Originally posted by rparmar Thanks for doing these tests, which show what we would have hoped, that the K-01 has the same (or near enough) image quality to the K-05. In other words, it's a simple repackaging of the same tech, one year plus down the line.
Isn't that musiness strategy called diffusion (Everett Rodgers, I think)?
Once your 1st-generation technology is exploited by innovators and early adopters, you must jump the chasm between them (your dedicated, repeat buyers) and the early majority. Jumping (or bridging) the chasm is one of the hardest steps to implement in a growth business or product.
Pentax has had several real cutting-edge breakthroughs since 2006 (K10D, K7/K5, 645D) but they've not been able to convince people outside their core group to try them. Perhaps repackaging their generation-old technology in an attractive box, making it a bit simpler to use and marketing it outside the photographic community as funb and edgy will do that.
Consider the concurrent availability of the iPhone 4s, 4 and 3Gs at different prices. for different users.
Why don't we all wait and see what Pentax/Ricoh brings at the top of the next product cycle before we judge them so harshly.
P.S. I queried "diffusion" on Wikipedia - there's a decent short article with a lot of linked content there.
Read it.