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

[George Anderson <georgea@cam.org>]

Hi Tony

Being a woodworker (hobby) I have a good idea what most wood casts. As a
luthier he will also age his wood so that it is stable, but his raw
materials cost is probably in the several hundred dollar range.
Having worked with airborne sensor systems for twelve years or so I also
have an idea as to what the raw materials cost for a camera would be
probably three or four thousand if the sensor chip is new.
The difference now is, once the luthier has a good design he can stick
with it for many years and make small inprovements over time. SBIG
doesn't have that choice, the semiconductor manufacturers don't keep a
chip in production for all that long these days. Everytime SBIG design a
camera the costs have to include, electronic hardware design, thermal
design, mechanical packaging, software and (I'm guessing here) "free"
software updates as the code is improved. Their design has a very
limited lifespan as far as production runs.
The luthier on the other hand, well when was the last big change in
classical guitar design? The last two that I can think of are worm gear
keys and synthetic strings.
I'm not saying that I like SBIG's prices or that I think they are doing
their work at zero profit, but think of all of the overhead that SBIG
has versus a luthier.
I am not a heathen and do appreciate the work of a luthier (although my
steel strung Washburn is the equivalent of a Meade) but when you have a
captive audience you can charge what you can get away with charging.
Also chances are the luthier is also doing his work for the love of the
craft, and not charging what the instrument is really costing him in his
time.

George Anderson
Montreal Canada

> Tony Hallas wrote:
> 
> 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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