Olympus micro 4/3 retro concept

[Abstract]

Here it seems people appreciate the retro-styling and compact-form. On Dpreview, there are many seasoned-4/3-users who are deeply disappointed it does not have an EVF and are (amusingly for me) throwing their toys out of their prams! Oh, the drama!

I think with readers here being mac users, there is an appreciation of style and aesthetics, while on Dpreview they tend to be more tech-heads and couldn’t care less about the colour and metallic finish!

Firstly, I was wondering the same thing about the EVF, although I didn't think about it until after my last post. I want an EVF. If it's bright outside, I want to be able to press my eyes against the eyepiece to block out the outside light, and look closely at what I'm shooting.

When I'm shooting in dark conditions, where the light from the LCD may be annoying, I want an EVF.

When I need to keep my camera very still to take a photo, I want to press the camera against my head in order to keep the camera steady. I don't want to hold it at a distance like I do with my p&s.


I think what you should mean is that most people here at MR, even ones who post in this forum, are more into Macs, and less into photography. Photographers care about these little things, and I'm not surprised to hear that people at DPReview are saying these things about this Olympus. This Olympus is just a point and shoot with an interchangeable lens. It's good enough for some people transitioning from point and shoots, but not for some DSLR users who want more.


I know what you're thinking: Buy a G1. I think the G1 is the better u4/3 camera, except it's rather ugly. If they took the E-420 and shrunk it by 5 mm in length, 5 mm height, AND 2-3 mm in thickness, it would be perfectly fine.

 

[CrackedButter]

Sorry CrackedButter for not answering you on DP. I did not read that post.

What is your name on DP? Must be different to CrackedButter.

Anyway, ‘Oh it’s a small (internet) world, isn’t it!!’

My name on DP is 'JonathanJK'.

 

[Phrasikleia]

I want an EVF.

Me too. I hadn't noticed at first that this camera is missing one. Two thumbs down.

This Olympus is just a point and shoot with an interchangeable lens.

And a much larger sensor, no? That's a huge step away from a PnS.

 

[Abstract]

And a much larger sensor, no? That's a huge step away from a PnS.

Yes, but I meant in how you're going to have to use it. With the G1, you'll shoot with the camera pressed against your head (sturdy), and have buttons and features on the body.

On a camera like the Olympus u4/3 concept, which looks wonderful, it would be more like using a p&s. Not crazy about that.

 

[cube]

On Dpreview, there are many seasoned-4/3-users who are deeply disappointed it does not have an EVF and are (amusingly for me) throwing their toys out of their prams! Oh, the drama!

This is only a mockup. If you look at the back, there's a weird empty perfect spot for a rangefinder-like EVF.

 

[tony-in-japan]

Attachable EVF an option

Me too. I hadn't noticed at first that this camera is missing one. Two thumbs down.

There has been discussion about a ‘modular’ camera meaning you add bits on when needed or if you want a streamlined ‘going-commando-stylee’ you can have that too!

It looks like Pana are gunning for the entry-level ‘real’ DSLRs with their G1 and Oly are gunning for the Sigma DP1, Ricoh and Canon G10 niche. If so, then couldn’t Oly use something similar to the Ricoh Caplio with the attachable EVF on the hot-shoe? I would prefer that rather than a built-in one that is only going to add to bulk. Then you could update the EVF to a more advance model in the future.

 

[tony-in-japan]

LATEST NEWS: MOVIE OF Oly m4/3 mock-up

Here is a link of a hand-on movie footage of the Oly m4/3 mock-up. Scroll down and you can see.

http://www.quesabesde.com/noticias/olympus-micro-cuatro-tercios-e-xx-photokina-2008,1_4608

Regards,
Tony

 

[Abstract]

Ah, enlightenment. Now I definitely don't want one.

 

[Westside guy]

That is odd IMO that there's no built-in viewfinder of any kind. If you're using this in typical point-and-shoot mode, you're losing any benefit (again, IMO) of having a larger dSLR-type sensor. You just don't have anywhere near the same degree of camera stability if you're holding it out away from your body.

 

[Phrasikleia]

There has been discussion about a ‘modular’ camera meaning you add bits on when needed or if you want a streamlined ‘going-commando-stylee’ you can have that too!

It looks like Pana are gunning for the entry-level ‘real’ DSLRs with their G1 and Oly are gunning for the Sigma DP1, Ricoh and Canon G10 niche. If so, then couldn’t Oly use something similar to the Ricoh Caplio with the attachable EVF on the hot-shoe? I would prefer that rather than a built-in one that is only going to add to bulk. Then you could update the EVF to a more advance model in the future.

I like the modular camera idea. I think Apple should do something like that with their laptops.

 

[cube]

That is odd IMO that there's no built-in viewfinder of any kind. If you're using this in typical point-and-shoot mode, you're losing any benefit (again, IMO) of having a larger dSLR-type sensor. You just don't have anywhere near the same degree of camera stability if you're holding it out away from your body.

I repeat, like the Spanish article states, the Olympus representatives emphasize that this is a conceptual model that does not have to be exactly equal to the actual camera.

 

[Westside guy]

I repeat, like the Spanish article states, the Olympus representatives emphasize that this is a conceptual model that does not have to be exactly equal to the actual camera.

I understand that perfectly - but they did go to the trouble of putting a nice big LCD screen on this "concept camera", yet they did not include a viewfinder of any sort. The concept is all we have to go on. A person might say "they might add a viewfinder" - but there's currently no evidence to support that.

Really, if we're going to have a discussion, it has to be based on the concept camera IMO.

 

[cube]

Haven't you seen concept cars? They are always missing a lot of stuff and never happen.

 

[vga4life]

That is odd IMO that there's no built-in viewfinder of any kind. If you're using this in typical point-and-shoot mode, you're losing any benefit (again, IMO) of having a larger dSLR-type sensor. You just don't have anywhere near the same degree of camera stability if you're holding it out away from your body.

I disagree that no viewfinder means you're losing any benefit of a larger sensor.

The larger sensor still gives you shorter DoF and less noise than a tiny compact.

This looks like an ideal camera to carry in a pocket or purse, suitable for scale-focusing and shooting from the hip - a better compact camera, not a smaller dSLR. This body with a 20mm (40mm equiv) f/1.7 pancake lens is what I've been waiting for to replace my P&S Lumix FX01 (which in its turn replaced a compact 35mm P&S). If it shoots HD video, all the better.

I think Olympus will sell millions if they can keep the price down (say a $500 kit). They'll still sell plenty at $800, but it won't be a game-changer. If they make it a $1000+ luxury item, they'll blow a golden opportunity.

 

[netdog]

What other offerings? There's one, and it hasn't even been released yet.

If there were 50 models out there, and none of them impressed you, then that would be a concern. m4/3rds hasn't had time to disappoint. There's one model announced so far.

Actually, there is the Lumix and this one. The Lumix is a DSLR style camera. Surprising that a rangefinder design like the Olympus didn't come from Lumix as their partner is Leica.

 

[tony-in-japan]

What? Like this designer...

If they make it a $1000+ luxury item, they'll blow a golden opportunity.

Louis Vuitton version? $400 for the camera and $600 for the strip of LV imported leather. What does it matter how much this will cost anyway, Japanese ladies will be bitch-fighting each other with their fake glued-on finger-nails to be first in the queue for one.

(source unknown but posted in a DPreview thread)

 

[Piarco]

Well it's been confirmed by Olympus as a shipping model... but the timeframe is "sometime in the next 12 months". Awwwwwwwwww. Was looking forward to the next couple of months for a release...

 

[yrsonicdeath]

Wow, this looks great. I would definitely consider this as a supplement to a DSLR if the price is right.

 

[compuwar]

I think Olympus will sell millions if they can keep the price down (say a $500 kit). They'll still sell plenty at $800, but it won't be a game-changer. If they make it a $1000+ luxury item, they'll blow a golden opportunity.

Olympus don't seem to think they'll sell millions of them if they're going to put them on the market before March- or they expect to not make any money if they do- they're expecting a loss of about nine billion yen in their current fiscal year (Mar08 to Mar09) for the Imaging Systems Division according to their last annual report.

 

[camomac]

i really like this.

beautiful!

 

[srf4real]

Way more exciting than Panasonic's first µ4/3 release! Yes please, a modest looking camera that doesn't call too much attention to itself, yet delivers images far above the p+s class. I guess it will look strange though, with a 4/3 adapter and my 50-200 SWD attached lol. Photoshop, anyone?

 

[Phrasikleia]

Way more exciting than Panasonic's first µ4/3 release! Yes please, a modest looking camera that doesn't call too much attention to itself, yet delivers images far above the p+s class. I guess it will look strange though, with a 4/3 adapter and my 50-200 SWD attached lol. Photoshop, anyone?

LOL. Not exactly discreet.

 

[vga4life]

Olympus don't seem to think they'll sell millions of them if they're going to put them on the market before March- or they expect to not make any money if they do- they're expecting a loss of about nine billion yen in their current fiscal year (Mar08 to Mar09) for the Imaging Systems Division according to their last annual report.

Won't be out before March. I would be surprised to see a production model resembling this concept shipping by September 2009. "Within 12 months" = production model announced but not yet shipping in exactly 12 months. This is the hot camera for Christmas 2009, not 2008.

 

[hzeman]

Olympus Micro 4/3 Concept

I think they have the thing exactly right. By eliminating the flash and the optical viewfinder or EVF they have made it as small and pocketable as possible. The usual flash attachments on compact cameras are far too low power to be useful for anything. I'd much rather have the option of adding a decent external flash with bounce flash capability. The same for the finder. An external EVF could be attached when needed and left at home when not needed. If they have any prime lenses for the camera, they could also come with their own attachable optical finders. Such a system would be far more versitile and extendable. After all, that's why one wants an interchangeable lens camera in the first place. -- Herb Zeman, Memphis, TN

 

[wheelhot]

This is very interesting, the approach taken by Panasonic and Olympus is different.

Olympus seems like making a super Point and Shoot whereas Panasonic is making some sort of smaller and futuristic DSLR (because it uses EVF and more electronic stuffs to replace the mechanical parts found in current DSLR).

Its interesting to see how this goes cause Oly and Pana cannot beat Nikon or Canon in the image quality, but their approach into the market might attract more consumers.