Entry level doesn't necessarily mean cheapest. That presumes that a first time 35mm slr buyer always 'enters' the category by acquiring the cheapest camera. That may be true of students and other people of limited means, but in reality many first time buyers are free to spend as much as they see fit. Being first -timers also means they are unencumbered by such concepts as compatability with preceding products.
First time buyers are less aware of the wider implications of choosing features over quality, and are most often lured by the bells and whistles of Pentax's feature-laden competitors, only to find out later that, although their new camera has more features than can be used in a lifetime of photography, it has the build quality of a Diana (the camera not the late princess). Pentax could have mounted an advertising campaign to sell the idea that your purchasing dollar goes towards quality over gimmickry, but obviously realised that their advertising prowess is non-existant. So they bit the bullet and have released a Canon clone that manages to out-specify its nearest priced rivals. Pentax don't plan to sell most *ists to present Pentax owners, but to people who've never before owned a 35mm SLR. That's what makes it 'entry level'. If you or I or anyone else on this list bought an *ist, that would not be an 'entry' purchase. We don't count in the *ist's reasons to exist, and that's why it doesn't appeal to so many of us. regards, Anthony Farr ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rüdiger Neumann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Some people on the list always state, that the *ist/*istD is a entry level > camera because the Pentax marketing has said that. They also said the MZ-S > it a pro camera. So let us use our own heads and look at the Pentax line up > and also at other companies where the *ist fit in. > > There are five levels of cameras. > > Level 1, (beginner, entry level) > Z-10, Z-70, MZ-M, MZ-50, MZ-30, MZ-60 (200 Euro) (Nikon F55, EOS300, Dynax > 3) > > Level 2, (amateur, low midclass) > Z-50p, MZ-7, MZ-6 (300 Euro) (Nikon F75, EOS 300v, Dynax 4) > > Level 3, (advanced amateur, upper midclass) > Z-20, MZ-5, MZ-5n, MZ-3 (400 Euro) (Nikon F80, EOS 30, Dynax 5) > > Level 4, (semipro, lower high class) > Z-1, Z-1p, MZ-S (900 Euro), (Nikon F100, Dynax 7, EOS 3) > > Level 5, (pro) > Pentax none (Nikon F5, Dynax 9, EOS 1) > > Now look at the features of the *ist and in which level the fit in the > Pentax body line (in brackets other manufactures) > > Build quatility (metal mount): 2 (2) > Mount compatiblity to manual lenses 1 (Nikon 4, others none) > Viewfinder 2 (2) > Shutter time, sync speed 3 (2-3) > FPS 3-4 (2-3) > Auto picture mode 2 (picture mode 2) > AF system (cross sensor, on screen display) 4 (2-3) > AF modes (Single, continous) 4 (2-3) > Grip (vertical release) 4 (3) > DOF 3 (3) > MLU 2-3, (Nikon 5, 3) > Flash system 2 (2-3) > Special Funktions (film leader out, PF) 3 > > If you see the features, you see that only the mount compatibilty is entry > level, all others are mid class and some are on the level of the MZ-S. IF > you are saying the *ist is entry level, then your are taking only the lens > mount in account. Will a beginner will use MLU or DOF or exposer bracketing? > The *ist is a very good featured camera for the money, better than the > compititors in that price range. > We have to face it, Pentax do not support K-mount in the midclass anymore. > Nobody else does it. And that is also right for the *istD, which is level > 3+ (compare it to D100 (from F80), D60 (from EOS30) , Sigma D9 ), that is > also a midclass camera to semi pro camera. There are no entry level or low > midclass cameras as D-SLR cameras. > >
