Franke & Heidecke became insovent

[tho_mas]

It is presumed that production has stopped, that delivery of products has stopped as well, etc .... without any prove of it or an official announcement or statement.

without an official announcement, yes. And without any disclaimer as well. The silcence is deafening...

[tho_mas]

Which one? Both?

I don't know, sorry. Maybe Doug or someone else knows

[ThierryH]

Silence and lack of information always frustrate journalists, making them write, comment and ultimaltely draw conclusions.

Best regards,
Thierry

without an official announcement, yes. And without any disclaimer as well. The silcence is deafening...

[heinrichvoelkel]

Silence and lack of information always frustrate journalists, making them write, comment and ultimaltely draw conclusions.

Best regards,
Thierry

It is pretty easy that way? Isn't it.
As a Rollei owner I don't blame the journalists, but Franke themselfes, Leaf and Sinar as well (what will happen if I invest into the Sinar HY6 as planned)

"Kurzarbeit" can be verified with one call, as you need permission by the Labor department to send your workers into Kurzarbeit, as the federal state pays 60 % of their wages for the moment...I guess I call Franke & Heidecke on monday myself, just to know....

[ThierryH]

Dear Heinrich,

this is all very clear to me. All I want to say is that ALL options are open currently, and this specific thread seems to mention only the option "bankrupcy" and the company closing/disapearing.

Nothing says that this will be the case and I would refrain from commenting in one direction, although I can understand the frustrations and worries of customers and potential ones.

Best regards,
Thierry

It is pretty easy that way? Isn't it.
As a Rollei owner I don't blame the journalists, but Franke themselfes, Leaf and Sinar as well (what will happen if I invest into the Sinar HY6 as planned)

"Kurzarbeit" can be verified with one call, as you need permission by the Labor department to send your workers into Kurzarbeit, as the federal state pays 60 % of their wages for the moment...I guess I call Franke & Heidecke on monday myself, just to know....

[AndreNapier]

There are many happy users here. I'm still planning to get one when I can, assuming a solution is worked out for F&H and production continues.

Hey Graham,
Mind you that it is very easy to be happy thinking of something you are hoping to get in the future.
I was very happy with my recent vacation until we arrived to the hotel.
Andre

[rainer_v]

Hey Graham,
Mind you that it is very easy to be happy thinking of something you are hoping to get in the future.
I was very happy with my recent vacation until we arrived to the hotel.
Andre

 

[paul_jones]

[attachment=14488:c1lens.jpg]

phase one claims to have created this sophisticated correction software, but they don't quite know what focal length the hasselblad lens collection has- a HC110?    

paul

[Steve Hendrix]

phase one claims to have created this sophisticated correction software, but they don't quite know what focal length the hasselblad lens collection has- a HC110?    

paul

Ha! Good catch Paul. I'm sure the correction will be noted in the Read Me file of 4.8.2...  


Steve Hendrix
Phase One

[paratom]

that's the understatement of the year
how about: hy6 and afi users, you're screwed.

As a Hy6 owner I dont feel srewesd until my Hy6 shows a problem and needs repair and I cant get repair.
Today I feel more like I still own the MF camera which fits best for me (specially nice viewfinder, rotating back and very nice lenses)
Good thing I have got my stuff together.

Frankly, I hope the Hy6-system will survive and of course I am kind of afraid what happens if I need repair. I dont feel srewed though. I enjoy using the system while i wait for further facts.

[paratom]

ok you wait and let's see
a company like mamiya needs years just to come out with a single leaf shutter lens and it's still not out
an insolvent company will probably just take another decade to come up with something worthwhile
in the meantime I'll go shoot with a camera system that's actually still in production and being supported.

They wont need another decade because all Hy6 lenses are leaf shutter.

The interesting thing is there are still images coming out of my Hy6 even though they are insolvent.

[Doug Peterson]

phase one claims to have created this sophisticated correction software, but they don't quite know what focal length the hasselblad lens collection has- a HC110?  

It's no mistake; Phase is just so good that they correct lenses that Hasselblad doesn't even make!

In all seriousness; just a typo.

[jing q]

They wont need another decade because all Hy6 lenses are leaf shutter.

The interesting thing is there are still images coming out of my Hy6 even though they are insolvent.

haha yeah I mean I really like the Rollei lenses. I used to own a 6008i myself, beautiful. It's just that the lack of a wider lens and lack of development+reduced cost in the AF lenses means it's a hodgepodge solution professionally.alas...

[paratom]

haha yeah I mean I really like the Rollei lenses. I used to own a 6008i myself, beautiful. It's just that the lack of a wider lens and lack of development+reduced cost in the AF lenses means it's a hodgepodge solution professionally.alas...

I agree that there is some limitation with 40mm being the widest lens for the Hy6. Thats something one needs to decide if it is acceptable or not. Some people may not need wider or may use a tech camera anyways for wider things, but I assume for others it could be a real disadvantage.
Besides this I find the Lens range very nice with many options (between fast and big glass or little slower but smaller glass,...40,50,80Xenotar, 110 Zeiss, 150, 180/2. all very nice lenses IMO.
I cross my fingers for the Hy6 system and also for F&H - I am convinced there are many people at F&H with a lot of knowledge.

[Graham Mitchell]

I agree that there is some limitation with 40mm being the widest lens for the Hy6.

True, I am not quite sure what their strategy is yet. Larger sensors are just as good as wider lenses in terms of FOV, and we have heard that the upcoming 35mm will cover 6x6, but none of this will pay off until there is a 645 or 6x6 sensor for the Hy6/AFi. (I know Leaf has that 56mm wide sensor but it's an odd ratio.) A 28mm lens on a Hasselblad, limited to 48x36mm sensors, is equivalent to 33mm on 645 so the 35mm will more or less even things up.

I personally don't think that sensors will be larger than 645 for many years, so a rotating 645 back would be a great match for the Hy6, BUT any new lenses should not have to cover full 6x6 - this adds unnecessary weight and cost and FOV limits. Perhaps Schneider/F&H will see the light and release some sort of 30mm lens which covers 645 only. I won't hold my breath though.

So my advice to Sinar/Jenoptik/F&H would be: get a 645 sensor out, preferably like the wonderful eSprit65 but with larger sensor, and get that 35mm lens to market. That should finally silence the critics.

[tho_mas]

So my advice to Sinar/Jenoptik/F&H would be: get a 645 sensor out

I think that would seal their fate. It would be very easy to get a 645 sensor for the Hy6: they just have to open the platform for Phase Backs. They should have done it from the very beginning - I still assume they would have sold some (maybe many) more Hy6s.
As a similar example: I would have considered the arTec as I find it a really well thought out and excellent built camera. Maybe the off-center tripod mount and the size would have inhibited me to buy one... I don't know. Be that as it may. But when I looked at the specs I couldn't find Contax Mount. What? Do they think I sell my entire equipment just to use the arTec??? Sure, someone like Gottschalt could cut out a custom interface... but what a struggle. No, thanks.

[Leonardo Barreto]

This critic says: too little too late. You should do exactly all that brainstorming at the first stage in the creation of a new system, not after when you are insolvent and specially when there are articles about production brake down.

foto-z, otherwise you have made a good analysis, maybe you are becoming one of the critics yourself but don't know it yet...

True, I am not quite sure what their strategy is yet. Larger sensors are just as good as wider lenses in terms of FOV, and we have heard that the upcoming 35mm will cover 6x6, but none of this will pay off until there is a 645 or 6x6 sensor for the Hy6/AFi. (I know Leaf has that 56mm wide sensor but it's an odd ratio.) A 28mm lens on a Hasselblad, limited to 48x36mm sensors, is equivalent to 33mm on 645 so the 35mm will more or less even things up.

I personally don't think that sensors will be larger than 645 for many years, so a rotating 645 back would be a great match for the Hy6, BUT any new lenses should not have to cover full 6x6 - this adds unnecessary weight and cost and FOV limits. Perhaps Schneider/F&H will see the light and release some sort of 30mm lens which covers 645 only. I won't hold my breath though.

So my advice to Sinar/Jenoptik/F&H would be: get a 645 sensor out, preferably like the wonderful eSprit65 but with larger sensor, and get that 35mm lens to market. That should finally silence the critics.

[paratom]

This critic says: too little too late. You should do exactly all that brainstorming at the first stage in the creation of a new system, not after when you are insolvent and specially when there are articles about production brake down.

foto-z, otherwise you have made a good analysis, maybe you are becoming one of the critics yourself but don't know it yet...

Besides the 35mm which has not appeared I dont see a lack of brainstorming. IMO the Hy6 is a concept which is not just a slightly modified existing body but based on brainstorming and a new approach (maybe the user interface is not to everybodies taste) Its a system which combines the classical square viewfinder and posibility to use a WLF combined with a modern metering system, rotating back and AF. I understand that some people prefer a more DLSLR-like more compact approach - I myself think the Hy6 is a well thought system and a very good option.
If - and I hope it wont happen - but if the Hy6-concept will not continued I believe it was not a problem of the product but a problem of marketing, eventually customer relationship (which is good here in Germany but maybe not in the US?) and maybe also regarding structure of cost etc.

Maybe not too little too late but too much too early

[Leonardo Barreto]

This LL article is a very interesting story that may relate to what is happening to Hasselblad, Rollei, Kodak and the others...

The Rise of Digital imaging and the Fall of the Old Camera industry
By Christian Sandström



http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/rise-fall.shtml


(image redirected for the purpose of non commercial discussion)
In Munich, Germany, the former Agfa building was demolished in February 2008. (Photo: Flickr)

[H1/A75 Guy]

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/rise-fall.shtml

They must have got that demo team on the cheap. Buildings were supposed to fall in on themselves (implode), not fall over.