I understand exactly what you're saying and basically agree, unless, the 20D
replacement comes out with >10 MP.
I guess I was looking at it from the standpoint (possibly unrealistic) that
if Pentax does not establish a professional image in the DSLR category, it
will not be to their good. I am stuck with Pentax, unless I, 1) chuck the
whole system for another brand, or 2) keep the Pentax gear as a backup and
buy a new brand. Others are not in the same boat, and I'm not suggesting
that most professionals would go out and invest in a Pentax DSLR.
I am worried that if most buyers, when making a comparison, find that Pentax
is playing 3rd fiddle, they'll likely go with a 2nd or 1st fiddle camera
brand. I know that if I did not have an investment already, Pentax is not
the brand I would buy, whether it be a low-end model or a pro-sumer model.
If competition is as fierce as has been stated (or implied) then the image
(no pun intended) Pentax garners may be as important to their future success
as the products they produce. They are likely sides of the same coin.
I think it behooves them to release a DSLR in the same 1-2 month time frame
as their competition, that equals their competition in every way, both at
the high and low ends of the market.
To tell the truth, I suspect they have already lost the fight and will
dwindle into oblivion as a maker of camera gear. I hope not, but I think
they're just unable to compete. The more biased and lopsided the market
becomes, the fewer sales Pentax will make, the less money will be available
for new product development.
Tom C.
From: John Francis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Pentax Future? What's next for Pentax...
DI ate: Fri, 30 Sep 2005 00:24:18 -0400
On Thu, Sep 29, 2005 at 05:03:07PM -0600, Tom C wrote:
>
> So basically if Pentax comes out with a 10MP APS-C DSLR as their
flagship
> they will be saying in the eyes of most of the world, "we are not even
> attempting to stay up with our competitors when it comes to non-MF
DSLR's".
>
> It may be a good camera, it may produce excellent results, but in the
eyes
> of comparison shoppers and in the eyes of professionals who buy their
> equipment to make a living, it will be lacking.
The competition will be the Nikon D200 and the followon to the Canon 20D.
A 10MP camera with an APS-C sensor will play just fine in that segment.
Pentax don't even suggest that the *ist-D cameras are intended for the
professional user; their target purchaser is the advanced prosumer at
the high end of their range, and the novice first-time DSLR owner at
the low end.
