Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/10/03
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I think in the next several years we are going to see a lot of companies fall by the wayside. I think that we need to worry about the longevity of Minolta, Pentax, Rollei, Hasselblad, and Mamiya to name a few. Any company that is not number one or two in the market will be feeling severe financial strains from the product cycle and supply chain buy back issues. An example is the recent review of the Imacon back versus the Kodak full frame 14n and the original 1Ds. Any rational studio that does not do billboard sized image would never in a million years spend the $22K for the Imacon back when $4.5K to $8K will buy the functional equivalent for sizes through 16X20. With few people making the purchase then the price goes up for those who truly do make their living creating images that will be huge. This creates cycle where fewer and fewer purchases are made. Result, maybe one medium format vehicle left standing. In the smaller format wars, I see Canon and Sony standing after two more years. Everyone else, it depends on the number of boxes sold in the next two years. The last time the photography industry consolidated it took the introduction of the Nikon F to announce the beginning of the end and the introduction of auto exposure to end many companies existence. This time, it started with the D1 and probably ends by next Christmas, Kwanza, Hanukkah or winter solstice holiday of your choice. Ah, you ask, why haven't I mentioned Leica? I think that Leica will survive a little longer as a small company making a differentiated product that has a nostalgic appeal. 0.02 Don dorysrus@mindspring.com -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+dorysrus=mindspring.com@leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+dorysrus=mindspring.com@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of eric Sent: Sunday, October 03, 2004 6:39 AM To: Leica Users Group Subject: Re: [Leica] OT: Bronica SLR finished No - But falling costs got me to buy a Hasselblad 500c/m and three lenses. I have been doing a lot of house portraits with the 50mm FLE. Stunning lens. old topic - but hoping for a 22 MP 6x6 back within 2K range.. Eric ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Rabiner" <mark@rabinergroup.com> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org> Sent: Sunday, October 03, 2004 7:25 AM Subject: Re: [Leica] OT: Bronica SLR finished > On 10/2/04 8:39 PM, "Allen Graves" <ahgraves@prodigy.net> typed: > >> I find the end of the line for a camera brand sad, as does almost >> everyone else here. Nonetheless. does anyone on this list actually >> know anyone who actually BOUGHT a NEW Bronica SLR in the last 2 or 3 >> years. let alone the last 10 years? >> >> Allen >> >> > One of my closest friends went that route. The 6x6. But also used a Fuji > 6x8. > Whey they upgraded the lenses he upgraded his. > >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > Mark Rabiner > Photography > Portland Oregon > http://rabinergroup.com/ > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information