Originally Posted by rparmar 
I disagree. This is why I referenced rangefinders in my post. I think there is a niche market here. A camera that takes us back to the basics of photography with hands-on controls and today's great sensors. Small and light enough to be pocketable. This would sell not only to street shooters and people who might need to get to the top of a mountain but also to those who take a point'n'shoot instead of the SLR on vacation.
And the student market, which Pentax used to rule. A dial for aperture (for the right thumb), a dial for shutter speed (right forefinger), a dial for ISO (where mode dial is now). Direct photographic control.
Actually, camera size is secondary. I just want that interface.
Aren't the current Pentax DSLRs already providing the creative controls the photographer needs? There's the provision for full manual control and varying degrees of camera auto exposure to full auto only modes for the rank beginner or those who don't want to figure out the photographic variables of aperture, shutter speed and ISO.
What you're looking for is more in the guise of the Sigma DP1, Ricoh GR Digital or even the Canon G9, not counting the Leica M8 or D-Lux. Except for the Canon, both the Sigma and Ricoh certainly fits within your niche market for rangefinder type digital cameras. However both are not volume sellers and it is debatable if they have been commercial successes to date.