JCO wrote: For the price of what a *istD costs I am not going to buy into the argument that full K/M support would have driven up the cost in any signifigant way because K/M support was provided on many budget cameras, pentax made and third parties.
REPLY: You forget that the production methods and cost issues are grossly different now than a few years back. The *ist and *istD use a fully electronic (digital) metering and exposure system. As you probably know, electronics are dirt cheap and the camera is sutable for fully atuomatic production and assembly procedures. Precise mechanical systems needed for the old style metering system is expensive. So are labouring costs in Japan these days. A fully compatible K-mount needs two metering systems. As these cameras are competing in the most price sensitive part of the market, and the fact that none of the competition use complex mechanical systems, even small cost increase is out of the question from the manufacturers point of view. Particularly when very few gives a damned anyway (incidentally, those who whine are usually those who wont buy the stuff regardless!). From the *ist developing program Pentax got a feature laden and very competitively priced film slr and a DSLR that co! mpete with the market leader on price and arguably better on packaging and features. Not bad at all. Pål
