Re: [APML] OT: New 35mm Astro CCD camera

["Frank Barrett" <frankb@celestialwonders.com>]

Hey Tony,

Interesting analogy.  I wonder if the law of supply and demand come into
play here?  I mean, there are only a handful of astro CCD manufactures and
lots of AP wanna-bees (like me) that may be willing to pay for large field
high resolution cameras.  SBIG (and others) are pricing based on what the
market will bear.  I guarantee they would not charge the prices they do if
no one was willing to pay.  They'd either lower their price or decide not
to get into the market in the first place.  OTOH, there are many
manufactures and price ranges for guitars.  If I don't want a $10K guitar
I can choose a myriad of excellent guitars for under $1K.  In the end I
agree you generally get what you pay for, just in your guitar analogy I
think one has many more options and hence the market will not bear a
higher price?
What's needed in the CCD market is a bit more competition to drive the
prices down.  But since the market size is small (let's say relative to
guitars) that's not likely to happen.

IMHO, it's not necessarily the chip manufactures, ala CCD based webcams
can be had for under $100.  OTOH, the larger chips may be more expensive
to manufacture, I wouldn't know...

Just MHO,  Frank
http://celestialwonders.com
> Here's something to munch on...
>
>      I have two guitars... one flamenco, one classical, both made by the
> same superb luthier. It takes him about 2 1/2 YEARS to make a guitar
> ... he works on only three at once. The guitars are first rate and
> played by mostly advanced players, many professional (not me)... he
> charges $3,500 for a flamenco guitar and $4,500 for a classical... if
> taken care of, these instruments will appreciate in value as they
> mature into their full potential as instruments. The amount of labor
> that goes into an instrument like this is STAGGERING... and the woods
> that he uses are all rare and carefully aged. These two guitars cost
> what an ST-10 with filters costs ... SOMETHING doesn't add up... I am
> not criticising SBIG's pricing... their philosophy has always been to
> provide affordable instruments and superb service... but when
> comparing these items, either the guitars are terribly under-priced
> or the CCD camera is over-priced... and if it's not SBIG's fault...
> maybe it's the chip manufacturers... whatever it is, it does make me
> wonder...
>
>       Tony
>
>       Tony_______________________________________________
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>


-- 
Frank Barrett
http://celestialwonders.com
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