[thibs]

I find it strange that there have been absolutely no leaked photos, schematics, pages, or anything of that sort for this camera, but it should be coming out sometime fairly soon, especially when the K-7 photo was leaked months before the camera was announced on Pentax's teaser pages.

Months? not AFAIK.

Since Hoya took over, leaks have been very scarce... I wouldn't be surprised if there was no leak at all two weeks before announcement.

[RMabo]

Hoya has tightened the seals of their company even more.
Most of the information about the K-7 was leaked by Pentax themselves. Representatives from Pentax talked in interviews about a new product line, two new cameras coming focusing on compact size and with different features than at the time current K20D/K200D. Talked about "different design", "different type of camera", about not being a traditional upgrade but a different pathway.
Now we know they talked about the video-hybrid DSLR thing.

In recent interviews, Pentax has said very little about future cameras.
There was a drawing made months ago, published in Japanese magazines. Looks like the K200D, but still - it did tried to show an idea about the new camera coming.

There wasn't any big leaks concerning the K-x prior to release.
And no big leaks concerning the K200D. Info on K200D was very sparse.

Most leaks happens with the big, major updates or products - like the K10D, K20D and the K-7. Because those contains most of the development that are then used in subsequent models.

[asw66]

I personally wouldn't rule out a FF body in the not-too-distant future, though perhaps not this year. I know that Pentax representatives routinely deny such a thing, but this could be sandbagging.

I've voiced this opinion before. The chief obstacles to such a release, I think it's generally agreed, are as follows:

1. Economic -- would Pentax be spreading itself too thinly?
2. Availability of lenses
3. In-body SR

None of these obstacles are insuperable, in my view. Hoya have deep pockets. Pentax have a massive back-catalogue of FF lens designs that could be updated for digital. Sony have proved that in-body SR is feasible in FF bodies.

Last of all, isn't the recent release of a D-FA 100 macro lens just a wee bit suggestive of what may be in the pipeline?

[jotaz.gmail]

Why is there a need to have K5 between the K7 and KX? Why can't it be out there as a K300D, a cult camera for purists with its own peculiarities and refinements built with suggestions from the "fans". Do we have like this in the world? and why not?

jo

[ilya80]

I personally wouldn't rule out a FF body in the not-too-distant future

...

Last of all, isn't the recent release of a D-FA 100 macro lens just a wee bit suggestive of what may be in the pipeline?

I so wish these thoughts could become reality.

[rparmar]

Last of all, isn't the recent release of a D-FA 100 macro lens just a wee bit suggestive of what may be in the pipeline?

No. It is a sign of the past not the future. Pentax had the lens formula and build. They updated it with weather sealing. They released it.

Amazing though how people will see whatever they want to see. FF rumours have been going since the dawn of time (or at least this forum).

[Supernaut]

No. It is a sign of the past not the future. Pentax had the lens formula and build. They updated it with weather sealing. They released it.

Amazing though how people will see whatever they want to see. FF rumours have been going since the dawn of time (or at least this forum).

Yes, you may be right. But this time Pentax had time to put an end to the speculation and make a statement. They didn't.
If we expect more lenses to have the same limited design I'd say there is more to come in the D-FA line. If it's just a great looking design study that made it all the way to production, I don't know.

[ewalk]

Why is there a need to have K5 between the K7 and KX? Why can't it be out there as a K300D, a cult camera for purists with its own peculiarities and refinements built with suggestions from the "fans". Do we have like this in the world? and why not?

Because it probably wouldn't sell/make a profit for Pentax. Cameras won't get built if they aren't projected to be profitable.

I'm a little confused as to what you'd want in a K300D?

[alban]

Just to confirm the rumor a bit, my local retailer who met The Pentax France President in a meeting one month ago - his store became Pentax Premium then - said there will be an intermediate between K-x and K-7 in June and an announce of a Pro line up to the K-7 during Photokina event in September.

Note that I report only what I've heard from my first retailer. He's a serious guy but I do not want to be held responsible for the accuracy of this information. I'm just a Pentax fan dreaming of a "Pentax Returns".

[aleonx3]

Just to confirm the rumor a bit, my local retailer who met The Pentax France President in a meeting one month ago - his store became Pentax Premium then - said there will be an intermediate between K-x and K-7 in June and an announce of a Pro line up to the K-7 during Photokina event in September.

Note that I report only what I've heard from my first retailer. He's a serious guy but I do not want to be held responsible for the accuracy of this information. I'm just a Pentax fan dreaming of a "Pentax Returns".

Do you mean one in between K-x and K-7 (June announcement) and one above K-7 (Sept announcement)? That will be great news.... hopeful the price of K-7 will hit my target price..

[Angevinn]

If this is true it would be a safe bet that the pro line announcement of Pentax at Photokina will be FF. I wonder who will be the sensor supplier?

I read an interesting rumor a few months ago about Sony, Nikon and Pentax. If you remember, the original Pentax IST digital SLR and subsequent K100D used the Sony 6 million megapixel CCD APS-C imaging sensor. Pentax was a little late in bringing out the IST because Sony has a strong agreement with Nikon. Nikon gets first dibs on sensors as well as a six month exclusivity window on new sensors. Sony couldn't keep up with demand for the 6 million CCD sensor and was late getting them into the hands of Pentax.

Sony has supposedly developed a new FF sensor that will be used in the new Nikon FF D700s, (Nikon currently manufactures the FF sensor in the FF D700 itself, but for some reason Nikon is moving away from chip production) the replacement for the D700. Nikon supposedly gets a six month window on the sensor. Next, Sony will be rolling it out in a low cost FF camera of its own.

The current FF Sony sensor in the Sony A900, A850 and Nikon D3 is a bit of a dog. Noisy and expensive. This new Sony FF sensor is supposed to be very good. Similar in performance to the APS-C CMOS sensor in the Pentax K-X.

The fly in the ointment is that Nikon has been delaying the release of the new D700s. It is rumored that Nikon might release it next month but it's not certain. By Nikon delaying the introduction of the D700s, it pushes back the release of other cameras that may use the same sensor, namely from Pentax. If Pentax chooses another sensor manufacturer this might be avoided, but I wouldn't expect a FF Pentax for sale this year, maybe 1st quarter 2011.

I really love Pentax and I'll gladly wait, my K100D and K20D are great cameras and I don't want another APS-C camera. A FF K Mount Pentax DSLR please!

These are just rumors I've read around the web. I believe the Sony, Nikon, Pentax FF sensor was discussed on DP review awhile back. Samsung has stated they are working on a FF sensor. Samsung has also stated that their next generation of image sensors will be very special: CMOS, very low power consumption and good performers. Time will tell.

I can't wait for Photokina!

Just to confirm the rumor a bit, my local retailer who met The Pentax France President in a meeting one month ago - his store became Pentax Premium then - said there will be an intermediate between K-x and K-7 in June and an announce of a Pro line up to the K-7 during Photokina event in September.

Note that I report only what I've heard from my first retailer. He's a serious guy but I do not want to be held responsible for the accuracy of this information. I'm just a Pentax fan dreaming of a "Pentax Returns".

[alban]

Alas, he didn't say much on the price range or if Pentax will go FF ...

[jct us101]

If this is true it would be a safe bet that the pro line announcement of Pentax at Photokina will be FF. I wonder who will be the sensor supplier?

I read an interesting rumor a few months ago about Sony, Nikon and Pentax. If you remember, the original Pentax IST digital SLR and subsequent K100D used the Sony 6 million megapixel CCD APS-C imaging sensor. Pentax was a little late in bringing out the IST because Sony has a strong agreement with Nikon. Nikon gets first dibs on sensors as well as a six month exclusivity window on new sensors. Sony couldn't keep up with demand for the 6 million CCD sensor and was late getting them into the hands of Pentax.

Sony has supposedly developed a new FF sensor that will be used in the new Nikon FF D700s, (Nikon currently manufactures the FF sensor in the FF D700 itself, but for some reason Nikon is moving away from chip production) the replacement for the D700. Nikon supposedly gets a six month window on the sensor. Next, Sony will be rolling it out in a low cost FF camera of its own.

The current FF Sony sensor in the Sony A900, A850 and Nikon D3 is a bit of a dog. Noisy and expensive. This new Sony FF sensor is supposed to be very good. Similar in performance to the APS-C CMOS sensor in the Pentax K-X.

The fly in the ointment is that Nikon has been delaying the release of the new D700s. It is rumored that Nikon might release it next month but it's not certain. By Nikon delaying the introduction of the D700s, it pushes back the release of other cameras that may use the same sensor, namely from Pentax. If Pentax chooses another sensor manufacturer this might be avoided, but I wouldn't expect a FF Pentax for sale this year, maybe 1st quarter 2011.

I really love Pentax and I'll gladly wait, my K100D and K20D are great cameras and I don't want another APS-C camera. A FF K Mount Pentax DSLR please!

These are just rumors I've read around the web. I believe the Sony, Nikon, Pentax FF sensor was discussed on DP review awhile back. Samsung has stated they are working on a FF sensor. Samsung has also stated that their next generation of image sensors will be very special: CMOS, very low power consumption and good performers. Time will tell.

I can't wait for Photokina!

That's not true at all, Olympus has the E-3 in it's pro line which has the same sensor as the rest of it's cameras. Just because something is going to be announced above the K-7 doesn't in any way make it full frame.

[Angevinn]

Why would Pentax bring out an awesome new D-FA WR lens (macro 100mm 2.8) instead of a DA lens? The price of sensors is coming down quite a bit, especially those of FF sensors. This is just speculation but FF sounds more than reasonable. APS-C can be well served by more inexpensive models like the K-X and K-7.

The new FF Nikon D700s is rumored to be coming in at under $1500.00 with the new Sony FF sensor, Sony is rumored to be working on less expensive FF camera using the same sensor that will be at $1500.00 or less.

Would you pay $1500 for a nicely spec'd FF camera or $1500.00 for a similarly spec'd APS-C camera? I would totally go for the FF. I never bought heavily into the DA lens lineup because I remember how quickly APS went by the wayside in the 1990's (Kodak Advantix, Nikon Pronea, etc.). Almost all of my lenses are FF. Plus, if Pentax is smart like Nikon, any FF camera produced will still accept APS-C lenses, but under a crop mode.

This is all speculation. We will have to wait for Photokina to see what really happens. I wouldn't be surprised to see nice, new D-FA lenses that look like the Pentax Limiteds.

Please give us a FF K-Mount DSLR Pentax!!!

I would never consider a 4/3 camera professional grade. The sensor is too small and Olympus has not produced many stellar lenses for the system. Not close to what Pentax, Nikon or even Canon have.

That's not true at all, Olympus has the E-3 in it's pro line which has the same sensor as the rest of it's cameras. Just because something is going to be announced above the K-7 doesn't in any way make it full frame.

[aleonx3]

The new FF Nikon D700s is rumored to be coming in at under $1500.00 with the new Sony FF sensor, Sony is rumored to be working on less expensive FF camera using the same sensor that will be at $1500.00 or less.

if Pentax is smart like Nikon, any FF camera produced will still accept APS-C lenses, but under a crop mode.

Please give us a FF K-Mount DSLR Pentax!!!

Hmmm, going with this logic, perhaps, if Pentax eventually comes out with FF model, then it will be cheaper and better than any of the current Canikon or Sony models. I can live with that...