Originally posted by biz-engineer Clear. Digital enjoyed a good growth rate of a decade, and now companies get kicked back because many camera owners are just fine with what they have. I guess , these days it's not so easy to create new products that are worth the upgrade vs previous products because current models are already so good, and larger sensors cost so much more. IMO, MF should get more development R&D, FF should get less investments. Current MF cameras have larger sensors but are performing like 15 years ago in terms of frame rate and AF, so I guess the MF market is under-developed, still too expensive, but it could be different.
Basic physics and basic biology are always going to create a broad Goldilocks curve in photography with cameras that are too big, too small, and just right.
Optical and semiconductor physics dictates that MF will always be bigger, slower, and more expensive than FF, APS-C, or M43.
Human biology dictates that different customers will prefer different-sized cameras due to hand size, upper body strength, arthritis, or just abhorrence for schlepping too much junk on their travels.
People with big hands, fat wallets, and slow-moving subjects will gravitate to larger formats. People with smaller hands, smaller budgets, and flighty subjects will gravitate to smaller formats.
The MF and M43 ends of the spectrum will always be niches.