Not picking sides at all here - I was talking to a friend of mine the other day. She is well connected with the scrapbook world. It is far bigger than you might think. Anyway, she said that everyone she knows are getting Nikon D70's and they are being recommended in the scrapbooking circles. The reason is that digital P&S has significant problems with shutter lag and focus tracking. So surprisingly, many newbies are buying DSLR's without the slightest knowledge of how to use them effectively. Pretty much they use the kit zoom that came with it (and maybe one long consumer zoom) and set everything to the automatic green mode and shoot away.
Just some info that might prove interesting. -- Best regards, Bruce Sunday, September 18, 2005, 9:06:11 PM, you wrote: JCOC> There is a major flaw in your argument in my opinion. JCOC> I don't think the demographics of DSLR buyers is newbies. JCOC> I would bet my money that the demographics of DSLR buyers JCOC> is mostly people who already owned film bodies and already have lenses JCOC> and are upgrading the body to digital. I don't have anything JCOC> to back this up it just a hunch, but most true newbies arent even into SLRS JCOC> today or even know what they are, most newbies have grown up on P&S JCOC> cameras..... JCOC> -----Original Message----- JCOC> From: Gonz [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] JCOC> Sent: Sunday, September 18, 2005 11:33 PM JCOC> To: [email protected] JCOC> Subject: Re: green button wars (again) JCOC> The point the Godfrey is trying to make is that Pentax Marketing has a JCOC> pot of features, each one with a target market segment and a JCOC> production/retail cost associated with it. They prioritize these JCOC> features according to their market research. If they want to hit a JCOC> certain price point, then they basically throw out the lower priority JCOC> items on that list. For whatever reason, probably because of certain JCOC> competitive features, the whole cam sensor thing got dropped. Probably JCOC> because not enough of their main market segment cared about this enough. JCOC> I.e. they are trying to aim the new DSLR's to a market segment that JCOC> does not fit your profile. Since they are trying to survive in a very JCOC> competitive and brutal market right now, its hard to second guess their JCOC> decisions based on our own little microscopic view of whats good for us. JCOC> rg JCOC> J. C. O'Connell wrote: >> I miscommunticated. I threw out a number. >> This part is not $50 added cost to selling >> price as you should know, even real cheapo >> budget third party entire cameras have this >> part. it's a pot and a spring and and a A/D >> channel. You cant be serious if you think >> in todays market that would cause a $50 >> price increase, it wouldn't and its probably >> a $1 part nowadays. this is incredibly simple >> cam sensor. its just like a sliding volume >> control you would find on a $10 am radio. >> >> Secondly EVEN IF it did add $50 to the cost >> of the camera I wouldn't even think for a >> second to pay that $50 because the value >> it adds to the body would be way more than >> $50 to me. BUT IT WOULDNT- NO WAY. >> >> >> I CONTINUE TO RANT because you keep missing >> my key point, if you don't have old lenses >> than sure its irrelavant to you. You are not >> a long time loyal pentax customer. You don't seem to >> understand that these new lenses and bodies >> don't have to abandon K/M- if they did in the >> name of progress I think you would have a point >> but there isnt anything preventing the continued >> support K/M from a financial, product cost or technical standpoint >> what so ever. WHAT NEW FEATURE is gained by this >> abandonment? NONE. No new lens feature, no cost >> savings... If the camera was actually $50 less for >> you to buy because of this missing part AND I DON'T BELIEVE IT IS- >> that's barely worth the loss of compatability >> even if you don't have any K/M lenses because >> it would give you the option of getting/using even borrowing them. >> But if you do have any K/M lenses, especially >> really good expensive ones, then the hypothetical >> $50 savings in the body cost isnt a savings >> at all it's a major liability because you may have >> to replace them with new models because of lack >> of the $1 pot. >> >> jco >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Godfrey DiGiorgi [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Sent: Sunday, September 18, 2005 10:11 PM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: green button wars (again) >> >> >> JCO, >> >> You've articulated your position clearly and at length. However, it >> isn't going to change anything, only Pentax can change what they >> decide to do. $5 worth of parts in the camera translates to a $50 >> bill at retail price. Pentax doesn't feel it's warranted by the user >> base buying these bodies, evidently. They've done a better job of >> legacy lens support than anyone else, barring Nikon's support of AI-S >> lenses in their top of the line cameras only, which I feel should be >> lauded rather than disparaged; I certainly applaud the level of >> support they have already offered since it is better than their >> competitors. >> >> Do you think you can relax and just accept the fact that this is how >> it is? Write Pentax and explain your dissatisfaction. Others who feel >> similarly can do the same thing. In the end it's up to Pentax to >> decide how to work their business. They're the ones who know the >> costs of producing the cameras, not us, but I wager that that $5 part >> buys three or four more marketable features that are significant to >> the people who might be interested in the cameras. >> >> I'm satisfied with my Pentax equipment, with whatever warts it might >> have, and have no great interest in buying many 30 year old lenses. >> So it doesn't make sense for me to take them to task over something >> that has no significant impact on my use of their products. I want to >> see them upgrade their lens line and bodies to new standards, not the >> old. That's a better strategic direction. >> >> You obviously feel differently about it, but ranting to the PDML >> about it is not going to change anything. >> >> Godfrey >>
