Ever since the rise of digital imaging, the Medium Format 

segment of the camera industry hassegment of the camera industry has been in decline.

Medium format cameras are biggerthan ’normal’ cameras. During thethan normal  cameras. During the analogue era, they were defined as 

d hi h d l filproducts which used a larger film format than the standard 35 mm.

Instead they used 4 5*6 6*6 or 6*7Instead they used 4,5 6, 6 6 or 6 7 centimeter film, thus enabling a 

h hi h i limuch higher image quality.

In the digital era medium formatIn the digital era, medium format cameras use larger image sensors h h d d 35than the standard 35 mm sensors.

Those cameras were often used for wedding and portrait photography.wedding and portrait photography.

This segment has always been very smallThis segment has always been very small in comparison with 35 mm cameras.

With the introduction of autofocus and other features in small format cameras, the segment kept declining

during the 1980s and 1990sduring the 1980s and 1990s.

Medium format players like Hasselblad, Mamiya, Contax, Pentax and Bronica were

fighting each other in these years to obtain an increased share of a shrinking market.

Mamiya went bankrupt once in the 1980s and had to be reconstructed. Tough competition and a shrinking

market were the main reasons for the decline.

In the early 1990s, digital imaging started to prosper in this segment in the form of digital backs. The film magazine was removed and instead a device whichmagazine was removed and instead, a device which

contained an image sensor was attached.

It is striking to what extentIt is striking to what extentthose products were

supplied by companies that were not manufacturingdi f tmedium format cameras…

Leaf

Imacon

Phase One

Kodak alsoKodak alsomade somedigital backsdigital backs

Cameras are after all about precise mechanics ratherthan electronics – that’s probably why none of them

succeeded in developing a digital back.

Digital imaging initiallyincreased the value of 

medium format cameras…

h iThe camera companiesmade sure that theirmade sure that their

products were compatibleproducts were compatiblewith these new devices.

This setting also enabledgphotographers to choose whetherth ld hift t di it l tthey would shift to digital or not. 

It was a hybrid that workedIt was a hybrid that workedreasonably well until no one really

d d d fil ldemanded film any longer.

Once that was the case, very fewphotographers were willing to buyphotographers were willing to buyone camera and one digital back 

hi h h bwhich together became veryexpensive and bulky. The high‐endp y gmodels from Canon and Nikon weregood enough for most applicationsgood enough for most applications, 

much cheaper and lighter.

d h diAround 2002‐2003, the medium format players faced huge problems.p y g p

Hasselblad had to lay off about 50 percent of its work force inHasselblad had to lay off about 50 percent of its work force in 2004, and was forced to leave their office (the building on the 

picture) two years after having moved there.

Contax was bustedlater on…

… And so was Bronica.

Mamiya was also in a lot of trouble.

It became increasingly obvious that the medium format companies had to move closer to the manufacturers of 

digital backs in order to deliver a complete digital solution.

Hasselblad merged with Imacon, and Mamiya started to collaborate more with Phase One.

This strategy kept the companies alive…

… but nevertheless, the climate did not favour medium format photography.

Who wants to 25 000pay 25 000 

USD just toUSD just to have 39 

i lMegapixelsinstead ofinstead of ’only’ 20?

As DSLR cameras become better and better, the medium format segment becomes smaller and smaller.

And trying to compete with the big guys in their segments isn’t really an option for a company with 150 employees.

Hence, these firms don’t really have an option.

The medium format has been declining ever since the early1980s and will continue to do so until there’s nothing left.

I ib iImage attributions

Hasselblad photos: Christian SandströmHasselblad photos: Christian Sandström

Christian Sandström is a PhD student at Chalmersstudent at Chalmers 

University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden. HeGothenburg, Sweden. He writes and speaks about disruptive innovation and technological change.

www.christiansandstrom.org

Find out more:

www.christiansandstrom.org