Originally posted by Uluru If they will deliver a 24MP FF camera, they will need to justify that extra $800-900 on top of K-3, which already has an excellent 24 MP APS-C sensor. What I want to say is that they will be in a difficult position; on one side Ricoh Imaging takes pride in comparing the K-3 with D610 and similar FFs favourably and underscore the APS-C advantage of the K-3 (including price). Then how are they going to compare their own 24 MP FF with their own 24MP K-3?
I am curious to see what will be the hidden rabbit in their bag because the FF must be similar but also different enough from the K-3 to be appealing to users already using Pentax cameras, including the K-3.
They have a difficult task. It better be a good trick.
Rabbits in hats and cats in bags. Otherwise you will tip your cat to a lady and let the rabbit out of the bag and among the pigeons at which point, being a rabbit, it will jump straight back inside the bag.
Look, none of us has access to enough data to do anything more than guess. Ricoh's market research will indicate whether there is still life in high-end APS-C or whether it is time to move on to FF. Other parts of Ricoh will know what is coming down the line in terms of new sensors, Milbeaut processors (without which nothing happens anyway), etc, etc. It's all just business, whatever the marketing campaigns of yesterday may have suggested (or not suggested but persuaded us to suggest to ourselves).
I'll simply say that, imho, the two cameras to beat are the Canon 6D and the 5D Mark III, both solidly commercial hard-selling items. Why? Excellent low-light capabilities in one case and a great all-rounder in the second - both are also long-standing strengths of Pentax and Pentax are now very, very good at low-light AF. Ricoh already have the two nearest Nikon cameras dealt with. The 645z covers the D800 as an imaging behemoth. The D610 suffers from the terrible publicity attached to D6XX anything these days and besides the K3 has it beat in many aspects anyway. FWIW, I see quite a few Canon 6Ds in the hands of tourists here but I have yet to see a single Nikon D6xxx.
It's all a little theoretical since this stuff is beyond the pocketbooks or wants of, probably, the majority of us anyway. And it still doesn't tackle what to do about getting into the market for the cameras which will replace the DSLR - if, a big if, MILCs continue to grow in popularity. An awful lot of $$$ may turn on that one. As some have already said, there's nothing particularly special about FF these days. Ricoh just need to get on with it and get it out there if that's what they want to do. Otherwise make it very clear that they've passed on FF and are doing something else instead. The years of "FF Yes No Maybe" must have done the brand a whole lot of damage. Perhaps time to draw a line.