From the British Journal of Photography
http://db.riskwaters.com/public/showPage.html?page=195980
Title: Fujifilm's medium exit
Feature: news
Date: 27 October 2004
Last week's prediction in BJP that just two or three companies will continue to serve the medium format market is a step nearer reality with the news that Fujifilm has ceased production of its cameras
The admission came from Richard Linney of Fujifilm UK, recently appointed as product manager of the newly formed Photo Imaging Group, in which the company's professional and consumer units will now operate.
While confirming that the company has stopped manufacturing medium format bodies, Linney said that Fujifilm is still making accessories for the GX617 and GX680 and still has stock of these models available for retail.
He added: 'The factory in Japan can still manufacture these models if there is a large enough order.'
He was keen, however, to state that the company will be able to deal with reburbishes of all models saying: 'We have been led to believe by Japan that they will service the medium format range and make repairs', adding that this may continue for seven to 10 years.
This move will be of little surprise to many as rumours have been circulating about the demise of Fujifilm's medium format range since March last year, when a Fujifilm spokesman admitted to BJP that it was likely that the GA645zi, the GW670 and GW690/GSW690 models would be discontinued.
Graham Rutherford, who is shortly to retire from his position as Fujifilm's director of professional imaging in the UK, responded at the time saying that no decision had been made about the future of the range. He did say though that some countries had decided to stop selling the cameras.
He added that the UK market remained healthy and hoped that plans to phase them out would therefore be reversed. Instead, production continued to be scaled down as Fujifilm staggered the termination of different models.
http://db.riskwaters.com/public/showPage.html?page=195980
Title: Fujifilm's medium exit
Feature: news
Date: 27 October 2004
Last week's prediction in BJP that just two or three companies will continue to serve the medium format market is a step nearer reality with the news that Fujifilm has ceased production of its cameras
The admission came from Richard Linney of Fujifilm UK, recently appointed as product manager of the newly formed Photo Imaging Group, in which the company's professional and consumer units will now operate.
While confirming that the company has stopped manufacturing medium format bodies, Linney said that Fujifilm is still making accessories for the GX617 and GX680 and still has stock of these models available for retail.
He added: 'The factory in Japan can still manufacture these models if there is a large enough order.'
He was keen, however, to state that the company will be able to deal with reburbishes of all models saying: 'We have been led to believe by Japan that they will service the medium format range and make repairs', adding that this may continue for seven to 10 years.
This move will be of little surprise to many as rumours have been circulating about the demise of Fujifilm's medium format range since March last year, when a Fujifilm spokesman admitted to BJP that it was likely that the GA645zi, the GW670 and GW690/GSW690 models would be discontinued.
Graham Rutherford, who is shortly to retire from his position as Fujifilm's director of professional imaging in the UK, responded at the time saying that no decision had been made about the future of the range. He did say though that some countries had decided to stop selling the cameras.
He added that the UK market remained healthy and hoped that plans to phase them out would therefore be reversed. Instead, production continued to be scaled down as Fujifilm staggered the termination of different models.
