Why no olmpuses?

[Rick Waldroup]

alot of people don't like small viewfinders or a 4:3 ratio.

This was the one thing that worried me the most about making the switch to the 4/3 system. But in the end, it was not a deal breaker, either.

I shot a Contax G system for a number of years and the viewfinders on them are small and squinty. I found the viewfinders on my L1 and E-1 a lot like those. Once again, I think it has to do with what type of photography you do. And for what I shoot, the small viewfinder was not a problem. Plus, after a while, you get used to it.

 

[Village Idiot]

"prodigy" eh?

 

[prodigy2k7]

by no means does my name mean the definition.... lol...its actually a band I used to listen to when I was younger...

 

[photo28]

Like I said- I think that some people don't buy Olympus because of its lenses. They are top quality no doubt and probabaly some of the best lenses out there are Olympus, but they are definately more expensive than other companys which you could get a good lens for $150. Olympus you would have to pay at least $300+. The Evolt E-410 camera body sells for around $330, some places are ridicolous and go with $600 for it, I found a good deal for $329.99.

 

[Bifurcator]

All DSLRs should be weathered sealed, its really not that expensive is it?....

Some bodies have 50 or 60 seals. I guess that steps up the cost of production quite a few percentage points. That said, it's still probably ridiculously inexpensive. Not including the image sensor, memory, or glass I guess no modern camera costs more than $5 or $10 to manufacture (materials, labor and energy). I guess it could be twice that but I highly doubt it.

The way they look at it though is if they can save $0.50 per unit then they've saved $500,000.00 for every million units produced. And that's probably close to the combined salaries of everyone needed to operate the factory for a whole year.

 

[prodigy2k7]

But Bi, maybe more people would buy them if they were sealed. It is a good plus! It would be awesome if theya re water resistant to 10 feet of water!! haha... So I quick drop in the bath tub wouldnt hurt! I bet cameras do cost more then $10 tho, They still have other electronics and mechanics inside... Such as the processor, and all the other computer chips in there...

 

[photo28]

well, they dont cost what they sell them for!

 

[Bifurcator]

Yeah, one of my jobs here in Japan was teaching business English and etiquette to branch chiefs, company officers, EO's, etc. at various factories. Toyota, Suzuki, Honda, Fuji Kikai, and a few others. You would be really surprised at how low production costs actually are. For example - wanna know how much it costs to make the top luxury class automobile at Toyota (materials, labor, and power) in 1980?

You won't believe me.

~$150.00 (yeah, you read it right. about one hundred and fifty dollars.) According to a plant financial officer. Just materials was "about $50.00". He also said that just considering materials, labor, and power consumption (which is really pretty much everything) that there was very little difference between their top luxury models and their el-cheep-o's economy class models.

Other conversations at different factories with various executives (when they would talk about it) were pretty much the same. The actual assembly line process and parts are so cheap (low cost) it's scary.

Being in and around these factories really was very educational. For example Toyota mines their own iron ore and walks it every step from the reddish sand into the all the finished bin parts ready for assembly. Same with all the fabrics, foam, and plastics used too. Etc. etc. It's very interesting!

 

[photo28]

WOW!!! $150 I know they sell them so much more then what it costs to make them but I would have never guessed $150. How much did the car sell for?
what a rip-off

 

[usayit]

Clothing is even worse. A pants that cost just a few cents to manufacturer.

 

[Vautrin]

Clothing is even worse. A pants that cost just a few cents to manufacturer.

But then you hang it in that trendy storefront in NYC where it costs $500 / sqft / month and you start to see where the real costs come in.

 

[photo28]

that is ridiculous how these companies get away with it! I wish everyone on Earth would just stop buying cameras (or anything) for a few weeks and let the price go down to its actual price and buy... if only that could happen.

 

[reg]

that is ridiculous how these companies get away with it! I wish everyone on Earth would just stop buying cameras (or anything) for a few weeks and let the price go down to its actual price and buy... if only that could happen.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this.

 

[Bifurcator]

WOW!!! $150 I know they sell them so much more then what it costs to make them but I would have never guessed $150. How much did the car sell for?
what a rip-off

Well, that's not counting paying for all the line robots, the engineering, the designers, the shipping (which they also do themselves), the sales, and etc. etc.

That's just the materials, factory labor, and energy consumption that go into one physical unit after everything is tooled and set up for that model.

While I do think it's a rip off in allot of ways I also think most of the factory manufactured goods in our culture are too, computers, cameras, automobiles, etc.

But it's also how our economy floats. The fractional reserve system that so much of the world has bought into (no pun intended) has made it seem so much more outrageous. It's also allot to do with trade agreements. There are regulations against what the top dogs call "dumping" and manufacturers have their hands tied in allot of ways. They can't just say: "OK, we're going to be totally honest and fair and sell you any model you want for $2,000 even."

I just brought up this aspect of the manufacturing process as an example of the probable cost of adding seals to all models.


Also if everyone stopped buying stuff what would that do to the economies of the world. I assume you all know how the fractional reserve system works with inflation and deflation etc.... (Of course if you really do then you really DO know what a rip-off it all really is tee-hee-hee... But that's the system we're in till we decide to change it.)

 

[Crazydad]

There are other costs to keep in mind. Like the amount set a side per unit (of whatever it is) for marketing, R&D for new products, servicing existing units, legal defence fund for lawsuits (which in today's society every company get sued).

Also the cost in complying with government regulations has to be factored in. I was in the car business in the 90's and when the average car cost $20K USD, over $5K of the cost (not retail) was spent to comply with government regulations (here in the US). Specifically what is called OBDII diagnostics system which required a complete re-design of the electronics for every car sold in the US.

And it always amuses me when people complain about companies making money. They say the company is charging too much, but basic economics dictates that an object's worth is what someone is willing to pay for it. If Nikon/Canon can charge $800 for their newest camera and people buy it, then it is not over priced for the market. Regardless of what it cost them to make it. If no one buys it, then the market dictated that it was over-priced and they can either lower the price or stop making it.


Their (and every company out there) job is to make the best return possible for their owners/shareholders. We, the consuming public, are the ones that dictate the prices. If you think something is over-priced, don't buy it, buy a competitor's item. That is the beautiful thing about a free market economy, there is always competition and we have the ability to tell the manufacturers how much we'll pay. If you think that new camera/lens/car/etc. is over-priced but you buy it anyway, was it really over-priced?