Gringo, the rumor on canon/nikon lists is that they are expecting a MF
digital solution too.
A.
On 18 Jul 2004, at 04:05, El Gringo wrote:
You're so negative Rob, why is that?? It's scheduled for early 2005,
not
exactly that far off now is it? A couple other posters provided some
interesting ideas as to what Pentax might actually be making. People
want a
"pro" solution, Pentax discusses said solution, and then people like
you
complain, and complain. My prediction is that neither Nikon or Canon
will
come out with a full frame MF format digital camera body unless Pentax
has
some serious success with theirs. So you can count them out of
contention
for now. As for the other companies, I don't think they can compete
with
Pentax. The only MF camera that is interesting to me at all outside of
Pentax's offerings is the Mamiya 7. If there was a digital version of
that
camera with a digital viewfinder I would sell all my camera equipment
in a
heartbeat and buy that. Two things keep people from buying the 7
though, MF
rolls are too cumbersome for action photography, and the viewfinder is
not
convenient at all. In fact, I simply don't do the type of shooting
where I
can afford to not have a TTL viewfinder. The 645 digital on the other
hand
has massive potential. It could be made smaller than it is, more in
the
range of a large 35mm, it could burst faster than any film MF camera,
and it
has a real viewfinder, unlike the Mamiya 7. Not to mention that it
has a
nice range of high quality Pentax 645 lenses. This could be THE
camera to
own if Pentax pulls out all the stops.
It's sad that Pentax gave up their 35mm dominance, but, I think it
gives
them a small advantage now. If they can convince people that 35mm is
more
for amateurs or specialized pros, and that newer, dedicated MF digital
cameras are the choice for any pros whose major concern is image
quality and
then respectable portability, they will be sitting in a winning
position,
with very little investment in a dying market, i.e. the 35mm market.
While
the major 35mm competitors will be left with a shrinking market, and a
huge
investment in that market. Now, I'm not saying the 35mm market is
dying, or
going to die, but I think it's looking a bit more and more out of
place...
The increasing quality and affordability of digital P&S cameras are
attacking from the low end, and the increasing affordability, and
decreasing
size of MF digitals will be attacking it from the high-end. People
talk
about FF sensors having advantages, well, what about MF sensors??
Wouldn't
every 35mm shooter love to have MF quality with the same features and
portability of 35mm systems?? I would. And that could happen with
Pentax's
new 645 digital...
I'm reminded by captain Kirk's quote in the first Star Trek movie: "If
you
can't win a game by the rules, change the rules of the game." Or
something
to that effect. Basically, Pentax would have a heck of a time beating
Nikon
and Canon in 35mm, so what do you do?? You don't beat them at 35mm,
you
beat them where they have no presence. MF. Think about it, it works,
it
could be big. IF sensors just get bigger and cheaper as the years go
by,
why stop at 35mm?? MF could be the future of pro and serious amateur
photography. There will always be a place for portable systems, but
for
those who want the UTMOST quality, MF is the promised land.
-el gringo
-----Original Message-----
From: Rob Studdert [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Saturday, July 17, 2004 7:22 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: Pentax is Dying?
On 17 Jul 2004 at 12:08, El Gringo wrote:
And Antonio, people do know things about it, for one, it's supposed
to be
out in early 2005. For another, the things I've said are straight
from
the
mouth of an executive at Pentax.
This bothers me greatly. Sure it would be nice to have a full frame MF
digi-
solution but the whole concept strikes me as a severe misapplication of
funds/development considering how badly their K-format kit is dragging
its
knuckles. Let alone the fact that by the time Pentax actually delivers
such
an
MF-digi product to market everyone else in contention will already have
products to market, we've seen it all before.
Rob Studdert
HURSTVILLE AUSTRALIA
Tel +61-2-9554-4110
UTC(GMT) +10 Hours
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~distudio/publications/
Pentax user since 1986, PDMLer since 1998
