Mike wrote:
"There is a good chance that by the end of 2002, Pentax will be headed
towards becoming a major player in the digital camera marketplace. There's a
good chance that its digital products will multiply rapidly. This will start
happening SOON, I'm guessing."
REPLY:
All manufacturers have announced spending more resources into digital. Canon and
Minolta have downright said that there will be no further development into their 35mm
slr's.
Whether Pentax will be a major player in digital remains to be seen although such
ambitions is almost obvious since they are a major player in film based cameras.
Mike:
"Happening probably much more gradually, there is a good chance that
development of new film products will diminish to a trickle.
Pentax is CHANGING. The next few years may well see a major reorientation of
the company's products. There will be what amounts to a NEW PENTAX."
REPLY:
Yes. The market is changing and Pentax will change with the market. Already digital
has 50% of the japanese camera market and similar numbers are approached in other
markets.
However, sources in Japan says Pentax and Nikon will continue cater for the 35mm slr
market. However its expected to move upmarket. Proof of this is the Nikon FM3a and the
upcoming Pentax flagship. Its expected that Pentax mid- and entry level slr will be
digital while 35mm camera(s) will be high-end bodies for the connoisseur. This doesn't
mean that there won't be high end digital cameras just that film based slr's are going
to be expensive in the future.
Its interesting that Pentax choose to upgrade the 645n and release new lenses for the
67 when medium format sales are falling world-wide due to digital. I wonder about MF
in a digital future - digital backs perhaps?
Mike:
"How willing are each of you to come along for the ride? I'm not asking if
you'll "switch over" to digital--I have yet to see it written that if you
use digital, you can't also use K2s, LXs, and MZ-Ss. But WHERE are you in
your understanding of the new ways of making pictures, and HOW DO YOU FEEL
about becoming forward-looking as well as backward-looking, and...will you
still BE LOYAL to Pentax when most new product introductions are digital???"
REPLY:
Personally I'm not remotely interested in digital until the digital cameras are at a
price, size and performance level that meets my needs. Mind you I have no particular
attachments to film and will be glad to get rid of it altogether.
But the idea of buying a $2000 camera thats going to be worthless when you want to
upgrade it put me off.
P�l
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