Bruce wrote:
>I think that by looking back only to 1990 you miss the >sea state change started by Minolta with the first fully >integrated AF in 1985. Not only did the Minolta 7000 >start the AF revolution (yes I know about the Pentax ME- >F and the Nikon F3-AF), but also introduced a whole new >interface. Since the controls only worked electronics, >designers weren't tied to mechanical controls: >everything was switches and encoders. That camera didn't >have a single knob on it, everything was a push button. I don't think Minolta introduced this interface. In it's most basic form the push-button interface was introduced by the ME-Super in '81 and the first digital readout interface had it's birth with the Pentax Super A. However, the first camera to take this interface to it's fullest execution was the Canon T70. The Minolta 7000 copied to a large extent the T70 interface. >Now, Minolta started this off by being on the leading >edge of new technology. To nitpick, I don't think this is accurate either. I believe Minolta cracked the AF bubble by having the right concept; the first marketable AF system. I believe the technology were no different than what was available to other manufacturers. Minolta was just the first company who were willing to commit major gambling to an AF system. >So what did Pentax do? They made cameras that seemed a >lot like everyone elses with a feature or two they could >call their own: power zoom & Hyper Programs for >instance. All the market progress they made in the 70's, >they lost in the late 80's and early 90's. True. But I think they lost with the Z-series. >If DSLR's turn out to be big in amature photography, >will get whacked as hard as they did when AF redefined >SLRs. I doubt it. Pentax seems to be concentrating on digital slr's. Pål - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
