That's among the most bold statements an ignorant would ever do... It's like advising one that bought a goldmine to shut it down... Sinar's experience and knowledge into managing color are second to none and so is their tradition for the best cameras with movements in the world... IMO Sinar will be selling more MFDBs than P1 in the near future and the cameras to come will put both Cambo and Arca in a very difficult position... Also... I expect Sinar to be the leaders in software for accurate professional work shortly...
Sinar do indeed have the best multishot back currently in the world - it is the system of choice amongst many museums and galleries when it comes to accurate reproduction of colour. Sinar has always had the best colour tech. I have owned and tested every manufacturer's offerings in MFD over the last 15 years. Search the history of this site- and you will find I was using an Alpa with Schneider lenses and MFD backs - before most had ever even heard of the brand. As for Sinar and MFD experience - I own and use an HY6 system ( a camera now that is not supported ) as well as an artec system in Hy6 mount. Do your research and see how Sinar has treated its past customers who invested deeply in their systems - it has been atrocious. The company was a rabble - before Leica took them over.
Now you say Sinar has all this knowledge about camera movements and manufacturing of cameras - and I say to you have you seen the Sinar manufacturing capability - are you aware of how they go about building their cameras - when they did , who the outsourced agencies were that they used? Are you aware of just how tiny the tech camera market is? Forget reference to sites like this - which is inhabited by high end camera enthusiasts most of whom are capable of making a nice photograph. ..
So you say Leica will make a digital back for Sinar - as part of a master plan to dominate the high end professional world- and I say that the well healed amateur photographer is a bigger market for MFD than your so called high end professionals - and has been for nearly a decade.
I ask you and what will people do with their Leica / Sinar MFD back - what system(s) will this MFD back attach itself to? and how big is this market?
The LeicaSinar MFD back could attach itself to existing tech cameras- but these cameras use Rodensotck and Schneider lenses - will Leica like the idea of becoming a bit player in this type of market? I think not.
So you say well leica can build its own MF camera body and I say to do what compete with the S camera ? Really
So you say well a Leica/Sinar back can attach itself to all the legacy Sinar Studio cameras- and I say to you - have you ever used some of this clunky rubbish with a MFD back and tried to get accurate camera movements and focus and are you aware of the many improved technologies available to high end studios for product shots ??
So yes - Leica IS a very good company making very good products I own and use many of these myself - however I can't 'see' Leica investing in new tech camera systems optimised for tech camera shooting using a new digital back and a new line of leica badged tech lenses - to compete in a diminishing market against established optics companies like Schneider and Rodenstock - who quite frankly have their own problems...
and even if they did - apart from dusty corners of enthusiast photographers like this forum - who would really care - how big are these new high end markets?
Now look at some well known architectural photographers - many are shifting to modified small movement systems from Arca and Cambo etc - and attaching Sony A7R/R11 or Nikon or Canon DSLR bodies and using their own existing lenses or buying a set of Hartblei type lenses or even cheaper buying and using canon tilt shift lenses
So my opinion coming from a user of Sinar/Leica/Alpa/Hasselblad/Phase One and Leaf /Son/Nikon/Canon/Rodenstock and Schneider as well as various tech camera systems from Sunar/Arca and now soon Cambo - is just what exactly is Leica going to bring to this market and why?
I can tell you from Sinar dealers that I know - that their work today is mainly trying to explain why a client's Hy6 cant be fixed and why the Artec was built with such little adaptability as far as mount systems go- and not even designed for easy nodal point shooting...yes the occasional sale of a high end multi-shot back might happen - that is the one area where quality can still compete against the marketing BS from Phase One and its single shot nonsense. Big deal.
One final thing - I had the benefit of a classical education - and if my memory serves correct your user name alludes to teach or teaching - a good teacher never insults his would be students.
No hard feelings - for me it is all about fun.
- Pete