Camera Labs

I wasn't sure where to post this ( poss "Off Subject?") so went for the forum of the system I recently bought into.

I am too inexperienced to know the answer but - why can/do manufacturers not offer more than one version of the same camera? I am thinking about video/non-video versions. I simply do not look for video in a DSLR and neither do many others from what I read. Granted, others do. So why cannot manufacturers offer "S" (still) and "V" (video) versions of the same model? Is there some technical reason?

Would it be possible for the still version to be cheaper or to offer more "still" capability for the same price as a "video" option?

Just some thoughts that came to me a number of times when I was trying to make my recent purchase decision.

No they will not be cheaper, and as a sensor is created to support Video it would probably be more expensive to make it excel in only stills nowadays. The people that doesnt need Video doesnt have to use it. You would also need a complete redesign of the body, as there is no need for mic holes, mic input and movie mode switch.
Sony had a long time a line with small differences between bodies and my experience was that you lose overview which is which.

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- Wout -
Nikon D80 with 18-70 DX, 70-300 VR, 35 1.8 DX
Manfrotto 055XPROB tripod with 488RC0 midi ballhead
Lowepro CompuRover AW and Nova 200 AW

On the assumption they have already designed a camera that does both, it doesn't make sense to then cripple it to do one or the other. The saving from not implementing the other will be insignificant compared to the cost of having two or 3 models to manage, sell and support.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.