Originally posted by biz-engineer There is a risk that medium format digital cropped simply disappear within the next decade, including Fuji. With image processing improving, the difference between well captured and well processed full frame images and medium format crop image is blurred, a lot of people just go for full frame because of the versatility and lower cost. I don't see medium format crop as a very solid offering due to being so close to FF. Full frame medium format digital would have a much stronger position in the market if it was a bit cheaper than it is now, and because FF MF is roughly 2x larger than FF and with very specific applications. Basically, if you are a Pentax APS user (or a Fuji X user) , the upgrade to 645 (or GF) is worth the money, but if you are a full frame user it is much harder to justify investing in MF crop.
Pentax crop 645 is indeed in an odd position but that's mainly because size and price is such a step up from FF. With Fuji, Hasselblad etc price and definately not size is not that much of a step up. It also seems that the sensor is becoming a smaller part of the cost. See K-3 III vs K-1, m43 vs FF etc.
These trends to me suggest that crop 645 that come in a small package have small advantages but also small disadvantages compared to FF. In other words the choice is becoming less of an issue and crop 645 may well thrive in the use cases where those advantages matter.
I imagine Pentax is in a more difficult position with crop 645. The camera is large and heavy and really designed for full 645. So full 645 seems like the way to go for Pentax.