Originally posted by Kunzite I don't think it's too late
I don't think it is too late either.
I just meant to say that they are too late to offer the first affordable, smallish FF DSLR. That train has left.
Originally posted by Kunzite I also don't think they need a window of opportunity
They certainly don't need it.
But if they have had the means to use it while it was there, they could have attracted a lot of new customers.
Originally posted by Kunzite if there was one important enough to have a significant effect, it would definitely be exploitable by the competition.
Well, Canon and Nikon finally got there when they introduced the 6D and D600.
Before that, they did not have to change anything because they were both happily overcharging people with their big and expensive FF DSLRs.
Pentax could have stolen the show back then, but they didn't make a move (probably they could not), and that's why it took till the high-end APS-C DSLR market started to get pressure, until Canon and Nikon eventually decided they need to create the budget FF DSLR market.
Originally posted by Kunzite Some people left, others are coming; and each new customer is a potential FF upgrader/future buyer.
Sure.
As I said, I don't think it is too late.
However, it seems that Pentax is way too late to the party again. And being late cost them the very prominent position they once had as a camera and lens maker.
If they really don't have more to show at Photokina this year than a new Q and some 645Z stuff, I'll start stop caring.