Hi Brian,
Olympus once dominated the 35mm half format field with their Pen
series, they sold 17 million of them, 50 or 60% market share in the
world, so maybe they were more confident in the 1980s. I haven't
read Olympus' statement, but isn't this kind of statement made by
many companies?
I feel that things began to go wrong when the OM-4 lost Nikon
F-something in winning the "Camera of the Year" prize. People
prefered the Nikon's metering system to Oly's multispot sytem.
BETTER products are not always understood by the majority (sorry
Nikon users :-)
Then the first AF SLRs came, but I thought the concept was mostly
against Maitanism and difficult to make a very good AF-OM, so I am
rather happy the OM series gave up AF.
I think Olympus never wanted to be another Canon or Nikon, or a top
manufacturer supplying cameras to pro photographers. Oly cameras
were always "Volkscameras" and they knew most of the camera owners
are ordinary people. They had to be unique, and they were brave
enough to make a camera like the L (iS) series. I think it's much
clever than having a cheap wunderbrick with only one zoom (but most
people want a lens mount even they never change lenses).
Now Olympus is trying to be the top digicam manufacturer (by selling
more digicams to ordinary people, of course) but I'm worried because
Fuji Film is gaining a lead. Also, a venture company in Israel
invented a disposable endo-camera. (The doctor can take pictures
inside your body without using an endoscope).
I feel like I'm not answering your question correctly, but I don't
think Olympus is trying to hide their embarrassment, anyway.
kazuya matsumoto (job too busy and 3Ti still in box (;_;)
==============================
> I wonder if some of the decline is due to a loss of "face" and the need to
> find
> another way forward for the Company.
(snip)
> I wonder if C.H. Ling and Kazuya Matsumoto would care to comment on
> what I have just written above? They would see these things with a bit more
> insight into the culture involved.
>
> Brian
>
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