Goodbye Olympus

For those that don’t follow many blogs or social media the big news is Olympus is selling off its camera division. They are in a contract with a company that sacks people and sells off assets. Zukio and OMD are in the package but the parent company is keeping the brand name ‘Olympus’ for their endoscopes and microscopes. So the Olympus brand will disappear from the camera market.

As to what this really means, well, none of us actually know, and how could we. Perhaps someone will buy the package and continue on. Interestingly their cameras outsell all other mirrorless ones in Japan. The company is considered a national treasure.

In the fine print, after the mess they found themselves in when they sacked the whistle blowing English CEO, they eventually swapped out engineers in leadership to fiscal managers. So I think the selling off of the underperforming camera arm was probably inevitable. Actually it is probably a very good thing if the right buyer purchases it.

Finding this change in leadership accounts for the lack of innovation in their cameras for the last two years in terms of sensors and viewfinders. Improvements were mainly in the programming, image processing and image stabilisation. Things that are relatively cheap to implement.

The writing has been on the wall since they were caught out with their money management practices that were appalling ethically.

Most of us who love our Olympus cameras and lenses are in a state of mourning. The loss of our favourite photography making machines.

Do we rush out and get a copy of the latest body so at least we can use our beloved lenses for the next few years? Some will choose to dump their whole kits. Others may turn to Panasonic for their cameras.

How do I feel about loving a camera that has such a dubious ethical background?

Another problem is my favourite lens. It’s the Voitlander 25mm f0.95. I have yet to find anything as interesting or enjoyable to use.

I hope Panasonic updates their G9. It might be time to try one. I would love the SR1 except it’s so heavy and huge I get a sore shoulder and hand using it for the hours I love to wander with it in my hand.

It will be interesting to watch over the coming years as to where it all ends up. I suspect, like others, that this isn’t the last iconic camera brand to fall.

Goodbye Olympus it was a gorgeous love affair.

To be totally honest, I have no idea what I’ll do.

Hawksberry River. A Sydney Len’s Club outing. Photograph and text copyright © Len Metcalf 2020