Hi,
Shel Belinkoff wrote:
Here's a crazy thought Mike, one that you touched upon: If the gear you have works for what you're doing, what need is there to buy something newer, especially if it makes it difficult to use some of the gear you already have? If you want to do something other than what you're now doing, then some additional equipment may be necessary, and, at that point, you may want to add a lens or two to the mix anyway. Personally (and not to pick on you, just using this message space to make a comment), if I want AE as defined by JCO, the LX and ME-S are just fine for that. If I want more manual control and feel, the MX and the Leicas are ideal for that. If I want a more classic feel or experience, the Spotties do the trick. Now that digital is here, I'm willing to accept (perhaps not embrace) the idea that to take advantage of the new cameras, some new lenses may be in order, although I still don't have to buy new ones as there are already a few A lenses in the equipment cabinet. And, should I discover that "pushing the green button," or some such similar act on the istDS is, indeed tiresome as one poster suggested, then it's not a big deal to pick up a couple three more A lenses which seem to be rather inexpensive these days.
I've said before that the gear I own has more potential than I am able to realise. Although I'm not desperately looking for more equipment, the convenience of the digital workflow appeals. Once I am satisfied that the qualities I am looking for are there, I will be happy to (at least partially) relinquish film. Some of those qualities involve the equipment and its systems of use, some don't.
While I understand what JCO is concerned about - that this may be a turning point for Pentax and that he doesn't like the direction in which it's turning - I don't see it as any major issue. Truth is, Pentax has had some tough years, in part because they didn't keep up with change. Now they seem to be embracing change, and moving forward. This will keep them afloat, generate NEW customers and not just be the camera company for old farts who want to impress a few people with the fact that their forty year old lenses fit and eork on new cameras.
"Embracing change" is a phrase that has been done to death by certain sections of society. It makes me shudder because what it normally means is "How can we do this more conveniently for us, ignoring the effect it has on others". I don't think the present (putative) direction can be said to be moving forward. It does nothing except make some older, otherwise perfectly functional equipment, less easy to use. One of the things that made Pentax a good choice for the _discerning_ buyer was its compatibility. Reducing that, and I agree it started long before the DSLR, has made it less of a good choice. If the idea is to start a whole new range of equipment, then the rate of introduction needs to much higher than at present for Pentax to be moving forward into the position of a major player.
Like every business has learned, new customers, especially younger new customers, must be courted and convinced to buy the product you're producing, or else you'll pass into oblivion. So, while it may be neat if the K and M lenses worked in such a way that there is no need to press a button, it may be neater still to see pentax as once again a major (or at least a larger) player in the field of photography. And for guys like Paul and me, who have a long history of using manual gear, and who, perhaps even use our AE exposure cameras manually, the "green button syndrome" is, indeed, almost a luxury.
<Broadly speaking>
New customers, especially the young, will buy what they are told. Say something often and loud enough and it is the truth. Pentax still hasn't learned that lesson and probably never will. Advertising is what sells large numbers of things - the product qualities or virtues are almost meaningless. You only have to look at the crap people stuff in their faces (and other parts of their bodies) to know that is true. Just maybe, some of those customers will come to appreciate the products you make, if you were lucky enough to capture them the first time round and if it is a product (generically) that interests them enough in the first place.
<?Broadly speaking>
mike
