New High-end SLR?

Rumours persist of a now APS-H format camera to be the flagship. Some have claimed sightings ...
Has anyone any firm information of the future of this iconic rand?
Ron

Welcome,

Plenty of rumours, K3D,K30D,K30, K30 Full Frame, APS-H you name it it's been here

you forgot square sensor!

personally, I think it's going to have a built in coffee maker

Hi Mongoose
I had not heard about the coffee maker...
Ron

All we know for certain that Pentax has said during the time they launch the K10D that the next model (K20D) will have a better sensor or a better AF system, we now have the sensor so the AF will probable get some major improvements.
In 2008 I've also readed an interview of Pentax that they wont do a fullframe because the market was to small and that Samsung won't be doing any more models since sales werent so best I believe... (I need to find that article again! because I aint sure what I'm saying)

They have also made a new patent for a smaller designed prism viewfinder in 2008, luckely I got that at hand. link
So maybe we will see that already back in the K3 serries, it will also come in handy if they do make an 645D it will have a compacter design

Gwyn has an article that there will becoming 3 new models, I can't find where she found that though.

Well it's complete nonsense that the full frame market is "too small" as it is a major area for both makers and 'image users'. That is quite apart from the important matter of being in the right arenas of camera development and design etc. At the moment th only hope for a long term pentax survival is to get back into the former 'core' activity of serious camera systems for demanding applications,....the area formerly well served by pentax 67 and 645. This is the area now hotly contested by the full frame models of sony, canon and nikon.

Pentax philosophy has always been to cater for high quality but also high volume markets. All the successful cameras from the Spotmatic onwards have fulfilled this. So I think it depends upon what is meant by "too small" and it could be (although I'm not saying that it is) that the undeniably smaller volumes involved are not where Pentax wants to be.

They are relatively small compared to the Big Two and probably not everything can be done at once, which will mean prioritising.

Full frame sensors are alot more expensive then APS-C sensors for various reasons and some pro's and ametuers would want it but only some pro's need it.
Sure it would be nice to see some but how many would they sell?
We already did a poll on this I believe, many would wanted to see full-frame but almost no one thought they needed one, if it's only to say against the canikon fan "look pentax has fullframe too" then what value would it be?

Here is an article not the one i've readed, it was much older.
link

ps. I've said that Samsung would be going out of the DSLR section but that isn't true, they are trying to get more away from the pentax cameras and thats all. Sorry to worry some off you

Well then they need to "prioritise" in the most important sector and that is (fast becoming) the full frame/MF sensor market. Pentax has lost what may be called it's 'non-consumer' sales which were centred around very cost effective medium format systems. As yo will notice, both full frame DSLR's and digital MF systems are now beginning to be very important commercially,..several digital MF/large sensor systems about to launch in the next weeks/months....so where is pentax? This is THEIR territory.