I don't really understand the consumer DSLR market - most people I know with DSLR cameras never remove the lens and never take the camera off auto. They ask me how I get a shot with a blurred background and I say I open the aperture on my fast primes so that I have a very shallow depth of field. They look at me like I'm speaking a different language. Most people that buy a DSLR would be much better served by a smaller sensor and fixed lens. But if they want something that looks the part then the lumix cameras are better for them than a Cannon with wider zoom range on the kit lenses and better AF, etc.

@Renovatio

At least ones I talked to.

@valpopando

I don't think so. All dealers are really agitated, even after checking their own sources.

Not trying to be insensitive to people who rely on their m43 equipment to make a living as it's just a hobby for me, but hasn't this happened before? I mean has there been a photographic mount that people loved and then it went away after a few brief years? I'm seriously asking. Has this happened to another mount in the past? The reason I bought my first ILC camera from Pana and Oly was because of the light and small sizes. Yes, those new very small Sony FF cams look awesome but their lenses are still big and heavy, right? This is what I'll miss most if all of this ends up happening, the small and light sizes of m43 equipment. Perhaps the new light and small will be all of these 1" sensor lens point and shoot cams but most of those are fixed lens, I think. Still, I'll miss the m43 if it ends.

That's crazy. It does not make sense. M4/3 is the strongest mirrorless franchise.

OK

Weird that photography sites haven't picked it up. Oh well the current cameras have a good life left in them yet.

Luckily a year or so ago I started worrying about m43 and began selling my lenses and replacing them with ff glass.

Sounds like I'll be able to buy a lot of gear cheap soon on EBay.

I also hope, that it´s not true. This really spoils my day ... =/

@Mimirsan Some people (like me) lives in some parts of the world that m43 cameras are very uncommon (here they even are not oficially sold). It's already a pain to sell them for upgrades when they are still being manufactured - with Panasonic dropping out, it becomes borderline impossible. We have to sell everything very fast to minimize losses - and to move to other mount with a steady future.

It is a thing that could affect badly a lot of users in some places.

But I will wait to see how it develops - and if the @Shaveblog's rockets will appear.

Gold sales boosted 500% during the month of March in Japan. http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-03-28/japanese-prepare-abenomics-failure-scramble-buy-physical-gold

My guess is that these are the employees like those two leaked that rush into gold stores. They just know for sure that the future is gloomy and try to prepare accordingly. And that Japanese gold rush tells that the situation is not about the losses in a particular company. It's systemic. Abenomics is done. The writing is on the wall.

Anyway if this was all true (oh man I do hope its true!) does this stop you using your current M43rds gear? Does it all suddenly stop working? You all love it right? How many more lenses and cameras do you need? GH4 will tide you over if you need 4k. ;-)

I'm going to feel like the biggest tool ever if this turns out to be some kind of joke after getting so worked up about it...