Why are MMF-1 / MMF-2 adapters so expensive?

Question

Why is it that MMF-1 / MMF-2 adapters (the ones that convert from 4/3 to Micro 4/3) are that expensive?! They seem to be at least $140 on eBay, $250 on Amazon!

Is this a way for Olympus to force you into buying new Micro 4/3 lenses? Or are they technically complicated to build? Isn't is just a metal ring and a bunch of contacts?

Are there cheaper alternatives out there?

Answer

It's partly because they can be. Yes, it is a bit of precision machining with tight tolerances, it is multi-part and multi-material by nature, but it's also the poster child for niche markets. It requires buyers who have a substantial investment in Four Thirds lenses (and by "substantial" I don't mean a huge collection -- just enough to make purchasing new lenses distasteful) and a Micro Four Thirds camera.

It's telling that other "names" in the adapter field, like Adaptimax and Bower, don't offer a 4/3-μ4/3 adapter; that's sort of a giveaway about the size of the potential market, isn't it? Given that the tooling, quality control, packaging, marketing and distribution are all non-trivial, it's not just a matter of weighing the materials and adding a reasonable mark-up. It costs money just to put the things in inventory, and if the low-enders aren't bothering, there's probably a reason for it: they can't make the things at a profit.

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