Not ford, GM... but Fuji, Bronica, ... ? p-)

Fuji has dropped all its MF rangefinders and folder except for its GX680
studio camera (and bets are it is selling those out of stock, yes?)
leaving just MF lenses under contract (e.g., Hassy H1..) etc.

Bronica has stopped making both the SQAI series (6x6) and GS-1 series
(6x7cm) SLRs. The RF645 rangefinder has not done well as their "new" line,
and may well be shutdown production and selling off from stock. Leaves
just the 30 year old ETR line of 645 SLRs, right? The ETR has the same
loss-leader rebates from the mfger as SQ and GS, suggesting they just
haven't announced the shutdown yet and are exiting MF entirely?

Pentax is rumored to be shutting down the P67 series, and possibly P645?

Zeiss is supposedly reviewing their MF camera lens production for both
Hasselblad and Rollei MF lines. I bet they stay in, but if they are losing
money making hassy and rollei lenses, then who is making money?

Hasselblad just laid off a substantial fraction of their employees (like
1/3rd?), and they are one of the ones supposed to be doing well thanks to
digital back bundled sales?

a number of the specialty MF cameras have shutdown - one panoramic maker
by fire in Japanese factory, others have retired (Vistashift..) etc. Many
promised models of specialty MF cameras (panoramic chinese etc.) haven't
made it to market or were withdrawn from photo shows.

Speaking of photo shows, the last few Shutterbug show reviews noted that
not a single new lens or major piece of MF gear was in evidence at the
nearly all digital shows. Even the MF mfgers pipelines are now empty...

the big $$ spent on AF camera systems R&D and roll-out by Rollei 6008 AF
(only 6x6cm AF), contax AF (most costly 645 with zeiss labeled japanese
made lenses), and so on (- possible exception Hassy H1 among wedding types
thanks to leaf shutter lenses) don't seem to have stimulated sales much,
yes? And $20K digital backs don't seem to be selling much MF either ;-)

Mamiya has yet another losing year losing serious money, and it is another
major player with lots of USA supporters among pros and amateurs which
would be expected to do better than average, esp. thanks to low cost $700+
Mamiya 645E chinese made models and their frequent ads in USA pubs etc.

So yes, sorry for the angst ;-) But there are reasons for doom and gloom
after four years of declining MF sales. Unless the mfgers figure out how
to stimulate sales (and so far, costly digital backs and pricey AF systems
haven't done it), the chances are that many of us will have orphaned
cameras in the near term future (as in 1-2 years). I would not be
surprised to have only a few major players left in MF at this rate soon.

Then again, I expect an industry shakeout in digital cameras too (as noted
in my looong post ;-)

grins bobm


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* Robert Monaghan POB 752182 Southern Methodist Univ. Dallas Tx 75275 *
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