The rumor mongers are at it again. !!This is Hugh1!!Olympus to shut down the camera division next

[flamin lib]

Month1!!1

This happens every year when CIPA comes out with new numbers. I've never figured out why Oly gets singled out, why the photo press has such a ha#d on for them but it dates back to the '70s.

If a camera maker was going to close doors based of lost sales and revenues it would be Canon and that ain't gonna' happen.

The imaging divisions of all manufacturers are little more than R&D centers for the profitable divisions like medical and business solutions. In the case of Oly both the scientific and imaging divisions feed technology into the medical equipment division, the most profitable part of the company. Olympus Corp just released their new business plan that optimizes the profitable medical division. I guess that's where the fear mongering comes from. Manufacturers also "hide" expenses in smaller divisions to bolster financials and stock values.

Oly's biggest profit center: endoscopes, proctoscopes and medical imaging, draw heavily on technologies like image stabilizing, optical manufacturing, processing engines and imaging software developed in the scientific and imaging divisions. How many of us even know that that Canon, Nikon, Olympus and Pentax make binoculars? Why not? The manufacturing capacity is there so keep the production lines occupied. Oly also has a line of voice reorders, not exactly a major profit center but it's been there forever.

I don't see any camera line going away. Hey, Pentax is still alive with a dedicated following.

All that said I try to never say never.

[tirebiter]

1. I lost interest in film when they ran out.

I had been making art movies but then wham, so much for my 16mm. Digital just doesn’t do it for me.

[flamin lib]

2. Different strokes for different folks.

Since I went digital, a little late as I'd taken a sabitical from imaging, I find the image quality and creative flexibility to be refreshing and liberating.

I'm a still guy so really can't relate to video but the best I had back in tht '80s was KR64. Had to work real hard and use every mm to get a 16x20. Now ISO 400 makes flawless 30x40s.

[alfredo]

4. Check out the Panasonc G9 or GH5

[alfredo]

3. Yeah, and Apple has been going out of business for around 30 years.