ARRI closing up shop, needs a buy-out - maybe Sony?

[Andrew Reid]

ARRI are closing two factories in Germany.

https://www.eoshd.com/news/arri-closes-factories-contemplates-company-sale/

The ALEXA factory remains for now.

150 jobs are to go.

Reasons for this and words from ARRI's spokesperson are in the article above.

But in a nutshell they really need saving - and like Nikon buying RED, it should be Sony to do it for ARRI.

They will lead the cinema camera world if they do.

The question is will there still be a cinema camera industry if the current pace of collapse continues?!

[Clark Nikolai]

4 hours ago, Andrew Reid said:

ARRI are closing two factories in Germany.

.....

The question is will there still be a cinema camera industry if the current pace of collapse continues?!

Wow! This is surprising to me. Maybe the market is saturated for that type of camera.

[Davide DB]

If Panasonic would wake up, they could be the ones to get their hands on Arri.

They already have a collaboration for the color profile, and Panasonic no longer has the professional division.

But, as you say, the old Japanese guys have completely lost their minds.

Could it be a Chinese company that pulls off the big coup?

 

[ND64]

1 hour ago, Davide DB said:

If Panasonic would wake up, they could be the ones to get their hands on Arri.

They're already closing down their pro services, and no way they invest in a zero growth business when they kill their own zero growth businesses.

Canon can't do it. That would be all against their ego. They and their customer base believe Canon color science is best in the world, and thats why they have 50% market share. They're like "we ain't need nobody". 

Sony will have a integration nightmare if they do it. Arri systems are in conflict with the whole Sony line up. Also it would be an official admission that the electronics/AV giant couldn't get the color science right and eventually had to go shopping.

Nikon acquisition of RED unintentionally made this perception that its a preferred approach in Tokyo. But it isn't. Nikon had to choose between two costly options and the acquisition was cheaper.

In China, its only DJI who can gain a lot with Arri reputation in its arsenal, but I don't think Germans are comfortable with giving away this German icon to Chinese.

Zeiss would be the perfect owner. A German brand with enough money, so the brand stays in the country, and they're heavily invested in high end part of the cine market. 

[Tim Sewell]

My understanding was that this is related to their decision to reduce their activities in the lighting and grip side of the industry, not cameras.

[Django]

Let's not forget Nikon had no cine line, it was a clean buy with zero conflict of interest. Canon and Sony already have full cinema lines, so buying ARRI would create instant internal turf wars. Canon’s C-series and Sony’s VENICE would clash hard with the Alexa pipeline. 

At this point the wild card that makes the most sense is Apple. They could scoop ARRI up without blinking, keep it running as a prestige pro division, and then quietly bake LogC + ARRI color science straight into the iPhone Pro pipeline. Zero internal conflict, huge marketing flex, and a perfect fit with Apple’s long-term imaging strategy.