Right now, an E-1 cannot be properly mounted on a telescope, a
microscope, a bellows system, a copy device (like an illumitrans),
or an endoscope. An OM adaptor would allow all of that,
immediately. That's why I think Olympus won't do it. It seems to
have become company policy to avoid doing simple things that would
increase their market share. Someday, adaptors for these things
may become available, but they are not now (nor any sign of
company commitment), and the technical challenge for making a
microscope adaptor or T-adapter is not really any different from
an OM adaptor (at least a stop-down one).
As an example, an amateur astronomer who is currently using a
T-adaptor with a film SLR, whatever the brand, is not going to get
an E-1. He will buy a Canon/Nikon/whatever digital SLR and a T
adaptor for that brand. If the E-1 had an OM adaptor, it would be
in that market.
Likewise, Olympus endoscopes don't use "old Zuiko lenses", so
making on OM adaptor would not be encouraging their use. Many (I
don't if all) do, however, take an OM body, so the existence of an
OM adaptor would allow the E-1 to be used. Similarly, there
doesn't seem to be any way to mount an Olympus E-1 on an Olympus
microscope. Olympus does make high-priced special purpose digital
backs for endoscopes and microscopes. Maybe they don't want to cut
into sales of those, but a microscopist might just buy a Nikon
that they can get a microscope adaptor for.
When the OM system was introduced, it was introduced as a
full-line system camera with adaptors for all sorts of things, and
specialized accessories, either available immediately or promised
soon. The E-1 just has "maybe some day"s.
Paul Farrar
>
> I have t disagree here. If Olympus wants to sell bodies only to present
> and former OM users, they will indeed have to produce the adaptor. But I
> would suggest that the last thing Olympus, a company far more heavily
> into cutting-edge medical, surgical, and scientific equipment wants to
> do is encourage labs and surgeons to use old Zuiko lenses on the E-1
> body. Don't forget, the company has announced its commitment to produce
> 4-5 new lenses each year for several years. One would assume they will
> be thinking of the markets and uses you mention.
>
> B. D.
>
>
> If Olympus wants their E-1 to be adopted by pros and serious amateurs,
> they are going to have to make something like an OM adapter (maybe a T
> adapter?). Otherwise these users will not be able to use all sorts of
> micro, macro, astro, copy, medical, etc. equipment. An OM adaptor would
> greatly expand the market, not just to OM lens owners, but amateur
> astronomers, medical labs, surgeons, etc. It would be an almost
> cost-free way to greatly increase the potential market. Therefore, based
> on the last decade's record, I predict they won't do it.
>
> Paul Farrar
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