Originally posted by Alizarine So far rumors for other makers in Photokina 2014:
Fuji: X-Pro 2, X100T
Sony: FF NEX-5-like body
Nikon: "new FF body"
Canon: "7D MkII" announcement and...
...I had a good laugh at the "50MP sensor made by Sony" part... not because Canon bowed down to Sony fabs this time, but that it seems a little too 645Z
I wonder what cards Pentax really has up its sleeves this time.. if it has any.
Ricoh was sleepy for almost two years, and then woke up to start frantically working on the 645Z to steal the thunder from the Canon MF camera that industry insiders know it is coming. Ricoh knows it too. That is most likely why they are issuing old FA MF lenses worldwide now (almost 3 years after the acquisition of Pentax !), and deliver new wide zoom and other 645 lenses, and that is why their work on the K-mount was minimal.
It would be interesting to see what will happen, but I don't doubt that Canon will run over the MF market like a steam roller. Especially considering their established professional service network others don't have. My guess is if Nikon does not enter the MF market, in 3 years time Canon will have 50% of it, Ricoh 25%, others the rest of 25%. If Nikon comes in, Ricoh will be lucky to have 10%. Others will be gone. (Perhaps Leica will remain.)
It is pity, because even with just 3-4 lenses, Canon's name and Nikon's means more because of their
superior service network. Ricoh can't stand a chance in any regard against Canon. What is even more crazy, they have neglected the K-mount, they did not act immediately to establish 645 MF camera and lenses worldwide. 18 months went in vain, THEN after those18 months they started 645Z development, and only after 12 months of development and 645Z was nearing its launch, they woke up to the marketing of its lenses -- that existed and were selling in Japan in some places for 25 years already! But not elsewhere.
Even Nikon has issued a camera in Ricoh's own ground before them (Coolpix A). They are too late in everything; quite an accomplishment. How they do that?
Gosh, what a company. As stated before, I still believe Ricoh had no idea what they were buying when they bought Pentax; when they were moving chairs around and thinking in the first 18 months what to do next with a new purchase, others were busy building their new systems, networks and marketing.
PS. I expect some members to answer this thoroughly with a zeal of true fanboys to rebel against all my statements.