Ken wrote: > I tend to agree with this. While the current digital camera market has a > look of C/N runaway success, the whole market has been essentially > reshuffled and everybody will be competing in the level field. ,
But this not a correct interpretation. Canon being No.1 in film cameras is only No. 4 in digital (they may have reached 3rd place in some markets recently). This cannot be satisfactory for the company. Nikon isn't even in the ballpark. > As P�l said > elsewhere, C/N had to first respond to what is called "pro" market which is > almost done, and C/N will begin to enter into the consumer market (DSLR, > that is). Nikon and Canon are the only companies who has been serious so fat in the DSLR market. It is not so strange as these are the compoanies who cater to the 35mm pro market and DSLR so far have for all practical purposes been pro only items. This will of course change and then the other players will join with full force. >Digital P&S market will be filled with all kinds of competitions > including from non-traditinal camera makers, mostly the electronics and the > home electronics makers. In the DSLR market, it is still the traditional > big 4 market because of somewhat unique trick & trade required for the SLR > but even that market is no longer sacred. There are a number of sub-contract > level SLR body makers. Absolutely, and it is in this segment Pentax is in an unique situation. We have rumors about a entry level DSLR; a entry/mid film slr; a new 67; a 645D; a high mp DSLR; a high-end 35mm film slr. All this is credible due to Pentax unique position. Pentax can make the "same" camera in very different conifgurations. A digital 645 need only been an inflated 35mm slr. Same with a new 67 body; digital or not. Lets face it; the only necessarily diference betwen a high-end 35mm slr/DSLR and medium format of the same is the size of the mirror box, mount and film/sensor mount distance. Why not take advantage of this simple fact? As Pentax have never been much keen on interchangeable backs, why bother with digital backs when it makes far more sense with digital cameras? > 1. It was not like Pentax & Minolta had no capability nor intention to enter > into the DSLR market. It is obvious that they had to enter into it at some > point but had to measure the timing. I do not think P/M were even > interested in entering into the early DSLR market when C/N were draining the > money to respond to the pro market they had. > 4. Current industry leader is obviously Canon and it is almost certain that > they enter into the consumer level DSLR market. D60 was such a success that > they could not keep up with the production. Hmm. This probably depend how you define sucess. It should not be overestimated. The fact is that Canon sold more than they expected. They did not expect much..... P�l
