----- Original Message ----- From: "Malcolm Smith" Subject: RE: REV: *istD: to wait or not to wait that is the question
> > Darn! I hadn't expected or thought the new camera will replace the *ist D. > Mind you, with the Canon EOS 20D out soon and replacing the 10D which seems > as if it's only been out five minutes anyway, who knows? I am too used to > production runs of many years. If they want to stay in the game, they will need to position a camera someplace around the Rebel D (we are calling it the babyist?) and another one that is higher spec'ed than the present istD, if for no other reason than to provide an upgrade path from the low end camera. People like that, even if they never make the purchase. I don't think 7mp will cut it, especially since the 7mp chips have a buggered up aspect ratio, being neither 2:3 nor 4:5 (though closer to 4:5). Has it occured to anyone looking at the Sony DSC-V3 that when making a 4x6 print, you have just downgraded to 6 mp? Just wondering, since 4x6 is still what most people order, even after being told it is a cropped print. With the advent of the DA lenses, Pentax has kinda married itself to the APS sized chip. Whats out there now in that chip size? 8MP? If so, look for that as the next top end for Pentax. What I think they really need to improve on is the frame rate and buffer size of the istD. I try not to speculate, but if Pentax has the manufacturing capacity to produce 3 digital SLRs, then it would make sense to leave the istD in the lineup with an improved buffer/ frame rate, and perhaps a fix to the card slot and 4 way switch (those are my major beefs with the thing), and then a camera above and one below. If the low end one used SD cards, thats fine with me, it's an Optio upgrade anyway, but it would be nice (and pretty important to their present target market for the camera) if the upper end one used compact flash. They can't leave a long timeline between models like they used to. That just won't cut it in the marketplace anymore. The istD is a year on the shelves now, I don't think they can leave it there by itself for more than another few months. William Robb
