Four Thirds User talks to Olympus Imaging president Masaharu Okubo

[RogerMac]

I am sure that Canikon will do everything possible to protect their lens sales (which are probably much more profitable than most of their cameras) so the last thing they will want is for bring out a mFT range and watch the happy buyers upgrade by putting Oly and Panasonic lenses onto their bodies. At the same time it will be very dificult to use their existing lens ranges on a format comporable to mFT. I suspect that some very clever engineers are working hard on this problem but at the moment they do seem to be between a rock and a hard place.

Roger

[Bob Ross]

Originally Posted by Ian

You can make smaller lenses by compromising on the optics. The APS-C sensor Sigma DP1 and DP2 have very small lenses, though these are considered to be quite good, optically.

Ian

Another thought here is whether the Samsung entry will follow the Pentax K mount via adapters. If so, there will be access to the Pentax Pancakes or the designers could adapt those pancake designs to the shorter registration distance. I wouldn't write Samsung off on lenses since they have access to Schneider and Pentax for help. We could have a Samsung/Pentax partnership to meet Panasonic/Oly in the Nullamirror market place. Another possibility would a DP-interchangeable lens model from Sigma.
Creating a new line of lenses isn't practical or cost effective for those that have large design inventories for reflex cameras, like Canon and Nikon. A market success with Nullamirrors might drive them to break that inertia, if they are losing ground. The sensativity point might actuall show up in the high end digicam like the G10 for Canon, rather than in the entry DSLRs. The consumer divisions of camera companies operate differently than the DSLR/Pro divisions, so that is a wild card.
Bob

[Idle_Bull]

The problem with the Pentax Pancakes on a smaller body is the fact that they don't have a built in AF motor, so the body and adaptor will need to incorporate the small screw drive to gain Auto focus.

I think Olympus' and Panasonics advantage is designing the system from the ground up to be fully integrated. It's the only way you can achieve the size reduction that a lot of consumers require.

[Ian]

Originally Posted by Bob Ross

Another thought here is whether the Samsung entry will follow the Pentax K mount via adapters. If so, there will be access to the Pentax Pancakes or the designers could adapt those pancake designs to the shorter registration distance. I wouldn't write Samsung off on lenses since they have access to Schneider and Pentax for help. We could have a Samsung/Pentax partnership to meet Panasonic/Oly in the Nullamirror market place. Another possibility would a DP-interchangeable lens model from Sigma.
Creating a new line of lenses isn't practical or cost effective for those that have large design inventories for reflex cameras, like Canon and Nikon. A market success with Nullamirrors might drive them to break that inertia, if they are losing ground. The sensativity point might actuall show up in the high end digicam like the G10 for Canon, rather than in the entry DSLRs. The consumer divisions of camera companies operate differently than the DSLR/Pro divisions, so that is a wild card.
Bob

When I spoke to both Samsung and Pentax at PMA and although both denied that their DSLR cooperation was finished, there were signs that this cooperation is changing. I expect Samsung to produce a more independent successor to the GX10/20, bearing less in the way of Pentax hallmarks. Indeed, Pentax has launched several DSLRs since the K-20D and the GX20 twins were born at the beginning of last year, but Samsung has not followed.

I understand that the Samsung mFT rival has next to no input from Panasonic.

Ian