It's also possible that some of the MF companies are thinking of merging or exiting. Between Leaf, Sinar, Hasselblad, Phase, Mamiya, and now to some extent Leica and rumored Nikon I'd say that the market is pretty crowded, and economic conditions out there are bloody.
Edmund
I think more than pricing, the meetings are probably addressing the current business/sales/marketing/upgrade process.
If Hasselblad's annoucement had any real change in direction it seems to me the most important element was they desire to get away from the 2 year trade up process.
To me this moves hasselblad into the same sales model as Canon and the other professional dslrs and like the term or not, most of the new medium format offerings are dslrs, just dslrs with bigger frame sizes.
Actually I don't find the Hasselblad prices that revolutionary. For two years I've owned a 31mpx medium format system for under $17,000 with the P30+ and the Contax, with overall prices for lenses and accessories even more economical in price than Hasselblad, so if I can do this, obviously Phase, Leaf, Sinar can also hit the same numbers.
They might have to rethink where they place their marketing investment, towards the higher end systems or the lower entry level systems, but as far as price, with a little creative thought I think they can match Hasselblad.
It's the trade in/trade up system that makes the real difference in the base business model.
It's interesting, for years Hasselblad has recognized that their real competition is Canon and maybe Nikon, not Phase, Leaf or Sinar.
Now I assume this will move the other three makers to respond to Hasselblad.
Obviously Leica sees Hasselblad as competition as every Leica video I've seen from annoucekina mentioned Hasselblad.
JR
