>Where is Pentax in all of this. Why they built the camera a year ago, but as >usual decided that their customers didn't need anything like that. Pextax >whose motto from corporate headquarters to their dealers is, "Pentax? We >don't sell them".
Allow me to play Devil's advocate for a moment. A while back Pentax were developing the digital SLR, right? We've all seen the pics of it, and a lucky few have actually held it. It exists, or existed. Which means there was (and still is) research and development going on. They were trying to get it to work, they had a problem. They tried to get round the problem, it was difficult. Meanwhile, they see how the market is starting to pan out. Their consumer digicams are selling well. So are others. Professionals wanting digital are buying the Nikon and Canon gear as expected, but the D30 is selling very well, and within price range of enthusiasts. Sure it would be nice to get a full frame sensor into the Pentax DSLR, but bearing in mind the issues (problems, and now price), they start work on a more modest proposal. It may even have been R and D'd in tandem with the original. The chassis and plastics are already made, just need to make it work, and hey: watch the price. Nikon D100 at half the price (est) of the D1x/h? That's enthusiast territory. That's us. Why would Nikon make a cheaper DSLR? Because they can, and it will sell BIG. Pentax can do that, and they are. Sure they're late, but they have an excuse. They were working on a biggy, but it couldn't be made to work. And someone upstairs said, 'look fellas, even if we do push this out, at over 5 grand (US) [or whatever - megabucks] it's gonna be too much for most enthusiasts, and we know that we've lost out on the pro market, no way are we going to get that back with this strategy, so let's back it off, and push on with a cut-down DSLR at 2 or 3 grand (US) - thats our market, let's go get 'em.' And I think this is what they said, and this is what they are doing. I'm not normally a betting man, but I'd seriously have 20 quid with anyone reading this that a Pentax DSLR will not only be announced, but working examples displayed, with orders taken from retailers, before the coming Christmas. I would hope on the shelves before Christmas, but maybe after. Either way, imminently. Now, I'm chewing at the bit for a DSLR, and now the D100 and the D60 are going to be out, I'm climbing the walls. However, I firmly believe that we will not be left (too far) behind, and that in a few short months there will be big grins all round. I'll stick with it, as the cost of having my favourite glass machined with Nikon or Canon mounts would exceed the cost of a D100 and a 17-35mm. Have faith. It's coming. You'll see! Meanwhile, I'm just nipping over to dpreview for another look at some digital hardware ;-) Cheers, Cotty _______________________________________________________ Personal email traffic to [EMAIL PROTECTED] MacAds traffic to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Check out the UK Macintosh ads http://www.macads.co.uk - 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 .
