The AFDIII is the newest body.
I didn't say Toyota doesn't cut their prices, I said they don't price new products based on used product pricing.
Regarding D3X vs 5DMKII sales to Pros - "good enough" really seems to have taken root in the professional community...
Steve Hendrix
Phase One
Steve,
You guys are confusing me. I thought the newest Mamiya was the 645DF the one with that right angle grip, but maybe that's the AFDIII. I need to get up to speed on my pdf's.
Anyway, the professional ranks haven't decided that "good enough", is just good enough and joined the 5d club, but then again a lot of professionals that earn their living in photograpy and have medium format digital use them less than they did and it's not because we all sold them on ebay.
Many of us have made the "investment" in medium format to "at the time" move forward and unless you bought a house in Vegas, or a $64,000 Chevy Suburban you probably haven't seen anything drop as fast as the equity of medium format backs and cameras, new or used.
Now, you and I both know the only real equity in any digital camera, regardless of price is how much money you can make with it. No digital camera appreciates in price.
I think you also know that in the world of photos for advertising, every margin has become tighter though expectations are higher, so "good enough" really depends on what your shooting, what is expected and megapixels, is not the only standard for good.
What this dealer was explaining on d3x sales was his surprise that out of the 40 something he sold, all were sold to non professionals. Since some of his professional customers already had a D3 in their bag to compliment their medium format back, it seemed like a natural progression that they would go for the d3x which by most accounts is at least the image equal to most of the older 22 mpx backs and has more usability.
Instead they went to the 5d2, which I guess is more a reflection of the current economy or maybe the 5d2 is just a hellofagooddeal.
Now in regards to the Phase, or Mamiya or AFD1,2,3, or the 645 DF I hope whatever it's called it's the best camera in the world. I hope it has a 20" holographic lcd, goes to iso 20 billion, has leaf and focal plane shutters, twelve kinds of finders, makes the perfect espresso while you shoot and retails for any amount of money I can afford. I also hope Leaf, Hasselblad and Sinar follow suit and make an even better camera, one that none of us, including our clients can do without.
That's healthy for our industry and my business.
The flip side is a logo change of existing product really doesn't do anything other than confuse me, but like I mentioned, I'm easily confused.
B