Originally posted by Kunzite Can they?
One very important thing: the K-1 is not a $1800 camera. The K-1 is a camera designed to sell at $1800 (€2,000, etc.) in certain volumes (no more than 7,000 units per month), for a certain time, with an estimated downwards price and volume evolution - and make a profit for the company.
What's the required volume for a $1400 MSRP camera? A good guess is similar to the K-1's (though lower margin products tend to need higher volumes). Where would they get this volume? From the K-1's? That's no good, it might make the K-1 from profitable into a money-losing product.
Products are not made in a vacuum; they're made to be sold, and make a profit. Making a competitor for the K-1, right now, could be the worst thing they could do. We are a limited resource.
My guess is that people saying they would only buy a cheaper Pentax FF DSLR wouldn't get such a $1400 camera; they would find something else to complain about - e.g. lenses. And people willing to buy (as opposed to just saying) either already have a K-1, or will have one.
As I said on another thread, perhaps the cheaper Pentax FF DSLR is the K-1, some 2 years since its launch. By the way, the D610's launch price was higher than the K-1's.
Let's face it, K1 high level of sales now take the early adopters that want it. Many don't care or wait for an FF at 1000-1200$. K1 price will not stay the same forever. They have to choice then either they make K1 the future low end body selling for 1000-1200$ and get a K1-II at 1800$ or they keep high price for K1 and put a 24MP entry level FF at 1500$ catalog price that will sell for 1000-1200$ and take the sales many of the people that want an cheap FF, didn't buy thze 1800$ K1 and they keep a real market segmentation
Ricoh doesn't have to just offer a stripped down K1 they could make it small and mirorless with EVF... It would target a more different market, a good share of K1 user enthousiast wealthy guy will buy it because it provide a different experience, the guy that enjoy pentax ltds would buy it and the guy that want a cheap FF would find it at the best price of the market...
It can be done. Will it happen, I don't know but I would not put my hand to fire that a more basic FF body would not arrive somewhere in 2017.
The alternative is that in 2 years when the K1-II arrive the K1 will sell on the market for 1000-1200$ and would be available used for 700-1000$. That may be a better choice for consumer but it mean that the K1-II will not sell well at 1800$, simply because it will be almost the same as the K1 and the K1 will be that much cheaper...