perhaps he is raising issues that aren't handled at the sales level, but rather at management level? He may be correct, and I do agree with him, but for now, its fun watching the competitiveness amongst the MFDB makers and watching features improve and prices drop.
Best,
Geoff
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I hope this doesn't come across as being hard on Theirry or any rep, though I do hope that Theirry and Yair are here to field the hard questions.
Obviously there are the only two sets of eyes and ears to the manufacturers here, Theirry and Yair so let's hope that what we spend our time writing goes somewhere other than googleland.
That said, there is a lot of reasons to buy any camera and obviously we all have different styles, workflow and expectations, including costs.
As far as costs, I don't know the exact numbers but I assume that any back on an HY6 or AFI won't be rock bottom priced. The camera and lenses are just more expensive, given their origins.
The new Sinar back, I don't know about, as Theirry said, wait 3 weeks.
But, back to the camera, I can accept an expensive camera and lens set if its well made and is a long term purchase. If it's not so well made or will be an interim camera, then price is more of a consideration.
If price really is the issue, then I suggest either a contax, an RZ as both of those systems are rock bottom in price. For example a lightly used P30+ and a contax with a standard lens can probably be bought for 14,000 U.S. probably less if you look around and the lens package for that camera is fairly inexpensive, almost to Canon territory.
Still, since I'm hoping that we have someone's ear I'd like to see a few things on all the new digital backs.
(Yes I'm a list guy)
1. An lcd that is not only detailed but works when tethered. Also an LCD that you can adjust color and contrast to match the computer a little closer and a black and white function for those days you shoot black and white.
2. A DNG file or an open source file that is read properly in all the raw convertors. It's sometimes a pleasent surprise to throw a file in a 3rd party converter and see the look, but usually it's just not what you invisioned so your back to roll your own presets. I suggest everyone send Thomas Knoll a fruit basket (same with the C-1 people) and say please, please, please let the software read all of the preset information in a file.
3. Software that allows you to set color and look in the computer and the camera. Same with naming. Whatever naming convention you use tethered should continue on untethered, unless you want to change it.
4. Stability. Period. The most important of all of the features.
5. Don't forget that clean nice 800 iso (minimum).
JR