Originally posted by TaoMaas What price level would Pentax be abandoning? All their cameras are already under $1000. A check of B&H showed the K7 selling for under $900. The lowest priced Canon FF was almost 3 times that amount. There are a lot of people who aren't interested in spending $2000+ on a still camera. Actually, the vast majority of buyers won't spend that much for a camera of ANY type.
Hold on. That's the price 1+ years later. The K-7's MSRP is substantially higher. Read my earlier post about model changes and capital flows in the industry now. No model sticks around for years, they need constant upgrades for sales performance. At some point, the $70 difference between an FF sensor and an APS-C sensor will become a $15 difference, and suddenly the Sony will debut a FF at $1,300. models will be updated by using better sensors, including bigger ones.
As noted earlier by falconeye, the new NEX camera lens mount from Sony can accommodate FF. You can see the industry shifting towards larger sensors. Get ready to change your glass.
If the K-7 price point stays APS-C, it will not compete. Period. FF will come down in price to eviscerate the high-end APS-C segment. 2010? 2011? 2012? Hard to say, but one of the big manufacturers will floor the market soon.