Originally posted by Asahiflex If the $1799 price is correct then they're doing exactly what they did with the 645D: crush the medium format market. Only this time it's the FF market.
And it will make even more waves, because the medium-format market is (generally speaking) not a place most enthusiast photographers will go unless they're
very well cashed up. I'm willing to bet that the vast majority of people who buy MF DSLRs are professionals who know they need one and who can recoup the cost through their work.
But sub $2K US for a full-frame camera with a whole bunch of lenses ready to go on it (even if many of them are crop only and one is a variable-aperture kit) is going to look very good for the gear-head enthusiast. And sure, some of the old FA lenses aren't exactly in the Leica stratum of build quality (I'm looking at YOU, 28-90/3.5-5.6!), but they are all full-frame and they will all work smoothly with the new beast. There's something to be said for that.
Unlike the medium-format market, this is something people who walk into a camera store to browse are going to look at buying. And if Ricoh have undercut everyone else... I think they're going to score a big coup out of this.
Also, anyone out there who's been sitting on well-preserved New-In-Box FA stock is about to make a killing.