Canon Rumors-> Canon to buy MF company

Winder · 08-07-2010, 03:40 PM

Canon rumors is reporting that Canon is looking at buying a MF company and watching the 645D very closely to see if it is stealing sales from the 1Ds line.

This is not the first time rumors of Canon moving to MF have emerged. Canon bought most of the Contax equipment when Contax shutdown its 645 production. I guess I will be holding on to my Contax 645 and lenses a little while longer. Nothing would make me happier than Canon bringing back the Contax 645 mount in a digital platform. The Contax glass is some of the best you buy.

**Pål Jensen** · 08-07-2010, 04:00 PM

Doesn't sound credible to me. The only MF company worth anything for Canon is Pentax. The rest has nothing to offer Canon as they are incredibly primitive by Canon standards. If Canon wants to make an MF DSLR they can just make one....

Never heard that Canon bought the Contax MF system. Why should they? It is obsolete...
Not very likely either...

Blue · 08-07-2010, 04:23 PM

They may be able to get Mamiya. I think Nikon would have something to say about Canon acquiring Pentax if nothing else under various monopoly laws. Besides, Pentax isn't just a mf company.

**Aristophanes** · 08-07-2010, 05:00 PM

Originally posted by Blue

They may be able to get Mamiya.

Mamiya is the first one that sprang to mind. Canon has the distribution muscle to get that product where it needs to be.

RonHendriks1966 · 08-07-2010, 05:10 PM

But why not making it themselves. New product, new market.

Blue · 08-07-2010, 05:35 PM

Originally posted by RonHendriks1966

But why not making it themselves. New product, new market.

R & D and the time to get it to market. They would need everything including lenses. They have never been in the mf arena. Nikon once upon a time made lenses for large format cameras. It would save them at least 3 to 5 years, maybe more like 5 to 7.

Winder · 08-07-2010, 05:35 PM

Originally posted by RonHendriks1966

But why not making it themselves. New product, new market.

It would be cheaper to buy a company with and existing network and legacy glass. It is the same reason Sony elected to buy Minolta than to start from scratch. YOu are buying a network and user base.

Canon's support network for professionals is huge. If they added something like a 645D to that line-up they would take a big chunk of the MF market.

lesmore49 · 08-07-2010, 06:01 PM

As a Mamiya / Pentax fan....who owns equipment from both companies...I kind of hope Canon doesn't buy Mamiya.

Winder · 08-07-2010, 06:40 PM

Well, if Canon jumps into MF it will force competition to step up and prices to fall. Pentax is making big waves in the pro market with the 645D. Might force Nikon to follow.

Silvertooth · 08-07-2010, 06:43 PM

I thought Phase One now owned Mamiya. Are they on the market?

MPrince · 08-07-2010, 07:01 PM

Doesn't matter if they're on the market or not. Any business or business unit is for sale at the right price.

Silvertooth · 08-07-2010, 07:14 PM

Good point. I just saw 1001 Noisy cameras that Hasselblad is also part of the rumor. Gotta love this hobby!!

Winder · 08-07-2010, 09:33 PM

The MF industry is a dying group. The 645D is a game changer for this industry. When Pentax turns on supply globally Hassy and Phase One will be hard pressed to justify their prices. You can buy a 645D for $10-12K with the same 40MP sensor that is in the Leica S2 ($30,000.00).

Do you buy a 25MP Nikon for $8,000 or a 40MP Pentax for $10-12K? This could push FF pro bodies down to $6,000 which will push the $5,000 bodies down. There very well could be a trickle down effect in the industry.

Pixel Pusher · 08-07-2010, 10:14 PM

Nah, I'm calling BS on this rumor.

The medium format market consolidation already happened, with Hasselblad closing their system to competitors' digital backs, the death of Rollei/Hy6, and the strategic merger of Phase One and Mamiya.

The ink is still fresh on the Phase One > Leaf acquisition. Phase One has already committed to supporting the current Leaf catalog and incorporating features of both Leaf hardware and software into its future product offerings.

Hasselblad? WTF are these rumor guys smoking?!?! Hasselblad took a hit when they shut out other digital back makers, but their products still command a premium and are considered the Rolls Royce of MFDB. I can't fathom them partnering with Canon....it'd be like putting a Yugo engine inside a Ferrari.

Pentax is the only possibility, but even that is doubtful as Pentax has just brought the 645D to market. Canon would be foolish to purchase the rights to technology that is still in its infancy, product wise.

Now, you want a rumor? Here's a rumor....

Rumor has it Canon and Nikon can see the writing on the wall. Their salad days of charging customers an arm and a leg for dSLRs that cost $8k and are obsolete within 6 months are over. Add to it, the lines are starting to blur between the $3k FF dSLR and $8k FF dSLR.

Hasselblad (503CWD @ $15k), Phase/Mamiya (645DF 22 @ $9995) and Pentax 645D ($7995) all have products that are very tempting to the"Professional" market Canon and Nikon have been targeting for years.

And these MF companies know it.

No, nobody's going anywhere. Expect Canon or Nikon to put some offers on the table, but expect the big dogs to balk at the numbers and walk away.

Time's ticking away for the likes of Canon and Nikon. Hope they can see the writing's on the wall...

philbaum · 08-08-2010, 01:27 AM

For all the immense resources of Nikon and Canon, neither were first to the table with an EVIL or MF camera. Ironic.

I've always thought that if Pentax could bring the 645D to market, there would be a storm of publicity, and the consumer will start asking themselves: "why not Pentax". Instant crediblity for the camera line from top to bottom. And as others said above, its hard for either Nikon or Canon to mitigate the Pentax head start without buying a competing product mfr. Canon probably doesn't want a revitalized pentax line eating away at its DSLR line. Therefore, they would want to try to take away the niche as soon as possible. Seems logical. The real problem now appears to be that Pentax can't make them fast enough, i guess, or maybe they can't expand their support fast enough, i'm not sure. From a mfr that recently could only do 2 models at a time, they are now at 3 and counting (if the EVIL one happens)

Too exciting for me, guess i'll go back to my k20 and take more pics :-)

08-07-2010, 03:40 PM	#1
Winder Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 6,617	Canon Rumors-> Canon to buy MF company Canon rumors is reporting that Canon is looking at buying a MF company and watching the 645D very closely to see if it is stealing sales from the 1Ds line. This is not the first time rumors of Canon moving to MF have emerged. Canon bought most of the Contax equipment when Contax shutdown its 645 production. I guess I will be holding on to my Contax 645 and lenses a little while longer. Nothing would make me happier than Canon bringing back the Contax 645 mount in a digital platform. The Contax glass is some of the best you buy.

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08-07-2010, 04:00 PM	#2
Pål Jensen Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Norway Photos: Albums Posts: 4,371	Doesn't sound credible to me. The only MF company worth anything for Canon is Pentax. The rest has nothing to offer Canon as they are incredibly primitive by Canon standards. If Canon wants to make an MF DSLR they can just make one.... Never heard that Canon bought the Contax MF system. Why should they? It is obsolete... Not very likely either...

08-07-2010, 04:23 PM	#3
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	They may be able to get Mamiya. I think Nikon would have something to say about Canon acquiring Pentax if nothing else under various monopoly laws. Besides, Pentax isn't just a mf company.

08-07-2010, 05:00 PM	#4
Aristophanes Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Rankin Inlet, Nunavut Photos: Albums Posts: 3,948	Originally posted by Blue They may be able to get Mamiya. Mamiya is the first one that sprang to mind. Canon has the distribution muscle to get that product where it needs to be.

08-07-2010, 05:10 PM	#5
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675	But why not making it themselves. New product, new market.

08-07-2010, 05:35 PM	#6
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by RonHendriks1966 But why not making it themselves. New product, new market. R & D and the time to get it to market. They would need everything including lenses. They have never been in the mf arena. Nikon once upon a time made lenses for large format cameras. It would save them at least 3 to 5 years, maybe more like 5 to 7.

08-07-2010, 06:01 PM	#8
lesmore49 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Western Canada Posts: 12,342	As a Mamiya / Pentax fan....who owns equipment from both companies...I kind of hope Canon doesn't buy Mamiya.

08-07-2010, 06:40 PM	#9
Winder Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 6,617 Original Poster	Well, if Canon jumps into MF it will force competition to step up and prices to fall. Pentax is making big waves in the pro market with the 645D. Might force Nikon to follow.

08-07-2010, 06:43 PM	#10
Silvertooth Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 26	I thought Phase One now owned Mamiya. Are they on the market?

08-07-2010, 07:01 PM	#11
MPrince Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: WV Posts: 1,495	Doesn't matter if they're on the market or not. Any business or business unit is for sale at the right price.

08-07-2010, 07:14 PM	#12
Silvertooth Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 26	Good point. I just saw 1001 Noisy cameras that Hasselblad is also part of the rumor. Gotta love this hobby!!

08-07-2010, 09:33 PM	#13
Winder Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 6,617 Original Poster	The MF industry is a dying group. The 645D is a game changer for this industry. When Pentax turns on supply globally Hassy and Phase One will be hard pressed to justify their prices. You can buy a 645D for $10-12K with the same 40MP sensor that is in the Leica S2 ($30,000.00). Do you buy a 25MP Nikon for $8,000 or a 40MP Pentax for $10-12K? This could push FF pro bodies down to $6,000 which will push the $5,000 bodies down. There very well could be a trickle down effect in the industry.

08-07-2010, 10:14 PM	#14
Pixel Pusher New Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Illinois Posts: 19	Nah, I'm calling BS on this rumor. The medium format market consolidation already happened, with Hasselblad closing their system to competitors' digital backs, the death of Rollei/Hy6, and the strategic merger of Phase One and Mamiya. The ink is still fresh on the Phase One > Leaf acquisition. Phase One has already committed to supporting the current Leaf catalog and incorporating features of both Leaf hardware and software into its future product offerings. Hasselblad? WTF are these rumor guys smoking?!?! Hasselblad took a hit when they shut out other digital back makers, but their products still command a premium and are considered the Rolls Royce of MFDB. I can't fathom them partnering with Canon....it'd be like putting a Yugo engine inside a Ferrari. Pentax is the only possibility, but even that is doubtful as Pentax has just brought the 645D to market. Canon would be foolish to purchase the rights to technology that is still in its infancy, product wise. Now, you want a rumor? Here's a rumor.... Rumor has it Canon and Nikon can see the writing on the wall. Their salad days of charging customers an arm and a leg for dSLRs that cost $8k and are obsolete within 6 months are over. Add to it, the lines are starting to blur between the $3k FF dSLR and $8k FF dSLR. Hasselblad (503CWD @ $15k), Phase/Mamiya (645DF 22 @ $9995) and Pentax 645D ($7995) all have products that are very tempting to the"Professional" market Canon and Nikon have been targeting for years. And these MF companies know it. No, nobody's going anywhere. Expect Canon or Nikon to put some offers on the table, but expect the big dogs to balk at the numbers and walk away. Time's ticking away for the likes of Canon and Nikon. Hope they can see the writing's on the wall...

08-08-2010, 01:27 AM	#15
philbaum Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Port Townsend, Washington State, USA Posts: 3,659	For all the immense resources of Nikon and Canon, neither were first to the table with an EVIL or MF camera. Ironic. I've always thought that if Pentax could bring the 645D to market, there would be a storm of publicity, and the consumer will start asking themselves: "why not Pentax". Instant crediblity for the camera line from top to bottom. And as others said above, its hard for either Nikon or Canon to mitigate the Pentax head start without buying a competing product mfr. Canon probably doesn't want a revitalized pentax line eating away at its DSLR line. Therefore, they would want to try to take away the niche as soon as possible. Seems logical. The real problem now appears to be that Pentax can't make them fast enough, i guess, or maybe they can't expand their support fast enough, i'm not sure. From a mfr that recently could only do 2 models at a time, they are now at 3 and counting (if the EVIL one happens) Too exciting for me, guess i'll go back to my k20 and take more pics :-)