Add to that that all the model numbers just changed. The D and C models are
all gone, replaced with SP-310 (7.1 meg, 3X zoom)), SP-500 (6 meg, 10x
zoom), SP-350 (8 meg, 3x zoom), FE-100 (4 meg, 2.8x zoom), FE-110 (5 meg,
2.8x zoom), FE-120 (6 meg, 3x zoom)
John Hermanson
Camtech Photo Services, Inc.
21 South Lane, Huntington, NY 11743
631-424-2121 | omtech@xxxxxxxxx
www.zuiko.com
Factory Trained OM Service since 1977
__________________________________
----- Original Message -----
From: "Moose" <olymoose@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <olympus@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2005 11:12 PM
Subject: [OM] Re: Oly Woes
> Winsor Crosby wrote:
>
>>Looking to improve the situation, the company is planning to
>>significantly change its overall product mix for the digital camera
>>market, which is currently dominated by compact models (72%), with
>>digital SLRs making up just 3% of sales, and other products the
>>remaining 25%.
>>
> Guess I wasn't the only one to buy a compact other than an Oly this
> year. As I've posted before, I find the Oly line of compacts to be
> incredibly confusing, with very different cameras with similar names,
> similar appearing models with different sounding names, just a sea of
> models with no clear differentiations between them. And don't try to
> explain it to me. I'm not in the market now. And besides, Oly had to
> make it clear before I bought a camera. Somebody else explaining it
> later is of no use to me or Oly.
>
> Not that the model number confusion is anything new to them. When I was
> once considering one of the Stylus zooms, I was shocked to discover that
> what was really two (or more...) lines, one with higher build quality
> and another pushing features and zoom range - all in one set of names
> differentiated only be zoom range. NUTS!
>
> Most of the other makes have fairly clearly differentiated lines. The
> alpha part of the name tells something about general size/function and
> the numbers go up with succeeding models.
>
> The other thing I've said before is that the Oly compact models are
> really undistinguished in features and performance. The only semi-unique
> thing they have is the splash proof models. Otherwise, everything is
> just middle of the pack. And there is a big market out there for really
> small cameras with decent performance, and Oly just doesn't do that,
> heaven knows why. When I was looking for a small camera for one son's
> birthday last year, Oly didn't have a single camera in the size feature
> range I was looking for - and Can*n and others had been making them for
> 2-3 years. I put an Oly in the final three for him to pick from and it
> was rejected based on size. Oh, the one he did choose works very well.
>
> So I'm not surprised that they lost money in compacts. Without clear
> product lines, marketing becomes a disorganized mishmash. Add to that
> neither outstanding feature sets nor outstanding performance, and it's
> no wonder sales disappoint. All of these little cameras take decent pics
> under ordinary circumstances for the majority of users. So you have to
> distinguish yourself in one or more ways from the pack.
>
>>In three years, the company is forecasting 20% of its
>>digital camera sales to be DSLR models, with compact models
>>constituting 60%. Two years later, the mix is expected to be 30%
>>DSLR, and 40% compact models.
>>
>>
> That means either a very much smaller company or an enormous increase in
> DSLR sales. What's the saturation point for DSLR sales where growth
> rates drop to replacement level? And when will it be reached? These are
> crucial questions for anyone aiming to vastly increase their sales and
> share and I bet nobody doing the "planning that came up with those
> numbers even looked at that. It's so easy to assume that what goes up
> will always go up.
>
> Don't get me wrong, I wish Oly well, and wish they would make cameras
> for me, too. It's a rough world out there in commodity manufacturing and
> Oly hasn't done themselves many favors lately.
>
> Moose, fondling an OM-4
>
>
> ==============================================
> List usage info: http://www.zuikoholic.com
> List nannies: olympusadmin@xxxxxxxxxx
> ==============================================
>
==============================================
List usage info: http://www.zuikoholic.com
List nannies: olympusadmin@xxxxxxxxxx
==============================================
|