Originally posted by mattdm
Sure they can. Canon did it with the G11 after the misstep of the G10, and the G11 is a rousing success.
But Canon still offers 18-24mp cameras, where as this would be Pentax's top camera. In saying that, the Nikon's top APS-C D300S is a great camera at 12mp, very good all across the board.
Having slowly started to move into the 'pro' area, with an eye to photojournalism, I've been considering a shift to (probably) Nikon. I'm at a point where I really want to buy into a system, with a purchase of good, tough, fast glass. I'd like to stay with pentax at this point really, having seen the K-x high ISO I'm tempted to stay, but I won't buy a K-x due to lack of higher end features and control-ability. what I think I'd need to see in a new Pentax camera would be (as others have mentioned):
- Better high ISO performance (seems to have been cracked by Pentax)
- Better AF performance (better speed, tracking, and accuracy in low light)
Those are the only areas I think a Pentax body is really lacking in compared to Canon/Nikon. If I saw Pentax realise that kind of camera, I'd be very tempted to really buy in for a 16-50mm and 60-250 f/4 starred lenses. I'd prefer 70-200 f/2.8, and the 50-135 is too small a range, but if 60-250 is sharp at f/4, it's not too much of a trade off.
One other thing I think Pentax is lacking is a fast, sealed wide angle. Something that will trump the 16-50 at 16mm and go a few mm wider. Something from 10 or 12mm f/2.8 or 3.5. I'm still dreaming of owning Nikon's 14-24 f/2.8.
Still, give me really good AF and high ISO, and I'll stay and buy Star glass.