Originally posted by Zygonyx Well, i dunno to what extent the K-01 was a commercial failure or success* ; but the owners of this surprising and unboring camera where quite happy to get through it the brilliant 16Mpix Sony sensor for less than USD 300, and they are getting much fun using it...
* keeping in mind that its flaws are more due to its apperance/ergonomy than to its concept
The K-01 actually an amazing camera, for what it is. I recently bought one as a supplement to my K20 (lighter and much better high-ISO, plus video), and I more and more understand why those who own this camera tend to love it. Certainly, it cannot be recommended for everybody, but those who buy this camera for its strong sides are likely to be very satisfied. The in-depth review on the forum is very good, and I tend to agree more every time I read it. I still do not agree with the overall rating (8), however. For me it is a 10, simply because I choose to ignore/work around/pick another body for its weak sides.
I suppose Pentax may have burnt their fingers, but I would very much love a K-02, or whatever they might name a more advanced model.
My dream camera for this class: State-of-the art image quality, keep the brick design (it is so handy and often saves me carrying a tripod), EVF viewfinder (built in), WR and frost-tolerant (both very important), a small WR-lens (I would have loved the 40mm to be WR, a front e-dial, and an external ISO button/customizable button. Hopefully also improved remote control, and perhaps even a control-ring around the mount, for power-zoom but customizable. This would be one of the larger mirror-less (in the range of the GH3?), not for those who want it pocketable, but very suitable for a hike or for international travel. I often have to choose between my K20 and 2-3 lenses or my Canon G10, and all two often end up with the latter.
The in-depth review contained lots of well considered suggestions for improvements, and the tone of that review is very much foreward-looking. I really hope the K-01 was not the end of the road for this concept. Try with fewer compromises and make a higher-level camera appealing to enthusiasts. This would also increase the demand for the DA primes, since they are perfect companions of this camera.