Re: Nikon D3 hints at a way "out" for Olympus

On Sep 25, 4:34 pm, "Doug Jewell" <no...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"RichA" <rander3...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message

news:1190739716.708081.89000@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On Sep 25, 5:57 am, Tony Polson <t...@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"Doug Jewell" <no...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"RichA" <rander3...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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On Sep 24, 3:54 pm, Tony Polson <t...@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Fred McKenzie <fm...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
There is no easy way out of the box Olympus is in. However they
have
been innovative in the past, so perhaps they will be again. If they
have to make a change, and I believe they will eventually, what
limits
them to a particular sensor size or format?

I think the fact that Olympus has invested heavily in Four Thirds,
but
hasn't achieved anything like the rate of return hoped for, means
that
Olympus are not in a any position to invest in another format.

I have been a little starled by some of the ideas that have been
suggested about larger sensor sizes. For the avoidance of doubt, all
the Olympus Four Thirds lenses have an image cicle that is just big
enough for the Four Thirds sensors, and no more. There is no
question
of using any of the Olympus Four Thirds lenses with a larger sensor.

This depends entirely on what you mean by "just big enough." Olympus
users have become used to getting near perfect corner performance
because unlike the APS and FF cameras, their lenses more than cover
the 4/3rds format.
While Canon FF users put up with terrible edge aberrations in their
FFs, and Olympus user would be shocked by it. This would seem to
suggest that the Olympus digital lenses cover a large frame area
relative to their design than do the DX and the FF film lenses now
used on Nikons and Canons. But, if anyone is curious, I can take a
shot through a film camera with an Olympus digital lens attached and
show you the coverage.

Absolute nonsense, Rich. You cannot fit a Four Thirds lens to a film
camera with the correct lens flange to film plane distance. All 35mm
film cameras/lenses have a greater lens flange to film plane distance
than Four Thirds, which will of course make the lens appear to offer
greater coverage than it really has. So it would prove nothing.

We aren't talking about a huge difference in lens-flange distances.
Besides, this is just a side-issue, a curiosity. My main point is
that Olympus does not need a new bayonette mount to create a larger
sensored camera, which would at least put it on an equal footing with
Nikon, Canon, Pentax and Sony.

I guess the shape of the bayonet doesn't need to change, but other specs
about the lens mount do need to change. For example the position, size and
location of the electronic pickups, the position of the rear of the lens
etc. These all interfere with it's ability to be used on larger sensors.
Yes it would indeed be possible for them to make a camera with a 35mm or APS
sized sensor and use the same bayonet. But it would be necessary to relocate
these other items which would stop the lens from working.

It would be better for them to create a new mount, and then provide an
adaptor back to 4/3 for the owners of 4/3 cameras, and use 4/3 as an
in-between system.

Just as my original point, the Nikon D3 does just that. All they need
to do is keep people from ending up with useless lenses.

But, I can't see any of these scenarios happening. Olympus have committed to
the 4/3 system, and so as all the other manufacturers move to larger
formats, olympus will stay megapixel/noise limited. Probably their best
course of action is their current one - cameras like the E410 that take
advantage of the smaller size, so they become a bridge between P&S and
larger SLR.

So far, the only on announced (will it ever be released?) is the Sigma
Foveon.
Olympus could offer a pocketable P&S with a fixed focal length pancake
or very short zoom.

What I would like to see however is the 4/3 sensors being used in compact
cameras. While we complain about their noise, lack of DR etc, they are still
a lot better than the ultra-mini sensors in P&S. 4/3 is a good in-between
size that delivers good results, but with smaller lenses than APS/35mm.

They had the 2/3rds sensor, they didn't even keep that. P&S is aimed
straight at the DSLR-ignorant, those who have some need for 400mm
equivalent zooms and lots of noise.
I think what happened was that they got sick of the higher-end P&S's
being money-losers (can't charge $900 for one now like some used to
cost) and they decided to cost-cut and the first place was the sensor
and the lenses.

.

Relevant Pages

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