Pentax officially developing full-frame DSLR

[LKaven]

Pentax today announced plans to release a full-frame DSLR now under development, slated for "late 2015".  Two new lenses were mentioned in a line of new full-frame lenses.  I don't mind a bit.

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/3071796575/ricoh-announces-development-of-long-awaited-full-frame-pentax-dslr

It looks like it will be a mirrorful DSLR, which is driving some comments at DPR.  Should it use a Sony sensor, one wonders whether it will be a next-gen Exmor. 

Speculative tag: I wonder if they'll make a 645 lens adapter for it? 

[Telecaster]

Pentax today announced plans to release a full-frame DSLR now under development, slated for "late 2015".  Two new lenses were mentioned in a line of new full-frame lenses.  I don't mind a bit.

Speculative tag: I wonder if they'll make a 645 lens adapter for it? 

Pentax used to make such an adapter, though it offered no electronic linkage.

I'm glad they're doing the camera…always been fond of Pentax stuff. But since it (apparently) won't sport an EVF I won't be buying one.

-Dave-

[tsjanik]

Two new D-FA lenses as well*.  Too late to the party?  Given the 645D and 645Z, it will be interesting to see.

* http://digicame-info.com/2015/02/hd-pentax-d-fa70-200mm-f28pent.html

[LKaven]

Considering the number of lenses they will have to develop, and the cost, they must see this as a strategy with long-term potential for them. 

I think in some ways the full-frame strategy is being used to maintain a $1500-$3000 price point by a number of manufacturers.  Perhaps this is a profitable sector.  Full-frame users seem more committed to buying lenses, whereas I think APS-c users average less than 2 lenses per person.  The barrier to entry for small companies is imposing.  Costs of Sony full-frame sensors in quantity must be moving down a bit. 

Works for me.

[AlterEgo]

Full-frame users seem more committed to buying lenses, whereas I think APS-c users average less than 2 lenses per person. 

nope... before FF users were those who tend to buy lenses... nowadays more of FF users are those who just buy 1 or 2 because FF becomes affordable, so different kind of users are entering... do you really think that majority of film FF users back then (pre digital) were buying more than 2 lenses ?

[LKaven]

nope... before FF users were those who tend to buy lenses... nowadays more of FF users are those who just buy 1 or 2 because FF becomes affordable, so different kind of users are entering... do you really think that majority of film FF users back then (pre digital) were buying more than 2 lenses ?

Affordable is a $399 D3200 or a $549 D5200.  People who buy full-frame are paying at least $1500-$3500.  They definitely are buying more than 1.7 lenses, and are more serious about photography.  

[bcooter]

I'm glad they're doing the camera…always been fond of Pentax stuff. But since it (apparently) won't sport an EVF I won't be buying one.

-Dave-

I'm with you Dave, though we know these are now electronic boxes I still feel there is some camera dna left in these venerable camera companies.

I've always thought wrapping my head around a Sony "still" camera was kind of strange, though they make pretty good stuff.

Off topic I'd love to see Olympus make a full frame style em-1 that had that floating sensor and better video codec with the same color response from the em-5.

If Oly did that and it tethered professionally, It would be the only brand that would let me considering selling every still camera I owned, including, Canon, Nikon, Leica, Phase and Panasonic, and just staying with the Oly brand.

Oly's feel like cameras, not rounded plastic shells or discardable prototypes.  They have a substantialness to them.

IMO

BC

[BJL]

Interesting news.  I wonder if the thinking is that a growing potion of buyers of the smaller, less expensive ILC formats will move to the size and convenience advantages of mirrorless systems, leaving the 36x24mm format as the main potential growth area for SLRs.

I have to think that the next shoe to drop from Ricoh-Pentax will be a mirrorless system in a format bigger than the 1/1.7" of its Q series but smaller than 36x24mm; probably Sony-sensored 24x16mm again, but this time without the baggage of an excessively deep 35mm film SLR legacy lens mount.

[AlterEgo]

Affordable is

Affordable is when FF costs below top end APS-C/m43... again you assuming that all people are using many lenses, I use only 55/1.8 on Sony for example.

[LKaven]

Affordable is when FF costs below top end APS-C/m43... again you assuming that all people are using many lenses, I use only 55/1.8 on Sony for example.

I didn't say all people, just statistically more people.  I would wager that people who spend $1500 plus on a camera body are statistically more likely to also own more than one lens.

[Telecaster]

I didn't say all people, just statistically more people.  I would wager that people who spend $1500 plus on a camera body are statistically more likely to also own more than one lens.

My friend Bruce & I used to occasionally walk nature trails & take pics with a fellow we met in a coffee shop. One day we were sipping our cappuccino or whatever and commenting favorably on the mostly landscape/nature photos temporarily hanging from the shop walls. Then this guy came over to us and said, "Hey, thanks, I took these photos." So we got to talking… Anyway, it turned out the guy used a Canon 1Dsii with exactly one lens, a 35–135mm zoom mostly used at f/11. He'd started out, like me, as a Leica guy and had little interest in anything outside the in-finder coverage range of an M4. The last time we hung out with him he'd upgraded to a 1Dsiii but was still using the same lens. It was a Canon, f/3.5–4.5. I actually bought a used one because of him…it was nothing to get excited about performance-wise. But I do think a high-end 28–135mm or equivalent, of reasonable weight & bulk, would make more than a few people happy.

-Dave-

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

You caught me, Dave.

Since I went over to the "digital" Dark Side, I have used Canons exclusively, first the 10D, then the first 5D, and now the 5DII. Like most DSLR users, I have collected an assortment of lenses that I was sure I would "need," including a 50mm, a 100mm Macro, a 15mm fisheye (Sigma), a 17-40 zoom, a 24-105 zoom, and a 70-200 zoom (with extender).

On my 10D, about 90% of my shots used the 17-40. When I moved up to the 5D, I got the 24-105, and at least 99% of my shots since then have been with that lens.

It isn't easy to be rational about equipment needs.

[Justinr]

Too late, I swapped to Nikon because of them dragging their feet and I'm probably not the only one. Shame really, because I really liked the Pentax way of doing things, can't see myself swapping back though.