[lol101]

That's because they can charge a premium for 645D camera and lenses with a much larger profit margin. They cannot afford to do the same for FF cameras.

Maybe they cannot afford to do it for the cameras but they certainly can do it for the lenses. They already do it for their APS-C line.

Even though it is a "much bigger market" than medium format, FF market is still minuscule. If the Pentax FF sells as "well" as the Sony A900, they would be in big big trouble.

Again, the money is in the lenses and accessories, not so much in the bodies it's all a question of being modest with the sales predictions and ramp up the demand if needed.

And actually the A900 did not sell that well but the A850 is selling much better and is becoming quite popular among landscape photographers.

And if the plan is to aim for a bigger market segment with a new lens line-up, wouldn't a hybrid/EVIL camera makes much much more sense?

Would the EVIL lenses and accessories be compatible with their APS-C cameras?

FF doesn't compete with APS-C, it is complementary and therefore would strengthened the whole lineup.

Look what happened to 4/3 after the release of µ4/3, do you think the 4/3 segment is stronger or weaker now?

It's 3 models at this point. With its current R&D budget and down sized staff, I won't be surprised. Just see how long it has taken them to try to get the 645D out the door.

K-x, K-7 and ?

What do you know about their R&D budget? If its half as weak as people usually describe on these fora, I don't give Pentax much chance to survive in the long run... innovation is key to success in most technological fields.

The 645D took a very long time to get to market because of marketing reasons, not because of technical problems or limited R&D budgets (the project was halted for quite some time before regaining some momentum).

[Samsungian]

645D ? From almost 5 years ago.

The very first official 645D link I am aware of.


Kodak Announces 18-Megapixel Image Sensor for Pentax 645 - Related Industries - DigitalCameraInfo.com

and then the 645D changed, sensors got bigger, as the years passed by...


http://www.dpreview.com/news/0503/05031502pentax645digital.asp


http://www.letsgodigital.org/html/review/pentax/medium_format/645_camera.html


http://www.pentax.co.jp/english/news/2006/200646.html


http://www.digitalcamera.jp/html/HotNews/image/2008-03/07/p645d/


And "NO 645D for USA" interview from 2009:

http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/news/pma_pentax_revives_medium_format_d...ws_278069.html


and then the 645 and 6x7 film cameras were discontinued:


http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2009/03/cur...nd-645nii.html



Getting 645D to market, has that happened yet ?

All I've seen is the front cover for a 645D manual "leaked" and the date 2010 tossed around. 31mp, 39mp ?

49 weeks left in 2010...

[monochrome]

ZOOMS: They can start

Here SMC PENTAX-FA* 1:2.8 28-70mm AL

and

Here SMC PENTAX-FA* 1:2.8 80-200mm IF & ED

[Mohawk]

Sure, if you want to lug around nearly 2.5kg of lenses. Personally I'd take a 16-50 (or 17-50) and 50-135 APS_C lenses any day.

While definately not a 24x36 fanboy, could we see the lineup as:

K3/2/1 - 24x36, DFA lenses, pro market;

K7/8/9 - APS-C, rugged and compact for enthusiasts/those who balk at the size of zooms and bodies;

K10/20/30/40/50/60/70/80/90 - APS-C, pro/semi-pro market and enthusiasts, potentially the largest market (and the system with greatest potential for technological advances);

K-alphabet - entry level; and

If everything goes to plan, the hallowed 645D for the niche markets?

[jogiba]

Canon EOS-5D Mark II Digital SLR Camera Body
Kit,- USA Warranty - with Sandisk 16GB Extreme IV CF Memory Card, Slinger Camera Bag $2439.00AR

ICA5DM2C Canon EOS-5D Mark II Digital SLR Camera Body Kit,- USA Warranty - with Sandisk 16GB Extreme IV CF Memory Card, Slinger Camera Bag

Canon Digital Learning Center - Sample EOS 5D Mark II Video: Reverie

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=6686768&amp[/vimeo]

[monochrome]

ZOOMS: They can start

Here SMC PENTAX-FA* 1:2.8 28-70mm AL
and
Here SMC PENTAX-FA* 1:2.8 80-200mm IF & ED

Sure, if you want to lug around nearly 2.5kg of lenses.

There's always something

[Rees]

So what Lenses do you want Dan, isn't there any old glass that will do the job?

Well, some quick auto-focus lenses would be good, you know, to catch wild-life not steam trains! Try catching some Red Kites in action like I tried too on a recent field trip to a Red Kite Feeding station. I was out-gunned by the Nikon brigade with their fabulous quick auto focus lenses, which caught more action than I did on the day.

[alexfoto]

I think the assumption for the 2010 of the OP is unrealistic.
Perhaps on the 2015 ... a FF for 1200 dollars ...

[Wold]

I for one would love an FF to complement my k20d. I love the crop-factor on the Pentax sensor, which gives me nice telezoom during the summer.
However during the winter, I need a full frame with a wide angle wide open lense to go with it to get good pictures in nighttime conditions. Such as taking pictures of the aurora borealis.
Both FF and crop has their uses. crop frame sounds so derogatory.
Anyways, I'd hate to elope over to Nikon or any other brand for that matter, because it means having two sets of lenses that aren't compatible to both cameras.
Also, I'd like to keep getting weathersealed lenses that go with the body. It may sound like a nerdy thing, but the weatherseal actually has a lot to say in freezing temperatures. I've never had condensation or even dust inside the body, something many of my friends get with their Canons and Nikons. When you're chasing the northern lights, you tend to have to jump out of the car and set up the gear within a minute to get the dream shot. You don't have time to wait for the camera to climatize in order to limit the chances of condensation.

[SteveM]

I had always wanted a FF from Pentax, but I might be interested in selling some of my gear for the 645d considering the type of photography I do. It would depend on price and how good it actually ends up being. If there are others like me, it would spawn a whole new interest in 645 lenses. There are obviously a few lenses out there already, but if they released it weather sealed, it'll open up a new lens market for them.

[whatever7]

I think the assumption for the 2010 of the OP is unrealistic.
Perhaps on the 2015 ... a FF for 1200 dollars ...

It will come out after Chinese Democracy (the album), no wait... it will come out after Duke Nukem Forever, no wait... it will come out after the next Song of Ice and Fire novel.

[JerryFu]

can someone explain to me why current pentax lenses wouldn't work with a full frame camera?

[asdf]

can someone explain to me why current pentax lenses wouldn't work with a full frame camera?

Some do work on film, some don't. There is a thread about this: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/31629-da-lens-...-thread-1.html

[Blue]

can someone explain to me why current pentax lenses wouldn't work with a full frame camera?

The FA 31mm ltd, FA 43mm ltd, FA 77mm ltd, D FA 50mm and D FA 100mm (including WR) are currently in production and are full frame lenses. The FA 600mm f4 is special order and rumors are that they are going to cut production on it, but it is full frame as well.

[viggen]

@ JerryFu :
If I may :
There is no reason to believe there won't be a crop mode on a Pentax FF, making DA lenses perfectly usable.
And one can wonder if that wouldn't yield better results at higher iso.

Of course, if one goes FF, it's not to keep on using APS-C lenses. But well, that way, the transition from small format to FF would be less painful.

@ asdf :
A problem could be that, considering that lenses send information to the body, Pentax could very well block the use of the full size of the sensor if a DA lens is detected.