What is your answer?

[GSiGuy]

Canon and Nikon are far larger entities than Pentax and have correspondingly higher marketing and promotion budgets. They are volume sellers and spend a large proportion of marketing to build and maintain market and mindshare. As the top imaging companies, they cater for larger market segmentation and obviously adopt prestige pricing for their enthusiast and pro level gear. Naturally somebody has to pay for this, that's why their products command a premium.

With regards to your second point, obviously you haven't been a Pentax user long enough because if did, you would have experienced firsthand how Jebson and Jesson and Shriro marketed and promoted Pentax locally. :thumbsd:

Which is exactly why i say commerce isn't so straightforward.

If Pentax becomes as large as Canikon, wouldn't they also do the same thing, have huge budgets for marketing and advertising and then charge you a premium for DA* and limiteds? So higher volume demand does not mean cheaper, my friend...

Unless you have the experience of a top man in a top camera company, are we all not just speculating?

Let it rest la... i not saying i want Pentax to be unpopular. I just think its the best passive answer to shut the Canikon "snob " up.

Yes i am a new Pentax user and i am glad Emjay does a decent job. But maybe the previous agent gave it up because that "low volume, high pricing" method didn't work anymore? Demand and popularity are not going to drop just because a few tongue-in-cheek answers are given to Canikon "snobs" is it?

No need to be so serious la ok?

 

[detritus]

Yes i am a new Pentax user and i am glad Emjay does a decent job. But maybe the previous agent gave it up because that "low volume, high pricing" method didn't work anymore? Demand and popularity are not going to drop just because a few tongue-in-cheek answers are given to Canikon "snobs" is it?

No need to be so serious la ok?

you weren't there when the other distris were doing the job. what's the point of maybe-ing?

and there are many ways to reply without being self-deprecating. one of the best way is to friggin ignore them if they are just snobbish ignoramus

 

[edutilos-]

Anyone who is asking you this question because they really think Canon/Nikon are superior need not be bothered with.

My suggestion is to give them benefit of the doubt, and answer truthfully - after all you must have had a reason for choosing Pentax, right? I don't know what's yours, mine is because the brand is good value for money - it may not be the cheapest out there all the time, but the amount of features you get for each dollar is far more in present day. You can talk about your Shake Reduction, the fact that the IQ is up there with the higher end models. Pentax doesn't scrimp on giving you what you need.

If they then go on to say, oh dear, but Canon and Nikon are more popular, that's when I would toss my head up in the air and walk away. Just kidding, I'll just keep quiet and let them be in their little worlds la. At the end of the day, it's not the camera that matters, but the pictures that talk. If one is too conscious about popularity, caring about what people think when they shoot, then I think suffice to say, they would not produce very good pictures.

 

[Nanoo]

For me, I was never asked why Pentax, but just to share a story which happened recently.
My colleague recently got a Canon 550D from the exhibition and was rather happy with the kit lens.
Then he saw my flickr photos taken with the DA 50-200mm lens. He commented that he liked the subject isolation done by the lens at 200mm.
That he liked the blur in the background and he wanted a similar lens by canon.
I told him to look at the B&S section of clubsnap and when he saw the price of the canon lens, he ask if i got mine around this price.
All i said was nope and saw his look, i know at that instant, he a convert. keke

 

[MarineX]

For me, I was never asked why Pentax, but just to share a story which happened recently.
My colleague recently got a Canon 550D from the exhibition and was rather happy with the kit lens.
Then he saw my flickr photos taken with the DA 50-200mm lens. He commented that he liked the subject isolation done by the lens at 200mm.
That he liked the blur in the background and he wanted a similar lens by canon.
I told him to look at the B&S section of clubsnap and when he saw the price of the canon lens, he ask if i got mine around this price.
All i said was nope and saw his look, i know at that instant, he a convert. keke

lol.. similar to my canon frenz plight.
but he is more of a IS issue. haha. He wants same price but with IS on lens coz canon unlike pentax got no body-is

he is the 1 who whine about... 'why i buy such expensive set yet what also don't have' no Digital Filters and etc. (btw he is new to the DSLR scene)

all i can say is.. you should do proper research before committing.

 

[OPERA58]

I don't bother what they say, i know those professional will never ask
why you use pentax...only newbees....or non pro....

 

[MarineX]

I don't bother what they say, i know those professional will never ask
why you use pentax...only newbees....or non pro....

true... true..

i still got friends asking me to join C & N instead.

 

[MarineX]

Anyone who is asking you this question because they really think Canon/Nikon are superior need not be bothered with.

My suggestion is to give them benefit of the doubt, and answer truthfully - after all you must have had a reason for choosing Pentax, right? I don't know what's yours, mine is because the brand is good value for money - it may not be the cheapest out there all the time, but the amount of features you get for each dollar is far more in present day. You can talk about your Shake Reduction, the fact that the IQ is up there with the higher end models. Pentax doesn't scrimp on giving you what you need.

If they then go on to say, oh dear, but Canon and Nikon are more popular, that's when I would toss my head up in the air and walk away. Just kidding, I'll just keep quiet and let them be in their little worlds la. At the end of the day, it's not the camera that matters, but the pictures that talk. If one is too conscious about popularity, caring about what people think when they shoot, then I think suffice to say, they would not produce very good pictures.

someone told me C & N have the same thing.

he said "is only whether you have the $ or not"

i wonder what that means. Doesn't make any sense to me though.

 

[WildCard081]

someone told me C & N have the same thing.

he said "is only whether you have the $ or not"

i wonder what that means. Doesn't make any sense to me though.

That's an even stupider justification from that someone.
Spending more money on a product with lesser feature or, worse still, is generally inferior to one that costs less just because of the brand is just.... dumb.

 

[one952]

yesterday was having coffe with a fren who happen to be the CN family.
So i was commenting i wanted to upgrade if i tio 4D.
he "upgrade to canon or nikon?"
me: "nope, upgrade to k5."
he:"huh? pentax again?"
me: "yap. more value for money"
blah blah blah blah.......

 

[edutilos-]

someone told me C & N have the same thing.

he said "is only whether you have the $ or not"

i wonder what that means. Doesn't make any sense to me though.

Nonsense, C&N don't have in-body shake reduction...

Whether got $ or not? Tell him go those SLS blacklisted shops and buy his Nikon D3100 for $9,000 then. He can feel very rich after that. :bsmilie:

 

[Anthony Lee]

Most experienced photographers will not ask such a question unless they want to know your reasons for choosing Pentax. Such people make their own decisions in choosing their tools and equipment, which ever fit them for reasons they will only know. My decision to switch from a Canon FF to K5 was more surprising and even my close friends were shcoked and some even warned that I may regret. My answer was very simple, one will not know how good Pentax is until one has tried it extensively. I am only into my 2nd month of using K5, and I am still struggling with having to learn CS5. K5 with my FA 31f1.8 Ltd is just a complete joy to use, a sense of thrill that I had not experienced before with my former Canon systems. The closest was when I first mounted my Leica Elmarit 28f2.8 on my Canon 40D and took the first photo with that set-up. All these personal experiences can be very difficult to express in words. If you have been there, then you will understand.

 

[sbc]

I don't bother what they say, i know those professional will never ask
why you use pentax...only newbees....or non pro....

Actually one did. My full time advert photographer friend once asked me the question, but it was many years ago. He told me that he needed the FF of the Canon 5D to make large posters. So I told him that I am not a PRO and the biggest I print is A4 size. He is NOT being snobbish or anything, but just being curious.

But later he admited that he even has to rely on a Mamiya 67 scanned films for really big posters because he cannot justify the cost of a medium format DSLR. Of course this conversation took place way before Pentax 645D was launched.

 

[MarineX]

Most experienced photographers will not ask such a question unless they want to know your reasons for choosing Pentax. Such people make their own decisions in choosing their tools and equipment, which ever fit them for reasons they will only know. My decision to switch from a Canon FF to K5 was more surprising and even my close friends were shcoked and some even warned that I may regret. My answer was very simple, one will not know how good Pentax is until one has tried it extensively. I am only into my 2nd month of using K5, and I am still struggling with having to learn CS5. K5 with my FA 31f1.8 Ltd is just a complete joy to use, a sense of thrill that I had not experienced before with my former Canon systems. The closest was when I first mounted my Leica Elmarit 28f2.8 on my Canon 40D and took the first photo with that set-up. All these personal experiences can be very difficult to express in words. If you have been there, then you will understand.

haha.. can i quote ur quote somewhere else?

haha.

btw, that guy is a Canon 7D user

he answered back with another question "why so many wedding photographers uses Canon and not Pentax then?

 

[one952]

he answered back with another question "why so many wedding photographers uses Canon and not Pentax then?

my guess is, if they know their stuff, it's to make their client feel confident. since CN marketing is so strong, how will u(the bride and groom) feel if assume you dun know anything about camera then your photographer come with a pentax?

At least to the couple, who we have to assume know nothing about about camera, they will feel safe n secure.

 

[sbc]

haha.. can i quote ur quote somewhere else?

haha.

btw, that guy is a Canon 7D user

he answered back with another question "why so many wedding photographers uses Canon and not Pentax then?

Because of Canon 5D, the 1st 'affordable' FF DSLR. An 85L f1.2 will NOT become 135mm. Since then, APS-C has improved tremendously, but Canon do not really produce L lenses specifically for its smaller sensors.
With the newer K-5. D7000, A55, etc. the photos can just be as good.

 

[xxrenxx]

I don't bother what they say, i know those professional will never ask
why you use pentax...only newbees....or non pro....

Most experienced photographers will not ask such a question unless they want to know your reasons for choosing Pentax.

Yes, although not all but there are really such people. A experienced photographer friend of mine which i get to know him not long ago is willing to teach a complete greenhorn like me and never question why i chose Pentax although he joke to me that if i change to the same brand as him he will teach me but no! He take his time and guide me step by step, explaining things to me which not everyone would like to share.

People like him are worth respecting.

 

[detritus]

he answered back with another question "why so many wedding photographers uses Canon and not Pentax then?

because they want a FF body? because the flash system is more common, more comprehensive, more accurate? because their customers (who may not be pros) want it? because the bundled software helps them reduce cost? because they need to do big-sized prints? because they rent lenses sometimes and these 2 are the most common?

its a similar reason why most businesses use windows instead of linux or mac.

 

[Moonlightsg]

someone told me C & N have the same thing.

he said "is only whether you have the $ or not"

i wonder what that means. Doesn't make any sense to me though.

for me i will reply... ya lor... me want cheapo cam only... my k-x body price less than $700... just use 2 year and i will throw and get new model or upgrade, that is my plan.... dam wroth it... i don't think i can't affort do the samething for if i got 7D/60D/600D...

Secondly, i have 2 body, 2x 18-55mm kits, 55-300mm, M50 1.4, 16-50 2.8 and 100mm 2.8 marco... total spend only about $3.6k... if i spend $3.6k on canon, what can i do?:think:

 

[MarineX]

for me i will reply... ya lor... me want cheapo cam only... my k-x body price less than $700... just use 2 year and i will throw and get new model or upgrade, that is my plan.... dam wroth it... i don't think i can't affort do the samething for if i got 7D/60D/600D...

Secondly, i have 2 body, 2x 18-55mm kits, 55-300mm, M50 1.4, 16-50 2.8 and 100mm 2.8 marco... total spend only about $3.6k... if i spend $3.6k on canon, what can i do?:think:

dont throw, gimme