[cajuncutter]

I think it is important for the market share. If you want to bring people into the world of DSLR then put live view in the camera. I follow slick deals and fatwallet on a regular basis. Most of the people freak out when the evolt goes on sale or has a major price drop. The buzz is going around about the XSI. I have a neighbor that is into Canon and is eager to replace his 20D with the 40D, selling point live view. You must realize that there are lots of people that have never held a viewfinder to their eye. Everyone is spoiled and insist on live view with the option to look through a viewfinder. For me I would love the feature and it would come in very hand in many situations I find myself in. One is in the hunting environment. When I am surrounded by deer 15 yards and less I can not simply put a camera to my eye and find the subjects to take a picture. With live view I could slowly rotate the camera which it is in my chest level and watch both the screen and the deer. Once I have them in the position I want then I can shoot away. Also while taking pictures of my soon to be new born it would be nice to not have my chin buried in the dirt to take his picture while he is on the ground. Live view on our old Olympus was great for that situation with our daughter. Also being able to hold the camera up above my head and shoot while in a crowd would be great. It would come in real handy this weekend at the Mardis Gras parade. I am just not willing to pump out 1200 + for this feature but would have gladly come off 800 or less for it. Again if it wasn't for weather proofing and the lenses at such a great price I would pass and may have jumped on the Sony or the XSI at Evolt. Not all people are as passionate about photography as many of you all are. Sure most may not buy the lenses however you got to get the camera in their hands first to get the hobby started. Maybe I am wrong. By the way for those of you that wants a spare camera or wants to toy with a Sony the A100K is on clearance at Circuit City for $369.

[Marcus]

Look at how it says "14.2 megapixels" on the Sony A350.

There is just someone WRONG with that picture.

Otherwise, it's a nice looking camera. I guess the K200D can kiss it's butt goodbye. We hardly knew ye.

[TomE]

If DSLR liveview is as lame as point and shoot liveview, then I don't get it since it freezes the image when you focus and you can't follow action without releasing the focus. It is like saying I won't buy a cell phone with the best reception out there because it doesn't have a low budget camera built into it.

I just want a camera that takes great photos and will take my wonderful Pentax glass!

Tom

[Gooshin]

Gooshin,
It's what the market wants or expect this liveview feature to be had. Look at all the players we have - Nikon, Canon, Sony, Oly and even Pentax very own K20D. They are all coming out with new models, from entry-level onwards, with this feature. It's not about whether or not we need it, not dissimilar to the megapixel race or the FPS number.

yay for double negatives...

and you speak for the market? You stand on the fence that these companies are feeding the mass public, i'd like to stand on the fence that these companies try to some degree to hold back a spilling of their products into the hands of every man woman and child that wants to take pictures... if there even is such a fence, maybe i'm just making it all up and you are right...

SLRS will never be point and shoots, simply because of the size, LiveView makes sense on a point and shoot, it hardly makes sense on an SLR

and you cant ocmpare the need or want of a live view function, to a desire to have more crisp resolution and dynamic range, or wanting an easier ability to shoot fast action sports and other similar activities

apples and oranges.

[and]

Kudos to sony if the liveview works like they stated in the press release, ie as fast as the normal af. Also well done for putting in the tilting lcd. I guess they weren't kidding when they said they didnt want to include live view untill they could do it right.

The 14mp is an annoynance in that it takes a bit away from the image that the k20d wanted, being the highest res aps-c, it still is but by a small margin.

As for price, maybe the body is priced below the k20d (it is an entry level body though) but the lenses for sony seem extremely expensive.

[obheng]

Gooshin,
I am not sure if I have offended you, as you seem quite hostile in your reaction to my post/opinion and/or my choice of words. I offer you an olive branch if I have. I was merely stating my opinion, of what I think the market perceives the feature of live-view. Personally, I think it's a good thing to have, despite the implications of going backwards to these point-and-shoot cameras, and cajuncutter did a splendid job explaining why he/she might like to have live-view for his DSLR.

[cajuncutter]

Gooshin,
I am not sure if I have offended you, as you seem quite hostile in your reaction to my post/opinion and/or my choice of words. I offer you an olive branch if I have. I was merely stating my opinion, of what I think the market perceives the feature of live-view. Personally, I think it's a good thing to have, despite the implications of going backwards to these point-and-shoot cameras, and cajuncutter did a splendid job explaining why he/she might like to have live-view for his DSLR.

It's ah he and as I mentioned the only thing keeping me with the K10D is weather proofing and lens availability, and ofcourse this wonderful Pentax communitiy. If the K200D would have come with it I would have gotten it.

[Marcus]

^ Yes, Sony lenses are outrageously expensive!

They may be able to sell a350s but I don't know if they'll be able to convince anyone to buy any additional lenses then or in the future. People aren't that much into Sony products to be into photography. That's a whole different ballgame. People buy Sony to make a "safe" choice. All they really want is a 18-250 super zoom and that's it.

I say, give it to them. It's a no brainer for ANY entry level kit lens, Pentax included. Duh!

[Gooshin]

Gooshin,
I am not sure if I have offended you, as you seem quite hostile in your reaction to my post/opinion and/or my choice of words. I offer you an olive branch if I have. I was merely stating my opinion, of what I think the market perceives the feature of live-view. Personally, I think it's a good thing to have, despite the implications of going backwards to these point-and-shoot cameras, and cajuncutter did a splendid job explaining why he/she might like to have live-view for his DSLR.

no i'm not offended at all, i just have a sharp way of saying things...

[davemdsn]

"Not dissimilar" is not a double negative. "Isn't not dissimilar" is a double negative. "Not dissimilar" is actually a common, and grammatically correct, phrase.

[Gooshin]

"Not dissimilar" is not a double negative. "Isn't not dissimilar" is a double negative. "Not dissimilar" is actually a common, and grammatically correct, phrase.

dissimilar - Definitions from Dictionary.com

"not unlike, not not like, not different"

its a silly phrase, because one could simply say similar and be done with it.

[davemdsn]

dissimilar - Definitions from Dictionary.com

"not unlike, not not like, not different"

its a silly phrase, because one could simply say similar and be done with it.

Yes, there are lots of simple ways to say things. That doesn't mean we should disparage people for having a better comprehension of the width and breadth of the art of communication than simple vernacular.

[dstar]

Yes, Sony lenses are outrageously expensive
Why you need Sony lens. This is minolta mouunt and you can buy excellent minolta lens
from Ken.com or e-bay.

[obheng]

IMO, there is a subtle difference, although hard to explain between 'similar' and 'not dissimilar'. I chose to use the latter because it seemed more appropriate. Sometimes, it's hard to explain something in English without resorting to using such phrases. I will try to keep it straight forward.

[jake123]

for some reason i have the feeling that sony's strategy is to take the market share of pentax/olympus rather than eating off canon/nikon shares