OT: Mamiya Leaving Camera Biz (apparently)

[RJBender]

Good detective work, R.J.!

Didn't you use to have your own TV show? 😀

ScottGee1

Scott,

It's just a little trick I learned a few years ago. It doesn't deserve a TV show though.

<<Laugh Track>>

R.J.

 

[RJBender]

oh tweet

oh tweet

Mamiya to sell camera business
By Michael R. Tomkins, The Imaging Resource
(Friday, April 21, 2006 - 10:12 EDT)

A press release posted on the Japanese website of Mamiya-OP Co. Ltd. today announces that it is to sell its optical instruments business to another company.

Mamiya-OP was formed in October 1992, after the merger of Mamiya Camera Co. Ltd. with Olympic Co. Ltd., a company that manufactured both electronic equipment and fishing tackle. The newly formed company withdrew from the fishing tackle business in December 2000, and currently sells optical equipment including both film and digital cameras in medium format, as well as lenses, tripods, golf equipment, and assorted electronics.

Mamiya notes that the advent of first compact digital cameras, and later high end DSLRs, both badly hurt its sales of medium format cameras. In an attempt to recover, it planned the twenty two megapixel Mamiya ZD SLR, as well as a related digital back for its medium format film cameras. Announced in September 2004, the Mamiya ZD finally reached the market in December 2005. The expense of bringing that camera to market has proven too much to bear, though, with four consecutive quarters of tough financial results.

Given the difficult market for a medium format camera manufacturer, the Board of Directors today approved a contract to sell the entirity of the optical instruments business section to Cosmos Scientific Systems Inc. The plan will be put before shareholders at a general meeting scheduled for June 29th, 2006 - and if approval is gained, the transaction will be concluded on September 1st 2006.

As part of the transaction, Cosmos will take over the property and fixed assets of Mamiya's optical unit, as well as assuming rights to related contracts, patents and trademarks, and certain debts. Mamiya notes that a "considerable number" of their optical unit employees will also move to Cosmos, and the company will also assume responsibility for after-sales service of Mamiya's cameras.

Note: This news item is based on a press release translated from Japanese, and as such may contain errors in translation.

source: http://www.imaging-resource.com/NEWS/1145628753.html

Oh tweet, translation errors.

R.J.

 

[RJBender]

Here's one from PDN:

Mamiya Japan To Sell Camera Business, US Distributor to Merge With Ad Agency

April 21, 2006
In an yet-unconfirmed round of articles posted today online, several sites have reported that the Japanese company Mamiya that makes (among other items) the Mamiya line of medium format cameras, will propose to shareholders the sale of the camera business.

A report, based on the Japanese press release can be found on Imaging Resource.

MAC Group, the U.S. distributor of Mamiya did not send out an official press release on the pending sale of the camera business, but did announce today their plans to merge with an advertising agency. The press release for that is below.

MAC Group Expands, and Merges with Advertising Agency

April 20, 2006 – The New Jersey advertising agency, ChristopherMax Studio, has been merged with MAC Group, announced Jan Lederman, President of the MAC Group. "We have worked closely with them for over 10 years, and as part of our expansion planning, the merger is a natural for us."

Lederman continues: "They currently have seven artists and production support people on staff, and work with a number of additional freelancers and outside graphics houses. By placing our advertising agency adjacent to the MAC Group facility in New York, we will ensure more timely and accurate communications between our marketing, sales, advertising, and public relations executives."

"We are definitely in an expansion mode with our company posting solid gains in 2005 and 2006. As we move forward in this aggressive marketplace, rapid and high quality advertising and communications have become more important than ever. We will be taking additional space to accommodate the requirements of the advertising group, and expect to add to staff to strengthen both our traditional and Web marketing activities."

The new advertising group will be named MACmar. The move is expected to take place by July.

source: http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/prodtech/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002384312

R.J.

 

[Taipei-metro]

The ZD street on 12-21-05, less than 4 months later, Mamiya's out.
Even 24x36mm d is in infant stage, let alone 36x48 'medium format' digital. This machine however superior, sells at street price for Y$1310,000 Yen/body only, that's US$11,293 plus 5% sales tax plus a Mamiya 645 af lens(1.16x factor). I'll say, not cheap!
weight in at 1.3kg or 2.86 lb( the E-500 Olympue weight in 435 g), ZD is sumo size, thus the stagnant sales.
Without experience in 15x22mm or 24x36 size DSlr camera productions or sales experience, Mamiya made an error w 'film thinking' that, wedding photographers will jump on the MF digital, well they're not.
Mamiya should've come out w a 15x22 and a 24x36 camera first, put out their own lenses like Olympus then maybe they can survive... It's tuff, look who is buying Sigma sd10? or Finepix S3?
I have a RB 67, I like it a lot but I haven't use it for years.

 

[Finder]

Well, Mamiya will continue its more lucrative business - fishing rods and golf club shafts. The pachinko ball dispensers are doing well too.

The money wasted in the development of the ZD most likely finished off the camera division. Since all their lenses are medium-format, there would be too much investment to start a smaller format lens line (at least with their original development projections). Going to a third party lens manufacturer would still be very expensive.

Digital killed the silver halide star.

 

[RJBender]

The ZD street on 12-21-05, less than 4 months later, Mamiya's out.
Even 24x36mm d is in infant stage, let alone 36x48 'medium format' digital. This machine however superior, sells at street price for Y$1310,000 Yen/body only, that's US$11,293 plus 5% sales tax plus a Mamiya 645 af lens(1.16x factor). I'll say, not cheap!
weight in at 1.3kg or 2.86 lb( the E-500 Olympue weight in 435 g), ZD is sumo size, thus the stagnant sales.
Without experience in 15x22mm or 24x36 size DSlr camera productions or sales experience, Mamiya made an error w 'film thinking' that, wedding photographers will jump on the MF digital, well they're not.
Mamiya should've come out w a 15x22 and a 24x36 camera first, put out their own lenses like Olympus then maybe they can survive... It's tuff, look who is buying Sigma sd10? or Finepix S3?
I have a RB 67, I like it a lot but I haven't use it for years.

They didn't do their "homework". I've seen superb 20x30 inch prints made with 8 megapixel cameras. Photographers who spent over $10,000 for 2 megapixel SLRs several years ago aren't going take out a loan for a ZD.

R.J.

 

[Taipei-metro]

Personally I don't even think 24x36 is for digital Slr's goal, let alone 36x48. (by the way, a ZD plus a Mamiya 35mm 3.5 which becomes a 40.6mm at $1280 w Japan sales tax total $13,201....Mamamiya!)
A 15x22 size w 450g body, regular Eos 7 size, 8mp w a good 18-55 2.8-4.5, like E500 plus Nikon's ED 18-55( for a kit ) is ideal (Zuiko's entry level 14-45 is too big) for most photo applications similar to 35mm film Slrs. (I have used a 10D w 17-40 f4, very heavy combo).
Cheapest 'full frame' 5d weight 895g or 1.97 lb is expensive($2,900) and too heavy. Compare to *ist DL's $500 body w Pentax's 31 1.8 or it's new DA40 2.8 Pancake lens, the image quality without blowing up to 20x30 inch is not too much of a difference.
As for me, after F10 w Fujinon, FX-9 w Leica DC Vario-Elmarit, for street digital photography, and nostalgic to my old Rolleiflex w the Xenotar 75mm 3.5, I've got a new toy, Z730 EasyShare w a Schneider-Kreuznach Variogon(what a great lens name) 33-132mm(35mm equiv) 2.8-4.8 lens all for under $250. Hope this lens was not made by....Chinon?

 

[RJBender]

Mamiya America Corporation's official press release:

http://www.mamiya.com/assets/pdfs/Mamiya_Cosmo_Digital.pdf


R.J.