Bruce wrote: > That I agree with. For Pentax to go anywhere with this digital, it > must be SIGNIFCANTLY cheaper than the Canon 10D.
But I don't agree with it! I don't think pentax will be cheaper than the Canon unless Canon deliberately would want to rip their customers off. Canon have far larger market share and higher volume than the Pentax. It probably also have less features and use a simpler AF system. I cannot imagine the *ist D is going to be cheaper. Besides, being as keen on volume that Canon is, and the fact that every manufacturer knows that the key to profit to DSLR is to get volume up so that it becomes a mass commodity, I'm certain Canon will be in the forefront of "cheap" DSLR. I'm sure they won't sit still loosing market share because someone is undercutting them. >That is the best > distinction that could be made. It also is in keeping with what > people think of Pentax. But that is whats "killing" them. Having cheap customers won't get them anywhere. What worries me is what the cheapness anticipation indicates. What lies behind it is the belief that Pentax aren't "worth" much, therefore they must be "cheap". This is the undercurrent of all those net discussion of the *ist D, and I'm surprised that people doesn't notice this. After all, theres nothing in the *ist D specification that indicatetes that it is cheaper than the Canon, but still people think it is in spite of the fact that hardly anyone can compete with Canon on price. > On count 1, they have succeeded. I haven't heard anyone saying that > it seemed to really suck. On count 2 the jury is out. If the price > is ballpark of a $1000 or so, they will have a hit. People will buy > it - not just Pentaxians. If it is close to the Canon D10 street > price (200 or less) then only Pentaxians will buy it. And thats what I have been saying all the time. Theres nothing in the *ist that makes it more worth than a Canon or Nikon. However, I do not at all believe that the *ist D will be particularly cheap or sufficiently more competitively priced than comparable Nikon/Canon. Why should Pentax be able to offer a DSLR cheaper than Nikon and Canon when they both are making more DSLR's and are constantly pushing the price envelope? I don't know what this assumption in based on. Sure the jury is still out when it comes to price but I believe the Pentax *ist D will be priced similarly to the Canon 10D. At least, I can't find no reason to assume otherwise, but still people do just that. P�l
