Heiko wrote: > - It doesn't have a much better viewfinder than the MZ-5n but a much > better AF that might help me in difficult situations.
The MZ-S has a significantly better viewfinder thatn any other Pentax AF camera. It uses the same type screens as the new LX screens. The only "controversial" issue with the MZ-S viewfinder might be the magnification. > What makes me hesitating is the announcement of new SLR modells. On the > one hand I don't think, that Pentax will replace the MZ-S with a new > modell or even release an addtional highend modell. Everything I have > read about the market development of the analogue camera segment speaks > against this. So the MZ-S might be the final flagship. Why? Althoug sales of higher end film slr's are dropping the manufacturers still need to make both digital and film slr from the same parts bin. It is the only way not to break the back on a digital slr. In the foreseeable future DSLR market share will still be largely Mpix/dollar which means there is resistance of putting newexpensive technology and features in a digital slr before it's payed for, or getting revenues from, a film slr sibling. It's no coincidence that the EOS-1Ds is based on the EOS-1V; the D100 on the F80; D1 on the F100; the Contax Digital on the N1 etc. I have no doubts that the coming Pentax digital slr won't be in the absolute high-end, but if Pentax have ambitions of doing more than make initial sales of a digital slr for old K-mount users, they need new features as well. Since we know the coming digital slr will form the basis of many new camera bodies all they need to do is to replace the digital part of a digital slr with a film transport. This probably what the need for a new platform is all about. I strongly suspect that the new slr to be shown next year will replace the MZ-5n, MZ-3 and the MZ-S even if it sounds incredible. If Pentax chose not to introduce the KAF3 lens mount with this camera, then I suspect that the camera might be the MZ-1 and it will be augmented in the slr line-up with it's digital sibling, which might or might not have similar features, and the MZ-60 and the MZ-6. I might be wrong though... P�l
