Originally posted by Mark Ransom Can you imagine how skewered they'd get if all they offered was a warmed-over K-3 II after all this time? It would have been exactly what I was looking for personally, but a lot of people would question their sanity. At this point it's years too late for that, they have to really step up their game now.
Well, I get that they're going to get skewered, because we do that. In fact they can count on it. We're stubbornly committed to this brand, despite market share and all indicators (I am), but as a group, we are hostile to them as we are loyal.
But, I'm not so sure. I'm frustrated that right now, we all know that they can built a better ASP-C camera, because they've done it already. But, they haven't packaged it and made it available in the flagship form factor. Why would I buy a K3, knowing that the KP is a better camera? But, the KP is not the flagship, they've said that too. It was built to be a retro-travel camera and they crushed it, but if you like the K7/K5/K3 form factor, and frame rate and want to stick with it, you have to settle at this point for inferior image quality.
So, scenarios:
1) The ship is sinking and we're all going down. - I doubt it, I've been hearing that for years and they've put out some great stuff while that was being said. But, even in this scenario, take a K3 body and release it with the KP sensor, AF, Stabilization bits and end on a high note. It wouldn't cost them much to do so and even if they announced their demise, it would probably only increase sales of both it and the remaining KP and K1 stock.
2) They've got some game-changer scheduled, but it's not ready...same as above, they can already build a better K3, just release it and then change the game when they're ready.
3) R&D has dried up, the company is still going, but they're focused on lenses and trying to get their **** together and they know that we hate them, though we're fiercely loyal...quick, give them a K3 with the upgrades from the KP while we're working on a plan.
4) They have something better and it's imminent...so, we wait.