P. J. Alling wrote:
I think you're wrong on this, it is a new issue. The Cameras that
didn't have full support were bottom of the line. They were destined
to be sold to people who were never going to use anything other than
the kit lens, basically a glorified P&S camera.
in response to Adam's comment:
And it's an 8 year old issue, not a new issue.
I agree with Adam. It's not a new issue. I was rather annoyed when the
crippled mount first appeared because I saw it as the beginning of the
process. Pentax was now making bodies that I would not buy because they
could not use my Pentax lenses. Similarly when Pentax produced lenses
without aperture rings. Here were some new lenses that could not be used
on existing bodies (including the ZX-5n, which was current). So, to me,
when they came up with a crippled-mount DSLR I was disappointed but I
certainly did not think it was anything *new* -- it was the continuation
of a process already begun.
Bottom of the line cameras aren't only for the "idiot novices" but also
potentially backup bodies for the more "advanced" users, and Pentax
marketing had remarked on that in selling earlier generations of such
cameras. The crippled-mount bottom-of-the-line bodies were not suitable
for that use, so in that way could be seen as breaking faith with those
people. As I commented above, they were bodies that I could not even
consider purchasing -- either as backup bodies for my own use, or for
family members with whom I would like to share lenses.
In any case, even if you disagree that the writing was on the wall the
moment they introduced the ZX-50, the *istD and its green-button
compromise have been with us for TWO years now, which means it's not
news either.
