The full-frame debate has happened many times before. But it seems to me that on this occasion it's in the context of the news of the Nikon D3.
First of all the D3 is impressive. Of course it's very very expensive but it's also very impressive.
It also changes things. Canon is now not the only company with a dSLR that has a full-frame 35mm sensor. It's now a list of two, and that list is Canon and Nikon. Yes Canon and Nikon, of "
Should I buy a Canon or a Nikon?" or "
You'll be alright as long as you buy Canon or Nikon" fame. Internet posters and marketing have successfully made many many people think that there are only two companies making good dSLRs. Now they both have the full-frame sensor advantage... even if you don't accept that 35mm sensors have any practical advantage, they do have an advertising advantage. Advertising and perception is all-important, as Canon knows in putting Image Stabilisation in their cheapest, crappiest kit lens. IMO it's going to become even easier for Canon and Nikon's volunteer salesmen all round the world to push their myths and put people off buying anything else.
Needless to say, whatever other companies are doing doesn't reduce the quality of Pentax products. If their next bodies and lenses are good then they're good, and we (or at least the majority of us) will buy them. If we didn't need a 35mm sensor when Canon had them then we don't need a full-frame sensor now that Nikon has them. There is still plenty of quality to be got from the smaller sensors. But now the two big companies have 35mm sensors, Sony will probably be next, and Olympus are off doing their own thing with the 4/3rds system... that may leave Pentax standing out a bit as the only company sticking with only APS-C sensors. Now please
, don't bite my head off and say "If you love the other companies so much then why not switch"... that's not the point. I don't like the others. I like Pentax glass and bodies and I am sure they can make the best out of whatever format they choose... but as I said, it's about perception, and that affects sales... and ultimately sales will affect us.
All I'm saying is that I think Pentax may need to do something with a different sensor size, or to do something else that is noticeably new or different, if only to show that they can. It will be interesting to see what that is.