I have not considered the market to be as settled as many do, so since I
have no earthly need for a digital camera, and a big case full of various
film cameras, I made the decision to wait a bit longer. It looks like I made
the right decision.
> I find it to be really interesting. The market was settling down and
> getting kind of predictable. This is very aggressive. If Canon drives
> the market as much as people think, it may mean there will be much
> more pressure by this modestly priced camera than their $8000
> flagship, causing other makers to follow if they can afford to.
I don't think that there is any doubt that Canon drives the market. They
dimply have the money to do so.
>...will we see a full frame announcement by
> Nikon and Oly? Kodak makes a full frame sensor that was used in one
> of their MF backs which could allow Oly to respond quickly.
Nikon has been very agressive in their position that they will never build a
full frame sensor camera. Just as they were so strong about retaining the F
lensmount when Canon went to the EOS system. We can all remember what
happened there, and it wasn't nikon making a change.
I don't think Oly will change. They simply don't have the bucks to throw
away all the development on the current system. I think the new camera will
tell the tale. To be competitive (yeah, I know all you E1 owners are happy,
I'm talking about commerce) they will have to present a new camera with a
minimum of 8mp. and image stabilization, preferably in the body to use the
current lenses (If I had spent 8 grand for the 300, and two years later it
was stabilized, I would not be happy).
Frankly, I'm not optimistic about Olympus' future in the pro camera market.
In the past, they have been a company with brilliant engineers and mediocre
product planners. How a company can let autofocus pass them by is hard to
imagine.
I predict that within 5 years, the only digital slr's will be from Canon,
with a few from Nikon and perhaps Minolta. I can't see much future for Oly
or Pentax. What keeps Sigma alive is anybody's guess.
Bill Pearce
==============================================
List usage info: http://www.zuikoholic.com
List nannies: olympusadmin@xxxxxxxxxx
==============================================
|