Phase One + Mamiya

I made a quick mention about this last week but here's part of the press release :

Phase One and Mamiya Digital Imaging announced today that Phase One is making a significant financial investment in Mamiya Digital Imaging, thus becoming a major shareholder in the company. It was also announced that Phase One will take on strategic leadership for the companies’ R & D, marketing and distribution management. Like the companies’ flagship 645 camera system announced one year ago, future digital backs based on Phase One digital expertise will be marketed under both the Phase One and Mamiya brands.

Over at Luminous Landscape, they had a chance to talk to Henrik O. Håkonsson, Phase One's President and CEO.

...what is clear is that Phase One is now in the driver's seat when it comes to research and development, marketing and product distribution on a world-wide basis. Claus Mølgaard, Phases' VP of Engineering is now in charge of all product development for both companies.

There's much more so I suggest going over here and read the full article. And there's also something else that caught me eye :

A couple of days prior to this announcement The British Journal of Photography had an online piece about how Calumet was ceasing to handle the Leaf line and would be focusing on Hasselblad medium format cameras and backs. I asked for clarification on this and was told that indeed in Europe Calumet was going to be exclusively handling Hasselblad, but that this was not the case in the US. In America Calumet will also be dropping the Leaf camera and back line, but in the US they would continue to sell, rent and support Phase One along with Hasselblad.

Read the press release here.