On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Why should the user buy Pentax unless it either has features that > others don't (which it does, in some ways) or he already has some > Pentax gear that he'd like to use?
Well, why should a user buy into *any* system if it doesn't have advantages over other systems? I wrote a really long rant about this, but my @#$#$^ email program froze, and I don't feel like retyping it. The gist of it was that the *istD is the smallest and least expensive of the three big 6MP DSLR's (10D, D100, *istD). On top of that, it's the only one to offer HyperProgram and HyperManual. On top of *that*, it's the only one that uses AA batteries instead of expensive and proprietary Li-ions. It has the only grip that screws directly onto the camera without requiring you to remove the camera's battery first. It has the only grip that will work without batteries in it. Try it... leave the 4 AA's in the camera, attach the empty grip, and you'll find that you can use the vertical shutter button and all other grip functions. You can probably power an empty *istD with the batteries in the grip, too, but I haven't tried that yet. In any case, the *istD won't appeal to people wanting USM/AF-S, IS/VR and the ultimate in AF performance. But for the 99% of photographers who don't need those features on a regular basis, it will do just fine, and will even save them some space and money at the same time. chris
