Medium format camera maker Phase One will take over portions of the Leaf business, and will enter a licensing agreement with Kodak, Phase One announced in a press release today. It's the latest step toward consolidation in the medium format camera space. Earlier this year, Phase One announced it was investing in Mamiya.
 
PRESS RELEASE
 
Leaf Imaging -- a new Phase One company
 
COPENHAGEN and TEL AVIV, June 25, 2009  -- Phase One A/S, in conjunction with senior management employees of Leaf, today announced that they have created a new entity, Leaf Imaging Ltd., to purchase certain assets of the Leaf camera business.  The assets include the “Leaf” brand product names, engineering design and production tools. The new entity will also enter into an intellectual property license with Eastman Kodak Company that is royalty-bearing to Kodak. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
 
In collaboration with Phase One, high end Leaf digital camera equipment will continue to be developed in Israel and marketed under the “Leaf” brand through a global network of specialized and dedicated value added resellers.  
 
Leaf high quality digital camera backs with up to 56 Mega pixels and superior resolution and image quality can interface to all leading medium and large format cameras.
 
“We are committed to exciting future developments for the Leaf brand of products through innovative engineering, worldwide marketing and customer service, said Henrik O. Håkonsson President and CEO, Phase One. “Leaf customers will benefit from the many synergies with Phase One.”
 
“Since introducing the world’s first digital camera back in 1992, Leaf has been recognized as a worldwide leader in the professional photography market. Our extensive digital imaging and color management knowledge, combined with Phase One’s software and hardware capabilities creates a unique opportunity for the world’s leading photographers,” said Dov Kalinski, General Manager, Leaf. 
 
 
About Phase One  

Phase One is a leading provider of digital image capture and work flow management technology. Phase One medium format cameras, digital backs and variety of lenses open new possibilities -- putting the focus back on the moment of capture. Phase One Capture One software helps streamline the capture and post-production process.  Supporting DSLR, medium- and large-format photographic equipment, Phase One products are renowned for their superior quality, flexibility and speed — enabling pro photographers to realize their most subtle and most complex visions without compromise. 
 
Phase One is an employee-owned company based in Copenhagen with offices in New York, London, Tokyo, Cologne and Shanghai. 
 
For more information about the products, visit the Phase One web site on www.phaseone.com. 
 
About Leaf Imaging

Leaf Imaging is a newly established company based in Tel Aviv, Israel, focused on developing and marketing the Leaf brand of medium format digital photography products. The Leaf image quality legacy will continue through products that have already become known to the world’s leading photographers as their preferred professional digital solutions. 
 
Leaf Imaging will work together with Phase One to deliver the best digital capture solutions to the professional photography market. 
 
For more information about Leaf products, please visit the Leaf web site on www.Leaf-photography.com.