http://theonlinephotographer.blogspot.com/
I hope he does not mind a quote here:
Whither the E-1?
Olympus's share of the digital SLR market has shrunk to a critical low
—less than 3% in July, according to stats from Bloomberg (thanks to
Michael Reichmann at L-L for the link).
As even casual observers know, Olympus has invested heavily in its
from-the-ground-up 4/3rds system, having developed several new
cameras and lots of excellent all-new lenses. However, there remain
critical gaps in the lens line, and Olympus has most probably been
affected by the gradual defection of its strategic partner, Kodak,
from the high-end digital marketplace. Ironically, to this very day I
consider the Olympus E-1 to be one of the best camera bodies of the
digital age, an ergonomic and functional masterpiece. No DSLR has a
sweeter shutter, for example.
Unfortunately, its sensor and buffer remain stuck in 2003. In an era
when the market leaders are refreshing their models on schedules of
two years or less, the 5-MP E-1 sensor is critically overdue for an
upgrade—so overdue that, if an E-2 is not forthcoming at Photokina,
it should probably be accepted as a sign that Olympus intends to
abandon the DSLR field.
If that's true, it's ironic that The Luminous Landscape's Michael
Reichmann, a consistent critic of the 4/3rds concept, has finally
come around...sort of. Here's part of what he has to say about 4/3rds
in his review of the Panasonic Lumix L1: "...I see chip size by
itself as having become largely irrelevant in the consumer/prosumer
marketplace. Most serious amateur photographers are happy with
maximum sized prints in the 11x17" to 16x20" range, and the current 8–
16 MP cameras handle this well. For those looking for even bigger
prints, there's always medium format, just as in the past. So, it
seems that for the most part, while the real-world advantages of the
smaller 4/3 format seem a bit thin, its disadvantages have largely
been overcome by improved sensor technology."
...That is, of course, if the improved sensor technology finds its
way into the camera. Let's hope that the E-1 is not the end of the
line for the top Olympus model—it's simply too good a camera design
to lose.
Posted by: MIKE JOHNSTON
Winsor
Long Beach, California, USA
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