Thought it would be fun to start a thread about the possibility that we are entering an era of mergers and corporate closings in 35mm/compact photography companies. Business analysts frequently say there are too many players in these markets and a shakeout is inevitable, but it has not really happened yet.

Some general questions:

So are the analysts right? Who might buy whom, and for what reasons? Who will go down swinging because they have no technology or patents worth selling? What companies are best positioned to weather the tough times over the next several years? What data can help us forecast their futures?

Some more specific questions:

Are Canon, Nikon, and Sony swamping the market with too many SLR body choices, forcing competitors out? (Perhaps relevant here: "Too Many Choices," Consumer Reports, March 2014.)

Is there any photo company Canon should buy? If so, why?

What might become of offerings from Olympus, Pentax/Ricoh, Sigma, Panasonic, Leica, Zeiss, Samsung, etc...?

Please share data, analysis, and your reflections on this!