If you review the Kodak data on the 4/3 and other sensors it looks pretty clear
from the inlcuded graphs that 10-12 MP was seen as the target for the 4/3's
sensors. Since that's in the range that I think everyone will admit is as good
as or better than 35mm film Oly probably thought it was a safe bet that they
could produce high quality images with lower cost sensors and smaller bodies
and lenses.
What they didn't count on was Canon's ability to produce very low noise sensors
with CMOS, the rest of the industry figuring out how to modify their 35mm lens
mounts to accept the size equilvalent of an APS-C mount lens and Canon
improving yields on 35mm size sensors to the range of 20% from the low single
digits.
Perhaps Kodak and IBM together can figure out how to make a go of it with CMOS
but the digital doomsday clock is ticking very fast.
Chuck Norcutt
>
> > My question to the Olympus digital users on the list is, "What combination
> > of features or lack there of would have you switch to one of the other
> > brands?"
> >
> What I need is similar to what I think is necessary to continue to be
> successful in the market. I'm not sure either one will happen.
>
> First, I don't care what anyone thinks is necessary for good photos, I'm
> convinced that to be commercially successful, at least 10MP are required in
> a pro camera. I'm not convinced that Kodak can produce a quiet sensor in a
> timely enough manner to keep Oly in the game. I don't know what thy were
> thinking with the small sensor size, but i'll bet that they were convinced
> that no one else would get to 10-12 this soon, or Kodak promised something
> that they haven't produced yet.
>
> Second, I can't imagine a commercially successful pro camera without some
> kind of IS. If Oly could license Minolta's sensor technology (isn't this how
> the OM2 got OTF?) without screwing up the cleaning function, this would be
> ideal. As the lens line grows, it is fairly obvious that IS isn't going to
> be in the cards.
>
> I'm afraid that they are going to lose the pro market just as they did with
> the OM, but for a different reason. It would not surprise me to see Olympus,
> Pentax, and Minolta completely out of the upper end camera business within
> 5-8 years.
>
> Bill Pearce
>
>
> ==============================================
> List usage info: http://www.zuikoholic.com
> List nannies: olympusadmin@xxxxxxxxxx
> ==============================================
==============================================
List usage info: http://www.zuikoholic.com
List nannies: olympusadmin@xxxxxxxxxx
==============================================
|