I believe if you both look at the revenue stream you'll find the
real money (i.e. revenue and profit) for a camera _system_ is not in
the camera body. It's in all the system stuff sold to bolt onto the
camera body. Why do you think the flashes for the Olympus digitals
are not "T" type flash units, backward compatible with the OM-4T and
OM-3ti?
IMO the business model is creating a body with proprietary lens
mount and dedicated flash connection (for TTL control). All other
connections, mechanical or electrical are also proprietary,
including things as simple as eyecups. This channels the camera
body purchaser toward their accessories. Look at the capital most
of us have tied up in lenses, flash heads, cords, eyecups, extension
tubes, etc., compared to that which has been invested in the camera
bodies. For me, it's pushing about 10X; nearly all of my lenses are
at least the cost of a camera body, if not more. Why create
something that can use stuff that's plentiful and readily available
used, or already available from another manufacturer? That does
**nothing** for a company's revenue. It is a far better business
strategy to create a camera body for which everything that hooks up
to it or attaches to it is proprietary, bundle it with a "starter"
lens and integral flash, market it as the greatest thing since
sliced bread, and hook the buyer into eventually purchasing OEM
lenses and other accessories.
-- John
I said make the move to the other camera maker. I would not expect
Nikon for instance to make money off the camera body bought just to
use Oly lenses. Nikon is maintaining compatibility with their older
lenses, knowing it is good business. What I would expect is that once
the camera is esconced in the Oly owner's bag, that he/she would
begin to wonder whether one of "their" lenses designed especially for
the camera would be any better. And of course then all the features
of the camera could be used. So maybe that pricey all around
auto-focus zoom. Soon, a new Nikon lens. There are the lenses too
that are special to Nikon. The legendary 105 and the 35/1.4. And
dial-in flash compensation which the Oly does not have - get a N.
flash. I would think any other manufacturer seeing a large list of
Zuikoholics might think that it is a ripe market for compulsive lens
and accessory buyers if they get their foot in the door. They could
even offer a free eye patch for the left eyed zuikoholics among us to
protect the right eye. Now that would be dashing.
--
Winsor Crosby
Long Beach, California
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