[Pål Jensen]

From now on with APS-C we could be looking at what used to be called midrange with the flagship sales model of yesteryear shifted up to FF. .

There has been no switch to FF. It is still at 5-7% marketshare level.
APS is a format in its own right with room for everything from entry to pro level...

[StigVidar]

We knew it and thats why I didn't buy the K5II.
Theres always something new down the road...

New is not always better. Advantages of K-5 II are same battery, same vertical grip, same menu and mostly similar in all other aspects as K-7 and K-5. We don't know how K-3 will be, but I will be surprised if they are reusing the same design once more.

[Kunzite]

Except for a huge sensor difference (compared with the K-7's), a much more sensitive AF than both (down to -3EV) and few other things.
And that everything works as it should

[Cynog Ap Brychan]

It would be nice if everyone has to attach a freshly taken picture before each posting. Soon everyone is happy again taking good photos then chasing and arguing new toys.

What a lovely idea!

[Zygonyx]

Sony SLT Alpha 58 was announced a couple hours ago and it features a brand new 20 Mpixels sensor.

It would be indeed a very good idea to put such a reasonnably resolved sensor in futures APS-C bodies...

When Sony is a mere Samsung follower , resolutionwise ...

[ElJamoquio]

New model devalues old model. Faster a new one comes faster the old one devalues. Maybe I'm just way more frugal than the most of you, idk.

Are you selling the old model when the new one comes out?

Honestly the WORST possible thing for Pentax to do would be to slow down the development cycle. If Pentax goes out of business in 2016 because they're still selling cameras with 2010 sensors in them (as they are now), then your camera and all the lenses you have will be almost worthless.

[ElJamoquio]

You're trying to make it sound silly and sarcastic. But it's actually so logical that where I'm from there's actually a law prohibiting this. If I buy something and within three weeks of the sale a newer model or a discount program starts, I still have the right to return my gear for the old value and buy the new model, or the same model with the discount.

Three weeks with a discount on product A.

8-12 months between the introduction of product A and product B.

Silly?

[ogl]

Could we expect K-3 with FF sensor?

To change sensor and processor is not big upgrade for K-5II.

[farhagh]

Hmmn, Sony have just announced the SLT-A58K with the new 20.1 mp sensor mentioned earlier in this thread (or, at least, a new 20.1 mp sensor). They've labelled it "beginner" and looks like its price is more at a K30 level.

Just wondering whether the day of the flagship APS-C DSLR with a price to match north of $1500 or even $1250 or so may be over and done with? From now on with APS-C we could be looking at what used to be called midrange with the flagship sales model of yesteryear shifted up to FF. No idea, of course: just wondering. It could mean that a "K3" in that chart is a K30 on steroids, not a K5 on steroids. It might not be easy for Pentax to issue a top new model for $$$ using the same sensor as one from a competitor costing half or a third as much. In the meantime the K5II stays on as the last blast of the Old School.

I would disagree; a Lioncoln and the twin Ford may have the same engine/transmission, still people pay for other features. May be the "difference in sensor" time is over, you'll have to pay for a better built and other features. A very similar thing is seen these days in Nikon line, where the AF, built and other feature are differentiating models rather than the sensor.

[farhagh]

It would be nice if everyone has to attach a freshly taken picture before each posting. Soon everyone is happy again taking good photos then chasing and arguing new toys.

What made you think people here know how to take pictures?
:ɒ)

[lesmore49]

some of you must think I'm trolling or something. The fact is I do stop buying products from a manufacture if I get burned once because I don't really have a brand loyalty and I can only vote with my wallet. (Obviously everyone's threshold is different in determine whether he/she has been burned so there's really no point in arguing that.) I understand why fans want K-3 to come out sooner rather than later and it's just in my opinion that it might not be the best move from business perspective. Anyhow, it's just an opinion and obviously not a well supported one here based on the comments and all the attempts to make fun of it. Either way, move on.

I suppose we all get 'burned' when buying any product. Depends on your definition of being 'burned'...for as you say, everybody's threshold is difference when it comes to being 'burned'.

My threshold would be if I had equipment that continually failed from one make. That would be it...whether it was a car, fridge or camera.

But if technology changes for the better...that to me in not being burned.

Canon changed their lens mount a number of years ago, as did Pentax. Change happens and I'm glad it does. I can just imagine using my first Pentax (a film S1a) today. I'd be using my hand held light meter...have my gray card out to get really good meter readings...manually focus my lens and the cost of film compared to digital is significant.

[lightbulb]

Ha scary. ...

[Cannikin]

Well, looks like the magazine was a little too conservative in at least one of their estimates. Instead of the D7100 being announced in March, it's being announced right now: Nikon unveils D7100 mid-level 24MP APS-C DSLR with no low-pass filter: Digital Photography Review.

24MP, no AA filter.

So much for no rush to replace the K-5(II)(s) due to lack of competition. Pentax definitely needs to hurry up with the K-3 now.

[ogl]

Ohhh....K-3 will be with such sensor...

I think K-3's announcement will be not later than March, 15.

[Laurentiu Cristofor]

There has been no switch to FF. It is still at 5-7% marketshare level.

He did say "from now on".

APS is a format in its own right with room for everything from entry to pro level...

A format in its own right with no complete lens lineup. And once you start buying FF lenses for an APS-C camera, you can just as well get a FF camera as well (*) - after all, most of the money you'll spend building a system will go into lenses (**).

(*) except if you're stuck waiting for one - such situations do happen for some brands.
(**) unless you just stick with kit lenses, which is what most of the APS-C customers do, which is why there are still more FF lenses than APS-C lenses despite more APS-C cameras being sold than FF ones. I am curious how the FF lens market share looks like - I bet it's not at 5-7% of the DSLR lens market.