Re: Cheap SLRs, WAS: K and M lenses are now obsolete!!! (was: FAJlenses)
Hi, Pål Jensen wrote: A couple of years back we didn't know where Pentax was going. After whining on this list and Pentax lists in Japan, Pentax have deliberately leaked out where they are going in order to please the fan base. 1. I am not talking about leaks. I am talking about a clear published statement with reasons for their choice and with a rough time-schedule of future products. 2. Pentax has not leaked any information to me... You keep writing pompous mails on this list pretending to know something, and you know just as little as we all do. Your secret sources have proven themselves to be no more reliable than looking into a crystal ball. I require a clear statement (from Pentax, not from you). The short version of their philosophy is continuous concentration of the low end market, more emphasis on niche, enthusiast products (like the MZ-S and the Limited lenses), continue supporting their MF systems and full force ahead into digital, including DSLR's. This is neither a philosophy nor a strategy. This is more like randomly running in different directions, trying to make a buck from all sides. No wonder so few NEW customers invest seriously in Pentax (I am not talking about the MZ-60 buyers here)... Cheers, Boz -- _\\|//_ Imagination is more important than knowledge... 0(` O-O ')0 A. Einstein ===ooO=(_)=Ooo=== Bojidar D. Dimitrov author and editor, Pentax K-Mount web page [EMAIL PROTECTED]http://kmp.BDimitrov.de/ = __ __
Re: Cheap SLRs, WAS: K and M lenses are now obsolete!!! (was: FAJlenses)
Boz wrote: 1. I am not talking about leaks. I am talking about a clear published statement with reasons for their choice and with a rough time-schedule of future products. I suggest you then find a company who do just that. It don't exist to my knowledge. 2. Pentax has not leaked any information to me... You keep writing pompous mails on this list pretending to know something, and you know just as little as we all do. Pentax have leaked information wholesale to the media and it find its way to the PDML. If you expect personal notifications you are being unreasonable. Yeah, I know just as little as we all do as most of what I know have been shared on the PDML. Pentax have exposed their market strategy the last couple of years and at this years PMA we will see that they are going exactly the way they have been claiming. There are far less information coming from Nikon and Canon. You should be lucky you're not a Minolta users. They have left their customers completely in the dark. Companies just don't give detailed product schedule for competitive reasons. What Pentax have already gives is best you can hope for. They have been very responsive. Eg. this fall, after countless claims that Pentax would never ever release a DSLR, they leaked to the japanese media that they wouild indeed market such a camera. Pål
Re: Cheap SLRs, WAS: K and M lenses are now obsolete!!! (was: FAJlenses)
However, it may hurt some brand loyal people to realize that their favorite company is doing some, how to put it, odd things. I suppose that MZ-60 with some FAJ zoom attached is operationally no more complicated that any film PS. Boris, Lots of people like to, or need to, use their cameras as point-and-shoots. I wrote next Sunday's column about the Bronica RF645 medium-format rangefinder, and I heard from one fellow who successfully uses that camera as a p/s. I also know of a very famous photojournalist who claims not to know all the controls on her Leica SLR...she says she just knows how to set it so that it works for her, and that's enough. It's hard for US to believe, but many people just need to take pictures, and are not interested in the camera equipment or how all the camera controls work! Also, it's not really uncommon for companies to react to the market and provide what the market seems to be interested in. Canon has very cheap consumer lenses, for instance. It is to be hoped that Pentax will not move towards making all new lenses with no aperture ring. But when many dealers are successfully selling inexpensive SLRs with one or two zooms in preference to actual point-and-shoots, that's a good thing--and it's smart for Pentax to encourage its dealers to sell real Pentax lenses as opposed to independent offerings. More money in Pentax's pockets. --Mike
Re: Cheap SLRs, WAS: K and M lenses are now obsolete!!! (was: FAJlenses)
Mike,I looked at a used Bronica RF645 during Christmas and, despite its size,found it a nice camera to hold.Focus, controls all smooth. I then went and tried the Fuji GS645 folder i went originally to see and felt a big diference right a away.Like the Bronica much better. If i can save up enough cash,it and the SQ will be looked at very hard. As a RF type camera though,how do you compose/compensate with the longer focal lenghts,i'm curious.One of these cameras is at least 2 years away. Dave Begin Original Message From: Mike Johnston [EMAIL PROTECTED] Boris, Lots of people like to, or need to, use their cameras as point-and- shoots. I wrote next Sunday's column about the Bronica RF645 medium-format rangefinder, and I heard from one fellow who successfully uses that camera as a p/s. Pentax User Stouffville Ontario Canada Art needs to be in a frame.That way we know when the art stops and the wall begins--Frank Zappa http://home.ca.inter.net/brooksdj/ http://brooks1952.tripod.com/myhorses Sign up today for your Free E-mail at: http://www.canoe.ca/CanoeMail
Re: Cheap SLRs, WAS: K and M lenses are now obsolete!!! (was: FAJlenses)
Hi Mike, Mike Johnston wrote: It is to be hoped that Pentax will not move towards making all new lenses with no aperture ring. But when many dealers are successfully selling inexpensive SLRs with one or two zooms in preference to actual point-and-shoots, that's a good thing--and it's smart for Pentax to encourage its dealers to sell real Pentax lenses as opposed to independent offerings. More money in Pentax's pockets. I guess that this is my real fear. If Pentax chooses to compete in this segment only or primarily, then I as an involved amateur have nothing more to take from Pentax. I wouldn't even be too sad (there are nice offerings form other manufacturers), but Pentax should come out and say what their strategy for the future is!!! Cheers, Boz -- _\\|//_ Imagination is more important than knowledge... 0(` O-O ')0 A. Einstein ===ooO=(_)=Ooo=== Bojidar D. Dimitrov author and editor, Pentax K-Mount web page [EMAIL PROTECTED]http://kmp.BDimitrov.de/ = __ __
Re: Cheap SLRs, WAS: K and M lenses are now obsolete!!! (was: FAJlenses)
Arnold wrote: Boz wrote: Pentax should come out and say what their strategy for the future is! Well, in 2000 Pentax told us their plans with the MZ-D, and then they wisely changed plans. So maybe it really is better not to unveil product news until the products can really be bought. I believe that Pentax will be faithful to the k-mount as long as they will produce SLRs. The FA-Junk lenses cannot point to the general direction as MZ3/MZ5N and MZ-S are not even able to manually control the aperture on them. I think Pentax is very aware that compatibility is their very strength. A couple of years back we didn't know where Pentax was going. After whining on this list and Pentax lists in Japan, Pentax have deliberately leaked out where they are going in order to please the fan base. The short version of their philosophy is continuous concentration of the low end market, more emphasis on niche, enthusiast products (like the MZ-S and the Limited lenses), continue supporting their MF systems and full force ahead into digital, including DSLR's. Pål
Cheap SLRs, WAS: K and M lenses are now obsolete!!! (was: FAJlenses)
I'm pretty sure this is the case. The lenses seem to be as simple, cheap and toy-like as possible - a proper addition to the similarly toy-like MZ-60, which is IMHO one big mistake by Pentax. It's not a mistake, actually. There's been a trend over the past couple of years of people who buy cameras at camera stores being switched over from point-and-shoots to entry-level SLRs. This is because the price of good p/s cameras have gone up, and the price of SLRs has come down. So when people buy from knowledgeable venders, they often walk out with an entry-level SLR rather than a $300 p/s camera. P/s sales are down over the past couple of years as part of the digital evolution, but SLR sales are actually up slightly, and this is why. --Mike
