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

[Radu Corlan <rcorlan@pcnet.ro>]

On Wed, 16 Jul 2003, Frank Barrett wrote:

> 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...

the kai11000 chip can be had for about 3k in singles. About the same cost 
as a class 1 kaf3200. You can buy kaf3200 cameras from a number of 
suppliers, but there's currently just one that makes a kai11000 camera - 
so they can sell it with a very different margin.

Radu

> 
> 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_______________________________________________
> > Astro-Photo mailing list
> > Astro-Photo@seds.org
> > http://seds.org/mailman/listinfo/astro-photo
> >
> 
> 
> 

-- 

-------------
Radu Corlan       Snail Mail: Bucuresti sect. 1, 
rcorlan@pcnet.ro  str. Argentina nr. 28, Romania

   You can still escape the "Gates" of Hell!   
                 Use Linux!                       


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