All Forum Comments
Comment by stevejcoe posted on New 300mm Lens required Help please !! at 09/07/2007 - 13:53
John since you were placed Second, may I suggest that if you do not receive a reply to your email by Saturday, then you should set the subject for the next competition starting Sunday.
Comment by stevejcoe posted on Weekly Competition #2 - Play at 18/07/2007 - 17:07
Comment by stevejcoe posted on Weekly Competition #2 - Play at 12/07/2007 - 09:39
Two privately owned photographic shops had the K10 with standard kits lens in stock (sadly no pentax lens), which came as a surprise as I know for a fact that they did not about 3 months ago.
Curry's Digital had only a K110 kit in stock
Jessops had both K10 and K100 kits in stock, some Sigma, but no Pentax glass. The shop window had two quite large A2 size posters promoting the K10, right next to them was a poster for a Nikon 40Dx kit, on offer for over a £100 less. Approx £398 including a Nikon rebate (K10 kit for £400 by the end of the summer???)Intrigued I went in inside to take a look around, I was going to play the dumb customer, when someone beat me to it.
I paraphrase
'I am looking for a camera said the person, one that has 10 mega somethings and can use different lens'.
The assistant immediately pointed the potential customer towards the Canon and Nikon displays. To be fair he did take the time to answer several quite idiotic questions, from the person who quite obviously was no photographer. I was about to step in and point out the Pentax cameras, when the person said that they also wanted to buy an extra lens and flash. Both Canon and Nikon displays had additional branded lens and flashguns, unlike the Pentax display that had only 3rd party kit.
To get finally to the point, the buyer was a non photographer, with an amount of money to spend on camera and kit that they would most likely never fully utilise.
Secondly the buyer wanted to see and touch everything and take it away there and then.
The choice made was the Nikon kit plus a tele zoom and flash, along with a bag, memory card ect, basically because in the customers eyes, they got more for their money.
Comment by stevejcoe posted on A Pro Pentax at 07/07/2007 - 16:37
Having now firmly established a presence in both the low and middle 'price' segments, I would expect the next model to sell for considerably more.
Pentax will not only need to add new features to justify the price, those features must be new and innovative and valued by 'pro' users.
From what I have read on this forum, most K10D users are fairly happy with the current specification. It might be interesting to start a new thread on what Pentax would need to include to entice K10 users to 'trade up' to a camera with a £900 price tag.
One last point, the market at the high price point is relatively small, the volume and profit is in the low and mid price points. While it is great to have well known photographers such Ben endorsing the product, Pentax really need to realise that the money lies in selling to 'non photographers' and get their product onto the high street.
For example I was in my local Tesco last week and had a quick browse through their camera section, which was actually quite impressive, everything from basic digital compacts through to Canikon SLRs, but nothing from Pentax. The same goes if you browse through an Argos catalogue.
Sorry for the rant, but as a Pentax owner for over 25 years I have an emotional as well as financial investment (cameras and glass) in the company, lets hope Hoya will put some serious money into some decent promotion and marketing.
Comment by stevejcoe posted on A Pro Pentax at 07/07/2007 - 09:04
Pentax design and Hoya manufacturing provide a significant competitive advantage.
Consider this; Pentax as the leading lens supplier to the industry, Canikons supplied with Pentax kit lens!!!
If you take this across to the actual camera, a closer alliance with Samsung, could provide Pentax with access to Samsung manufacturing and distribution channels, the result of which, would be a Pentax camera at every price point and on the shelves up and down the high street.
I realise that what I am suggesting maybe be controversial, I do not intend to offend anyone, but I believe that volume sales are essential to fund future camera/lens development and the long term survival of the Pentax brand
Comment by stevejcoe posted on Hoya reveals more plans for Pentax at 04/07/2007 - 09:30
These shots remind me of why I like 50mm primes so much, I have a M 1.7 and an A 1.4 and have been debating a FA 1.4 for a while.
Off to the US in a couple of weeks may get one whilst I am there or should I get the FA 35mm F 2? Decisions, decisions.
Comment by stevejcoe posted on smc FA 50mm f/1.4 at 17/07/2007 - 13:14
Comment by stevejcoe posted on Image quality of Pentax in question ??? at 03/07/2007 - 10:01
Personally I struggle comparing monitor displayed images for IQ,whatever that actually is, but here goes.
Picture of boy, eyes, hair and sweater look very sharp and detailed on my monitor, face generally shows less detail. IQ 8.5
Landscape, looks reasonably sharp and detailed, but looks slightly more processed and therefore not quite natural IQ 7.5
Comment by stevejcoe posted on Image quality of Pentax in question ??? at 03/07/2007 - 03:47
Comment by stevejcoe posted on Crop factor confusion at 28/06/2007 - 19:55


