Originally posted by falconeye Of course.
But it's not a limiting factor anymore. If you wanted, you could build a sub-$1000 FF camera now (i.e., an FF camera less than $500 to build out of factory).
But it would ruin your current cash-cow, APSC.
However, this is exactly why Pentax could go that route. Not much APSC business to protect. Nothing compared to what it could win. Selling only 300,000 FF cameras would probably double Pentax' current business. This is why Pentax is in the best position of all to do just that.
But it must be a convincing product, priced like the K-5 MSRP and with similiar specs, paired with 5µm pixel pitch to support APSC glass.
It might also ruin the APS-C cash cows of Nikon and Sony and devalue the current high-margins of the FF sensors!
That's why it won't happen. That's why I suspect FF sensor supply is constrained by Sony and Nikon agreement. To buy in, Pentax may have to swallow profit, which may not be tolerable to Ricoh given the risk. Then Pentax would have to trim features from its FF model and compete on the larger sensor dynamic.
Pentax needs to protect all its APS-C biz because they have millions of purchasers of APS-C DSLR"s with serious DA lens investments. Convincing consumers their DA glass is "OK" but that Pentax has abandoned APS-C in favour of sensor crops will backfire because it triggers buyer's remorse based on company decision-making. That's a way to lose brand loyalty, fast. It has not worked for Nikon very well.
For the future, Pentax still needs to keep its APS-C DSLR offerings, in part because the whole FF ecosystem is simply not there. Things like a new, robust flash system, tethering, video control, PDAF, and 14-24, 24-70,, 70-200 lenses do not exist with quality to match the competition. The sensor alone is not enough of a motive for many consumers, even on this forum.
One reason the K-5 does well is the form factor. Any FF DSLR is going to erase that advantage. The K-5 is the smallest pro level DSLR body with perhaps the best ergonomic design.
So there's 3 reasons why FF Pentax may weaken demand, not strengthen it. And at the same time, Pentax has to think of the 645D lens line-up and the inevitable larger sensor, not to mention the mirrorless trend when it becomes obvious the Q cannot compete on the sensor/price ratio.
A bigger sensor in a DSLR does not solve these issues.
I don't disagree with you; I just think the timeframe is longer because of supply constraints. Creating demand is a huge risk.