[Kerrowdown]

Such as: "How many full frame Pentax lenses do you own?"

All of mine.

[Clinton]

The MX has a removable back - just make a digital full-frame back for it. I'd swap my K5 for one in a heartbeat...

We can dream...

Arrgh, that does it. I'm going back to film

[pinholecam]

I would like an all mechanical DSLR with no batteries.

and wind a crank to power up the dynamo and batteries before each shot

The MX has a removable back - just make a digital full-frame back for it. I'd swap my K5 for one in a heartbeat...

We can dream...

This seems to pop up often enough as the 'dream' MILC for pentaxians (a MILC on a MX/ME/LX sized/styled body).
I just wish Pentax/Ricoh has ever taken notice on it.....

[Alizarine]

and wind a crank to power up the dynamo and batteries before each shot

that got me laughing (on a positive tone).

[EricG]

Well, I'm a noob and Pentax was my first DSLR and I bought it within the last year. I think that I'm part of the market that Pentax wants and somethings they get right and others they have no clue what they are doing in my opinion. Why I bought it was because I liked that the shake reduction was in the camera and not in the lens. Drove me nuts when my old film Nikon put vibration reduction in the lens and bumped all their prices on the individual lenses. Pentax made sense to me that way by putting something basic right where it belongs, in the camera. As a noob, I also liked the fact that I could mix purchases old and new lenses as I learned. I liked that the K mount gives me the opportunity to build a system for the future (so yes they better continue the K mount or many of us noobies are jumping ship fast!) but can mix in cheaper older equipment too as I go. So that was my second reason for buying Pentax. It seemed to me, that the third reason that I liked Pentax is that they seemed to focus on their equipment and lenses rather than massive marketing. Now, here is where I think Pentax also has it wrong. In general, I don't think much of its web presence. I think that for a company that seems to have an identity based on a history of quality (my opinion) and focusing on photography then they should support their product in a different way. I would love to see something built around the idea of creating something like a web-based corporate Pentax U, "We believe that it is not about just producing the best cameras but the best photographers." Those people that buy Pentax products should get access to a wide array of online video tutorials, webinars, etc on how to make the best use of your camera. People walk in buying a Pentax and can know that they are getting access to making full use of their equipment. Here is where Pentax fails. If you want to access all the new people entering the market, then the biggest sale point will be price point, quality, name recognition, but also having someone in the store saying well if you are completely new to cameras here is a company that will not only sell you the product but teach you step by step how to use it!

[markku55]

Well, I'm a noob and Pentax was my first DSLR and I bought it within the last year. I think that I'm part of the market that Pentax wants and somethings they get right and others they have no clue what they are doing in my opinion. Why I bought it was because I liked that the shake reduction was in the camera and not in the lens. Drove me nuts when my old film Nikon put vibration reduction in the lens and bumped all their prices on the individual lenses. Pentax made sense to me that way by putting something basic right where it belongs, in the camera. As a noob, I also liked the fact that I could mix purchases old and new lenses as I learned. I liked that the K mount gives me the opportunity to build a system for the future (so yes they better continue the K mount or many of us noobies are jumping ship fast!) but can mix in cheaper older equipment too as I go. So that was my second reason for buying Pentax. It seemed to me, that the third reason that I liked Pentax is that they seemed to focus on their equipment and lenses rather than massive marketing. Now, here is where I think Pentax also has it wrong. In general, I don't think much of its web presence. I think that for a company that seems to have an identity based on a history of quality (my opinion) and focusing on photography then they should support their product in a different way. I would love to see something built around the idea of creating something like a web-based corporate Pentax U, "We believe that it is not about just producing the best cameras but the best photographers." Those people that buy Pentax products should get access to a wide array of online video tutorials, webinars, etc on how to make the best use of your camera. People walk in buying a Pentax and can know that they are getting access to making full use of their equipment. Here is where Pentax fails. If you want to access all the new people entering the market, then the biggest sale point will be price point, quality, name recognition, but also having someone in the store saying well if you are completely new to cameras here is a company that will not only sell you the product but teach you step by step how to use it!

+1 Webinars - sounds great, and do not need so much of investments.

[Clinton]

so yes they better continue the K mount or many of us noobies are jumping ship fast!

I don't think there is any risk of the K mount going away.

[unfocused]

Fuji and Canon have stolen a march on Pentax and set the scene for those of us who haven't fancied mirrorless offerings up till now.

The Canon G1X with its nearly APS-C size sensor , non-interchangeable zoom, articulated screen and optical VF will do it for a lot of people. It's 135g heavier than my G12 and a bit chunkier but what the hell. It's what I hoped Pentax would have on sale by now.

Fuji's interchangeable lens X-Pro1 is a dream come true with 3 classic length primes 28/50/90macro to kick off with. This camera is only 100g heavier than the Canon with standard f1.4 attached.

At long last the camera scene is getting interesting!

[mattdm]

Fuji's interchangeable lens X-Pro1 is a dream come true with 3 classic length primes 28/50/90macro to kick off with. This camera is only 100g heavier than the Canon with standard f1.4 attached.

But when are they going to release the full-frame version?

[markku55]

What I heard in Finland (rumor of rumor), so Pentax will make a mirrorless camera with K-mount.

[Laurentiu Cristofor]

Fuji's interchangeable lens X-Pro1 is a dream come true with 3 classic length primes 28/50/90macro to kick off with.

Don't forget the 14/1.4 coming up later this year to join the 18/2, 35/1.4, 60/2.4 trio.

But when are they going to release the full-frame version?

The Fuji reps are claiming that their goal was to provide a camera around an APS-C sensor that would beat current FF offerings. With a roadmap of lenses to release over the next couple of years, their priority will be to deliver on that, and keep improving this product line. Given that the X-Pro1 cannot take a FF sensor (look at the mount), I don't see them launching a completely different product line anytime soon. The X-Pro1 would have to be very successful to give them the confidence to do that, and while I think it will be purchased by many enthusiasts, I don't think it will become a mainstream product.

[Ubuntu_user]

I appears like continuation of the K mount is most important to us Pentax users, while faster AF comes in second, and FF is third priority.

Yeah, that pretty much sums it up for me. My top three most important things would be those three, and in that order too!

The first two I'm confident we'll get. The third one? well, that's a little more unknown.

[Geoff H]

I appears like continuation of the K mount is most important to us Pentax users, while faster AF comes in second, and FF is third priority.

Yeah, that pretty much sums it up for me. My top three most important things would be those three, and in that order too!

The first two I'm confident we'll get. The third one? well, that's a little more unknown.

The first two are in theory win-win. The FF is a different ballgame - sure get a FF but don't expect it or its lenses to be as compact and light as the APS Pentax. For me, as a travelling photographer the K5 is the limit so FF doesn't get a look in - just like 6x6 didn't 30 years ago...

[Laurentiu Cristofor]

Pentax could always just use a K+ mount that is identical with the K mount except it just has a smaller registration distance. Then, adapting K-mount lenses to the K+ mount could be done with just an extension tube (with contacts, aperture mechanics, etc). New lenses would be K+ lenses, so the K mount would be ditched, but compatibility would be maintained. It's the smart thing to do - just look at the size and speed of the X-Pro1 lenses (14/1.4, 18/2) to understand why this makes sense.

This is why I voted for the discontinuation of the K-mount. If they want to keep compatibility they can, if not it's fine by me too. But I think it would be a mistake to stick to the K-mount.

[Clavius]

Pentax could always just use a K+ mount that is identical with the K mount except it just has a smaller registration distance. Then, adapting K-mount lenses to the K+ mount could be done with just an extension tube (with contacts, aperture mechanics, etc). New lenses would be K+ lenses, so the K mount would be ditched, but compatibility would be maintained. It's the smart thing to do - just look at the size and speed of the X-Pro1 lenses (14/1.4, 18/2) to understand why this makes sense.

This is why I voted for the discontinuation of the K-mount. If they want to keep compatibility they can, if not it's fine by me too. But I think it would be a mistake to stick to the K-mount.

But... but that would mean implementing a EVF?! I, like most other established Pentax customers, chose Pentax for the DSLRs, for their size & ergonomics, for the K-mount, and backwards compatibility. Why slap customers in the face like that? It's not slapping anymore, more like backstabbing.

The dream-machine for me would have:

- K-mount

- Both OVF & EVF! Keeping the mirror and mirrorbox. But locking the mirror up and shifting the sensor towards the lens for the appropriate lenses. (The K5 knows if and when a DA is mounted, so the next model could expand that.)

- The above would enable AF for old manual focus lenses. The camera could shift the sensor back and forth to focus. But would also enable the usage of any competitors lens through adapters. Pentax could be the ONLY brand with both inbody SR and AF for anything you put in front of it! A major advantage, whilst keeping the current user base. An big step forward, while at the same time mainting the course they were heading in the past. Innovation & backwards compatibility at the same time.

- Having both a OVF and EVF isn't THAT crazy. We have OVF and liveview now too. I switch between both, depending on the situation. Both have advantages and disadvantages. The liveview could just become the larger version of the EVF.