If they didn't before, they do now
hmmm... i dont have the e-300, E-500, or E-330, but i do remember the experience of handling the 350d, and it left me cold.
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Regards
The APS sensors are already priced pretty darned low by Sony. It would be difficult to produce sensors at the 1-2m unit mark at a better price.
Then you think wrong. I don't know how many times I've had to resond to this kind of thinking, but there is absolutely nothing to indicate that Sony will do this, and everything to guess that the opposite is true. Nikon makes the equipment that Sony uses to make their sensors. The two have had a long relationship because of that, including a number of "custom" sensors that have Nikon IP in them. The fact that the Nikon D200 was the first camera to use the new 10mp Sony sensor also argues against your idea.
Nikon, unlike most of the other DSLR makers has done something unique: they've separated the camera design decisions from the sensor design decisions. Instead of designing (or choosing) a sensor and then designing the camera around it, they appear to design a camera and then pick the best sensor for it. For every DSLR they've made to date. That makes the internal Nikon sensor design groups no different than external ones, and without a fab in place, LBCAST has a bit of a difficult time being the low cost solution. I expect we'll see it again soon, though (hint: September).
In some ways, Nikon is more predictable and better at this than the rest. We have numerous DSLR models that appear to be on an 18-month interim update, 36-month replacement schedule. It's relatively easy to predict, just like with automobiles, when a Nikon product is due for update or replacement. If you buy at the end of the cycles, you're at risk (though Nikon has been good about doing firmware updates, where possible). If you buy at the start of a cycle, you know it won't be eclipsed by another Nikon product in the same genre in six months.
Well, it won't get you the new LCD or the new viewfinder mask, but the rest of the D2Xs features (AF performance improvements!!!! as well as B&W modes, new high ISO modes, menu improvements, improved buffer capacity, etc) will be coming out soon in a D2X firmware upgrade."The downside" is that I already own a D2x...
Well, no one knows for sure (perhaps not even Sony ;
I agree mostly with your point, but I think there is a good question about whose sensors are made by Sony. Thre is no company more propriatary than Fuji, but Fujifilm cameras with so called Fuji sensors were recalled with the same symptoms of sensor failure as other makers who are open about using Sony sensors. It is possible I suppose that Fuji created sensors with the same flaw as Sony, but probably not likely since other sensor makers had no problem and no recall. I think there is a real question as to whether Fuji makes any sensors at all and are probably in a similar providing engineering input role to Sony as Nikon. In addition it seems to me that other sensor makers would have the same profitablity problem at low volume. It seems unlikely that one company would snag all of Sony's sensor customers. So the list of companies willing and able that might jump in may be a little smaller than we think.
Well, you have to define the word "make." I don't believe Fujifilm has their own fabs. The issue you refer to was a contamination issue, so if Fujifilm purchased materials from the same source or time on the Sony fabs you could explain what happened perfectly well.
The interactions between Japanese companies is insidious and almost impossible to pull apart. Moreover, many Japanese companies feel it is better to share low-level technology so they know and can control what their competitor is doing. They do very poorly when something like a Foveon comes along with a technology they don't have and don't understand; indeed, they'll often attempt to make such disruptive technologies go away.
APS sensors are already low volume. Last year less than 5 million were created. And a Nikon buy of an alternative sensor would essentially drop Sony's volume by more than half and increase a competitors' to larger than Sony's. I think there are plenty of firms that would be interested in such an arrangement, if it could be pulled off.
But that's the thing, they only need to snag Nikon right now. That would give them about a third of the APS sensor market overnight. Canon's portion can't be touched, so that means the remaining players other than Sony have a choice of Sony, who Nikon chose, or some REALLY low volume sensor.
Well, it won't get you the new LCD or the new viewfinder mask, but"The downside" is that I already own a D2x...
the rest of the D2Xs features (AF performance improvements!!!! as
well as B&W modes, new high ISO modes, menu improvements, improved
buffer capacity, etc) will be coming out soon in a D2X firmware
upgrade.
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Detroit Tigers, leading the league (go figure)!
Detroit Pistons take the division, four out of seven over Cleveland!
Miami heat is cold, the conference will be ours...
You know we're gonna stomp some Texan!
Ciao!
Joe
http://www.swissarmyfork.com
