Consolidation of Camera Companies?

From an anonymous source
This could be nothing more than some random person's pipe dream. It was an interesting concept anyway.

Panasonic
– Acquisition of Leica Camera AG. LeicaRumors also posted about this.
*edit* Leica Geosystems AG and Leica Microsystems AG are separate entities.

– Acquisition of Olympus Corporation.

The acquisition of Olympus makes a lot more sense to me than Leica. However, after what Panasonic paid for Sanyo, anything is possible.

Samsung
– Currently investigating the possibility of acquiring Hoya Corporation, owners of Pentax.

Samsung keeps threatening to really care about digital photography. I fully expected them to be very aggressive after teaming up with Pentax. It never really happened. They continue to make uninspiring P&S cameras and a dslr that no one has bought (some say makes better images than the K20D). However, Samsung Techwin is the 3rd largest manufacturer of digital cameras. They have the size to take on Sony for 3rd in the market.

If this were true, it would have been easier to buy Pentax before Hoya, unless Hoya has something coveted by Samsung as well.

None of this may be remotely true, but it was an interesting read anyway and something to think about. There are too many manufacturers of DSLR's currently, I think something has to give.

cr