[dougjgreen]

I meant the Canon 1DS Mk II, or Nikon D2X nowadays, but this trend started even earlier, when the Nikon and Canon pro caliber DSLRs got to the 5-8 megapixel level, the pros started moving to them in droves. In the world of Wedding / Bar Mitzvah, Confirmation etc. Photography, for example, Digital has been the standard for several years now. Most of these Pros had been using Hassys, Rolleis, Mamiyas and Pentaxes up to that time. All of those Hassys, Rolleis, Mamiyas and Pentax Medium Format cameras have been ending up on ebay over the past few years. Complete Mamiya RB67s and Pentax 67s can now be gotten for $300 without meter heads but WITH standard lens, and $400-500 with TTL Meters, as a result of this trend.

Photojournalism also started to make the switch once pro DSLRs got to around 6 Megapixels.

Even Product and Fashion Photography has been shifting to digital, now that 12-16 Megapixel DSLR cameras are available from Nikon and Canon, although these are the markets where 16-30 MP Medium and Large Format cameras with digital backs are maintaining a foothold.

Nowadays, I buy all my used camera gear at either camera shows or ebay. I picked up the Mamiya RZ67 outfit I referred to on ebay. I just got myself a Kodak DCS-760 on ebay as well. If one confines their purchases to reputable, knowledgeable sellers, ebay is a safe place to buy used camera gear if you know what you are looking for.

Note, By pros, I meant working pros, who need to deliver on deadlines. As a result, what's happenning is that MF gear is moving into the hands of starving artists/aspiring students at unheard-of prices, so these folks can now produce incredible quality work using superb quality Medium Format gear, without a huge cash outlay, which previously would have made Medium Format prohibitive for them.