Originally posted by LesDMess Ad from Pop Photo 2002 shows the Nikon FM3A ($489.95) not much more than the currently selling Nikon FM2 ($429.95).
Obviously the interest only applies to folks who actually use film . . . still . . .
What you need is a time machine to go back to 2002 and see if you really, really could buy those cameras and lenses at those prices. The mail order listings were notorious for "bait and switch" tactics that are actually illegal here in Canada. I remember trying to get an item at the actual as advertised price from several of the mail order listers back in 1999. The usual cock-and-bull story was that the advertised item was a cheaper "Chinese made" item, and wouldn't I rather have the proper Japanese made lens for $50 more, etc, etc? I actually got one store to take my order, and after waiting several weeks and seeing nothing in the mail, I called back (but I wasn't allowed to use the toll-free number for order inquiries) and was told "oh no, that lens is on back order" despite having been told they had had it in stock. I cancelled the order (fortunately, they never billed my credit card) and was eventually successful at finding the lens at a local store in the next city over. Yes, it cost 30% more than New York, but at least it was real and existed.
But as a regular Nikon dealer back in those days, the FM2 bowed out at around $750 - and the FM3a arrived at a bit more than $1,100. The Canadian dollar was worth about 70 cents US or less at the time. To be fair, the FM3a was a good bit more refined and had new features.
At the end of the day, I'd be surprised if Pentax could give us a new LX2 for less than $2,000 - and that would tie up development resources that would best be put into new digital products that would sell 100x better.
I'm still miffed that Pentax put millions into developing the 645D - a fabulous camera, but one few have ever seen, and does almost nothing for the Pentax brand in the larger marketplace. What if Pentax had brought out the FF camera back then, and waited until 2016 before going 645?