Re: Pentax and Casio to merge?

[Ryan K. Brooks]

Rick Diaz wrote:

Actually, the MZ, PZ, SF, 645N/N2 ad the 67II share
the same ideology in computer technology with the
Optios and the EIs.
A Pentax rep tech told me that the MZ series cameras
have a very sophisticated computer system, not because
that it needs it,

Marketing BS.

 but because the level of compactness

of the camera itself. This means, all of the
functions inside the camera needs to be controlled by
the main CPU, while most of the sub-functions are
controlled by their relative ASICs (Application
Specific Integrated Circuits). ASIC is also being
used in the Optios to convert the analog input of the
CCD chip into digital, therefore making the CCD chip
brand used irrelevant.

Not really. Stuff hard coded into an ASIC will be very sensor dependant. The reason this is all done inside an ASIC is twofold:

- Size
- Cheapest to manufacture for volume consumer electronics.

R