Originally posted by surfar After PhotoKina
All Pentaxians Should Cheer.
Thats all i'll say.
Well letīs go through the possibilities what might Pentax/Ricoh come up with:
1. a new APSC flagship, lets call it K3 III.
2. a new GR camera (GR III).
3. some new lenses (like the announced 11-18mm/2,8 or 85mm/1,4).
4. a new mirrorless camera.
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My comment:
1. a K-3 III successor is the best Pentax can do (and in my opinion the most their resources allow). The K-3 II hase been long in the tooth and many of us have been waiting for a new APSC flagship. In fact, some of us (myself included) has given up waiting and switched to mirrorless, so for us even this best possible arrival is just a bit too late. Moreover in the times when the photo world raves about FF mirrorless a new APSC DSLR is, well, a bit uninteresting.
2. A new GR is highly desirable and IMHO it doesnīt need much: a new 24 MPx sensor and bit faster processor, thatīs it. Not much of a development IMO. And again as with K-3, the GR III should have been introduced already. As regards the importance of new GR, it is less relevant than the K-3 III, the market for a fixed-lens fixed focal length compact is rather limited.
3. New lenses are welcome everytime. After focusing on FF a couple of new APSC lenses would be nice. However a 11-18mm is the only one we can hope for.
4. IMO a new mirrorless (and a decent one, no K-01 mistake) is the only thing that can bring a secure future to Pentax brand. The whole photography industry is turning to mirrorless and while the DSLRs will be here for many comming years, their market share will be getting smaller and smaller and the money (both of manufacturers and buyers) will go to MILC market. Those producing DSLRs only will depent on fan base that will be getting smaller as well. Again, the DSLRs will not extinct and they will be here for long time (they will not loose the ability to take great pictures), however their development will be even slower (and actually a slow development now is something people critisize DSLR producers for, compared to rapid ML development). So a DSLR will become a niche product, just like rangefinders or medium format cameras are. Producers relying solely on DSLRs will either quit their business or they will have to be able to produce high profit from few cameras (just like Leica). And is Pentax/Ricoh able to copy Leica (prices and profit-wise)? I really doubt it.
So I think that whatever Pentax comes up with, it will be either too little or too late.