The Pepsi AM of Cameras...
 

Sony just announced their new cameras and based on the reactions they look like they'll sell well. But it got me thinking...

Has any major company released a prosumer or pro camera that just an out and out flopped. Was there a Sony Edsel? Or a Cannon Ishtar?

Just curious...

Possibly Sony's betaSX format, though it may have sold reasonably well.

It looks like 3/4" Umatic will outlive this format?

2- Some companies were making analog HD formats and analog HD cameras.

3- JVC's D-VHS format. I'm not sure how well this products did, but I think it's fairly dead now.

Sony's microMV format.
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content...n-10_20_03.htm

4- Sony's Flame-killer Socratto bombed
http://www.fxguide.com/article60.html

Sony also made the Vialta telecine. Discontinued now.

Of the products above, I think it's only Socratto that really bombed. Keep in mind that Sony makes a lot of products... some are bound to bomb. They've also had some really successful products (betaSP, digibeta, HDCAM).

Panasonic's MII?

Thanks guys.

Any more?

Polaroid's Polavision?

For those who weren't yet sentient or alive in the '70's, this was Polaroid's attempt to bring their "instant" concept to home movies--you inserted a cartridge into a Super-8 sized camera, shot your film (silent, and ASA 40--ouch), and dropped it into a player that also developed it. The result was fantastically grainy, with interspersed bubbles from the developing process and expensive to boot.

Meanwhile, home video was burgeoning with 1-2 hr run times, plus sound on tape and the ability to reuse the tapes of course...goodbye Polavision.