From: Chris Brogden <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 13:33:08 -0600 (CST)
> >The *ist sounds like a nice little camera. > > Oh dear, it *sounds*. ;-)
Yup. Until I actually see and hold one, I'm not going to act as >though I have.
I simply tried to make a joke... about the *ist *sounds*... sounds = making a noise. You don't like noise. I thought my joke was quite clever, perhaps too clever. :-)
If you think about it, there's no way that the *ist can be the lowest->end camera.
I have thought about it, and I don't agree with you.
Pentax has always weighted the majority of their lineup >at the low >end, and the *ist is too fully featured to compete with >entry level >Rebels and the F55 in price.
It's my impression that the *ist will compete with EOS 300V, F75 and Dynax 5. Not with EOS 3000, F55 and Dynax 3. The MZ-60 will compete with the low-end models from other makers for the time being. The MZ-60 will be available as long as there's a demand for it. The MZ-serie will not be replaced overnight and some of the current MZ bodies are going to sell, but at lower prices.
Anyone who thinks that the >*ist will be >the least expensive entry->level Pentax body doesn't >understand the current market.
The *ist will be the least expensive model in Pentax *ist line up. I don't believe that there will be an *ist below the *ist. This topic has been discussed before on this list.
Not enough people buy mid-market stuff compared to entry level. Think
about the number of MZ-5n's and Z-1p's sold compared to the number of
MZ-60's and MZ-6's. The *ist is overkill for an entry-level SLR. I'd >be happy to eat my words later, but I don't think I will be.
Pentax plan is to reduce their filmbased SLR line to three models - entry, mid and top. Instead of making 3 entry level models, they're going to make one. This saves money and broadens the market. One model that replaces three. And this is what the *ist does. *ist has a good specification, but it's not mid market. It's not that different from Dynax 5. The Dynax 5 has 1/4000 shutter, 7 point AF, cross sensor, 3fps drive, high-speed-flash sync and many other neat things. The Dynax 5 has a better specification than the mid market F80. The *ist has a better specification than the Dynax 5, but it has to be if it's going to be competetive. It's not mid market specifications, Minolta has changed this. They put mid-market specifications in the entry level Dynax 5, they put top-market specifications in the mid-market Dynax 7. Yesterday's midmarket is tomorrows entry level. If Minolta can, why not Pentax? It seems to me that it's hard to accept the fact that Pentax has put advanced features in a low priced, entry level SLR - because this is very un-Pentax like. It's more Canon and Minolta behavior than Pentax, and this change is very hard for Pentaxians to accept. They simply refuses to believe it.
Best wishes, Roland
_________________________________________________________________ L�ttare att hitta dr�mresan med MSN Resor http://www.msn.se/resor/
