Save The Leaf AFi

[Kim Bentsen]

Some here might be interested in this.

I don't shoot MFD, but if I were to invest, then the AFi would be on top of my shopping list.

http://savetheleafafi.com/Afi_petitionlist.asp

[AndreNapier]

Save The Leaf AFi .com
We the undersigned would like to encourage Phase One to consider taking steps towards keeping the Leaf Afi-II camera
alive and a viable option to professional photographers everywhere.    
We believe that the AFi-II is currently the best medium format camera system currently available to professional photographers .....
               
.......18.  Christian Poulson Copenhagen NA Denmark


I absolutely LOVE IT.
Andre

[Graham Mitchell]

signed

.......18.  Christian Poulson Copenhagen NA Denmark

Someone has a great sense of humour

[SecondFocus]

I signed it, doubtful if it will be back.

I have shot with the camera and was very impressed. But it did not seem price competitive by a long way with the offerings from Hasselblad and Phase and Mamiya.

[uaiomex]

I'm signed. It's hard to believe that such an incredible system won't make a come back.
Nothing even is close to provide all the advantages this system has.
Price is steep, but that's the way it is in MF world. I don't care for anything else with the sole exception of Hasselblad truly supporting again the V system. The CFV39 in my most humble opinion is only a bad joke.
Eduardo

I signed it, doubtful if it will be back.

I have shot with the camera and was very impressed. But it did not seem price competitive by a long way with the offerings from Hasselblad and Phase and Mamiya.

[guano]

*Signs petition*

I should also like to think that a similar petition will be in place for the Sinar Hy6. The rumour mill reports that Sinar are dropping the Hy6 from the lineup, but this would be a horrible shame! The Hy6/Afi camera is by far and away the best MF camera I've worked with - here's hoping that consumers' voices will be heard...

[antonyoung]

here's hoping that consumers' voices will be heard...

The consumers' voices were heard. Nobody bought it.

[Khun_K]

Signed.  Such as good camera and batch of lenses, and if they were saved, might as well open to just any backs.

Brgds/K

[georgl]

"Nobody bought it"

F&H was running at full production capacity!

But it won't come back, because Sinar alone seems to small to reestablish Hy6-production (F&H was much bigger than Sinar) or come up with a new MFDB!? But it deserves any chance!

[Gigi]

Signed. How about a closing run, for Phase backs, special price?

Geoff

[Carl Glover]

It's the best camera I've ever used and the lenses are nothing short of fantastic.

A phase back on the afi/hy6 would be the ultimate combination I think - a vast improvement on the current phase/mamiya offering. Hope springs eternal...

[paratom]

Hey,
I just signed - I am no.100 !
Do I get a lens for free now?

Frankly I am also really convinced of the AFI/Hy6.
They could improve the AF a little bit but other than that I find it perfect.
In camera metering with WLF, rotating sensor/back, some room for bigger sensors in the future, and finally those lenses!

If the system has not produced cash for SInar/Leaf than it is not the fault of the product but of the marketing etc. Thats my strong believe. Once its promoted and sold in a propper way it should generate money for Leaf/Phase/Sinar.

Cheers, Tom

[teddillard]

Hey,
I just signed - I am no.100 !
Do I get a lens for free now?

Frankly I am also really convinced of the AFI/Hy6.
They could improve the AF a little bit but other than that I find it perfect.
In camera metering with WLF, rotating sensor/back, some room for bigger sensors in the future, and finally those lenses!

If the system has not produced cash for SInar/Leaf than it is not the fault of the product but of the marketing etc. Thats my strong believe. Once its promoted and sold in a propper way it should generate money for Leaf/Phase/Sinar.

Cheers, Tom

...hate to say it, but based on a few very private conversations with some very connected people, my best advice is, if you like this camera then buy up whatever you can find.  It ain't comin back.  

Honestly, one conversation I had was truly disturbing and upsetting- some very personal attacks going on out there in the industry, and it reads like Days of our Lives...  and a really profound feeling that the MFDB industry, the entire industry, is in deep, deep trouble.  I asked the question, where will MF be in 5 years?  ...the answer was, simply, gone.

Now, don't beat me, I'm just sayin...

[Doug Peterson]

I asked the question, where will MF be in 5 years?  ...the answer was, simply, gone.

- Phase One made a profit last year in one of the worst years in the world economy ever
- There is ALWAYS a market for something which is the "next step" up from a widely available product
- 35mm one-size-fits-all cameras do not seriously address areas of photography which need custom solution
- The MF market does not require millions of users; companies like Cambo THRIVE from just thousands
- There are products in the market already (e.g. the P65+) which are absolutely stunning
- though the P65+ is the king for the near future, the long term pipeline is very exciting

No one can know the future. I don't know who the players will be (though I have some very educated - though biased - guesses). I don't know what the products will look like. But there will be a next-bigger camera from 35mm for the foreseeable future (and I mean decades - beyond that who knows if the word "camera" will even make sense).

It's very easy. Simply ask yourself how many years it will be before 35mm cameras will produce the quality of a P65+ file, and with that many years of development what the medium format market will have at that point. As a historical precedent an H25 (first produced 2003) has better image quality than today's best dSLRs.

Just because the market was not big enough (during a very heavy recession) for four or five players, does not mean that it's not way more than enough for one or two or three.

Doug Peterson
__________________
Head of Technical Services, Capture Integration
Phase One, Leaf, Canon, Apple, Profoto, Eizo & More
National: 877.217.9870  |  Cell: 740.707.2183
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[teddillard]

- Phase One made a profit last year in one of the worst years in the world economy ever
- There is ALWAYS a market for something which is the "next step" up from a widely available product
- 35mm one-size-fits-all cameras do not seriously address areas of photography which need custom solution
- The MF market does not require millions of users; companies like Cambo THRIVE from just thousands
- There are products in the market already (e.g. the P65+) which are absolutely stunning
- though the P65+ is the king for the near future, the long term pipeline is very exciting

No one can know the future. I don't know who the players will be (though I have some very educated - though biased - guesses). I don't know what the products will look like. But there will be a next-bigger camera from 35mm for the foreseeable future (and I mean decades - beyond that who knows if the word "camera" will even make sense).

It's very easy. Simply ask yourself how many years it will be before 35mm cameras will produce the quality of a P65+ file, and with that many years of development what the medium format market will have at that point. As a historical precedent an H25 (first produced 2003) has better image quality than today's best dSLRs.

Just because the market was not big enough (during a very heavy recession) for four or five players, does not mean that it's not way more than enough for one or two or three.

Doug Peterson
__________________
Head of Technical Services, Capture Integration
Phase One, Leaf, Canon, Apple, Profoto, Eizo & More
National: 877.217.9870  |  Cell: 740.707.2183
Newsletter: Read Latest or Sign Up
RSS Feed: Subscribe

I sincerely hope you're right...

[Frank Doorhof]

I sincerely hope you're right...

I think MF will stay for the simple reason that there are things you simply can't do with a DSLR that you can with a MF system.
Also the look of the images (due to the larger sensor) is different.

So unless there will be DLSRs with lower ISO's, higher X-sync, no aa filters etc. there will be a place for MF.

Will the place get smaller......
Well yes, quality of the DSLR is getting better and better but to be honest I think the limit of MPs is rapidly approaching, the 5DMKII is great but shooting at f16 is a problem and that's something I like to do a lot when shooting outside with strobes, so or I need a higher Xsync or lower ISO (hate to use ND filters), simply put on f16 the images are getting quite softer.

MF will be there for a special market, and that market will stay.
However I do think we will be left with 2 big companies being Phase One/Leaf and Hasselblad I think the rest will dissapear (already happening).

[Doug Peterson]

I sincerely hope you're right...

LOL, me too.

I have a full-proof way to find out, but it requires 5 years.

[teddillard]

LOL, me too.

I have a full-proof way to find out, but it requires 5 years.

yeah and my backup plan is in trouble, too...

[teddillard]

I think MF will stay for the simple reason that there are things you simply can't do with a DSLR that you can with a MF system.

well... I think you have to separate why you want it, from what makes it a viable business plan.  Maybe you're right about the market for it, but I don't see it from where I sit.

[bcooter]

I think MF will stay for the simple reason that there are things you simply can't do with a DSLR that you can with a MF system.

It depends on what market you are in, what you shoot and who hires you.

Frank, your business model is seminars and classes (a lot of photographers have recently gone this direction) so in some ways having a bigger camera and more bling adds to your overall presentation.  I'm sure when you pull out that big honking RZ your classes give out more oohs and ahhs, than when you use the little Mamiya 645.  

Though even with that you and most of the proponents of medium format never bought an AFI, HY6, Rollei or any new 60 something megapixel back.  You demonstrated them, reported on them, said they were peachy keen, but from the bloggin to actually writing the check, something stopped you and obviously a lot of other photographers.

If as many people had bought the AFI/HY6 as the ones that say they love it, then it would probably still be in production.

BC