Olympus tells at Dpreview: “We think the transfer of the Imaging Division will have a positive effect on our imaging business. We will continue to develop the Micro Four Thirds system”

Image courtesy Dpreview

In an interview released at Dpreview Setsuya Kataoka, VP of Global Strategy, Olympus Imaging Division said this:

First, I would like to stress that the sale of the Imaging Division does not mean that we will withdraw from the imaging business. We will continue to offer unique and exciting products. Of course there will be some changes in management, and transformation of the organizational structure after the transfer, but these changes are to stabilize the business and strengthen the organization and our operations. We think the transfer of the Imaging Division will have a positive effect on our imaging business.

Maybe I am missing something but I can’t figure out the meaning of this statement. They sell the Imaging Division but this is not the end of their Imaging Business? Only rationale answer I can give myself is that Olympus will retain a considerable share in the new company they will make with JIP. Still I wonder why than future cameras cannot use the “Olympus” name

And here some more news:

• Production of existing models will continue even after the sale to JIP
• He also said: “I don’t expect that anything will happen that will not be good for our users. In all of our conversations about the transfer, ‘user first’ has been the bottom line.“
• Future focus will be on High-end cameras and lenses and he stresses that “we will continue to develop the Micro Four Thirds system“

I don’t know, but I still have mixed feeling in this. It’s hard to trust Olympus manager after they told us many time this year they wouldn’t seel the Imaging Business…