Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/06/25
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I'm well aware that their profit comes from the medical business Don. In fact I seem to recall posting something in the past 48 hours pointing out that they are, when all is said and done, a very successful medical equipment company with a little consumer camera business. And I wonder how much of last year's "loss" was connected to all the costs connected with moving U.S. headquarters from Long Island to Bethlehem, PA, building a new building, and relocating allot of employees. At least Olympus has another business to keep the camera biz afloat with... On 6/25/06 10:52 AM, "Don Dory" <don.dory@gmail.com> wrote: > B.D. > Olympus has just released their annual P&L's. They swung from loss last > year to a profit, but the profit came from the medical business not the > camera business. If I recall the numbers correctly, the camera division > was > down 6.8% from the prior year, even with strong last quarter sales of the > E500. > > Don > don.dory@gmail.com > > > On 6/25/06, B. D. Colen <bdcolen@comcast.net> wrote: >> >> I believe they are making money, but I think - and I have no inside >> information - that they are making a profit, but largely on the point and >> shoots. It's been the general belief of the Japanese camera companies that >> they must have pro lines if they're in the camera biz. >> Glad to hear you're happy with the E1 - it is, as I believe Erwin Puts >> said >> - the Barnack camera of the digital age. :-) >> >> >> ...... Original Message ....... >> On Sat, 24 Jun 2006 20:36:39 -0700 mehrdad <msadat@gmail.com> wrote: >>> B.D, it makes sense. that's what is going any other business out >>> there, but olumpus must be making money otherwise they would get out >>> of camera business >>> >>> PS >>> i ended up buying two E1 and E330. the E1 has been absolute joy to >>> use; quite, compact, and with the right lenses very very sharp. i >>> ended up with the 14-54, 7-14, 150/2 and 11-22 >>> >>> On 6/24/06, B. D. Colen <bd@bdcolenphoto.com> wrote: >>>> Actually, Don and Mehrdad, this has little to do with film or digital, >> and >>>> everything to do with the reality of modern business practices and >>>> economics. In almost every field, where there used to be many 'little >> guys," >>>> there are now a handful of giants. >>>> >>>> Consider how many auto manufacturers there were forty years ago, and >> how >>>> many there are now. Did the independents all disappear or get subsumed >> by >>>> the giants because of battery worries, LCD suppliers, software >> engineers, or >>>> cost/quantity problems? I think not - they disappeared because business >>>> today is all about the stock price, not the product; it's about selling >>>> quantity, not quality. So the little guy who turns out a specialty item >> will >>>> be forever teetering on the brink of extinction. >>>> >>>> And by the way, the reason there is still an Olympus today has nothing >> to do >>>> with cameras - it has to do with the fact that Olympus is one of the >> world's >>>> leaders in the medical scope business, and in the manufacture of >> certain >>>> other medical devices - something in excess of 70 percent of the >> colonoscopy >>>> scopes sold in the U.S. are manufactured by Olympus, and 90 percent of >> the >>>> blood analyzers used by hospital and independent blood banks are made >> by >>>> Olympus. The photo business is but the tip of the dog's tail.;-) >>>> >>>> >>>> On 6/23/06 9:06 PM, "Don Dory" <don.dory@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Mehrdad, >>>>> I think that the difference is that in years past, film was the great >>>>> leveler. If the lens line was OK then load up some film and away you >> go. >>>>> If you did not have a good lens line then you used the Zeiss/Pentax >> thread >>>>> and no worries. >>>>> >>>>> Today, the camera does everything and you might be dependant on the >> RAW >>>>> converter if the brand turns out to be too obscure. So, better safe >> than >>>>> sorry and on the way to Nikon/Canon who not only have complete lens >> lines >>>>> but are in no immediate danger of going out of busines like Minolta, >> Konica, >>>>> Olympus in the film business(before B.D. chimes in there were a lot >> of POed >>>>> folks that Olympus got out of the SLR business some time before the >> E-1 >>>>> became reality). Another difference this time around is the >> technology is >>>>> tough; last time around you could buy a copal shutter, hire some >> young >> girls >>>>> to assemble your body and Bob's your uncle. Now, you have battery >> worries, >>>>> LCD suppliers, software engineers, chip supplies and in what quantity >> and >>>>> what price. >>>>> >>>>> Another factor is we are all much more informed than in years past. >> Forty >>>>> years ago if your local trusted dealer told you to go with the >> Practica, >>>>> Miranda, Exacta, Minolta, Pentacon, or whatever you might go with the >> dealer >>>>> as you didn't know any better. >>>>> >>>>> Don >>>>> don.dory@gmail.com >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On 6/23/06, mehrdad <msadat@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> don how is this different when it was only film? >>>>>> >>>>>> we had a lot more companies, they all thrived and prospered as we >> did >>>>>> with choice >>>>>> >>>>>> On 6/23/06, Don Dory <don.dory@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>> Gene, >>>>>>> That is the story throughout most of the world. Conjecture on my >> part >>>>>> is >>>>>>> that Nikon and Canon especially have reached critical mass for >> DSLR's. >>>>>>> Meaning that a true amateur might end up with a Pentax, Olympus, of >>>>>> Minolta; >>>>>>> but anyone who has done research and wants to fit in(notice the >> logical >>>>>>> argument) would buy anything but Canon or Nikon. Exception to this >> rule >>>>>>> would be the large number of Pentax lovers who will buy the brand >>>>>> because of >>>>>>> lens compatibility, price, size, and feature set. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> So, unless the Alpha and the Olympus new models truly walk on water >> and >>>>>> take >>>>>>> pictures of Aliens and Angeline J's new baby then they will suffer >> the >>>>>> fate >>>>>>> of the Olympus and Minolta SLR's which is abandonment and >>>>>> discontinuation. >>>>>>> Even the Japanese companies will no longer continue a line that >> loses >>>>>> money >>>>>>> in perpetuity. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On the other hand Canon especially and Nikon as well can not build >> their >>>>>>> models fast enough. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Don >>>>>>> don.dory@gmail.com >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On 6/23/06, Grduprey@aol.com <Grduprey@aol.com> wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> In a message dated 6/21/2006 5:03:14 PM Central Daylight Time, >>>>>>>> bdcolen@comcast.net writes: >>>>>>>> Boy, is that the truth. The B mode is nice to have for macro work, >> or >>>>>>>> perhaps for formal portraiture. But the A, real-time live view is >> what >>>>>>>> makes the E330 special. So all the Panisonic really has is a truly >>>>>> crappy >>>>>>>> viewfinder, analogue controls, and a 'Leica' lens? No wonder >> Olympus >>>>>> was >>>>>>>> willing to license the technology to them. ;-) >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> The really sad thing is our local Oly dealer can't give them >>>>>> away. But >>>>>>>> the >>>>>>>> D200's and 30D's are flying off the shelves. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Gene >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>>>> Leica Users Group. >>>>>>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more >> information >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>>> Leica Users Group. >>>>>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more >> information >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> ------------------------------------- >>>>>> regards, mehrdad >>>>>> >>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>> Leica Users Group. >>>>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Leica Users Group. >>>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Leica Users Group. >>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> ------------------------------------- >>> regards, mehrdad >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> ___ >> Sent from handheld device. Please forgive any typos or spelling errors. >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information