Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site peora.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!vax135!petsd!peora!jer From: jer@peora.UUCP (J. Eric Roskos) Newsgroups: net.rec.photo Subject: Re: What is Nikon up to? Message-ID: <1026@peora.UUCP> Date: Thu, 6-Jun-85 08:59:55 EDT Article-I.D.: peora.1026 Posted: Thu Jun 6 08:59:55 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 7-Jun-85 03:13:31 EDT References: <3776@alice.UUCP> <947@noscvax.UUCP> Organization: Perkin-Elmer SDC, Orlando, Fl. Lines: 37 > I had heard about three years ago that Nikon was not in the best of economic > shape beacuse they refused to "keep up with the Jonses" ... Nikon seems not to have kept up with the development of "high tech" cameras, which might be part of the problem. Back when I bought my new camera, I had been using a Nikon F for many years, and thus had a (natural) bias for Nikon; but shortly before I decided to buy a new Nikon, I happened to notice an article on Canon's use of microprocessors somewhere, and thus started looking at the Canons too. Eventually this changed my opinion, and I came to believe Nikon might be too conservative in their use of new technology. Now, I earnestly hope my saying this won't start a "flame war" in here, of all places. I will certainly agree with any Nikon advocates who feel that Nikon's conservative approach does have definite advantages; I also talked to Canon owners who complained that Canon changed designs so radically that they were left "stranded" with a camera for which few accessories existed, something Nikon has avoided by their more conservative approach to change. Thus, I can see that in many ways, Nikon may be taking a very good approach. At the same time, I suspect that the perception I had is not that uncommon in the marketplace; this may be partly why. [In fact, maybe Nikon is "retooling" now to move into the new technology? I find it hard to believe that a company as successful and well-established would be likely just to vanish quietly.] I think it would probably help Nikon if they were to come out with some new cameras that were NOT the "low priced 'pop' cameras" mentioned in the referenced article (and which I have read are themselves experiencing a big slowdown in sales), but which did use the newer technology. The electronic cameras are just tools, and as such have advantages and disadvantages over the manual ones; but it would seem better to provide a larger tool set than a smaller one. -- Full-Name: J. Eric Roskos UUCP: ..!{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!vax135!petsd!peora!jer US Mail: MS 795; Perkin-Elmer SDC; 2486 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32809-7642 "Zl FB vf n xvyyre junyr."