Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
06-07-2012, 08:19 AM   #16
Veteran Member
Nesster's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: NJ USA
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 13,072
Oly seems to be shopping themselves... or vice versa:
Fujifilm: awaiting Olympus reply on possible alliance | Reuters
QuoteQuote:
(Reuters) - Fujifilm Holdings Corp (4901.T) reiterated on Thursday that it regards itself as the best partner for Olympus Corp (7733.T), which is looking to shore up its finances after an accounting scandal, and said it is still waiting to hear back from the endoscope maker about a possible capital and business tie-up.

"We suggested to Olympus in January that we want to support it technologically ... We are currently waiting for a response," Shigehiro Nakajima, who was named on Thursday as the next president of Fujifilm, told a news conference.

"We believe that we are the best partner ... Now it is a matter of what they think," Nakajima told reporters later.

Shareholders' equity in Olympus was 4.6 percent of its total assets at the end of March, far below the 20 percent level widely regarded as indicative of financial stability for a company, spurring speculation the medical equipment maker will seek a capital injection in return for stock.

Meanwhile, Panasonic Corp's (6752.T) President Fumio Ohtsubo told Reuters earlier on Thursday that it has no plan to invest in Olympus, contradicting a media report it is making arrangements to invest in the maker of cameras and endoscopes.
Note: Olympus "the endoscope maker"

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/e522b270-b096-11e1-8b36-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1x2bzW3nS

QuoteQuote:


Panasonic, Sony and other suitors – Fujifilm has acknowledged having made a bid – may be seeking access to Olympus’s endoscope technology as well as its established sales network among hospitals and national health services, analysts say. In February, Sony appointed Hiroshi Yoshioka, an experienced senior executive from its consumer electronics division, to run its small medical devices business – a move seen as confirming its intention to expand.

The appeal of the medical niche is clear: at a time when Japanese companies are being squeezed out of many consumer electronics segments by cheaper Asian competitors, Olympus’s endoscope business is generating profit margins of 20 per cent. Panasonic and Sony, which are stuck in price-war battlegrounds such as LCD televisions, lost Y772bn and Y457bn respectively last year.



06-07-2012, 09:10 AM   #17
Pentaxian
nickthetasmaniac's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,360
I'm curious why anyone would think that Panasonic would want to diminish, in any way, the position of Olympus as a camera maker? If Panasonic feels threatened by having a direct competitor in the same format, then why the bloody hell did they go into the partnership in the first place?

Having both Panasonic and Olympus strong and along for the ride is probably the single most significant factor in Micro Four Thirds enjoying the market presence that it has today.
06-07-2012, 09:29 AM   #18
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter




Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Gladys, Virginia
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 27,606
QuoteOriginally posted by nickthetasmaniac Quote
I'm curious why anyone would think that Panasonic would want to diminish, in any way, the position of Olympus as a camera maker? If Panasonic feels threatened by having a direct competitor in the same format, then why the bloody hell did they go into the partnership in the first place?

Having both Panasonic and Olympus strong and along for the ride is probably the single most significant factor in Micro Four Thirds enjoying the market presence that it has today.
The bigger question is why Panasonic would devote any money to keep Olympus going. At one time, Panasonic had almost no digital camera presence other than point and shoots, while Olympus still had the vestiges of their SLR days hanging around. But certainly at this point, Panasonic gains nothing in terms of their camera market by keeping Olympus going.

At the same time, the medical division probably is (or at least should be) a money maker and could be a reason for another company to be interested in Olympus, even if like Hoya, they could care less whether the camera division sinks or floats.
06-07-2012, 10:27 AM   #19
Banned




Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: WA
Photos: Albums
Posts: 3,055
Hmm, I guess Olympus falling down would make Pentax look like a successful brand by comparison. Wishful thinking.

06-07-2012, 11:14 AM   #20
Pentaxian
nickthetasmaniac's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,360
QuoteOriginally posted by Rondec Quote
But certainly at this point, Panasonic gains nothing in terms of their camera market by keeping Olympus going.
Panasonic has everything to gain by having Olympus strong and active in the camera market. Take one example - how much good press has Micro Four Thirds recieved since the release of the Olympus OMD EM5? That's press that flows on for the whole platform, not just Olympus. Having both Panasonic and Olympus pushing the platform together is why Samsung and Sony are struggling to keep up in the mirrorless game - I don't think MFT would be any where near as popular if it was Panasonic alone, and surely they know this...
06-07-2012, 11:17 AM   #21
Veteran Member
eddie1960's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Toronto
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 13,666
QuoteOriginally posted by nickthetasmaniac Quote
Panasonic has everything to gain by having Olympus strong and active in the camera market. Take one example - how much good press has Micro Four Thirds recieved since the release of the Olympus OMD EM5? That's press that flows on for the whole platform, not just Olympus. Having both Panasonic and Olympus pushing the platform together is why Samsung and Sony are struggling to keep up in the mirrorless game - I don't think MFT would be any where near as popular if it was Panasonic alone, and surely they know this...
Exactly, of the 2 brands from a camera standpoint Olympus resonates much more. Sony made a huge mistake IMO in not securing the Minolta name for the camera lineup - even if they were to market under both brands marginally different models on a shared platform.
06-07-2012, 11:19 AM   #22
Veteran Member
Nesster's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: NJ USA
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 13,072
Well it ain't gonna be Panasonic, except of course the announcement may be a negotiating tactic.

So, out of Sony and Fuji, which is better? I say Fuji.

06-07-2012, 11:28 AM   #23
Veteran Member




Join Date: May 2011
Location: Southern California
Photos: Albums
Posts: 4,082
QuoteOriginally posted by nickthetasmaniac Quote
Panasonic has everything to gain by having Olympus strong and active in the camera market. Take one example - how much good press has Micro Four Thirds recieved since the release of the Olympus OMD EM5? That's press that flows on for the whole platform, not just Olympus. Having both Panasonic and Olympus pushing the platform together is why Samsung and Sony are struggling to keep up in the mirrorless game - I don't think MFT would be any where near as popular if it was Panasonic alone, and surely they know this...
I don't know what Samsung's problem is. They have the lenses, they have good bodies and sensors and they can even match or beat m43 in size in many cases. They just don't have the rep. Why I love the Sony is for the focus peaking and being able to adapt just about any lens. I think Samsung is an excellent AF platform, and it would be so easy for them to add better focus peaking. They'll never be a home for M-mount, but that's fine by me. Sony's problem is they just aren't coming out with attractive lens options for a lot of people. Samsung's shown them it can be done for APS-C. Still, the NEX is quite a success in the mirrorless market, and I wouldn't say they're struggling.

It would be a travesty to lose the OMD. It's such a beautiful and well spec'd camera.
06-07-2012, 11:40 AM   #24
Veteran Member
eddie1960's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Toronto
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 13,666
QuoteOriginally posted by Nesster Quote
Well it ain't gonna be Panasonic, except of course the announcement may be a negotiating tactic.

So, out of Sony and Fuji, which is better? I say Fuji.
odds are against Sony they're a fiscal mess at the moment

Panasonic is in much better shape (and may just be playing a waiting game)

Fuji would be ok, they are good at exploiting camera Niche's and would be a good fit with Oly to some degree, with the apsc option in their own line
and oly for the mass market (something Fuji is definitely not focused on)
06-07-2012, 12:21 PM   #25
Banned




Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: WA
Photos: Albums
Posts: 3,055
Fuji might be bad, as the MFT system would compete with their own XPro1 system. I think Fuji is mainly interested in the medical division, not in the digital camera one, just like Hoya with Pentax and we all know how that turned out.
06-07-2012, 12:27 PM   #26
Veteran Member
eddie1960's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Toronto
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 13,666
QuoteOriginally posted by Laurentiu Cristofor Quote
Fuji might be bad, as the MFT system would compete with their own XPro1 system. I think Fuji is mainly interested in the medical division, not in the digital camera one, just like Hoya with Pentax and we all know how that turned out.
yep for the few years they ran things they butchered it, and now it is up to the buyer to repair the damage.
06-07-2012, 04:46 PM   #27
Veteran Member
madbrain's Avatar

Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 1,341
QuoteOriginally posted by bobmaxja Quote
ânasonic use multiple trade name. Olympus will jsut be another one
Sanyo was bought by Panasonic and still exist
Many Sanyo-branded products no longer exist, like their projectors.
06-07-2012, 05:37 PM   #28
Veteran Member
RioRico's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Limbo, California
Posts: 11,263
OK, so Fuji was rumored to be interested in Oly, but no longer.
Then Panasonic was rumored to be interested, but they deny it.
Who might be in the market? Other than obvious names, I dunno.
Some obvious names get filtered fast: Canikony, PRIC: lacking money.
Which leaves Samsung. Or Carlos Slim, if he wants his own camera firm.

I recall when the Oly bubble burst, that I predicted its disappearance.
That's easy; everything fails eventually. All firms disappear, in time.
Some names don't disappear, even when they should, ie Vivitar.
So if Oly is dismembered and devoured, what will remain?
Just another proctoscope on the road of life...
06-08-2012, 05:44 AM   #29
Banned




Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Charleston & Pittsburgh
Photos: Albums
Posts: 1,668
Original Poster
I'll work on trying to find a link to this one; which wil be quite difficult.

But as far as the olympus name goes - this may well be the last full year to see their name on consumer cameras and lens'
06-08-2012, 06:02 AM   #30
Veteran Member
eddie1960's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Toronto
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 13,666
QuoteOriginally posted by Medium FormatPro Quote
I'll work on trying to find a link to this one; which wil be quite difficult.

But as far as the olympus name goes - this may well be the last full year to see their name on consumer cameras and lens'
Which is sad to see because the OMD is one of the nicest cameras they have produced (though the E3 and E5 were also pretty fine though the limitations on performance of the 4/3 sensor made them less appealing in pretty much every other area they were great cameras
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
camera, cameras, effect, olympus, panasonic
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
My 9/11 issues that remain a mystery Medium FormatPro General Talk 84 05-28-2012 03:31 AM
Streets our shadows will remain MariahH Photo Critique 5 03-22-2012 01:42 PM
Olympus film cameras: battery drain whojammyflip Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands 5 09-01-2011 04:58 AM
I remain a Pentaxian but only via film. Clicker Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras 10 07-21-2011 08:34 AM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:31 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top