Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!

RobSpain · 12-09-2020, 06:44 AM

Sorry to hear this. I have 2 Metz flash units and have been very happy with them. But given the huge drop in DSLR sales recently, the fact that so many people now use their phones for photography, and together with the repercussions of Covid, so many traditional camera and accessory companies are having hard times.

reeftool · 12-12-2020, 08:44 AM

Sad to hear this. I have been using a Metz flash for years. It is reliable and has stood the test of time and held up to some rugged use.

bdery · 12-14-2020, 07:21 AM

Originally posted by brofkand

Sad, I love my Metz flashes. I hope they are able to pull through. They've always been the brand I've recommended to people wanting to get into flash.

Same here.

Let's note that for today's Metz, the flashes are a small part of the income, probably close to an afterthought. Still, they offer among the best sized, featured and designed flashes on the market.

stevebrot · 12-14-2020, 01:10 PM

Originally posted by bdery

Same here.

Let's note that for today's Metz, the flashes are a small part of the income, probably close to an afterthought. Still, they offer among the best sized, featured and designed flashes on the market.

What amazed me is the small number of employees given the breadth of the product lines.

Steve

Kunzite · 12-14-2020, 04:20 PM

Originally posted by stevebrot

What amazed me is the small number of employees given the breadth of the product lines.

Maybe they're outsourcing a lot?

**fs999** · 12-15-2020, 08:37 AM

After first insolvency there was 298 employees (june 2015). 110 had to go in 2014...

**Rondec** · 12-16-2020, 04:05 AM

It's too bad. I don't currently own a Metz flash, but really liked their products in the past.

bdery · 12-16-2020, 06:24 AM

Originally posted by stevebrot

What amazed me is the small number of employees given the breadth of the product lines.

Probably mainly R&D, marketing, and assembly is likely being outsourced. That or they really managed to automate a lof of things.

stevebrot · 12-16-2020, 08:02 AM

Originally posted by bdery

Probably mainly R&D, marketing, and assembly is likely being outsourced. That or they really managed to automate a lof of things.

Metz's lower-end models have been made in China by a maker of generic flash for some time. I agree that most of the manufacturing had probably been taken off-shore.

Steve

**fs999** · 12-16-2020, 08:51 AM

Originally posted by stevebrot

Metz's lower-end models have been made in China by a maker of generic flash for some time. I agree that most of the manufacturing had probably been taken off-shore.

You mean older flashes, since 2016 all production of the flashes is made in Germany. e.g. 26 AF-1 made in China is replaced with 26 AF-2 made in Germany.

stevebrot · 12-16-2020, 08:53 AM

Originally posted by fs999

You mean older flashes, since 2016 all production of the flashes is made in Germany. e.g. 26 AF-1 made in China is replaced with 26 AF-2 made in Germany.

Well! I learned something new today. Yes, pre-2016. With only 140 people, who is making the circuit boards, body shells, reflectors, etc.? Is it all contracted out?

Steve

texandrews · 12-16-2020, 10:00 AM

That seems like a do-able chunk. Maybe Cambo...?

**fs999** · 12-16-2020, 12:54 PM

Originally posted by stevebrot

Well! I learned something new today. Yes, pre-2016. With only 140 people, who is making the circuit boards, body shells, reflectors, etc.? Is it all contracted out?

With 298 it's feasible

bdery · 12-17-2020, 06:23 AM

Originally posted by stevebrot

Well! I learned something new today. Yes, pre-2016. With only 140 people, who is making the circuit boards, body shells, reflectors, etc.? Is it all contracted out?

That's common even for big companies. Almost no one is building their PCBs, they design them and ask for print shops and assemblers to make them. Shells will be designed in-house, a mold prototyped and tested, a final mold made and the molder will make the shells.

Any tech company will focus on design, integration and testing.

Maybe the huge players like Samsung and Sony do things differently, but even for companies with 2000-5000 employees, I've never seen things done differently.

Class A · 01-11-2021, 06:51 AM

Originally posted by bdery

Still, they offer among the best sized, featured and designed flashes on the market.

Nowadays, not having a built-in radio receiver is quite a bit negative when it comes to features.

At least some Metz flash models have weird limitations regarding Pentax support, e.g., not being able to operate as an HSS-master.

Regarding size, have you seen a Godox AD200 or AD100?

I'm not dissing Metz, they produced solid products, but there has been too little development for too long for their products to remain competitive.

12-15-2020, 08:37 AM	#21
fs999 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Luxembourg Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,648 Original Poster	After first insolvency there was 298 employees (june 2015). 110 had to go in 2014... Last edited by fs999; 12-15-2020 at 08:47 AM.

12-16-2020, 10:00 AM	#27
texandrews Moderator Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Baltimore Photos: Albums Posts: 3,400	Here's hoping someone will buy the flash part of the company That seems like a do-able chunk. Maybe Cambo...?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
For Sale - Sold: Metz 48 AF-1 and Metz 58 AF-2 Flash Units	rortiz	Sold Items	5	06-20-2019 04:35 PM
Hello again, and again.. and again.....	ghigoblin	Welcomes and Introductions	9	01-11-2017 02:22 PM
Welp! Metz files for insolvency	rawr	Flashes, Lighting, and Studio	26	12-19-2014 01:27 AM
For Sale - Sold: SMC D FA MACRO 1:2.8 100 mm WR -----PRICE DROPPED again- again-again-again	watchman323	Sold Items	12	12-09-2013 11:18 AM
Purple fringes, and trees, again, and again, and again.	Calmsea	Pentax K-5 & K-5 II	39	08-16-2013 02:27 PM

12-09-2020, 06:44 AM	#16
RobSpain Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Malaga province Posts: 494	Sorry to hear this. I have 2 Metz flash units and have been very happy with them. But given the huge drop in DSLR sales recently, the fact that so many people now use their phones for photography, and together with the repercussions of Covid, so many traditional camera and accessory companies are having hard times.

12-12-2020, 08:44 AM	#17
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,555	Sad to hear this. I have been using a Metz flash for years. It is reliable and has stood the test of time and held up to some rugged use.

12-14-2020, 07:21 AM	#18
bdery Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,363	Originally posted by brofkand Sad, I love my Metz flashes. I hope they are able to pull through. They've always been the brand I've recommended to people wanting to get into flash. Same here. Let's note that for today's Metz, the flashes are a small part of the income, probably close to an afterthought. Still, they offer among the best sized, featured and designed flashes on the market.

12-14-2020, 01:10 PM	#19
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by bdery Same here. Let's note that for today's Metz, the flashes are a small part of the income, probably close to an afterthought. Still, they offer among the best sized, featured and designed flashes on the market. What amazed me is the small number of employees given the breadth of the product lines. Steve

12-14-2020, 04:20 PM	#20
Kunzite Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Romania Posts: 15,132	Originally posted by stevebrot What amazed me is the small number of employees given the breadth of the product lines. Maybe they're outsourcing a lot?

12-16-2020, 04:05 AM	#22
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,666	It's too bad. I don't currently own a Metz flash, but really liked their products in the past.

12-16-2020, 06:24 AM	#23
bdery Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,363	Originally posted by stevebrot What amazed me is the small number of employees given the breadth of the product lines. Probably mainly R&D, marketing, and assembly is likely being outsourced. That or they really managed to automate a lof of things.

12-16-2020, 08:02 AM	#24
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by bdery Probably mainly R&D, marketing, and assembly is likely being outsourced. That or they really managed to automate a lof of things. Metz's lower-end models have been made in China by a maker of generic flash for some time. I agree that most of the manufacturing had probably been taken off-shore. Steve

12-16-2020, 08:51 AM	#25
fs999 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Luxembourg Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,648 Original Poster	Originally posted by stevebrot Metz's lower-end models have been made in China by a maker of generic flash for some time. I agree that most of the manufacturing had probably been taken off-shore. You mean older flashes, since 2016 all production of the flashes is made in Germany. e.g. 26 AF-1 made in China is replaced with 26 AF-2 made in Germany.

12-16-2020, 08:53 AM	#26
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by fs999 You mean older flashes, since 2016 all production of the flashes is made in Germany. e.g. 26 AF-1 made in China is replaced with 26 AF-2 made in Germany. Well! I learned something new today. Yes, pre-2016. With only 140 people, who is making the circuit boards, body shells, reflectors, etc.? Is it all contracted out? Steve

12-16-2020, 12:54 PM	#28
fs999 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Luxembourg Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,648 Original Poster	Originally posted by stevebrot Well! I learned something new today. Yes, pre-2016. With only 140 people, who is making the circuit boards, body shells, reflectors, etc.? Is it all contracted out? With 298 it's feasible

12-17-2020, 06:23 AM	#29
bdery Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,363	Originally posted by stevebrot Well! I learned something new today. Yes, pre-2016. With only 140 people, who is making the circuit boards, body shells, reflectors, etc.? Is it all contracted out? That's common even for big companies. Almost no one is building their PCBs, they design them and ask for print shops and assemblers to make them. Shells will be designed in-house, a mold prototyped and tested, a final mold made and the molder will make the shells. Any tech company will focus on design, integration and testing. Maybe the huge players like Samsung and Sony do things differently, but even for companies with 2000-5000 employees, I've never seen things done differently.

01-11-2021, 06:51 AM	#30
Class A Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 11,251	Originally posted by bdery Still, they offer among the best sized, featured and designed flashes on the market. Nowadays, not having a built-in radio receiver is quite a bit negative when it comes to features. At least some Metz flash models have weird limitations regarding Pentax support, e.g., not being able to operate as an HSS-master. Regarding size, have you seen a Godox AD200 or AD100? I'm not dissing Metz, they produced solid products, but there has been too little development for too long for their products to remain competitive.

Metz Mecatech: Insolvent again

Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!