I believe the internet makes a huge difference,
feeding the herd mentality on the one hand and
making it easy (through auction sites and the
like) to sell equipment thus reducing the lock-in
effect of incompatible lens systems. IMHO.
João T. da Costa
At 11:45 AM -0800 14.12.05, AG Schnozz wrote:
> > Once people commit to lenses and accessories it's much harder
>> to get them to switch.
>
>I used to think this too. Not so much anymore. Digital cameras
>are as much of a commodity as anything else. Canon has
>attracted much of the customer base through "herd mentality" and
>"gotta have the latest/greatest/biggest/best" thinking. There
>is no loyalty in that. Just look at dpreview at the number of
>people who've just bought the Canon 5D or 20D and are asking
>whether or not they should switch to the D200.
>
>My point is, there is NO COMMITTMENT with the bulk of camera
>buyers. They'll bail for the sake of bailing. Once the newness
>of a camera wears off in three or four weeks or at most when a
>new model comes out from their chosen manufacturer or even
>another, they're drooling away and 'baying the "old" one.
>
>I admit it, I've gone through this myself. But it has taken
>tremendous self-discipline (and a good CDFO) to keep me from
>doing it. The funny thing is, that the longer I have a camera,
>the more I like it. But you've got to go through the "love
>cycle". It's like dating somebody. First you're attracted to
>the body/features, then they walk on water, then they fall of
>their horse and you're ready to dump them. A few problems come
>and go and only then does any real "love" and committment
>develop.
>
>As to the current dominance of the DSLR market, well, things are
>always cyclical. Always have, always will be. For the
>'Mericans' on the list, do you remember when SEARS was the
>retailer taking over the world? What happened? Currently it's
>Wal-Mart, but where is this COSCO and TARGET coming from? How
>about automotive companies? GM was the global king for a long
>time. Not anymore.
>
>It's something we see in the Telco/Internet industries too. How
>many times have you changes cellphone or internet providers?
>Every couple of years you get a new phone with a different
>company as soon as the "plan" expires.
>
>No different with Cameras. I remember the days when Nikon ruled
>the roost. Some remember Kodak and others may remember the
>unstoppable Argus. Sooner or later, Canon will get trumped by
>somebody else who doesn't have to maintain a mammoth install
>base and can start anew with a brilliant concept, product and
>marketing.
>
>Meanwhile, Olympus still won't have the replacement to the E-1
>ready...
>
>AG
>
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