Calumet calamity?

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Siggy - 15 Jul 2006 10:45 GMT

How can this be?

Just received my July/August edition of the Calumet Focus newsletter,
including deals on camera gear.

There are 2 sections. One entitled 'Special Offers' has the Sigma SD9
and SD10
camera _bodies only_ priced at a 'fantastic' £491.73 and £540.46
respectively.

The other section entitled 'Great Deals', has 2 Olympus cameras on
'clearance'; The E1 and E300 Evolt at £666.00 and £425.00 respectively.
(all above prices are subject to VAT taxes at 17.5%)

Are the Oly's, especially the E300 (which also comes with a 14-45mm kit
lens included in the price), really that inferior to the Sigmas in
desirability terms? Or is this simply down to the comparative rarity of
the Sigma mount on a DSLR keeping prices buoyant?

I know which one I'd rather have.

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David Kilpatrick - 15 Jul 2006 11:49 GMT

> How can this be?
>
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>
> I know which one I'd rather have.

As they are preselling the Sony Alpha 100 at £585 inc VAT, and the SD9
has been discontinued for a long time, I can only guess they have some
stock - you can generally buy a whole Sigma twin-lens kit for that price
(the higher SD10 one).

David

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Siggy - 15 Jul 2006 12:13 GMT

> As they are preselling the Sony Alpha 100 at £585 inc VAT, and the SD9
> has been discontinued for a long time, I can only guess they have some
> stock - you can generally buy a whole Sigma twin-lens kit for that price
> (the higher SD10 one).
>
> David

I realise the SD9 has been discontinued for some time, but why the
reluctance to put them on clearance? Instead they put them on 'special
offer' with the SD10, and even that one I could have bought for around
£350 inc VAT and a kit lens just over a year ago when I was reccying my
first dslr purchase. The same bundle is now £999.99 inc VAT!! Is this
the first instance ever of a digital camera actually increasing in value?

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David Kilpatrick - 15 Jul 2006 18:19 GMT

>> As they are preselling the Sony Alpha 100 at £585 inc VAT, and the SD9
>> has been discontinued for a long time, I can only guess they have some
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> first dslr purchase. The same bundle is now £999.99 inc VAT!! Is this
> the first instance ever of a digital camera actually increasing in value?

Calumet has only recently decided that the amateur enthusiast is a
market to address. They used to say 'purely pro'. They are not geared
yet to compete with the normal outlets - either that, or their customers
are so non-savvy they will buy at these very high 'non clearance' prices!

David

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Helen - 15 Jul 2006 14:50 GMT

> How can this be?
>
> There are 2 sections. One entitled 'Special Offers' has the Sigma SD9
> and SD10
> camera _bodies only_ priced at a 'fantastic' £491.73 and £540.46
> respectively.

Still grossly overpriced for poor sub-3.5 Mp cameras.
H

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Siggy - 15 Jul 2006 15:08 GMT

>> How can this be?
>>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Still grossly overpriced for poor sub-3.5 Mp cameras.
> H

Precisely so. But .... why?

</jaw still obstinately attached to floorboards>

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Michael Meissner - 20 Jul 2006 04:47 GMT

> How can this be?
>
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> terms? Or is this simply down to the comparative rarity of the Sigma mount on a
> DSLR keeping prices buoyant?

I can't say anything about the Sigma, but Olympus has been clearing how,
getting rid of all of the old E-1's and E-300's. The tea leaves seem to
indicate that there will be a replacement for the two year old E-1 at Photokina
(E-300 has been replaced by the E-500). So I've seen a lot of Oly people
buying second bodies, or in some cases migrating to the E-1 from E-300/E-500 at
these prices.

Signature

Michael Meissner
email: mrmnews@the-meissners.org
http://www.the-meissners.org

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