We've been seeing all kinds of images and info (in Japanese) on the new Sony DSC D700 that's been released in Japan on October 25th. Aren't there any dealers or high up American Sony employees that could at least be honest and let the US public know when that camera will be out? I want to take it home for Christmas and have some fun then come home to CA and start doing outdoor digital family portraits. This was announced months ago. Do they do this to try and keep us from buying anything else while they finish up R&D and HOPE they can get it out before another manufacturer gets something better to market?

-- Phil Pool (pep44@mailexcite.com), November 11, 1998

Answers

Hi Phil- (Thanks for your answers elsewhere here - the input is appreciated!) I think it's not so much a result of lack of honesty as it is an inability to accurately forecast demand. I think Sony got surprised by the very high demand for the product in Japan, and are dealing with that first - they'll get to the US once the domestic market is satisfied. The units ARE being sold in Japan, I know one company that will have a couple of units at Comdex that they purchased there and flew over. I don't even want to hazard a guess on availability in the US, but suspect at this point that we won't see anything until sometime into December at the earliest. (Wouldn't want to pin your holiday plans on it, but it looks like it maybe is worth waiting for.) And yes, many companies do very much play the "keep them from buying something else" game, not just Sony...

-- Dave Etchells (web@imaging-resource.com), November 11, 1998.