Originally posted by Aristophanes
If you follow the tack of Pentax DSLR development (and pretty much all DSLR development from all suppliers) you see an increase ins size related to:
1) PDAF development. To get the Nikon and Canon effect, you need a bigger body to handle the larger array.
Agreed size will need to increase to support better AF, but likely not as much as you think
Originally posted by Aristophanes 2) SR. It takes up space. Quiet a bit. Not only that, it probably requires a much more solid body than the *istD to anchor the SR against internal tremor. The Pentax Q:
Once again there is some truth here but you may be overestimating it
Originally posted by Aristophanes 3) Data dump. Every complaint about the older series DSLR's from any brand is the very slow data read-out. As the megapixels go up and the FPS and video are incorporated the classic electronics conundrum is reached whereby you need more pipes and bigger pipes, and heat increases commensurately requiring cooling systems or simple air space. The K10D rockets up in size likely because of SR and the need for added circuits to handle the data. There's a limit to miniaturization here. The Nikon D3x has 3 circuit systems to handle the high FPS and huge file sizes.
This needs to be done no matter what Prime II is now to slow, next gen 645 will also need it and next gen apsc should also get it - cost spread over models . heat will increase and there will be a size penalty regardless
Originally posted by Aristophanes 4) SDM. Another motor. More space.
Isn't the primary SDM motor in the lens?
Originally posted by Aristophanes 5) WR. Every seal and baffle adds weight and mm. They add up.
they are already there in K5 which isn't much different from a D
Originally posted by Aristophanes 6) Rear LCD. The *istD has a tiny 1.5" LCD. Bigger LCD's = more space. They've gotten marginally thinner in the last 7 years, but not by much.
Have you not hear of OLED it's wafer thin and better than lcd
In reality I think all people here expect FF to have a size penalty. Personally i think it won't be a lot different than the K10 and K20 which are quite large in comparison to the K7/K5 but not huge by any standard. The other thing to consider is not all people (particularly at this end of the market) are primarily concerned with size. That's an entry level market thing mostly and needs to be addressed with a MILC
Will the market support a Pentax FF. Well if they just launch it without adding some of the things needed for apsc even and continue on the current marketing strategy then they are dead in the water. I doubt that would be the way Ricoh who are very agressive about garning the market in their core industry would attack it. I would imagine if they are at all serious about the camera business then they will take a multi pronged attack. New product development, aggressive marketing, open new channels and pursue the competition. They weren't always the big rival to Canon in copiers they fought for it. Now that the copier business is in decline/stagnant they are looking at this to grow the business. If they just sit on the status quo nothing will change and in 2020 we'll still be talking about a new ff coming form Pentax next year (if there are any users left who want it that haven't bailed by that point)
It costs money to become a player, the original capital outlay was peanuts in the scheme of things so for Ricoh it is not unrealistic to expect to look at dumping at least the same amount or more into Brand development over the next while as a long term investment strategy