Mamiya RIP

Trius said:
Clarence: The digital revolution on which Chris commented was the digital [/I]photography "revolution", specifically, digital capture in professional and amateur cameras. It is certainly conceivable that we could have had the PC and telecom evolution without digicams. In fact, I recall using the internet for discussions (newsgroups, Genie forums, etc.) well before digital cameras were extant.
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I used 'digital revolution' in a general sense because I believe that each part of the revolution is organically related to the other. What I mean is that you can't have your internet cake and eat it, without seeing concurrent development in other sectors. When they find a better, cheaper way to make better, cheaper semiconductors, the industry will find each and every field of use they can sell those semiconductors to.

And lest we forget, much of the development in the machine and early digital age was spurred by the intensive spending on military research during of the Cold War. Even the Internet has its roots there. I don't know about how it is now, though.

Clarence
 
Let me add up these numbers. Cosmos, an IT firm, buys the whole business for $1,000,000 and takes on the $91,000,000 debts of Mamiya Optical. That's a $92,000,000 purchase.

So what's the plan? A liquidation sale or to continue some part of Mamiya Optical's former product line?
 
well, pro medium format has been well dead and buried for some time now. this won't be the last funeral we attend. sad, but I am sure there were plenty of people 100 years ago who lamented giving up their beloved horses.

as a graphic designer, I am not sad to see my 3 day develop/inspect/scan/send out for hires window disappear. They still make saddles, they'll still make medium format and film. In fact, you might see more interesting stuff from left field now that it is a hobby market and not pro. Hobbiests can't pay top $$ like pros can but as long as there's a market, someone will fill it. Just look at the business cosina has been doing.

So, what does this do to the value of my mamiya 6? That's the real question! (for me at least.)
 
😀
shaaktiman said:
In fact, you might see more interesting stuff from left field now that it is a hobby market and not pro. Hobbiests can't pay top $$ like pros can but as long as there's a market, someone will fill it. Just look at the business cosina has been doing.
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exactly. We're likely to see a growth in the diversity of film offerings. Some 'boutique' stuff. Small makers will finally have a shot at making some money - and they'll have very loyal customers.

Now that the bottom line will not be what defines a company's market direction, this might actually be a good thing. In some ways.

As for Mamiya, well, MF has been dead for a long time. So has 35mm. . . but that is only true for the pros and the consumer market. We are the music makers. We are the market that matters. We create the art that gives photography its best side. We are the passionate few. Or many.

Group hug.

😀
 
shaaktiman said:
well, pro medium format has been well dead and buried for some time now. this won't be the last funeral we attend. sad, but I am sure there were plenty of people 100 years ago who lamented giving up their beloved horses.
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Oh yes, and I believe there would have been even more weepin an wailin if they were to give up their horses to donkeys, like we do. 🙂
 
Oh yes, and I believe there would have been even more weepin an wailin if they were to give up their horses to donkeys, like we do.
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?????

dis on digital?
 
The Mamiya 645 is certainly one of the top bodies to attach a digital back to -- almost all digital back manufacturers not only support this body, but appear to be actively promoting it as an answer to the Hasselblad/Imacon solution. Sales are brisk to say the least. It suggests to me that either they had a large inventory of 645's, or the factory is still churning out product.

J Michael Sullivan
Editor/Publisher, MAGNAchrom
www.magnachrom.com
 
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