. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

As we'll be out of this it is super high probability that it won't be Olympus brand on camera market anymore.

Olympus will launch the new Olympus E-M1III in mid February! I Still have no images and specs but I should receive some info soon…

Even if we will see this camera it'll be just another price hike, same LSI (renaming by PR department does not count) and old sensor.

This is like the Christian vision of 'the end of the world is near'.

@johnbrawley

In both cases they have their own relationship that is fire walled. Their Sony contacts have no contact with the other parts of the sensor business. Sony semi treat Sony themselves as a customer, just the same way they would treat any customer, they have their own client liaison. They develop and customise the chips to their clients specifications. Everything with a price of course. That’s their business. They don’t practice favouritism. I think that’s why you see so many sony sensors in so many supposedly competitive brands.

"Sony semi treat Sony themselves as a customer, just the same way they would treat any customer" this part is only partially true. Sony never provides same sensors to third parties at same terms as to their own department, normally they also have agreed delay on new cameras releases from other companies.

Considering visionaries and ambassadors, most of this people are very good and nice guys. I know lot of them personally. Issue is that whole institution is outdated and now plays destructive role for manufacturers.

Proper way is to involve masses (of course it will be 1-5% of really interested people) into cameras design from day one. Open new talents, bring up engineers from other fields and so on and so on. Make cameras modular and with documented interfaces, so small firms and competition will be able to offer their solution.

Smartphones market has lot of issues, but it is very fluid, with lot of knowledge and lot of practically open things. If not the secret Sony/Samsung cartel here - sensor improvements could be much more radical. And it seems like we could see mobile sensors war in coming 2-3 years.

@johnbrawley

As far as I see it is now only Sony making competitive m43 sensors for consumer cameras.

And no, Sony won't sell to anyone, as they are very careful now, already cutting support and people devoted to m43 sensors. One of the people I talked said that they think about stopping all new development on consumer m43 (may leave some industrial).

Situation with LSI also changed extremely from last years. It is big issues here, largest of all issues that Olympus has.

Consumers don’t buy cameras any more, they use phones. So the market is shrinking to enthusiast and blogger / you tubers.

I look at this different. I see exactly firms and their visionaries and ambassadors (who restored almost all their influence around 4-6 years ago, after it went to almost nothing in the end of analog era) who alienated themselves to users and tech persons in last 3-4 years.

I also see it as disaster of understanding, where visionaries and ambassadors keep promoting "stupid cameras" despite consumers clearly want very advanced "smart cameras".

@johnbrawley

Interesting post, thanks.

I am also big m43 fan, and Olympus idea to keep making nice m43 cameras had been nice, as idea.

It is just two issues - who will be making them very good sensors (as Sony feel less and less inclined to invest human resources in m43), and who will be making them LSI that will be up to the task.

They started with Panasonic providing both, later kept Panasonic LSI and started to use Sony sensors, same as Panasonic. And as LSI manufacturing had been further sold by alliance that owned it, it is not clear who will make it all.

Add to this constant pressure of financial underperformance.

Usually big dealers and PR/marketing/training staff are best indication (in strictly private talks) of that happening. And as far as I can see - nothing good happening at Olympus/

I also don’t think Panasonic have hit a home run either with L mount. I don’t see much evidence of a rush to full frame from their user base, or appeal to new users. And it’s getting crowded in 135 / FF now.

As far as my sources tell - it is biggest financial disaster in recent Panasonic cameras sales history.