Hi R�diger,
on 19 Jun 03 you wrote in pentax.list:
[very interesting feature comparison snipped]
>If you see the features, you see that only the mount compatibilty is entry
>level, all others are mid class and some are on the level of the MZ-S. IF
>you are saying the *ist is entry level, then your are taking only the lens
>mount in account.
It depends fully on how you define "entry level". I agree that the *ist
is very well featured - better than every model that is actually
supposed to be "entry level". And it is more expensive those "entry
level" modells.
But we should keep in mind that the photo industry is changing
dramatically. I'm quite sure that it will make no sense offering many
different analog modells in the near future. For Pentax it might be even
sufficient to sell three different types of an analog SLR in addition to
the growing digital business. Let's have a look on possible, different
"entry level" definitions:
- Actually an entry level SLR is the cheapest one. Someone entering the
photographic arena might see a sense in buying a new camera of a well
known manufacturer But he has a limited budget and doesn't know much
about the features he needs. So he takes the cheapest Nikon, Canon,
Pentax or Minolta.
- I think the market segment described above will die. Why? Because many
people getting into photography on an entry level (i.e. they didn't own
a SLR before) will buy a digital P&S camera (a DSLR would be too
expensive for them). Becaue of this, the market segment for cameras like
the MZ-60 or Nikon F55 will shrink, competition will grow and Nikon or
Canon will dominate this segment. I assume, that Pentax will sell an MZ-
60 as long as possible there and will leave this market segment if they
cannot sell anymore.
- Now - who will need a new _analog_ Pentax SLR then? There are three
customer groups, I think:
- Users of digital P&S cameras who cannot afford a DSLR but want
a SLR. They have possibly a large technical affinity and will
be attracted by the feature-laden but comparable cheap *ist.
- Advanced users: This group won't buy a *ist because of its
cheap plastics design. They might be in search of a adequate
succsessor for the MZ-3/5 or Z-1P. This is the next *ist-
modell Pentax might release...
- Semi-professional users: They might buy the MZ-S for some more
time or they will take the step to MF or a DSLR. Possibly
Pentax will release a semi-pro *ist for this segment, but this
would be the latest release, I think.
Everything pure speculation, but I really think, that
- the market for analog SLR will shrink dramatically (especially for
smaller manufacturers as Pentax)
- the numer of different analog SLR modells will shrink
- a line-up of three *ist modells will gradually replace the MZ-modells
- the *ist will be the entry-level SLR for Pentax in some time (also it
doesn't look like that today)
We should also keep in mind that the SLRs are developping more and more.
Compare the LX to an actual entry-level MZ-60. The MZ-60 has much more
features but it is still an entry-level camera - the LX isn't. The *ist
has even more features, but in two or three years they might be
standard...
Cheers, Heiko
