This is getting rather tedious. I'm not suggesting pentax should make a
weirdo design. Their history is full of great industry design that are
individual, have character and have caught the buyers fancy and are greatly
copied. That's all I'm asking for; stick to their successful recipe.
Well Pal, I'm not sure that the * ist-D isn't an great individual design
that will catch the buyer's fancy. It is noticeably smaller and lighter then
all of the competition. In fact it is not much bigger and depending on the
lens attached, heavier then the Minolta 7 HI, which is a very small and
light camera. (Minolta 117x91x123mm 639g, * ist-D 129x95x60 510g {no lens})
If Pentax can come up with an easy to use operating system that doesn't
shortchange the serious user's control or functions, then the camera will be
significantly individual. And if a small, lightweight DSLR with good, not
cutting edge, resolution, moderate price (for a DSLR) and ease of use
catches the public's attention, it should do well. This, of course, assumes
Pentax aggressively markets it and has enough dealer incentives to have
salespeople push it. That, unfortunately, is not guaranteed.
I sense that your real complaint is that it is not the flagship. Because it
is not the ultimate camera doesn't mean it is not going to be a good camera.
Right now we still have too little information to make a good judgment. I
think it has a chance of being a very good camera. We will find out in the
coming months.
BUTCH
Each man had only one genuine vocation - to find the way to himself.
Hermann Hess (Damien)
