Originally posted by Edgar_in_Indy In the case of a new LX, though, I still suspect that K-mount support would be a big selling point for a significant number of potential customers. At least a significant enough number that it would be worth the trouble/cost of making a K-mount adapter.
Such an adapter would make the camera larger than the average DSLR, and look kludgy:
That's the Sony adapter for APS-C. FF would be larger. They look positively silly on the NEX line:
They add to power issues, warranty costs, and inhibit weather resistance. From a design and structural standpoint, they have 2 joints, so with larger glass like long zooms, they need to be bulky to offer the required structural integrity.
There are simply no easy answers here. And if you've held a Leica M9, you'd know this is not a small camera. So any size advantage one gets over a K-5 via mirrorless is not that great. Add in an adapter and you've made the DSLR design substantially more compelling without having to re-engineer a new lens mount.