[ogl]

I think that mirrorless market is overcrowded and Pentax will be in hard position if they make such camera.

Do you want something like ~ X100/X1/Pentax EI-2000/Sony R-1 in very compact metal body with fast zoom lens, VF, full weather-proof, GPS and compatibility with Pentax accessories?
Crop 1.5. zoom 16-40/3.5. For example.

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Last edited by ogl; 03-28-2011 at 01:00 AM.

[selar]

No I am not interested in a mirrorless body because I don't like live view and I don't like the ergonomics of a compact camera

[fikkser]

fill the FF gap plz

[nosnoop]

I think that mirrorless market is overcrowded and Pentax will be in hard position if they make such camera.

First, I disagree that the mirrorless market is crowded; the big two haven't even joined yet.

The market for mirrorless would expand exponentially, and it is destined to take over the entry DSLR market (which is huge). So Pentax would hurt even more if they don't join.

Do you want something like X100/X1/Pentax EI-2000/Sony R-1 in very compact metal body with fast zoom lens, VF, full weather-proof, GPS and compatibility with Pentax accessories?
Crop 1.5. zoom 16-40/3.5. For example.

No, such a camera does not interest me one bit.
For that money, I would go with a interchangeable lens system.
And I don't see no gap.

[eurostar]

I would like an APS-C compact camera, but not in the vintage fashion of the Fuji x-100.

I would like an Optio W-super, a real underwater digital camera, usable up to -40m, and able to interface with true underwater flashes. With a 16-35 zoom and a fish eye add-on lens.

[wlachan]

I think it would be a tough fight for Pentax to enter the mirrorless market. However, Pentax might produce something like the X100, not necessarily as expensive, but something speaks quality with actual performance to back it up. The problem is, Pentax has produced many digital P&S but nothing really stood out. I don't see they are departing from this trend.

[PentaxMom Felua]

Gap: ff = nice / 120 ... 140 mm 2.4 ltd VERY NICE, tele's 400 and + : no thank you: long may m43 prosper as I now have a gh2 which makes this part truly much easier for me. But not if you need fast performance ... room for improvement.
Mirrorless 1.5 crop is not so useful, I like the 2.0 crop very much. Maybe 2.5 would be nice, too. No this market is not yet overcrowded, in fact it is needy. For Pentax to join . I, as an older woman, got used to the conveniences of the lighter and compacter system very quickly. Evf are great to use, mf is a jiffy, live view truly fun, especially with touch focus.
A x100 like all in one solution with all the goodies, of course, is always nice. But then I think 16 - 40 to be to limiting.

Frankly I have stopped buying other lenses for m43 for now, because I hope Pentax to show their brilliant new mirrorless system. The future will tell.

[ogl]

First, I disagree that the mirrorless market is crowded; the big two haven't even joined yet.

The market for mirrorless would expand exponentially, and it is destined to take over the entry DSLR market (which is huge). So Pentax would hurt even more if they don't join.

Samsung, micro 4/3 and NEX.
The line of lenses and future lenses of micro 4/3 and Samsung are very solid.
The market is solid in Japan and more modest in the rest of the world.

[Macario]

I don't think there is really a gap. I would like to have a pentax equevalent of the fuji X100, little camera with a fixed fast lens.

But apart from that, no needs here really. I do think with all the manufacturors it is now, who has the most lenses, flashes, models etc, instead of having just a few good models. And as far as lenses, I think Pentax does already ttick most boxes. Just for sports photographers, maybe a longer lens will be handy.

[Ratmagiclady]

Well, I could see a weathersealed superzoomish bridge camera with a good-sized chip of a sensor and a sealed barrel. There might be a gap there.

Or, maybe just weatherseal a bridge camera. Bing.

[Adam]

Pentax is currently missing lots of lenses in their lineup- they should fill those gaps first, and then start looking into more bodies.

[er1kksen]

I think pentax should concentrate on what they already do well, as in compact, high-value DSLRs and fix their weaknesses, from still-subpar AF to gaps in the lens lineup, and also keep the MF ball rolling.

If we really need a Pentax super-niche product like a mirrorless large-sensor compact, well, fuji and leica have already done 1.5x, the 2x market already has decent offerings, and someone's bound to do FF sooner or later... what would be REALLY unique would be a digital MF compact camera. it could be a good bit smaller than, say, the Mamiya 6x7 rangefinders of the film days, and have a really killer lens. Maybe even a couple interchangeable optics, something wideish for landscape, normal for street/portrait, and a short tele because who doesn't love a good short tele? All of those very compact, limited-style, and an adapter to use 645 lenses.

Serve the body up at 4k or so, lenses around 1k each.

Sure, most of us wouldn't be able to afford one (myself included). But this topic is about niche products, and all those folks who drool over a 30k setup with one of those tiny Alpa bodies and a phase one back would have a much more affordable substitute.

[GordonZA]

Pentax is currently missing lots of lenses in their lineup- they should fill those gaps first, and then start looking into more bodies.

From my own perspective I agree with Adam. Pentax really needs to start producing lenses that fill some pretty obvious gaps in their lineup... anything over 300mm, preferably a 500mm...

A K5 + 500mm prime super tele would make an awesome combination for bird and nature photographers!!

As for these mirrorless bodies, that would be a complete disaster for a bird photographer as the view finders cannot render the image fast enough to follow birds in flight. So from my point of view I would certainly not waste my money on one.

[RyanW]

I thought Pentax was bringing out a mirrorless offering with a small sensor. Is that not the case?