Originally posted by Clavius You say fiction... But how else would Pentax generate any profits from such a camera? The typical Pentaxian that demanded FF, needs it BECAUSE they want to use it with their existing FF lenses. Hence, no lens sales will be generated from selling to that specific group.
Actually, in almost every case new lenses are just better than the legacy lenses Pentax diehards want to use. In most cases we have to accept PF and CA and even sensor ghosting that isn't present in new lenses. Once a novitiate has bought and tried and sold all the stuff he dreamed about (and found it really isn't as special as the dream made it) then he can just have a small kit of new lenses that serve his needs - or buy a couple MX'es and send them to Eric before he dies to use with his treasures. Even with the FA Limiteds, one must appreciate a style of output that isn't necessarily popular today since it is more subjective.
For example, look at the marketing for the 150~400 - it's all about MTF charts. Does anybody care about the MTF chart of the FA31 or the FA43 - or even the FA77, really?
The way Ricoh will sell lots and lots of new lenses to both APSc and FF owners is to fulfill their historic reputation of 'top class' lens design (for top dollar), and sell lots and lots of excellent consumer/prosumer lenses that are a value based on output for the money, not low price.
We have to stop looking at Pentax as a static company and Pentax products as buckets. Pentax is a Ricoh
brand. It is changing and it will keep changing because the brand owner wants to change it.. The lenses are elements in a moving stream, but even
they have only a ten year or so life before they change. The farther along we are from the days when a K or M or A or F or FA lens was made -the less difficult it is to compete with the 24,000,000 legacy lenses.
Perhaps Ricoh has finally decided they don't need to compete with my shelf any more to sell me a new lens or two.