Canon photographers in Japan are being treated to the EOS KISS Digital N, which here in the U.S. it's the Digital Rebel XT, and other parts of the world it's known as the EOS 350D. Now I'm not real sure what to think of this. Is Japan just now catching on to the KISS fad of the 70's & 80's, or is Canon just trying to rub salt in the wounds of American KISS fans by not marketing the KISS labeled Rebel over here? It seems to me that there are quite a few KISS fans over here that would grab up the KISS version of this camera, if it were made available over here. Perhaps Canon could have boosted their sales here in the U.S. by offering both models to U.S. customers. Allow KISS fans to order the EOS KISS Digital N, and for those who aren't stuck a 1970's or 1980's timewarp or just aren't KISS fans, let them buy the one marketed as the Digital Rebel XT. At least by offering both models they are opening themselves up to a broader customer base... unless Nikon decides to up the ante by marketing a special AC/DC version of the D50 or D70s. How totally gnarly would that be?
Now as an afterthought, I've also noticed that the Kiss version of the camera is written in a different script than that of the band KISS. So perhaps the name of the camera wasn't intentionally named after the band, but rather just a name, such as how the Rebel is just a model name. With that in mind, perhaps the marketing geniuses at Canon finally made a connection in names and paid some royalties to Gene Simmons for using the KISS band's logo and make-up likenesses in an advertisement. Otherwise, if it were a special edition named after the rock group, then I believe the KISS logo from the band would have been duplicated for use on the camera body, instead of the script lettering. Nevertheless, kudos to the Canon marketing team for making the connection between the names and using it as a coy marketing ploy in Japan.
Regardless, I still think Nikon should make a limited edition AC/DC DSLR with Angus Young signature series DX lenses.
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