10 Things OM DIGITAL SOLUTIONS Must Do To Succeed
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A lot has happened in such a short span of time, JIP carving out the imaging business from Olympus Corporation, with a new company OM Digital Solutions effectively taking over the Olympus brand of products starting 1st January 2021 effectively. Some may predict the end of Olympus now that the parent company has given up on the business, but I see this as a new opportunity with potential for growth, and better future directions for Olympus Micro Four Thirds. However, the new company, OM Digital Solutions cannot repeat the old formula, and must take necessary bold actions to move forward. Based on my experience as a product specialist for Olympus previously, as well as a practicing professional photographer I am sharing my opinion on 10 things OM Digital Solutions must do to succeed.
0:00 Intro
0:25 Recap of Recent Incidents
2:15 New Image Sensor
3:07 Fulfill Lens Roadmap
4:07 Upgrade LCD Screen & EVF
5:16 Rework Menu & UI
7:35 AI & Computational Photography
8:22 1 Inch Image Sensor for TG-Series
9:16 Enhance Marketing Strategy
11:26 Work More Closely With Panasonic
13:05 Be Less Conservative
14:59 Conclusion/END
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I think with Olympus is over. OMDS or whatever they call themselves will do nothing in the future. That’s what my logic says to me. I like to watch your channel, and your videos helped me really much. I am an amateur Panasonic user. I see Canon and Nikon are really lions and they have a future. And I think Panasonic has the future too. I would love to see you as Panasonic Visionary! Your ideas have a great potential. I wish you All the Best. PK.
Hi Robbin,
I have a Pentax K5 and now I am thinking in get a better camera . I do landscape photography, macro, street and some portraite.
I was thinking to change my system and go for a omd 5 III.
Do you think is the right move.
I’ve been watching your videos and your happiness make thinking on m4 of Olympus.
I am devided in stay with Pentax system and buy the Pentax Kp or go to Olympus system or Fujifilm system with X-T2.
Can you help me here with this decision.
Thank you.
Lots of good suggestions. Is the emphasis on wildlife, and especially birds in flight, because these are among the most, if not the most, difficult technical challenges in photography?
2 points to add to your great video, Robin – 1) OMDS should buy the Alice Camera project, and apply everything you said, Robin. Alice Camera is what the janky AIR should have been. The timing is perfect, and the Alice team already has a good handle on the App. 2) Why bolt the EVF to the camera body in 2021??? Better to place it in front of the eye in glasses that have batteries and the tech in the frames. Keep up the great work, and keep rockin the tight shirts!
I’m glad you mentioned compact cameras with 1” sensors. My Fuji LX10 has replaced my cell phone as the carry everywhere camera in my pocket. The 1” sensor is very good and the camera can be operated with one hand – easily. I think computational photography is a major part of the future. Join up with a cellphone company. One problem I have with EVFs is they don’t truly represent my exposure compensation. Is that just me?
Number 11: Be more competitive in pricing. I know that means getting squeezed on both ends – more $$ for R&D, marketing, fulfiling the lens map AND less expensive? Maybe impossible, but looking at the competitors they all offer more camera for the price PLUS the stability of a large consumer base. At some point Olympus is going to have to get real with pricing.
Olympus also needs to undo changes it has made to its distribution which make it harder, and more expensive, for customers to get Olympus products.
I recently purchased 2 Zuiko 30 mm Macro lenses directly from Olympus’ Canadian website. I have purchased other Olympus products from this website and the products have been shipped from Toronto to my Canadian location efficiently and at the quoted price.
But since I last purchased an Olympus product (an OM-D EM1 MII body) a few months ago, Olympus has shut down its Canadian distribution facility in Toronto and Canadian orders are now sent to Canada from the US (from a separate company based in Swedesboro, New Jersey), which results in delay through Customs and additional costs in duties, FedEx processing fees etc.
When FedEx delivered one of the lenses (the other is still in transit) there was an additional charge of nearly $70 by FedEx in addition to what I had originally paid to Olympus for the lens.
I won’t be buying any more Olympus products directly from Olympus until Olympus sorts this out.
Here where I live Olympus is pretty much non-existent in the camera business and most of their better cameras are not even available for sale, unlike the offerings from other brands such as Panasonic and Fuji. We are not in one of their main markets – Asia, EU, US – but wouldn’t hurt much their business if they tried to explore other markets I think…
When the Olympus CEO said that the imaging division could be sold , I know a guy who said that it was not true . Guess who .
Are you tied to Olympus or OM digital in any way. Paid sponsor, or maybe ambassador? I’m curious…
Good ideas, Robin. I think the only one you mentioned I sort of wonder about is the emphasis on wildlife. I think wildlife and also macro are kind of hand in hand, plus perhaps astro, with genres that portable and smart devices cannot easily replace for some time. And personally, at least here in the U.S. and my friends in Europe concur, amid the shrinking market the areas where interest has grown seems to be wildlife and astro, with wildlife being the one where people will actually spend a lot of money because it’s important to protect wildlife while maintaining safe distances and that necessitates very expensive and heavy equipment for most cameras including to an extent, m43. But I agree the marketing needs to improve and expand beyond that. I think travel and street may be more practical, especially once we get past the pandemic, but I also think those particular genres are more directly impacted by improvements in mobile camera devices and so more challenging to position a camera and lens group system in that category compared to 10 years ago. The pandemic changed, perhaps forever, the sports and action photo genre’s and with drones and other kinds of imaging devices, I think the only place where dedicated cameras still make the most sense outside of commercial work is natural history and wildlife where people visit places they need to take their once in a lifetime photos and would spend the money on a good system with three or four good lenses to cover ranges they won’t find an iphone competes in.
That are the Points!
Let me put it this way: should you still buy phone from LG, knowing that they already quit? You can still use the phone until it dies, but when you buy you are placing a bet on that company decision. Nokia were sold to HMS, what is the probability of HMS succeeding, and the probability of their failure and quit?
About OMD Solutions, first they only work with dealers, there is a huge gap between the company and consumers. Second, Japanese are not famous for listening to advice. If the menus design were never changed, thats mean they prefer it that way. They would rather sell the company. If they hire someone to try to turn the company around, than there is hope. There are about three companies that are active in the video space, they will survive. Remember Leica almost gone bankrupt?
I agry with you so much !
I watched this video three days ago and again today. You are right on the money here Robin! For me, Olympus has truly distinguished itself with computational photography in camera and in RAW. This is why I upgraded from the E-M1 II to III in spite of the sale announcement to JIP. While I do hope that Oly could improve the sensor in regard to noise and dynamic range, it would be a BIG mistake to upgrade hardware and not keep the software side innovative.
Totally agree with you about the collaboration must needed from Olympus and Panasonic, making the dual IS and Sync IS compatible between the two. But maybe i understand why they are targeting wildlife photography, it is where micro 4/3 shine versus ff because telephoto lens are much smaller. Portraiture photographer are better serve with ff.
Update Sensor – More megapixels (24 would be perfect)
Better ISO performance
Better EVF – Mandatory, I want a 5.6 million dots EVF
Better LCD – 2K screen
More PDAF points – to increase better eye and continuous autofocus performance
Work on AI – like smarthphone cameras do – Hire someone from the Google Pixel camera team to work.
4K 120fps
1080 180fps
Weather sealing – good as it is
IBIS – good as it is
Upgrade handheld hi res mode – using faster processors and AI to increase speed
The manual setting is too complicated. Simplifly the settings work like Panasonic is sure needed. 💪💪💪
Well thought out points, Robin – all 10 of them !
Let’s hold thumbs…
Again spot on with your observations. Most are blinding obvious to those of us who use olympus, but it seems that they were not historically, what saved olympus for so long was not its cameras, but its lenses, their quality and sharpness. But you cannot expect to keep selling the same item year in year out, while competing firms like Sony not only make incriminating improvements, they manage to fire off a volly of salvos at the same time as delivering killer results.
OM solutions have left their UK site with no recent update, if you cannot get the basics of customer curtesy right, you are going off on the wrong foot. Embrace some of the beauty of Japanese culture and the importance of honour and mindfulness in each motion
“…new sensor…!” Amen!
Spot on!
Hi Robin. Would you recommend olympus m1 or m5 mark ii. which of the two machines do you recommend
I completely agree with what you say. I hope they listen to you, otherwise it can be over and out with the OMD camera system. greetings from the Netherlands
Also: Focus on quality design: seeing the EM-5 mark III’s plastic bottom cracking was a shock for such a high priced camera. Clarify product focus: entry, prosumer, semi pro, pro and have the features to back that up.
Robin when you talk about not knowing wildlife photographers , that is possibly because you don’t walk around in their circles, perhaps you don’t visit the wildlife or bird sanctuaries, I was once taken to a bird sanctuary and there were a lot of ornithologist photographers. I shoot motorsport and I appreciate you probably don’t have the same infrastructure as we have in the UK, or Europe USA etc, when I go to a club race meeting I will see hundreds of photographers shooting motorsport, At a national meeting this changes to thousands and at a Grand Prix this moves up to tens of thousands, We need these cameras for our sport’s wildlife shooting. I bought into m4/3 for the E-M1X and 100-400mm Panasonic lens to drop the weight of a Nikon D500 and 200-500, There are a lot of people who don’t mix with other shooters of go on forums, but buy gear to follow their favourite sport or hobby.
Agreed. I enjoy wildlife photography but it doesn’t even make up most of my photos. It’s not why I have an Olympus camera at all. Also, I agree on your points for the wide compatibility with Panasonic lenses and vice versa; they can’t afford to win alone in interchangeable mount cameras. L-Mount alliance is a good example of success and Panasonic of all companies will appreciate it.
Guys, stop wishing for Olympus/OM Digital Solutions to go full frame. That is NEVER going to happen.
The good thing about not being an Olympus ambassador anymore is that you can voice your grievances out without your arms tied behind.
Although I am an Olympus user but interestingly I found that Panasonic’s G9 may satisfy several points in your video:
* Upgrade camera LCD and EVF
Resolution of G9’s EVF is 3.68M vs Olympus E-M1 III’s 2.36M.
* Rework menus and user interface
Some says Panasonic’s menu system is the most user friendly among all camera brands.
* Improve video features
As a video centric company, it is not surprising G9’s video is more advanced than Olympus E-M1 III.
* AI and computational photography
Originally Olympus is pioneer in this area. But with latest firmware of G9 featuring animal eye AF, Olympus/OMDS is lagging behind in software too. Let"s hope there will be firmware update for at least E-M1 III and E-M5 III to incorporate animal AF or similar in the near future.
Robin, I’ve watched many of your videos and feel it’s time to express how much I enjoy and appreciate them. Not only have you helped me understand my Olympus camera, you’ve done so with boundless enthusiasm, clarity, and intelligence. When I first discovered your videos, it was like finding the Rosetta Stone. And not was your translation of Olympus’ sometimes bewildering capabilities illuminating, is was–and remains–highly entertaining, even infectious. So thanks, Robin.
OMG! (pun intended). Finally, a list of what Oly should do. One more change, use dual UHDII card slots. To my eyes, Oly’s 2021 top cameras are a rehash of old technology and is the main reason why I will not buy one until your 10 reasons are incorporated. I still own an E-P3 and would like to see it in a professional version. I’m ready to buy now but will not wait too much longer for Oly to update. To management: wake up! Remember, "Snooze YOU lose"!!!
Well said ! Robin …. I totally agree.
Sell the company to Google and convince them to implement their multi shot night vision mode (in good light conditions, for ultimate IQ) with a global shutter sensor. Give the camera an android os. Continue making the best lenses possible and weather seal the lot.
Why do people want Olympus to change to FF? I just want a better version of the next EM1 with better EVF and rear screen, plus a 24mp sensor.
Robin, excellent presentation, you have great ideas. But, you have to remember OM Digital Solutions is nothing more than a Hedge Fund looking to make a fast buck without spending much money. Is it the end of Olympus should they fail, I don’t have an answer for that. I’m not making any predictions and just hope the company can survive. Again, thanks for the presentation. Mike Ferber, Virginia Beach, VA. USA…
Digital XA
Don’t touch wildlife photographers!))
This system is beautiful for them
All the things that make a camera good for wildlife: light, nice zoom lenses, fast autofocus, etc also make it perfect for kids indoors. If Olympus pivoted and went hard for the "great pics of your kids in a camera you can have with you 100% of the time" then that would be a much much bigger market for them.
truly visionary thoughts and outlooks. this video puts the title "Olympus Visionary" into new light. thumbs up! I hope the creators of new olympus products will consider these major topics in one way or another.
Some very good points made, I think OMD working with Panasonic is especially true. 4/3 peeps need to pool resources.
agree to all 10 points
hope the board member from OM can look into your video…
Thank you Robin, excellent suggestions. I am a strong supporter of M43 however I think that the competition is eating away at their market with smaller cameras and a good range of lenses.
I agree with you on the marketing: OM must learn what a sale is, not $100 on a $3000 lens or body like Olympus did! That is why I got the Pana G9 in the first place: it was on sale and priced to go instead of the OM1 MII which stuck to a very high price despite the MIII being on the market. Also imperfect inter-operability between Oly and Pana material is unexcusable.
These are very well-thought and well-presented points. Thanks for sharing them. I also feel that their focus on wildlife photographers is too niche and limiting. At this point, I am so tired of seeing poorly shot bird/animal photos from the m43 community. The portability of zoom lenses, is however, one of m43’s greatest strengths for photographers so i’m glad people are taking advantage.
I feel that the biggest challenge to m43 is the editing flexibility in post. I shoot m43 exclusively but after playing with files from my friend’s bigger sensor, I could understand the appeal. We can’t always get the perfect lighting conditions, so that flexibility is crucial for adding interest to otherwise flat photos. Selective exposure and saturation sliders are more precise and move on a finer gradient. This is less important to those who’ve retired and have plenty of leisure time, but if I can only go out to shoot once or twice a month, the added flexibility is tempting.
…Still learning how to get the most out of my m43 setup, so i’m optimistic. But its hard to find examples of good photographers like yourself, to learn from, within this format. Many are self proclaimed professionals with amateur-hour uploads. I guess that points back to marketing strategy.
just employ the upcoming Samsung ISOCELL Smartphone Image Sensor for a start
Dear Robin, Your ten recommendations are the main reason of Olympus failure. Making joint venture with Panasonic will develop both companies to be competitive with Canon, Sony and Others. Olympus is making excellent PRO lenses only for MFT cameras. Therefore, they have to work seriously to develop better camera bodies with more advanced sensors of at least 24 or even 36 Megapixel. Olympus must develop more advanced Video 4K or 8K at 60 FPS or 120 FPS.
Excellent Robin. Sound common sense.
Just trust the new owner will listen!
Olympus is finished. Shame on them for destroying a fine brand with an historic background and history in camera making for their greed, burocratic inneficience and also marketing stupidity of their white collar and also retail shop people. Nobody really cared of twhat they were selling. The most regretful thing is the disregard they always had for their user… they dropped them completely over and over… Pen, OM, 4/3, m43 … OM will do nothing because it has not got the technological background of an historic optical company.