Canon and Nikon are very close to losing a lot of the pro market. Companies like Sony, Olympus, and Pentax are offering a lot more - more features, performance, and technology, not just more for the money - in their "pro-am" cameras. This is where the digital market could have been 5 years ago if Canon and Nikon hadn't used their market position to actively manipulate the industry.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentaxk10d/

More competition is always better for the market. But still, it is pretty funny that given the incredible leap in technology that digital SLR's have taken in that last 5 years that we still complain that we should have more. 5 years ago was a lifetime in DSLR technology so I hardly think "this is where the digital market could have been 5 years ago if Canon and Nikon hadn't used their market position to actively manipulate the industry." But I see your point and agree that more competition for the pro market will be great for us.
BTW, I'm not sold that the Pentax is all that much a shot over the bow of Canon/Nikon considering it takes a step backward in what is probably the most important area that pros need to see progress; highlight lattitude. But at least it has your spot meter.

I wouldn't mind trying out one of the new Foveon sensors coming out. I've never seen one in person and am really curious about the colors they generate.

While I have not tried one myself, the new Sigma bodies with the Foveon chips are supposed to produce beautiful color and perfect skin tones. The Foveon technology is totally different from CCD and CMOS chips. You have to use Sigma lenses because they have their own lens mount.

I'm very happy with my Canon gear but very curious to try the Sigma system.

http://www.sigma-sd14.com/

Rick

Although Leica isn't in a position to grab much of the market share anyway, I LOVE using their cameras! Small and quiet, and easy to focus in low light.

I don't think the K10D or the Alpha are a challenge to anything like the 5D or 1D II. Not even close.

Maybe Pentax and Sony will put C&N to do better. I hope so. But I'll bet dollars to dimes they'll NEVER take over the market share from the big two.

I think the only thing it's going to do is drive down the prices of Nikon and Canon. They are alway going to have the market cornered for professionals. The thing it is going to do is atract more weekend warriors into a shoot and burn photographer. It's really going to affect our competition as photographers. Some of the products coming out are atractive, but I don't think Pentax has a chance. Sony has the cash to invest and back it up. I don't think any of those companies will have the accesories that canon and nikon produce.

Andrew are you ever in the Northern California area on assignment or for fun?

Would love to buy you lunch or dinner and hear more about your Leica experiences, or heck just see one in action out of the photo store.

Man I want his camera.

As for Leica, I dont think they're ready to take over the market. Just like their film cameras weren't for everyone and not just due to price, not everyone wants a digital rangefinder (but I sure do. ).

+1

I LOVE my Leica R film cameras, but especially my Leica R lenses ... outstanding!! And I recently started using them on my Canon 20D body, and will be testing them out at a wedding tomorrow.

Can't quite afford that M8.

I don't believe much will ever really change in the digital SLR market ... just as it never significantly changed in the film SLR market over many years. We've always had the larger groups of dedicated Nikon and Canon users, with much smaller populations of folks dedicated to other fairly popular systems (Leica, Minolta, Pentax, etc.).