Originally posted by Aristophanes And you may have nailed M43's biggest problem. Sensor supply and price. Is Samsung trying to make M43 sensors, or are they trying to sell NX's?
I suspect that M43 sensors cost the same as APS-C which is one major reason why Panasonic has not kept up. So the only $ saved is very marginal on form factor materials. M43 is a paradox because its licensed system is supposedly "open", but it has a sole sensor supplier, so no shopping around.
If they get into an IQ war M43 may simply not be able to keep up, certainly has no production advantage, and may have a cost disadvantage. Samsung will flog the NX series before it will climb down on price for Olympus. Oly would need Samsung far more than the other way around.
Panasonic has had numerous problems. The built a new fab plant to manufacture the GH1 sensor, but it was delayed over a year and Panasonic could not produce enough sensors to meet demand for the GH1 much less supply Olympus. Then there were yield issues with the new sensor that have kept the GH prices high. Since you can get more 4/3 sensors out of a wafer than APS-C. The rule of thumb use to be to double the size of the senor was going to cost 4x as much. I'm not sure if that is still accurate, but 4/3 sensors should be a lot cheaper than APS-C if they have identical yields. Olympus has been forced to stick with the now 5 year old 12MP 4/3 sensor originally developed for the E-30 & G1 series.
I think Samsung needs Olympus. Samsung's new sensor will only appeal to a few people and Samsung will not sell enough NX cameras to use as many sensors as Samsung needs to produce to keep their own cost down. I would guess that if the Samsung sensor is as good as some people think that Olympus would pay a premium to have a better sensor than Panasonic. That would give Olympus an advantage in the M4/3 market.
Olympus is rolling out an $800.00 all metal 12mm f/2 lens for M4/3. It is made at the same plant that was making the 150mm f/2 (which was an amazing lens). It is the equivalent to the SGH glass for 4/3 and has faster AF on the new EP-3 than the E-3 or other 4/3 DSLRs using PDAF. I just can't see Olympus rolling out all of this with the same recycled sensor.
The Fuji X100 is using the same sensor as the K-x and doing pretty well with sales. If Olympus can roll out the EP-3 with comparable performance and all the lens options I think they will have a big seller.