----- Original Message ----- From: alexanderkrohe Subject: Re: *ist D revisited
> No. The point that I was trying to make is that when > you have a fleet of K/M lenses and you are happy with > it, it simply does not make sense to buy the new > bodies at all. > I think this comment shows the real reason why most > people are upset. They feel "betrayed" by the company > rather than they are upset about any big loss of money > or of usability of the equipment. It makes sense to want to use the most modern cameras that the manufacturer produses, within the limitations of the lenses in your fleet. It does not make sense to go out and buy several new lenses every time the manufacturer introduces a new camera body line. This is the reason for system compatability. Nikon has managed it in their top end film cameras, though not in their digital SLRs, which I expect annoys a few people using Nikon. I can understand them dropping it for the low end cameras where the market won't be concerned (for example, I wouldn't buy an Asterist because it is a cheap piece of junk, not because of system incompatability. I am not in that camera's market), but in the high end cameras, where the target market can be assumed to be somewhat more advanced, compatability becomes an issue. The Asterist D will be a high end camera, based on price and target market (if the thing actually makes it to market). High end consumers have a different set of expectations, system compatability being one of them. I would not be upset to pay a premium to get system compatability out of the camera body, I would be upset to have to replace a half dozen or more expensive lenses to use the new body, especially if it is the top end one, and no other choice exists in the line up. If Pentax chooses to drop system compatability in their digital SLR, and if I decide that I need (want) to go to a digital SLR, then I would be looking at a manufacturer with full system compatability. Right now, that means Canon. Since I cannot afford or desire two complete small format systems, I would be dumping Pentax in favour of Canon. Hopefully, the version two digital SLR will offer backwards compatability, as that will make me (and a lot of other advanced photographers) much happier by allowing us to stay with equipment we already own, rather than forcing us into another camera system. William Robb
