[Kunzite]

Cost?
I guess you mean something like more than 100 US$/€ (which is within the limit of price differences of entry level cams)? Where should costs like that arise from? Certainly not from the additional "walls" of the cam or the electronic contacts needed.

Size?
The inner camera has about the size of a modern mirror less cam. Where is the problem?

100$ for an entry level is huge.
Those cameras are tightly packed, just check these images:
Pentax K-30 vs K-5 IIs Cross Sections - Photokina 2012 | PentaxForums.com
And the K-S1 is almost as small as the smallest DSLR to date (while having SR, a pentaprism viewfinder and in-body AF motor)

[JPT]

Actually it has a green button, but it is right behind the shutter release button. The angle of the photograph taken is as such it is almost invisible, but in super hi-res photo there is visible a part of the bezel around it, hidden behind the shutter release. The top of the button is at the surface level of the cassis, therefore not visible in this angle of view.

See the part of the bezel, right next to red dot on shutter release button plate.

http://img1.lesnumeriques.com/produits/152/21415/K-S1_Tweed_Gray-53f46a84cf65e.jpg

Ah. I see. You're probably right that it's just the angle. So that means all the pictures and the leaked specs so far are likely true.

JanG - Are you suggesting that the camera has a LCD screen on the back, but then another LCD screen on the smaller camera that you slide out from inside? Just a quick glance should tell you that the sensor in that camera would be far too close to the mount, not to mention the crazy redundancy of having a screen behind another screen.

Anyway, I give this camera full marks for mystery and intrigue. Or alternatively, full marks for bored Pentaxians' imaginations.

[JanG]

100$ for an entry level is huge.
Those cameras are tightly packed, just check these images:
Pentax K-30 vs K-5 IIs Cross Sections - Photokina 2012 | PentaxForums.com
And the K-S1 is almost as small as the smallest DSLR to date (while having SR, a pentaprism viewfinder and in-body AF motor)

1. 100$ was my guess for the upper limit of additional costs. I guess the additional costs will be much lower.
2. I doubt that the K-S1 will have a prism at all. I am pretty sure it will have an EVF. Otherwise the whole concept of modularity would not make much sense.

With respect to costs also remember what the guy from lens rentals wrote about the Sony A7 on dpreview: mirrorless cams are built beautifully simple, i.e. much cheaper to build than a classic DSLR.

---------- Post added 08-25-2014 at 02:51 PM ----------

Ah. I see. You're probably right that it's just the angle. So that means all the pictures and the leaked specs so far are likely true.

JanG - Are you suggesting that the camera has a LCD screen on the back, but then another LCD screen on the smaller camera that you slide out from inside? Just a quick glance should tell you that the sensor in that camera would be far too close to the mount, not to mention the crazy redundancy of having a screen behind another screen.

Anyway, I give this camera full marks for mystery and intrigue. Or alternatively, full marks for bored Pentaxians' imaginations.

No, I suggest that the inner cam doesn't have any back screen. You would need to buy a back screen and attach it by some mechanism to use the cam as an A(?)-mount mirrorless. As well as a flash and an EVF should you like to use those with the A(?)-mount - but sure there would be bundles for all this.

[mecrox]

If this is a "managed" leak of information, so to speak, isn't it likely that Pentax would have said something (even if only hints) to suggest there is more to this camera than meets the eye? A modular camera or similar would be a huge departure for them and it's unlikely a marketing department would allow a completely false picture to be built up on the internet before the product has even been launched. Since nothing has been said to suggest otherwise, this pretty well has to be a straight-down-the-line new DSLR with a few new twists by way of the interface/controls for the intended audience.

[thibs]

1. 100$ was my guess for the upper limit of additional costs. I guess the additional costs will be much lower.
2. I doubt that the K-S1 will have a prism at all. I am pretty sure it will have an EVF. Otherwise the whole concept of modularity would not make much sense.

Of course hence this is no modular camera. At least from the user point of view.

[bibz]

Big gaps = larger tolerances = lower cost product. What the hell would a modular be good for? You'd need tools and time in the field, just carry more then one camera if you're needs are so vast.

[Uluru]

It can definitely be done, but not at this size and certainly not with the required tolerances. In cheap cameras the tolerances are already higher than normal, but make the sensor removable and the tolerances will rise to unacceptable levels..

A slip in module that goes in the camera, something like a big CF card with sensor in it, then it is sealed from the bottom.
By using the SR mechanism, the sensor is positioned correctly inside the camera for micro-adjustment.
In theory it is doable. And could revolutionise this boring digital photography, that trashes perfectly usable bodies when the sensor is obsolete, damaged, etc. And that happens very quickly.

[IchabodCrane]

The modular possibility has been sitting out there almost from the day the first decent images appeared... and no consensus. What doesn't add up with regard to these photos, though, is the flat side surface. There's nothing ergonomic about it nor does it seem to be based on any functional reason. Only three possibilities in my mind:

1) Related to some functionality that no one has proposed yet
2) Stupid design mistake
3) The photos are fake

[Kunzite]

1. 100$ was my guess for the upper limit of additional costs. I guess the additional costs will be much lower.
2. I doubt that the K-S1 will have a prism at all. I am pretty sure it will have an EVF. Otherwise the whole concept of modularity would not make much sense.

With respect to costs also remember what the guy from lens rentals wrote about the Sony A7 on dpreview: mirrorless cams are built beautifully simple, i.e. much cheaper to build than a classic DSLR.

1. I don't like guessing and I have no data on which to make a marginally accurate evaluation; but I'd guess the price difference would be greater than that between the K-50 and K-500.
2. But we know that it's a DSLR, i.e. it has an optical (pentaprism) viewfinder. This is quite obvious in the leaked images:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/content/uploads/files/1/p1344/ks1_pentax4.png
Instead of a shutter (or sensor, if its exposed), we're seeing the standard SLR mirror reflecting the matte screen...

Some people should try to design a working model of this... dream - (almost) the smallest DSLR but with a modular design. Sliding in a stabilized sensor module, on a 120 x 92.5 x 69.5mm body?

[johnmflores]

The "success" of the Ricoh GXR system should put any notion of modularity to bed. Or in the grave.

[ogl]

The gap....The main thing is the gap. The GAP is the most important detail in new PENTAX. Bravo!

[johnmflores]

The gap....The main thing is the gap. The GAP is the most important detail in new PENTAX. Bravo!

[NickLarsson]

I think another MILC model with the same body but without the pentaprism (K-M1) is more plausible than a modular model.

In any case, the new design is not only cosmetics but also internal (we can see the HDMI output on the right side, which is unusual), which means it's probably the new base for future models as well.

[JanG]

1. I don't like guessing and I have no data on which to make a marginally accurate evaluation; but I'd guess the price difference would be greater than that between the K-50 and K-500.
2. But we know that it's a DSLR, i.e. it has an optical (pentaprism) viewfinder. This is quite obvious in the leaked images:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/content/uploads/files/1/p1344/ks1_pentax4.png
Instead of a shutter (or sensor, if its exposed), we're seeing the standard SLR mirror reflecting the matte screen...

Some people should try to design a working model of this... dream - (almost) the smallest DSLR but with a modular design. Sliding in a stabilized sensor module, on a 120 x 92.5 x 69.5mm body?

Well, with respect to 1. you can easily estimate what additional parts you would need to make a modular cam from let's say a K-x (or whatever). You would need two separate frames, one for the inner cam, one for the outer parts. You would need a mechanical attachment mechanism where the two frames have contact (front of the inner cam, back of the K-mont part). Also you would need limiting walls, one behind the sensor in the inner cam and one limiting the back screen towards the inner cam. The same at the front. Then we would need electronic contacts between the outer parts and the inner cam. This doesn't sound overly complicated. and cannot cost much, considering that you can get a full K-50 for 400 to 500 US$. I do not think this would make the costs leave the entry level sector.
2. Yes, you are right. This looks like the matte screen reflection in the mirror. This seems to contradict modularity - at least of the kind I imagined, which would work so much better with a mirrorless design. Of course, it could be that Uluru is right and just the sensor could be exchanged together with the grip while the rest of the cam, including the mirror box would remain. Yet, I think the main reason for a modular concept would be to allow for a new fully electronic mount while at the same keeping the K-mount for the use of (then) legacy K-mount lenses.

That said, I cannot believe that the gap is nothing but a design feature. Pentax cams have always been designed very functionally and ergonomic (maybe except for the K-01 ;-) ), but this gap would be nothing but a very soon to become ugly dust collector, if it had no other purpose. And, technically speaking, usually it is more difficult to build camera (or other) frames/shells from more parts than from fewer (ask Apple about their notebooks).

Well, the question mark remains...

[DennisH]

The gap....The main thing is the gap. The GAP is the most important detail in new PENTAX. Bravo!

After this is released, I can't imagine ever buying a gapless camera again.