[Neo_]

No, that's a good question. Personally, I don't care either way about FF & I don't get all the fuss. But, whatever.

Pentax would have to simultaneously release a whole new series of FF lenses to go with the camera, I would think. Older Pentax film lenses would work on a FF, too. They wouldn't have the latest bells & whistles, though. (Which I'm not concerned with either.)

At the current time I'm not bothered about FF, but at this stage I wouldn't buy it either way beacuse

a) Pentax needs a whole new line of FF and FF professional lenses (sealed and with decent reliable motors)
b) The introduction of a FF camera to me would mean also the introduction of a professional customer service
(why care otherwise, most of the amateurs and Pentax users are happy with APS-C)
c) the sistem still lacks quite a few accessories and things, and flash handling and control is pretty much basic and limited if you compare it with something like Nikon's CLS
d) I'd have to dump 90% of my lenses, no fun

why on earth would Pentax want to do this?

[Fontan]

If they came out with it, I just may buy one for the hell of it. I sold nearly all of my Pentax lenses except FA 31/77 ltds, so that if they ever did come out with it, I can slap them on and see how they perform. It is for me more about these two lenses, really. I am also curious how my Tak 17 fisheye would look too, especially on the edges - how much curvature and so on. This so called lack of lens line up does not bother me at all. At least for me anyway, I just don't need that many lenses. I don't do zooms either. With 17/31/77, I can cover what I want.

[eddie1960]

At the current time I'm not bothered about FF, but at this stage I wouldn't buy it either way beacuse

a) Pentax needs a whole new line of FF and FF professional lenses (sealed and with decent reliable motors)
b) The introduction of a FF camera to me would mean also the introduction of a professional customer service
(why care otherwise, most of the amateurs and Pentax users are happy with APS-C)
c) the sistem still lacks quite a few accessories and things, and flash handling and control is pretty much basic and limited if you compare it with something like Nikon's CLS
d) I'd have to dump 90% of my lenses, no fun

why on earth would Pentax want to do this?

A) - agreed there is a need for lenses, but i think there is a need for those lenses in many cases anyway and they will of course work on apsc
B) you do realise that they have a PPs program just as Nikon and Canon do - they need to improve it IMO but it does exist due to the 645D
C) the flash needs to come either way and the rumour is there is a new flash coming BTW since the 540 is out of production
D) not sure what lenses you own but you may be ok with some of them many of the DA cover FF circle - DA35, DA40,DA55,DA70 DA60-250, DA200, DA300, - and of course anything DFA or FA - the weakest area is in the zooms and the wides.

[liukaitc]

wow da60-250 can be used on FF?
great lens then

[eddie1960]

wow da60-250 can be used on FF?
great lens then

It was patented as FF so it should be usable. I would think it should still come out as a series 2 with a couple of tweaks ( I think it vignettes a bit too heavy at the wide end, but many FF zooms suffer from fall off. look at the images bossa posted today from the very expensive nikon 70-200 2.8 VRII

[Franky2step]

I will definitely put up the dough for a Pentax full frame unless it's mirrorless, and as long as the High ISO is as good as the Canon 5D MKII (not the MKIII). I'll keep my K5 for use with the 60-250, and as a second body for events.

[sterretje]

FA Ltds and DFA100WR is all I basically need. But I will not very likely go FF.

I think that Pentax that Pentax will release a few extra lenses to celebrate the return to FF (if they return)? Else they would not really be competitive.

[RonHendriks1966]

a) Pentax needs a whole new line of FF and FF professional lenses (sealed and with decent reliable motors)
b) The introduction of a FF camera to me would mean also the introduction of a professional customer service
(why care otherwise, most of the amateurs and Pentax users are happy with APS-C)
c) the sistem still lacks quite a few accessories and things, and flash handling and control is pretty much basic and limited if you compare it with something like Nikon's CLS
d) I'd have to dump 90% of my lenses, no fun

a) There is a need for new glass, but the lensline doesn't have to be complete for everyone at the start.
b) Depending on the targeted userbase for the FF line. Most users of FF don't need a professional service. Better service and repairs is something that is important for all customers.
c) New flashes would be great, but Nikon's CLS is very expensive and for most users out of reach.
d) All my lenses are ready for Full Frame, covering from 31mm to 300mm! So I guess I had a better plan!

[Anvh]

I don't care for MF myself, but I have to disagree with the OP: The lens lineup for FF K-mount is not inadequate at all. If you count all the FF K-mount lenses by -not only- Pentax, but also Tamron and Sigma, then you'll see the lineup is more then complete.

Sounds like a great plan make a camera for sigma, tamron lenses and the old Pentax lenses.

[ihasa]

I'm not sure Pentax would intend to be 'competitive' with the big two - there's room for something a bit different in the FF market IMO. A body that feels more like a classic SLR (rather like the K5 does, compared to it's competitors) but enables full use of those FA ltds and other legacy lenses with the FOV and DOF benefits that FF brings.... that would be sweet. Would it dominate the FF market? No, but there's a definite niche there.

[TER-OR]

I'm not enamored of the FF idea, the images I get from the K-5 are quite suitable and I like the small size. However, I do have a couple lenses capable of use on a FF camera. I'll keep an eye open for FA series gems, and would like to buy the Sigma 28mm macro I rented a couple months back (really liked that lens). So, personally, I think I can have my cake and eat it too where it's feasible.

[ihasa]

Sounds like a great plan make a camera for sigma, tamron lenses and the old Pentax lenses.

FA 31/43/77
DFA 100
DA 35, 50, 70, 200, 300

Plus the new zoom lenses earmarked on the roadmap. Possibly.

And there's nothing wrong with 'old' Pentax lenses ;P

[jsherman999]

From Pentax-Ricoh's perspective, they would need to roll out new FF lenses in addition to a body. There's a larger profit margin with lenses, and it's going to be a required component of the rollout.

So, in other words, although there are a good number of existing tasty choices for a Pentax FF body, there will be more choices available when the body itself is available.

.

[eddie1960]

I'm not sure Pentax would intend to be 'competitive' with the big two - there's room for something a bit different in the FF market IMO. A body that feels more like a classic SLR (rather like the K5 does, compared to it's competitors) but enables full use of those FA ltds and other legacy lenses with the FOV and DOF benefits that FF brings.... that would be sweet. Would it dominate the FF market? No, but there's a definite niche there.

I don't think the goal is dominate the market, but it is to get to 15% share of the market (tripling of existing numbers) and in a short term too. to do that FF will be a needed component, as will a lower end model, and more lenses and better flash. I think they know that and have a plan under way. things don't change over night though. I really think the K30 is the first reflection of what they have planned and even it was likely partially developed when they took over.

[yusuf]

I recently tried some USM lenses and it really made me think that even if Pentax releases new body with all fantastic features (FF or APS-C), it can't match the overall performance of Canon/Nikon due to lenses.