[starbase218]

The funny thing is, neither Nikon nor canon have really done so. Nikon sensor is not by them (and already used in the A99) and the 6D senor probably is a downgraded version of the 5DMkIII sensor. Wel they added also low light AF but that has also already been done by pentax. No exciting new technolgies from the big two either... only Canon added a bit of extra already existing technology

True, but the 6D represents a new segment. They already released the 5DIII and 1Dx (and D800/D4 for Nikon), not too long ago, to cover the higher-end. So that's understandable. The K-5, however, was Pentax's flagship model. For it to be replaced by the K-5 II is not so understandable.

[traderdrew]

How do we know that in 2 years Pentax wont be buying 72MP CMOS MF sensors from Sony? You seem to be looking at this as though APS-C is going to evolve and MF is not. Why do you think the 645 customer base is going to dwindle? Pentax could not keep up with demand for the 645D. Pentax has released more Pro-grade optics for the 645D platform in the last few years than they have for K-mount.

I get the impression you go around picking posts apart as I have read posts from you before. Why do I have to make this simple again? If there is going to be a thirty something MP APS-C sensor from Sony in two years then why would someone need 40 MPs? I think you would agree the lens is more important than the camera.

[glennbp]

So the big pink elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about is... will Pentax go belly up or sell out to some candy company to make Pentax mints? (/sarcasm)
But seriously, if Pentax Ricoh is not going to compete in the photographic market, then what remains? You can't exist on re-badged K-5's and modified 645D's forever. And if they think they can go after the P&S market and make a go of that, well, one word, Kodak.

[Pål Jensen]

because the high-end has moved on from APS-C DSLRs.

Thats a statement without substance...

[Zygonyx]

I am very happy to see Pentax breaking with the "consumer's endless new products flooding" that other brands are practissing.
Pentax is a very environmental friendly and concerned company ; they are showing others , the way for the future .

[Rondec]

Pentax has given us the K-30 which is a stellar design for the price, a very exciting camera. It seems like you've already forgot it? It do lifts the bar in the midlevel category. The K-5 has got a sensitive upgrade, why change a winning design? A good camera has got even better.

As for a 24x36 camera - Pentax problem is the sensor. Their most likely source is Sony, but Sony has since many years a deal with Nikon which means that Nikon has exclusive rights to Sony's newest sensors for several months before Sony can sell the sensor to another manufacturer (like Pentax). I don't know if this deal is a bout a delay for 6 or 12 months before Sony can ship it to their other customers. So, when Pentax gets the newest Sony sensor - it is already old on the market...
This is also the prime reason for Pentax trying out a co-operation with Samsung some years ago, and while the first Samsung sensor was very nice - Samsung failed in keeping up with the tempo of Sony so even with the Sony-Nikon delay, it was worth using Sony sensors again...

Another thing to consider is that Ricoh took over Pentax quite recently.. It takes time to merge a company with another company. During the "melting" phase of Pentax into Ricoh, the projects are changed and priorities shifted. This also takes time. I don't expect any Ricoh-developed product to be introduced this year (the K-30 was the last product developed under the supervision of Hoya). Next year will we see the fruits of the Ricoh takeover. This year is simply too early.

And yes, it is a drawback for a company when owners are changed - this delays product development and marketing and the new organisation takes time to kick in, but in the end this may well be worth it. Let's give them a chance!

I agree with everything you say, it is just hard for "the faithful" to hang in there when everyone else is coming out with new, cool stuff and Pentax is releasing updated K5s. At least give a little hint of future plans -- and updated lens map, something to keep us holding on until the Ricoh initiated tech can reach us.

The idea that Nikon has locked up all the sensors in long term deals is probably not true. I think Pentax could get most of them (maybe not D800), if they were willing to pay for them.

[traderdrew]

It's tough to make lenses that would take advantage of a 30 MP APS-C sensor.

It's far, far, far easier to make lenses that would take advantage of a 60 MP 645 lens.

That's interesting! It isn't a linear progression like I would assume? Any links to support this that I can read up on to help me understand this?

[Pål Jensen]

True, but the 6D represents a new segment. They already released the 5DIII and 1Dx (and D800/D4 for Nikon), not too long ago, to cover the higher-end. So that's understandable. The K-5, however, was Pentax's flagship model. For it to be replaced by the K-5 II is not so understandable.

Does it? Sub $2000 DSLR's have existed for years.

[Pål Jensen]

But seriously, if Pentax Ricoh is not going to compete in the photographic market, then what remains? You can't exist on re-badged K-5's and modified 645D's forever. And if they think they can go after the P&S market and make a go of that, well, one word, Kodak.

The K-5 won't live forever. It is highly competitive though and theres no reason to discontinue or replace it. Whats the life span on similar Nikon and Canon bodies?

[philbaum]

I don't think other brands have exciting things either, a few stripped down cheap FF's. Sony is more or less something new but what a batterylife, 470 shots when using the EVF (granted, 500 with LCD).
Nikon and Canon both cheap FF's. With exception of the sensor, even their more advanced and by now obsolete (accroding to some) APS-C bodies are better value for money so what are they really for? To make the D300/7D user go FF? I have my doubt about that. D800 (or the D900 of next year) or 5DMkV is what those people will go for.
The avid 60D/D7000 user will have read all forums and by now is probably thinking about waiting and saving a bit more. The more I think of it, the more it seems like the D600 and the 6D are not "exciting new developments" but a sort of panic reaction after corporate intelligence showed some company might be working on a cheap FFdslr.
At least pentax worked on a new AF thingy.

Good points! Is this what every camera company dreams of: Starting a price war over FF while producing them in quantity to get the price down. This price war to be done in a global recession. Oh yeah, thats quite the plan. Nikon and Canon probably think that owners everywhere are going to be loading down trash bins with their "outdated" aps cameras and rushing to buy their FF. Truth is, noone really knows how many FF cameras will be purchased in these new campaigns, it could be there is a nasty surprise there for either Nikon or Canon if they don't sell the numbers that they need to pay off the cost of these campaigns. Let's face it, the enthusiasts on camera forums like these, are very much a minority in the total population of photographers. Whether the general photography population will move immediately into the more expensive FF market in big numbers, will be interesting to see in the next 6 months.

What i have the most interest in from Falk's summary is the Sony products, the Pentax 560 lens, more info on the new lens coating and the K5 IIs.

[traderdrew]

The K-5 won't live forever. It is highly competitive though and theres no reason to discontinue or replace it. Whats the life span on similar Nikon and Canon bodies?

I agree. When you take your emotions out of it the K-5 is still quite a camera. I only need the extra megapixels because I have a super telephoto and some subjects that are really difficult to approach. I can throw 20x30 inch photos on my wall from it and see no pixels so why do I need more?

[illdefined]

The K-5 won't live forever. It is highly competitive though and theres no reason to discontinue or replace it. Whats the life span on similar Nikon and Canon bodies?

Competitive with what? Cameras that are two years old? The K5II isn't competitive with the DSLR cameras announced at PhotoKina 2012 and indeed offers precious little over the K30, including some marked disadvantages.

[Defective Camera]

Really looking forward to Photokina 2014 for Pentax....

[illdefined]

Thats a statement without substance...

Is it? Lets wait for the APS-C 7DMKII and the D400 before you say that. I think you'll be waiting for a very long time.

[starbase218]

The K-5 won't live forever. It is highly competitive though and theres no reason to discontinue or replace it. Whats the life span on similar Nikon and Canon bodies?

Hmm.. you do have a point - the EOS 7D was introduced not too long after the K-7, so about 3 years ago, and it is still selling. From that POV, Pentax did very well to replace the K-7 two years ago with the K-5.

But, if you have been making cameras with PRIME-M processors for half a year now, what is a PRIME-2 processor still doing in your flagship model? It doesn't make any sense.