Originally posted by SteveNunez Thank you all, it seems as if most of you have the impression Pentax will continue the Q series.....I look forward to the next generation of the Q cameras with hopefully better sensors and upgraded components.
Thanks again everyone.....now I don't have to go out and buy 5 Q's thinking they'll eventually disappear!
Cheers
I don't think you have anything to fear about the Q product line going dead. No matter what happens the consumer wins.
If Ricoh abandons the Q then prices on everything will drop in the short term as retailers try to clear inventory. Frustrated users will sell their gear quickly and at a bigger loss to get onto another platform like u4/3 or Nikon 1. The dedicated Q users will snap up the gear in a blink of an eye!
Prices will rise a bit on the used market but only temporarily. Sellers will use words like "rare" or "last one!" to get buyers interested. Some will fall for it. Most won't. Sellers will tire of holding onto the gear and prices will be restored. Then the Q becomes a faded memory. Bodies, lenses, and accessories will sell like old point and shoots for pennies. Whoever didn't buy their gear yet will do so then.
After 100k+ shutter cycles my Q may die. The used market will probably be dry except for the occasional low mileage unit posted on eBay. I probably will have moved on by then too - either to a new platform or into old age.
Otherwise, if Ricoh keeps the Q alive as they should, we should expect incremental upgrades to the sensor tech over time and an occasional lens release. I've stated in the past that the 01, 02, 03, 06, and 08 lens line up looks pretty complete. Others want macro and that's totally understandable. So add one more lens into that line up and you have a very complete 6-lens kit.