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[OM] Re: E-1 sold out

Subject: [OM] Re: E-1 sold out
From: Andrew Dacey <adacey@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 14:16:50 -0300
On 8/2/05, Dorothée Rapp <om@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Over here it's no secret that there will be a lower level fourthirds
> body in autumn (can't remember if by Olympus or another brand) and a
> highlevel E around spring...

I know there's been a lot of rumours floating around about a low(er)
level body coming out first but it seems like there may be some
growing evidence to the contrary. The E-300 is a much more competitive
prosumer body than the E-1 is as a pro body compared to the current
lineups from the competition. I believe that E-300 sales are still
going well while the E-1 sales seem to be slumping given how much
we're hearing about discounts on E-1 kits. Now we're hearing from John
that at least in the US the E-1 and 14-54 kit has been discontinued.
Plus the lens roadmap seems to indicate some new pro orientated lenses
should be arriving soon (likely during the fall new product cycle)
with the 14-35/2.0, 35-100/2.0 and 90-250/2.8 all listed as due out in
2005 (as well as a normal macro and a telephoto macro).

It seems as if Olympus is poised to do a big launch of a new pro
lineup with a new pro body and the 3 pro zoom lenses all launched at
the same time. It seems odd (to me) to launch the new pro lenses
without a new pro body to go along with it to tempt people to the
system. Yes, existing E-1 users would be happy but other users aren't
as likely to be swayed by the "weak" E-1 or the E-300.

Perhaps the plan had been to release a new low level body in the fall
and wait until the spring for the pro body but that may have changed
given the sales performance of both offerings. Or, it could be
possible that the new body this fall will be something with more pro
features than the E-300 but not having quite as many features as the
eeventual E-1 replacement would have. Look at C*n*n, you have the
digital rebels at the low end (sort of E-300 equivalent) then the 20D
in the middle and the 1D's at the high end. If Olympus is thinking
along similar lines then the body this fall could be their answer to
the 20D and the body in the spring could be their attempt at something
more at the 1D level.

Granted that's all just speculation on my behalf. Just because
something seems to make sense to me doesn't mean that it makes sense
to Olympus.
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