Interview session with Olympus Imaging Corporation management
After the launch presentations and short hands-on, the Singapore and Malaysian media team had an interview session with Olympus Imaging Corporation managment.
Olympus Imaging Corporation managment with participants from the Singapore and Malaysian media
Mr Matt Kobuchi, Senior Manager, Asia Middle East Business Group, starting our session with an introduction. He also spent alot of time with us throughout our stay and took very good care of us
Mr Masaharu Okubo, President of Olympus Imaging Corporation managment making an opening speech
Olympus currently has a market share of 7% - 8% globally in the DSLR industry and aims to increase its share to 20% within 4 - 5 years. Mr Masaharu Okubo says that Olympus believes that with the highest image quality, highest mobility, highest reliability with incorporated technology will help them to achieve this target.
Many questions were asked during this session and an interpreter was on hand to translate "on-the-fly" between Japanese and English.
Our translator, whom I believe also did the translation for the earlier presentations, did a great job here
Here are some
excerpts from the Q&A session:
Posed Question:
With all the effort that has been put in, although it is very difficult to choose, what is the feature that the team is most happy with and proud of that represents the product?
Answers:
(Haruo Ogawa, Division Manager / General Manager, Product Strategy Division, Design Center) - AF System and additionally, the Image Stabilisation which gives a max of 5 stops compensation.
(Yasuo Asakura, General Manager, Product R&D Department) - Agrees with Mr Haruo Ogawa but wanted to stress the highest Image Quality that is also a very key area (greater dynamic range, sensitivity, speed of processing, etc)
(Masaharu Okubo, President) - Feels that the E-3 has been the crystalisation and consummation everyone's dedicated hardwork and in particular of the development team and he is most proud of that.
Posed Question:
Product cycle - many fans have been waiting for a long time for the E-3 to arrive, will Olympus be committing to shortening the product cycle?
Answer:
(Haruo Ogawa) - The product cycles will not be as long as has taken for the E-3 and are sure that, in the coming years, they will introduce new products every year.
Posed Question:
Competitors Nikon and Canon have a very strong following in the Professional market. Does Olympus see this as a very important market to tackle and if so, how is Olympus going to draw more professionals users to actively use the E-3?
Answers:
(Toshiaki Gomi, Director, Member of the Board, Division Manager, Global Sales & Marketing Division) - Professional users carry a "big voice" and this is a very important market. Such users have also been deeply involved in the development of the E-3. In the past, for a while, Olympus chose to stay quiet in this segment. However, now in chapter 2, with such good technology on hand, they are now going to actively pursue this segment.
(Haruo Ogawa) - It is also expected that with the introduction of the E-3, the user's workflow will also be greatly eased and simplified.
Posed Question:
Olympus is well known for its underwater housing. As the E-3 is developed for nature, will Olympus be developing the underwater housing itself or will it develop with a partner? Also, when would it be expected for release?
Answer:
(Haruo Ogawa) - In the E series, it is already available for the E410. For the E-3, Olympus plans to develop in conjunction with a partner who is strong and experience in this are. Hence Olympus recommends to use that company's underwater housing for use with the E-3. The timing of the announcement will more or less be concurrent with the commercial launch of the product.