Olympus will continue with MFT amidst all the FF mirrorless choices.

[Ross the fiddler]

Thankfully there is a more portable choice in camera gear that isn't Full Frame (whatever that is supposed to mean), 35mm format & mirrorless with all the announcements around now.
At Photokina Olympus reinforced their commitment to the Micro Four Thirds system being the ideal size format for portability & sufficiently good results, not to mention all the great features they offer in it. Next year is their big year being their 100 year anniversary. Rumours are (at least from one particular source) they will bring an E-M1 Mk III with much improved low light performance & higher ISO range, an MC20 2.0 times teleconverter & a PEN-F Mk II (at least in Japan to start with) all to come around March 2019. Also they will (says this source) announce a 150-400mm F4.0-5.6 lens to come at the end of 2019 (as planned). I assume (& would expect) it will have Sync IS as well.

Anyhow, there will be those getting into one of the FF mirrorless offerings now or next year but I feel that the FF format suddenly became saturated with (5 ?) different manufacturers bringing their version of a FF mirrorless camera. At least there will be choice, I guess. And thankfully also a choice that doesn't require a pack horse to carry it.

[ameerat42]

... And thankfully also a choice that doesn't require a pack horse to carry it.

But you can bet that if they do, the pack-horse will be suitably marketed as the latest must-have accessory
People will race out to buy one, and then the harness, hay, pack-horse insurance, counselling services and retirement
paddocks for tired pack-horses...

[Tannin]

"MFT" is an unfortunate choice of abbreviation. I thought you meant it as shorthand for "medium format", and was mildly surprised to see Olympus going that way, though only mildly (not greatly) surprised. Sad, in a way, they they aren't, but in reality I doubt that there is room for anyone else new in that market alongside Pentax.

[Floribunda]

I hope you are right about the 150-400mm lens Ross.
(sigh) I’d better start saving now.

[Ross the fiddler]

"MFT" is an unfortunate choice of abbreviation. I thought you meant it as shorthand for "medium format", and was mildly surprised to see Olympus going that way, though only mildly (not greatly) surprised. Sad, in a way, they they aren't, but in reality I doubt that there is room for anyone else new in that market alongside Pentax.

Micro Four Thirds is an unfortunate name too. It should have been known as Mirrorless Four Thirds as that is what it really is as some uninformed buyers think of it as a camera with a tiny sensor (that some like to insult with). I Usually use M4/3's for an abbreviation but others use "MFT" & why I used it here in the title. Bad choice on my part.

[Tannin]

No worries, no harm done. It made me think for a moment, that's all. And a Olympus medium format product would be pretty cool.

Errr .... matter of detail and all that but it is a tiny sensor! One quarter the size of the sensor in a 5D or a K1 or an A7 or D850. Any buyer not thinking of a 4/3rds system as having a tiny sensor would indeed be badly uninformed. (I'm not saying don't buy one, people take some lovely pictures with Olympus cameras, I'm just saying be aware of the trade-offs.)

[Ross the fiddler]

1/2.3" is a 'tiny' sensor, 1/1.7" is a little larger & then there is the 1" sensor. And larger than that is a 4/3's sensor. Not tiny though.

[Tannin]

It's 225 mm2. A typical DSLR is 864 mm2.

[Ross the fiddler]

It's 225 mm2. A typical DSLR is 864 mm2.

Am I supposed to congratulate you now?
Anyhow, this is the dimension of the 4/3's sensor 17.4 mm (H) x 13.0 mm (V) & it is an ideal compromise between being a portable size system & quality (& getting better).
At Photokina Panasonic had on display in their M4/3's section two packed camera bags hanging off scales. One with a M4/3's DSLM & lenses with another being a FF DSLR with similar reach lenses etc. The first being about 2.7kg & the latter 11.3kg. Micro Four Thirds system was designed for a reason & that reason was to give reasonable quality at a reasonable size & weight, not large & heavy like FF DSLR systems. With the FF DSLM systems now available & coming, they won't be a lot lighter in weight or bulk than their DSLR counterpart compared to M4/3's systems that we don't need a pack horse to carry.

Anyhow, my post was about Olympus (as well as Panasonic) being committed to staying with the M4/3's system, bringing more during their 100th anniversary year in 2019 & not being tied to Photokina for the announcement or release of their products.

[Nick Cliff]

Ross I agree with you on the weight bit especially in hot weather when having the ability able to carry water is important.
I feel for landscapes you can often stitch photos so easily now if higher definition is required so the sensor size is not always problem.

Go micro 4/3rd's

cheers Nick

[Bensch]

Also they will (says this source) announce a 150-400mm F4.0-5.6 lens to come at the end of 2019 (as planned). I assume (& would expect) it will have Sync IS as well.

Woohoo, starting to save my dollaridoos now!

Good thing about MFT gear, you can fit twice the amount in a camera bag compared to larger lenses

[swifty]

Thankfully there is a more portable choice in camera gear that isn't Full Frame (whatever that is supposed to mean), 35mm format & mirrorless with all the announcements around now.
At Photokina Olympus reinforced their commitment to the Micro Four Thirds system being the ideal size format for portability & sufficiently good results, not to mention all the great features they offer in it. Next year is their big year being their 100 year anniversary. Rumours are (at least from one particular source) they will bring an E-M1 Mk III with much improved low light performance & higher ISO range, an MC20 2.0 times teleconverter & a PEN-F Mk II (at least in Japan to start with) all to come around March 2019. Also they will (says this source) announce a 150-400mm F4.0-5.6 lens to come at the end of 2019 (as planned). I assume (& would expect) it will have Sync IS as well.

Anyhow, there will be those getting into one of the FF mirrorless offerings now or next year but I feel that the FF format suddenly became saturated with (5 ?) different manufacturers bringing their version of a FF mirrorless camera. At least there will be choice, I guess. And thankfully also a choice that doesn't require a pack horse to carry it.

Hi Ross, I caught your comment on the other forum about this source with the info on next year's products.
Can you elaborate on who's this Simon and what his track record is like? Where can I find his writing on what he's predicting?

[Ross the fiddler]

Hi Ross, I caught your comment on the other forum about this source with the info on next year's products.
Can you elaborate on who's this Simon and what his track record is like? Where can I find his writing on what he's predicting?

Simon has been making comments here. This is one (that I kept on quoting him, but he also says his bit further down). Also here too. He seems to get reliable information & has done before too.
I can't find the link for when he replied to me (but I saved it),
"Hi Ross ,
the good thing about the sale of the EM 1 MK III in March 2019 is that Olympus is also announcing a real top lens. Yes, unfortunately only announced. They will announce the 150 - 400 F4 - F5.6 and deliver the lens (as planned) at the end of 2019.
And as far as I have heard, the PEN F II is also coming, as it sells much better in Japan than in Europe, especially for the Japanese market. But also in Europe and US later. But I was also told that currently no EM 5 MK III will come.
Look forward to the new sensor. The megapixel specialists will be disappointed :-). Me Not !!!
Greets
Simon"

Hopefully what he has heard still comes to fruition. Market & circumstances may effect Olympus's final decision etc.

[swifty]

Simon has been making comments here. This is one (that I kept on quoting him, but he also says his bit further down). Also here too. He seems to get reliable information & has done before too.
I can't find the link for when he replied to me (but I saved it),
"Hi Ross ,
the good thing about the sale of the EM 1 MK III in March 2019 is that Olympus is also announcing a real top lens. Yes, unfortunately only announced. They will announce the 150 - 400 F4 - F5.6 and deliver the lens (as planned) at the end of 2019.
And as far as I have heard, the PEN F II is also coming, as it sells much better in Japan than in Europe, especially for the Japanese market. But also in Europe and US later. But I was also told that currently no EM 5 MK III will come.
Look forward to the new sensor. The megapixel specialists will be disappointed :-). Me Not !!!
Greets
Simon"

Hopefully what he has heard still comes to fruition. Market & circumstances may effect Olympus's final decision etc.

Thanks very much for the info.
I did re-enter m43 briefly recently with a Pen F but after some thorough testing, I decided it wasn't for me. So I look forward to an update next year.
Shame about the E-M5.3 though.
Was really looking for something with the 'guts' of the E-M1.2 but in a smaller body. Was hoping an E-M5.3 would be it but there's hope for the Pen F II.
I also prefer a smaller pixel count for my street shooting so a drop in pixel count but improvement in per-pixel performance would be welcomed for me. Maybe it's that 16MP stacked sensor that was rumoured as an option for the E-M1.2, a couple of years ago.