It is a fact that when pro DLSR's were around 3-4 Mpix, MF digital backs sold rather well, while now they no longer do. As I wrote for ages (with little approval here), in practical use digital APS format replaces 35mm, while digital 24x36mm replaces MF. Most amateur photographers don't believe that, while many (not sure if most) pros do that every day.
So at the end digital MF will be more or less equivalent to film LF, both in performance and sales.
I'm afraid that within one year or so most MF makers will be either out of business or downsized to niche players, selling a few hundred cameras a year worldwide (just like LF makers were in the past), including those backed up by strong digital technology (like Hasselblad-Imacon is for sure). Of course, I can be wrong. We'll check next year.
Dario
----- Original Message ----- From: "P�l Jensen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2005 6:40 PM
Subject: Re: Special Interview with PENTAX @PMA
Dario wrote:
Except that a good 10-16 Mpix full-format DSLR outperforms the needs of say
99% of pros.
The same could be said about 35mm. Anyway, I don't believe needs has anything to do with it. 99% of pros doesn't need an F5 either but they use it anyway. As longs as performance can be had without too much hassle and price handicap it will find its market regardless of needs. Needs are pretty much defined by whats available.
For that reason, Bronica gave up, while rumors say that Contax
and Hasselblad will be the next makers going out of business or downsizing a
lot. And Sinar is not going better. I didn't notice Rollei at PhotoShow last
weekend. I don't know how Mamiya is going.
The reason is simply that none of these companies have the resources or the know-how to make digital cameras. They are all backyard companies compared to Pentax. Unless they are being bought up by a major player they are without a future.
Now I can understand why Pentax is hesitating a lot in making the 645D. Dario (in the bush :-)
Are they hesitating?
It seems to me like Pentax is building a completely new customer base for the K-mount system, gradually introducing upgrade paths for the *ist D's without much regard for present Pentax users into high-end already. The immediate high-end offering seem to be into medium format. To me me it seems like Pentax have no other option if they want to be a major DSLR player; a $5000 Pentax K-mount DSLR simply won't sell whereas there are plenty of MF users, Pentax or otherwise, that might consider a MF based DSLR. There's a significasnt number of photographers who won't even consider digital until it offers considerably higher image quality than whats available from film based media.
P�l
