Originally posted by TaoMaas Nikon and Canon own the FF market right now, yet it hasn't persuaded us to sell our Pentax gear and make the jump. I don't think that Nikon and Canon shooters are all that different from us. Pentax has to provide an incentive for people to make the switch. So...what kind of camera would make you dump all your gear and start over?
That's a good question, but I don't think it's the only one.
People 'evolve' through hobbies and their perceived needs/wants - someone's first step beyond camera phone will most likely be some sort of p&s or compact, and relatively low cost. Even if the bottom end cameras are low profit, it's advertising, it's name recognition, it's a chance at keeping a customer as they later 'move up' in their wants/needs. I used to do similarly running a business - having several items that don't really profit, but it was a convenience for customers, and helped to make their experience 'one stop' and less annoying. I'd say it's more about brand loyalty and name recognition with p&s/cheap lineup paving the way for future upgrades, simply increasing the chance of repeat business from a satisfied customer. Once you get to the ILCs/SLRs, obviously it can become a financial consideration as well - in an ideal world, Pentax might have 3 lens lineups, each of them being able to not only mount 'downwards' (e.g. full AF capable mounting a DA or FA on the Q), as well as potentially mounting upwards along with a 'cropped mode' as you move to the bigger sensor cameras.
Give a good overall experience, allow retaining as much value, even if only in passing, and you may have a customer for life or a long time. Being able to mount DA/DA* lenses on a potential FF offering in cropped mode won't take advantage of the new FF fully, but it sure would open the path for some to upgrade without selling thousands and thousands of $ of DA (only) lenses at once to try to finance their new FF equivalents. Make that an option, and I'd expect more people 'on the fence' about moving from an APS-C to FF might just do it, and then phase in replacing their now 'cropped mode' DA lenses for FF ones as they see fit and finances allow.
Back to your question - what would make you dump all of your gear?
There's more than one market there, and more than one answer. If a FF came about that would allow DA glass to be used in a cropped mode, I'd bet a lot of current K* owners would think about it, depending on the pricing and the offering. If a relatively inexpensive model were offered, it's possible some might jump from the K-r (or equivalent, or other entry level DSLR) to the FF. If higher priced or a pair of FFs, one 'K5+' say $500 or so more than the latest K*, and another 1k+ more..it's a tougher question aimed more squarely at pros, already having likely significant investment in non Pentax lenses, and I think that would be a much harder sell for most with 10-20k (more?) in Canon or Nikon glass already plus the bodies. I wouldn't expect too many converts in that area, at least not initially, and at least until after Pentax had comparable, competitive lens offerings for the FF, which people already gripe about in the current APS-C lineup. I'd expect the majority of purchasers to be already pentax owners, as well as some former Pentax owners with legacy higher end lenses that may have gone elsewhere to scratch the FF itch but willing to return to use the lenses they still have or have for film still, a growing number of users 'upgrading' through various phases into DSLRs....followed probably last by pros who have been shooting Canon or Nikon for some time. While pricing vs features would affect all potential purchasers except the 'hard core longer term/investment Canikon pros,' if you have tens of thousands in lenses, a difference of 1k or so for a body for a brand new system isn't a whole lot of money and is potentially a lot of hassle (moreso if the lenses you like/need/want aren't available), so it might become a second/third body at first, and I'm sure people would be looking to see if the camera and lenses were truly solid without lots of QC problems, SDM 'questions,' etc.
I'm interested in knowing what some of you guys with 20k+ in lenses think.. ??