Pentax and Full Frame

One very important thing with the Pentax system for me is that they have the shake reduction in the body, and that the K-mount is backwards compatible with roughly 40 years of great lenses. When the Canikon users buy very expensive lenses with IS/VR implemented, what happens when they upgrade the camera body and the IS/VR technology has become outdated? The FA 31mm limited, for instance, will never become outdated in a similar way.

The product lineup with the Optio, K-r, K-5, and the 645D makes great sense. Pentax had already developed and refined the analogue 645 and 67 systems for professional users, and by releasing the 645D continue their involvement in the medium format league.

Although I would love love to be able to put my K28mm f3.5 on a digital Pentax full frame body, and use the lens like it was "intended", I doubt very much I will ever happen. I would not make sense for Pentax to start competing with Canikon in the full frame arena. Look what happened to Sony with the A900 and A850. They are probably good cameras (maybe not so good low-light performance), but did not have much success against the competition. I hope Pentax choose to improve their general QC and continue to develop great cameras in the APS-C format.

A last thing that initially attracted me to Pentax, is that it is outside the mainstream. "Everyone" buys Nikon or Canon, it feels good to not "follow the pack", but to go in another direction (I have also used the same line of argumentation when buying a car: I drive a Saab. And yes, the future of Saab seems slightly gloomier that that of my favorite camera brand)

So what is there to stop Penricoh from releasing TWO newer versions of the gxr?

A simple kmount module with the same sensor as the kr or k5?
and a newer bigger gxr with a full frame sensor and kmount?

seems to me this would be the fastest way to get kmount lenses on the gxr system... and also possible that an already developed by pentax mirrorless is already waiting for a descision to bring to market.. so maybe there is three possible releases in the not too distant future?

also THIS warning sony review is the camera Pentax should be looking to beat.... when a sucessor to the k5 is released... never mind FF....

Don you are always full of very positive ways of contributing to these discussions! I am not sure about chasing Sony on their implementation of video is what Pentax should be doing, but it would be great if Pentax / Ricoh could come up with something creative and different from what the other manufacturers are offering in the FF arena.

I am fed up of hearing that Pentax cannot succeed where Sony 'failed', with their FF line of cameras. Actually we can't be sure that Sony's FF line are unsuccessful - perhaps they helped drive sales of their APSC units to serious photographers who felt they might like to upgrade in the future?

thinking about cameras along the lines of computers...which they essentially are nowadays... I'd say comparing the k5 to the ist*d, one doesn't have to invest in one camera hoping for a future upgrade to a bigger sensor... cheaper better faster is a given.... just like computers... the next model will always outperform the previous...

Also.... in these very forums.... I was pretty much the lone voice telling people Video recording for d-slrs was gonna happen... ask around.... so video is now here..... why not make it as pro grade as the still images?

As for FF I don't think it is needed in a dlsr... but holy mother... if an evil class cam came out with FF sensor and kmount with pro video capabilities... that would a pro camera to contend with....

Having it there and people actually using it are 2 different things.
Apart from messing around a couple of times I never use video .. I wonder how many DSLR users actually have (properly).

Checked it (video) worked, once, that's it, never bothered since.

and yet I bought a KR just for the video....
sales add up regardless....

I am thrilled about the quality of the video on my K7, and it was one of my main reasons for 'upgrading'... but yes, I must admit, I rarely use it. I don't doubt it will come in useful for something though.. one day!