Originally posted by Winder I think I pointed out earlier that these were three different cameras that are targeting 3 different types of users. That is part of the point. Which company is doing a better job targeting its market and building products that will be successful in that targeted market? I think there is something to the numbers and comparisons. When a camera 3x the price (with lens) with no established user base can out sell the K-01 to new users it says something. They K-01 should be a high volume product. It is priced to be a high volume product.
Can you post something that shows how successful the Q has been? Is there a link? The K-5 has been very successful by Pentax standards. It is an excellent product. The Q is half the price of the K-5, so you expect it to sell more..... Just like the K-01 is 1/3 the price of the Fuji..... It should sell more. So far it is not. Maybe the Q is successful by Pentax standards. The Nikon 1 series is the #1 seller in the UK.... Q is #30, so it is doing better than the K-01. The Q will probably out sell the K-01 in all markets.
That is why I am looking at Amazon's sales rankings and not Pentax Forums. I agree that this forum does not represent an accurate picture of "who will buy the K-01".
I don't care if they launch more cheap plastic lenses in redundant focal lengths. I do want them to launch something that approaches professional glass to fill the gap between 77mm and 200mm.
I think you'd be in more sustainable waters with your thesis without the "pre-order" sales component.
From a strict statistician (read: anal retentive) standpoint, there are many other variables that might be confounding--to some degree "pre-order" sale comparisons. Again, I don't see the people buying an $800 mirrorless interchangeable lens camera on a "pre-order" basis necessarily being statistically comparable to people buying on a "pre-order" basis" a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera above $1600.
What is my train of reasoning? Well, I think anyone who is willing to spend "pre-order" above $1600 probably already owns another interchangeable lens camera (system). It seems to me that that a "pr-order" of >$1600 strongly insinuates someone who is not a first time buyer. That and the pricepoint is not unknown to that person--they have spent this amount and more before on a camera.
Beyond that, I imagine such a person already has a system (pure conjecture on my part--I admit). This explains why buying a camera such as the X-Pro 1 with
apparently no legacy glass is a missunderstanding of that person. Such a person does not need many Fuji lenses because he/she already has many of their needs covered in their primary system kit. They don't need for Fujinon to offer 85mm f/1.2L or 24-70mm 2.8L lenses for the X-Pro 1 because they already have those lenses. The
apparent lack of lenses is more understandable as not really a factor once you understand who would be "pre-ordering" such a camera.
I see the X-Pro 1 as a secondary camera that fills a need...probably portability. Can't tell you how many Canikons complain to me constantly about their backs and their huge kit bags. This is their travel or messing-around-town kit.
So why wouldn't a comparison to X-01 "pre-orders" be statistically justifiable you might ask? Well consider who might pre-order that camera...probably someone who has not tasted the interchangeable lens system waters yet. You might say, a first time buyer. First time buyers may not necessarily "pre-order" a camera the same way a person looking for a secondary system might.
It's just a thought on "pre-order sales numbers", if you do away with the "pre-order" fixation--that would make a difference in your logic.
But I think there is more here than meets the eye. You could just as well ask why would someone buy X-Pro 1 (not on a pre-order basis--just a normal purchase once it's out) vs. any Nikon/Canon/Sony/Pentax/Olympus etc. model camera. The reality is that the myriad of answers are complex (and probably only relevant between each pair compared). Half year from now the answer could change (for each pair), even if you could get an answer now. Canon is top dog--so they must know the secret...ask them.
-W