bcooter,
I don't know who told you this, or where you did read it, but I wish to firmly deny this comment or claim:
Sinar is discontinuing nothing.
I have been telling this the very same day of the partnership announcement during Photokina, and it was pretty clear from our side, with an OFFICIAL disclaimer from Sinar directly.
Best regards,
Thierry
my post wasn't specific only to sinar, it was directed to the digital camera market and most specifically to medium format.
be realistic, there is not one manufacturer that hasn't announced something that is not yet in the dealers or at least in the market in full working order. lenses, software, new cameras, backs, accessories and associations.
phase made public an association with mamiya a year or so before anything was actually presented, much less sold, your own company has your newest 31mpx back shown at the last two photo trade shows, photo plus and photokina and still is working out the bugs.
your company made a joint announcement with leaf, but the specifics are still forthcoming.
that seems to be the norm with medium format and though the dslr makers have had their own set of issues, they seem to be much quicker and more complete from announcement to delivery than medium format. there probably is some kind of lesson to be learned from that.
on this site there is a phase/schneider user with a system that doesn't work. the phase rep says it's schneider's problem, but regardless of who's at fault, there is at least one user out there that spent $30,000 for a camera, pushed the button and it doesn't work.
saying that doesn't mean phase is a bad company, or mistakes can't happen but do you see the point in why so many photographers are really concerned about their medium format purchases.
theirry, for you any mention of sinar seems to bring out a quick response, but step back for a moment and put yourself in the buyers position and while your doing this, look at why by all accounts sinar's sales are below the other three makers of medium format.
it's almost funny that the red announcement brings out so much intense scrutiny by loyalist of other brands. red, making a two year prior press release is no different than what medium format has done for it's history.
maybe two or three years ago $30,000 was an easy investment for a photographer to make, but in today's changing business climate and the fact that everyone seems to be adding some form of video or motion device to their still cameras, investing $30,000 makes most of us think about waiting until we see how things shake out.