Originally posted by stanleyk If Full Frame is only 5% of the total DSLR market and given the market for DSLR's is dwindling in the current global economy, why offer a FF camera?
I heavily doubt that this over a year old 5% figure still applies.
The FF segment was the fastest growing segment of all. The M9 is only 10% more expensive than the APS-H M8.2 which clearly shows that FF has become the commodity in the higher end.
With the Nikon D700 selling as good as the best selling non-Rebel Canon (Amazon rank 13, Canon 50D Amazon rank 11), and 5D2 and A850 being big hits too, I am sure that FF has far exceeded 10%., possibly approaching 20% already ...
Albeit newer, cheaper and with video, the D300s does NOT outsell the D700.
This is a VERY significant figure! Because HD video and FF are the only two features which make people upgrade in the saturated high end DSLR segment (K-7 is an exception because there was more room for improvement left, AF white balance, fps, size, ...).
I fear that in the segment above 1000$ street price, the market share of FF is approaching 50% rapidly now. And after HD video is in widespread availability, not offering neither FF nor ultra-mobility will kill the vendors.
What is a pitty as well is that the dying out FourThird splits Olympus user base into mFT and FF. Being as underdog as Pentax, Olympus users wanting true SLR would be glad to be able to find a new FF home in Pentax. If there would be the offer.
All I want to say is this: It may be plain stupid to ignore the fastest growing segments in the camera business (EVIL and FF) if you want a future. And I am sure Pentax isn't stupid. They just don't tell us ...