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We now have the E-P1 and it's attracting enormous interest but I think it's fair to say that the design, style, feature set and functionality are not to everyone's taste. Olympus appear to be committed to releasing further MFT cameras in the not too distant future and the big question seems to be whether these will follow the format of the digital Pen concept or offer a totally different design solution. If they stick with the Pen concept in what way will the new model(s) be different enough to win the hearts and minds of the present doubters? Alternatively, what other design could they embrace without straying into the territory already established by the successful Panasonic G series?
My personal opinion is that Olympus will broadly stick with the Pen concept but incorporate different features and maybe adopt a less radical style with more universal appeal. The big question is can this concept be developed to attract existing compact users wishing to step up and DSLR users seeking a more portable alternative in the numbers needed to underpin the future success of the company? I think they can.
Style is no problem. The present silver/black and white/tan combinations make a bold statement that is certain to get the new camera noticed and raise it's profile but, for this very reason, is bound to deter many would-be purchasers. This can easily be remedied in future models by providing an all black alternative.
Design is a potential problem, in that it may limit the number of features that can be incorporated due to space constraints. However, Olympus have an excellent tradition of problem solving and miniaturisation which leaves me optimistic that these issues can be overcome.
Price I see as rather more of an issue. I think it is unrealistically optimistic to assume that many compact owners wishing to upgrade will be prepared to stump up the kind of money for which the E-P1 is set to retail and even serious enthusiasts more accustomed to investing larger sums of money in their hobby are likely to bulk at the price of adding a more portable system to their kit bag. The dilemma for Olympus is that they need a fairly high profit margin per unit to recoup the R&D, initial production costs and marketing campaigns, yet to make MFT truly successful they need to sell it in far greater numbers than their existing E-System DSLR range. It is a very fine balance which ultimately may prove incompatible.
So what can Olympus do to overcome these issues? I guess that if you asked one hundred photographers this question you would get one hundred different answers but, for what they are worth, here are my thoughts.
Many on this forum see the lack of a viewfinder as a serious omission but let's not lose sight of the fact that the real target audience are existing compact users who are accustomed to composing on the LCD screen only. Indeed, many would consider using a viewfinder quite alien! However, Olympus would be foolish to spurn the not inconsiderable number of serious photographers (I hate that term; I regard myself as a serious banker, photography I do for fun) who regard this feature as mandatory and the lack of it as a deal breaker. The solution would appear to incorporate this feature into some models, albeit with a size penalty if this cannot be avoided) whilst omitting it from others. A possible solution to the size and bulk conundrum might be to have an articulated screen that in the flush position obscures a viewfinder. Swinging the screen out would reveal the viewfinder for those that wish to use it. This compromise might avoid the need for a pentaprism type hump and still allow a large screen to be incorporated.
Another solution might be the provision of an accessory shoe viewfinder, but of the electronic type utilised by the Ricoh GX100 rather than the simple fixed view optical finder currently offered for the E-P1. That would still leave the issue of using flash unresolved but I can't see why accommodating a small built-in pop-up unit should be beyond the wit of the Olympus design team. If this really cannot be achieved, why not resort to a dedicated flash unit that clips on the side as in the XA film compact series?
The provision of more lenses, particularly tiny, high quality primes would also make the system far more appealing to enthusiasts. I'm sure Olympus is aware of this and is developing these as quickly as possible but typically it is all cloak and dagger and shrouded in secrecy when what is really needed is a clear roadmap of planned releases to remove the uncertainty of anyone wishing to invest in the system.
Whilst experienced enthusiast photographers regard the lack of a viewfinder as a serious drawback but the lack of a built-in flash only a minor annoyance, the average compact user is likely to think exactly the opposite. What's the point in having a cool retro styled camera to wow your friends at parties and night clubs if it doesn't even have a flash! A possible solution, without increasing the size of the camera, might be to build a ring flash into the lens, around the front element. This may, of course, prove too costly but it probably wouldn't be needed on every lens, just the 14-42mm zoom which I would guess is most likely to be used by the casual snapper.
The issue of price is seemingly much harder to resolve. It is unlikely that any amount of marketing hype is going to persuade the average compact user to switch to a camera costing upwards of £700 for the basic package and still not have flash capability. Somehow Olympus will have to find a way to drive down the price, but how can they possibly do that?
The E-P1 appears to be built to a very high standard, much better than what the average compact user is accustomed to. Surely there is room for compromise here with a plastic body and lens mount on a budget model. Another option might be a fixed, non interchangeable zoom. Ultimately, though, if Olympus are serious about establishing this as a mainstream format that eclipses the DSLR market they may have to pitch the price at a point where they initially make little, if any, profit in anticipation of a far better return once economies of scale on large volume sales eventually kick in. In the meantime of course, they can continue to retail a high end model at a premium.
But what would I like to see next if Olympus allowed me to order a bespoke model? I would like an even smaller version, more like the original Pen EE rather than the Pen F. If that means a smaller screen then so be it and a built in non interchangeable lens of around 20mm f2.8 would suffice, particularly if this helped keep the cost down. Hopefully a fixed lens would allow a leaf shutter rather than focal plane, to make it even quieter. Assuming the lens and body were properly sealed the SSWF wouldn't be necessary but I would like to keep IS. Forget about an EVF or flash, I don't need them, so the hot shoe can also be dispensed with. No point including video, I doubt I'd use it and I'm sure the art filters wouldn't offer anything I couldn't do in Photoshop. Despite being quite charmed by the silver and white versions of the E-P1, for long term practicability and discretion I'd opt for a matt black all over finish with no brand logo.
Well, that's my order submitted what's yours?
My personal opinion is that Olympus will broadly stick with the Pen concept but incorporate different features and maybe adopt a less radical style with more universal appeal. The big question is can this concept be developed to attract existing compact users wishing to step up and DSLR users seeking a more portable alternative in the numbers needed to underpin the future success of the company? I think they can.
Style is no problem. The present silver/black and white/tan combinations make a bold statement that is certain to get the new camera noticed and raise it's profile but, for this very reason, is bound to deter many would-be purchasers. This can easily be remedied in future models by providing an all black alternative.
Design is a potential problem, in that it may limit the number of features that can be incorporated due to space constraints. However, Olympus have an excellent tradition of problem solving and miniaturisation which leaves me optimistic that these issues can be overcome.
Price I see as rather more of an issue. I think it is unrealistically optimistic to assume that many compact owners wishing to upgrade will be prepared to stump up the kind of money for which the E-P1 is set to retail and even serious enthusiasts more accustomed to investing larger sums of money in their hobby are likely to bulk at the price of adding a more portable system to their kit bag. The dilemma for Olympus is that they need a fairly high profit margin per unit to recoup the R&D, initial production costs and marketing campaigns, yet to make MFT truly successful they need to sell it in far greater numbers than their existing E-System DSLR range. It is a very fine balance which ultimately may prove incompatible.
So what can Olympus do to overcome these issues? I guess that if you asked one hundred photographers this question you would get one hundred different answers but, for what they are worth, here are my thoughts.
Many on this forum see the lack of a viewfinder as a serious omission but let's not lose sight of the fact that the real target audience are existing compact users who are accustomed to composing on the LCD screen only. Indeed, many would consider using a viewfinder quite alien! However, Olympus would be foolish to spurn the not inconsiderable number of serious photographers (I hate that term; I regard myself as a serious banker, photography I do for fun) who regard this feature as mandatory and the lack of it as a deal breaker. The solution would appear to incorporate this feature into some models, albeit with a size penalty if this cannot be avoided) whilst omitting it from others. A possible solution to the size and bulk conundrum might be to have an articulated screen that in the flush position obscures a viewfinder. Swinging the screen out would reveal the viewfinder for those that wish to use it. This compromise might avoid the need for a pentaprism type hump and still allow a large screen to be incorporated.
Another solution might be the provision of an accessory shoe viewfinder, but of the electronic type utilised by the Ricoh GX100 rather than the simple fixed view optical finder currently offered for the E-P1. That would still leave the issue of using flash unresolved but I can't see why accommodating a small built-in pop-up unit should be beyond the wit of the Olympus design team. If this really cannot be achieved, why not resort to a dedicated flash unit that clips on the side as in the XA film compact series?
The provision of more lenses, particularly tiny, high quality primes would also make the system far more appealing to enthusiasts. I'm sure Olympus is aware of this and is developing these as quickly as possible but typically it is all cloak and dagger and shrouded in secrecy when what is really needed is a clear roadmap of planned releases to remove the uncertainty of anyone wishing to invest in the system.
Whilst experienced enthusiast photographers regard the lack of a viewfinder as a serious drawback but the lack of a built-in flash only a minor annoyance, the average compact user is likely to think exactly the opposite. What's the point in having a cool retro styled camera to wow your friends at parties and night clubs if it doesn't even have a flash! A possible solution, without increasing the size of the camera, might be to build a ring flash into the lens, around the front element. This may, of course, prove too costly but it probably wouldn't be needed on every lens, just the 14-42mm zoom which I would guess is most likely to be used by the casual snapper.
The issue of price is seemingly much harder to resolve. It is unlikely that any amount of marketing hype is going to persuade the average compact user to switch to a camera costing upwards of £700 for the basic package and still not have flash capability. Somehow Olympus will have to find a way to drive down the price, but how can they possibly do that?
The E-P1 appears to be built to a very high standard, much better than what the average compact user is accustomed to. Surely there is room for compromise here with a plastic body and lens mount on a budget model. Another option might be a fixed, non interchangeable zoom. Ultimately, though, if Olympus are serious about establishing this as a mainstream format that eclipses the DSLR market they may have to pitch the price at a point where they initially make little, if any, profit in anticipation of a far better return once economies of scale on large volume sales eventually kick in. In the meantime of course, they can continue to retail a high end model at a premium.
But what would I like to see next if Olympus allowed me to order a bespoke model? I would like an even smaller version, more like the original Pen EE rather than the Pen F. If that means a smaller screen then so be it and a built in non interchangeable lens of around 20mm f2.8 would suffice, particularly if this helped keep the cost down. Hopefully a fixed lens would allow a leaf shutter rather than focal plane, to make it even quieter. Assuming the lens and body were properly sealed the SSWF wouldn't be necessary but I would like to keep IS. Forget about an EVF or flash, I don't need them, so the hot shoe can also be dispensed with. No point including video, I doubt I'd use it and I'm sure the art filters wouldn't offer anything I couldn't do in Photoshop. Despite being quite charmed by the silver and white versions of the E-P1, for long term practicability and discretion I'd opt for a matt black all over finish with no brand logo.
Well, that's my order submitted what's yours?
