Mamiya bailing on camera biz

It looks like another venerable Japanese camera company is about to exit the business, just weeks after Konica Minolta produced its last camera. According to reports out of Japan (which we've confirmed with our Japanese bureau), Mamiya, best known for its high-end pro equipment, will be selling off its film and digital camera business to focus on other sectors. The company apparently has had "stagnant sales" of its digital models, including its 22-megapixel, $12,000, Mamiya ZD, which was released in Japan in December and in Europe just last month. The buyer is apparently Cosmos Scientific, a Japanese company better known for its IT business than for any expertise in digital imaging. As of now, it looks like the deal is set to close on September 1. We'll keep you posted as we get further details.

[jjd @ Apr 21st 2006 9:29AM]

I would be mucho annoyed if I had just paied $12K for a brand new camera model and then they went out of business.

It is sad to see the likes of Konica, Minolta, Mamiya going away and Leica having financial troubles.

[tekdroid @ Apr 21st 2006 9:45AM]

Mama-Miya!

Erm..

First Konica-Minolta selling its camera assets to Sony, now this. "Who's next?", you begin to wonder.

[pattyboi @ Apr 21st 2006 9:50AM]

Strange that Hasselblad still finds a market for its $33,000, 39 Mp beast. I guess there a lot of CEO's daughters.

"Daddy I wanna be a photographer I need a Hassie."
"Honey, it's thirty thou-"
"DADDY I WANNA HASSIE!!!"
"Alright, alright. I'll fire someone and buy you a Hassie."

[Khaytsus @ Apr 21st 2006 10:02AM]

Patty,

Hi, you're a moron. Congratulations. Perhaps you should reconsider the fact that only spoiled brats would get a high end medium format digital camera.

But then again, you probably think that "more is more" with MP and nothing else really matters. Little things such as the lens equipment, accessories, speed, ergonomics, handling, durability, etc, all would take a back seat for you.

I won't go into the fact that instead of buying a "digital back" (look it up on google) large and medium format photographers can switch or add digital to their workflow and use the same equipment they have for their film cameras.

But thanks for showing everyone you're a moron!

[pattyboi @ Apr 21st 2006 10:12AM]

Yikes, a Hasselblad fan.
I actually own a 500C, a Yashica 124, and a Mamiya 220. It just that $30,000 for a digital back is insane, and I had the unmitigated gall to make a joke out of it. Hasselblad has been going for the spoiled rich kid market for decades. Have you seen the colored 503CW's?

And that big Mp number? That's what Hasselblad advertises, you insightful knave. It's incorporated into the product number: "CF-39".

[Perrey Z. @ Apr 21st 2006 10:45AM]

Interesting to know. I didn't know Mamiya produces high-end digital cameras., they are very good at producing high-end remote controlled toys. One of the best in that field, i might add.

[gristle @ Apr 21st 2006 11:28AM]

You guys need to get a hotel room...

[terapixel @ Apr 21st 2006 12:47PM]

anyway, for those who are curious as to who would actually buy a $30,000.00 camera (or back), think rental departments of pro camera stores, very busy high end fashion & adv. pro's who are used to shooting medium format, etc -

basically, folks who will make that amount back in kit rental fees in a few months....

[pattyboi @ Apr 21st 2006 1:12PM]

It's the scale of the back's price, though.

For $30,000, you could buy a 555, a metered prism veiwfinder, 6-10 lenses, about 10 a24 filmbacks, tripods, lights, filters, outfit a freakin darkroom, and 100 rolls of 220 film.

Or a digital film back. Rest of camera sold separately.

Back on topic, a shame about Mamiya. I didn't know they even had a digital model.

[Wry Cooter @ Apr 21st 2006 1:22PM]

High end madison avenue can afford 5 and six figure supplies, but much of Mamiyas base was wedding and portrait photographers, who would rather stay within 4 figures.

[onebmwfan @ Apr 21st 2006 2:20PM]

Patty, you're still a moron.

You don't seem to understand the economic factors involved.

The fact that I could buy all of the stuff you listed for the same price did not preclude me from buying a Phase One P25 along with a full Contax body and lens array when it came out. I can now charge a digital capture fee instead of charging clients for film and the back will pay for itself. What's more, I don't have to wait for film turnaround at the lab (1-2 hours for most 120/220), I don't have to wait for scanning from the lab (1-2 days at just over $20 per scan on their Scitex), and I don't have to send things out for retouching because I learned how to do it all myself. Everything is in house.

But I still have my Mamiya RZ67ProII bodies and lenses, because some clients want film.

[gragegrl @ Apr 21st 2006 2:38PM]

You can make that $33,000 back very easiliy in a 12-18 months when you consider the cost of the film, the processing of the film, the contact sheets (since many pros shoot negatives), and finally the drum scans (which usually cost at least $30 each). These are pro cameras, not for hobbyists....

[Nick @ Apr 21st 2006 2:39PM]

This is really upsetting. Mamiya is a huge fixture in the medium format world. I've been meaning to buy one of their 645 cameras for a long time...

[Ian @ Apr 21st 2006 3:34PM]

Have you used one of those digital backs? I used a 17k one, and I have to say, they're a dream. And for corperations and digital rental places (the main consumers), 17k-33k isn't actually that much, comparitivly. Check out ShootDigital in NYC for example. Most photographers don't own one, just rent the studio for an afternoon for a really high end shoot. The digital backs make the investment back, and bring in a lot of work.

The cover of CMYK this month, for an example, was shot on a Mamiya with a Leaf digital back. At a school though.

[pattyboi @ Apr 21st 2006 3:44PM]

I think I understand the economic factors pretty well. Your Phase One P25, plus a Contax body is still an order of magnitude cheaper that the new Hassie filmbacks. It would take many years worth of scanning and buying film to offset the enormous pricetag of that thing. The convenience, however, I'm sure is a great improvement. My shop takes two days to get back 120/220. Pro-level scanners are several thousand dollars. I could imagine (someone, not me) spending 3-7 thousand on a great digital back, but not 30.

Khay didn't even seem to understand medium format photography. You, who as a pro has much more knowledge of the subject than I and most others here, want to justify spending 3-5 times the cost of the gear you chose. Either that or you want to call people names anonymously. How professionally arrogant.

[Jay @ Apr 21st 2006 3:45PM]

Gee, 12k or 33k... I wonder how many chromes I could shoot for the 9k or 30k I would have left over after buying a decent MF film camera....

[mathew @ Apr 21st 2006 6:10PM]

Mamiya "will be selling off its film and digital camera business to focus on other sectors"?

Like what? I've never heard of them doing anything except making cameras.

[jscottphoto @ Apr 21st 2006 6:52PM]

What a shame about Mamiya, but not surprising. After learning on a 645, I seriously considered a 645AF-D kit and tossing my Nikon equipment. Now I'm glad that I didn't go that way; my Nikon's have done great and about to buy a D200 for a back-up.

[Allen Wicks @ Apr 21st 2006 8:27PM]

Mamiya failed because film is dying and their digital offering was woefully inadequate for the price. DSLR photography is about much more than pixels and good lenses. The fact that Mamiya would even offer that US$12,000 monstrosity to the public shows that their marketing folks had no clue...

[Mr. B @ Apr 21st 2006 10:42PM]

That sucks, they've been in the business for quite some time. I wish I had the money to blow on a $12,000 camera. I do have one of their products though, a Mamiyaflex II, circa 1952.

[Malixe @ Apr 22nd 2006 12:21AM]

There's a moron in this thread, but it's certainly not patty.

I'm sure there's some commercial/professional advantages to being able to shoot with mega-mega-pixel digital backs. I'm equally sure that's not entirely the point.

The point is that it's good to have choices and competition.

Hasselblad has always made good gear. *Extremely overpriced* good gear though, and most pros who aren't obsessed with brand names and 'cachet' prefer spending less money to get equivalent results. The loss of Mamiya to the medium format digital market is a sad thing.

I think it was aptly summed up by a photo.net comment I once read where the poster announced he had decided to "Sell all of my Mamiya cameras and lenses so I can invest in a Hasselblad lens cap."

[John Storm @ Apr 22nd 2006 2:15AM]

"I didn't know Mamiya produces high-end digital cameras., they are very good at producing high-end remote controlled toys. One of the best in that field, i might add."

They don't. You're confusing them with the R/C and model company Tamiya.

[Scoopster @ Apr 22nd 2006 7:48AM]

All,

Mamiya is NOT shutting down operation. It is just being sold(yet to finalize) to a better parent(backup) company meaning Mamiya will only get better.

Companies are being bought/sold/transferred on daily basis worldwide either to benefit the companies themselves or to benefit the new owners.

Minolta is shutting down operations. Mamiya is NOT.

Minolta isn't making cameras anymore. Mamiya WILL continue to manufacture cameras under the Mamiya name.

And to Marc Perton---please get the facts right BEFORE posting unfactual threads online.

[Perrey Z. @ Apr 23rd 2006 12:24AM]

#22: You're right. I got them confused, i read the article about "T"amiya in a hobby magazine a while back. I can't remember everything, specially 8-years after i read that article.

[Loraan @ Apr 24th 2006 11:02AM]

The loss of Minolta and Mamiya is just another example of technology changing and companies that can't keep up with the change refocusing or dropping out. Maybe these companies should take the RIAA's tactics and lobby to make digital photography illegal.

[ThomasH @ Apr 26th 2006 5:49PM]

Lets be also remembered of Bronica, another medium format brand, which has vanished already. Seemingly Canon with its 16Mpix EOS-1 models has really convinced many medium format users to step down to a smaller sensor and provide results...

As it seems, remaining serious contenders in Medium-Format are Pentax and Hasselblad. Lets hope that the planet is big enough for the two of them!

[Les @ Apr 30th 2006 2:11PM]

I'm really suprised to see when I go to the Mamiya company websight and go to their user forum and see everything that everyone is talking about, no one is mentioned the sale of Mamiya

[Jimmy James @ May 2nd 2006 10:50AM]

Hello,
They are not closing the doors. They are changing hands.
Is that good or bad? No one knows, but they not not shutting down.

Elmsford, NY, April 24, 2006 Mamiya O/P has announced that its Optical Equipment Division, manufacturer of the leading medium format cameras and lenses will be transferred to a new company.

The new company, Cosmo Digital Imaging Company, Ltd. was formed by Cosmos Scientific Systems, Inc., a leading company in IT technology.
Cosmo Digital Imaging will be able to combine its software expertise with Mamiya?photographic capabilities to further advance in the digital direction of professional photographic imaging technology.

Building on Mamiya's reputation and world wide distribution network, the new company will be able to achieve an even higher level of customer satisfaction. Service of Mamiya cameras, lenses and accessories will also be handled by the existing Mamiya distribution network.

Coming in the wake of a number of industry changes, this positive development gives Mamiya a new direction and a vision for the future.

Cosmo Digital is planning to execute these changes on September 1, 2006 and will retain a substantial number of present staff and facilities and acquire all the assets including inventory, property, trademarks and patents to assure a smooth transition.

[Matt Hill @ May 11th 2006 3:49PM]

Hello, all. Mamiya the brand has an exciting future. Here is our official press release on the recent developments:

http://www.mamiya.com/newsevents.asp?id=5&id2=130

The NEW Mamiya Digital Imaging Company

ELMSFORD, NY ? Mamiya-OP, in Japan, who has three business divisions including Camera, Golf, and Electronic Equipment, has recently announced that its Camera Division will be transferred to a new company to be called
Mamiya Digital Imaging.

The MAC Group (Mamiya America Corporation) is very enthusiastic about Mamiya?s future. As previously announced, there will be no change in Mamiya business activities in the U.S., including marketing, sales and service.

Mamiya Digital Imaging will concentrate its efforts on expanding development of the Mamiya ZD Digital Camera, Mamiya Digital Back and all current Mamiya cameras and lenses.

MAC is proud to join the Mamiya Digital Imaging team to build on the foundation that has provided American dealers and photographers with the tools needed to create professional images of the highest quality.

Mamiya Digital Imaging will have the advantage of being able to focus solely on the development of new digital imaging technology and products for professional photographers. The new company?s parent, Cosmos Scientific
Systems, Inc., is a leading company in IT technology with extensive experience in software development.

###

[Matt Hill @ May 11th 2006 5:44PM]

Hello, all. Mamiya the brand has an exciting future. Here is our official press release on the recent developments:

http://www.mamiya.com/newsevents.asp?id=5&id2=130

The NEW Mamiya Digital Imaging Company

ELMSFORD, NY ? Mamiya-OP, in Japan, who has three business divisions including Camera, Golf, and Electronic Equipment, has recently announced that its Camera Division will be transferred to a new company to be called
Mamiya Digital Imaging.

The MAC Group (Mamiya America Corporation) is very enthusiastic about Mamiya?s future. As previously announced, there will be no change in Mamiya business activities in the U.S., including marketing, sales and service.

Mamiya Digital Imaging will concentrate its efforts on expanding development of the Mamiya ZD Digital Camera, Mamiya Digital Back and all current Mamiya cameras and lenses.

MAC is proud to join the Mamiya Digital Imaging team to build on the foundation that has provided American dealers and photographers with the tools needed to create professional images of the highest quality.

Mamiya Digital Imaging will have the advantage of being able to focus solely on the development of new digital imaging technology and products for professional photographers. The new company?s parent, Cosmos Scientific
Systems, Inc., is a leading company in IT technology with extensive experience in software development.

###

[Dan @ Sep 6th 2006 8:47AM]

12K or even 30K is not that big an outlay in the grand scheme of things for a comercial studio photographer. investments in lenses, lighting, studio space, assistants, running a Jobo, or sending film to a lab, all should be factored in when you consider a digital solution. Phase One makes very nice backs as does mamiya and hassleblad. Personally I wouldn't spend one dime on a large megapixel solution that didn't work as well with my 4x5, as it does with my medium format, etc. Digital SLR has it's place but not necessarily is the answer every time.