> Waiting anxiously to purchase one. > The D2x seems almost nowhere available worldwide
Nothing unusual. There were several cameras from other makers announced a year ago in February's PMA that did not ship until just before Christmas. The Kodak 14n was announced to ship on a given day, and that day was changed quite a number of times while prospective buyers who had put down deposits, grew angrier and angrier.
However, not half as angry as when the camera was delivered in an unfinished state. During the first few months, it seemed there were firmware updates almost daily. In the end, it would only work satisfactorily in a limited set of circumstances. I suspect that Nikon learned from this, since Kodak was using a Nikon chassis and lenses, so obviously were working closely with Kodak. Announcing early has a way of freezing buyers from going to competing companies, and everyone does it.
Often cameras are in sealed glass showcases at marketing shows. If anyone were to touch them, they would discover that they were simply mock-ups - with no internals at all. The body carved out of wood and finished to look like a real camera. The point is to see if there is sufficient interest to begin development. They are the equivalent to the concept cars manufacturers display at auto shows - a chance to gauge market interest.
Sometimes a camera simply never makes it to the shelves of camera dealers. Kyocera is dropping all manufacture of cameras - Yashicas and Contax are their brands. Contax, a few years back, announced the first full frame sensor in a dSLR and it generated a huge amount of excitement. Then it was delayed, delayed, delayed and either only a small number - or none at all - shipped.
It is still being shown as an actual product on the Contax web site last time I looked. I expect this was hugely costly, and the failure to deliver enraged the Kyocera top management, who in turn killed two classic brand-names. Kyocera is doing fine selling electronic components and cell phones. Don't expect to see the digital backs that Leica has been showing for their R8 and R9 the past couple of years either.
I think that that the D2X IS real, and will eventually hit the shelves. If Nikon learned anything from the Kodak disaster, they will place the first cameras into the hands of trusted photojournalists who will give them heavy beta testing on the job. By the time they get into consumers hands, they will be very well sorted out.
larry!
ICQ 76620504
