Quote:
"Matsushita's move to challenge these established market leaders is
being made by releasing a flagship product: a digital SLR camera,
which it is hoped will provide a major boost to the firm's digital
camera business."
Lets take the sentence apart.
Matsushita is moving to challege 'established market leaders'
Interpretation: market share leaders
by releasing a 'flagship digital SLR camera'
That's your construction.
They have talked about their motives for this elsewhere too,
by making "DSLRs" they will be seen as a more serious player.
(Helping them sell more cameras of all kinds, and at better
prices - for them, i.e. higher.)
Hence I believe that's why there's ben no similar level Oly to
compete against it. (why release similar models that will only take
bread from each others mouth?)
Oly said they had problems finding an appropriate sensor (high MP but
not too much noise on a sensor smaller than other DSLRs). Also a
pro body would sell in small numbers and make less economical sense
for a company whose R&D and production capacity is limited.
It seems you are saying we'll never see another Pro based dSLR from
Oly?
Absolutely not, just that they are delayed, as is painfully apparent for
some E-1 owners. The E-1 successor is rumoured to be mentioned at
PMA, announced at Photokina and sold beginning of 2007. Whatever's
the correct time frame, no doubt they want to go that way.
If they spend resources making a very expensive body, perhaps
prematurely released, it won't help them much. Cameras like the
E-500 and probably the E-330 makes more sense. Now, havning those
selling and attracting new people to the system, they can
concentrate their efforts on the E-1 successor.
It makes sense to release 'a good 'un' first (like Oly did with the
E-1)
All manufacturers did, but back then the sensor cost was so
astronomical that the body price was bound to be very high to cover
that, and in that case, why not make a body that matches the
price while you are at it?
I agree with Phil that it would have been better to release an entry
model first to increase the market share, but I think it wasn't
possible to meet the price point back then.
Yes, but them you are always marketting against the grain. You're
salesmen are gonna have to say 'This is what we brought out but we
can do better.. honest! We could have put 'X, Y & Z' feature and
settings in but we're gonna put them in the next one... we can do
it and do it well.. take my word for it'.
Nah... reviewers and punters without seeing the hardware would be
sceptical.
better to bring out the biggest and baddest first.. then lesser
cameras are 'lesser on purpose' while everyone can see the high
standard. No, I believe this way is best.
Not for the reasons you state, IMHO.
K-M is a counter-example. The 7D sold poorly (and got criticised by Phil)
due to high price. If sensor prices had allowed them to launch the 5D
as a first body and at a competitive price, they would probably still be
in business.
No-one wuld have bought
into 4/3rds if they'd brought out the E-300/500 first! Who'd have
bought the 300/2.8, etc, if all you've seen is a prosumer dSLR?
I think the number of sold 300/2.8 is insignificant for Oly.
Probably the 14-54 and 50-200 are their best profit makers,
lenses bought by E-300 and E-500 owners too.
Going back to the Panny 4/3rds body, of course it could be an
expensive affair. The high-spec EVF, Leica cooperation, a Leica
version Digilux 2 successor suggest that. But Panny's late entry,
the fierce market situation, Panny's goal to double their market share
and the aggressive pricing they have applied so far suggest a
more competitive price is possible. I hope for something around the
350D's price.
I'd say a high end amateur body.. a good all-rounder but not as
specialist as a 'pro' level one.
Come on Erik, you know it just makes all round sense! ;-)
I guess we'll see the 26th.
Three more argument for non-pro level for their first body:
1) upgrade path for current FZ users
2) Panasonic not a respected name among pros (yet!), who
tend to be a bit conservative and brand-concious.
3) A pro body would help Oly sell their pro glass, not optimal for Panny.
Better for them to go for the less well covered budget lens section
(to start with) and of course a body to go with such lenses.
Just my two öre
Erik from Sweden, F Z 5 owner
The only free lunch in photography: O I S
