Very interesting topic regarding APS-C & FF

The Pentax K mount is, of course, a full frame mount. It's also slightly wider than the Nikon F mount, which gives the Pentax designers a bit more leeway in lens design.

All the potential is in place, I guess it just needs the will and the resources to do it. That will presumably only happen when the numbers add up.

Ronald,; With all your experience and knowledge I would have thought you knew that PK is and always has been a full frame mount

Its obvious that the technology needed for a FF Pentax, including the mount and camera features, are already developed and implemented on other models ... look at how much of the K3 came to be included in the 645Z. As the mount exists its simply a case of putting together the specs and design needed to appeal to the target purchaser ...

Now that's where the questions arise. It was clear from the recent video interview with an executive, that Ricoh were unsure of the market potential for such a model, so the real stumbling block is their concern over being able to sell enough of them. As has been mentioned earlier, the price has to be finely judged also, as it needs to be a high quality offering with all the bells and whistles, but still be affordable to the majority of amateur Pentax users who might consider it as the next logical upgrade.

With a relatively small user base in total, they also have to be careful that any new attractive models do not simply draw customers who would have otherwise bought a different model (eg people who might buy a new FF Pentax camera may also have bought a new upgraded K3 (ii) if there was no alternative. I don't think its at all the case the user bases for top end APS-C cameras and a FF model are entirely different.

For amateurs, the cost of lenses and the wider system is a big consideration. As I've already posted before, I have tried to 'be ready' for FF with lenses so that I could get the body and get going straight away ... but I'm fully aware I may find deficiencies in some of my current lenses when revealed by the larger sensor, so there may be extra expense eventually, but hopefully just one or two new lenses.

For those with an APS-C only (or mostly) system the choice is harder .... And Pentax need to offer up more choice when the camera comes with a small range of competitive and useful FF lenses that represent a positive step up (in optics and coating) to be attractive and worth buying together with the camera. That way there is a fair choice for all.

Agree totally with the last sentence.

I am aware of a number pf photographers who have down sized in order to reduce the weight (and the bulk of their outfits). The quality of their pictures has not changed as a result. I think it is very much horses for courses. For most amateurs APS is large as is required with (Nikon's) 1" and 4 thirds also very good for many. For myself I would like to downsize to 1'' because of the lighter weight lenses as much as anything else, but for my comfort zone I still prefer an optical viewfinder, a decent grip, weather resistance and (preferably) a top LCD. and a sensible price so I stick with Pentax / Ricoh.

*a good photographer will take good photos with any camera.
* on the whole a better (bigger sensor, more MP, etc etc) camera will take technicaly better images than an inferior one.
*surely any Pentax FF would have a facility to use a lens designed for a cropped sensor as a cropped image, this would let the photographer who moves up from apsc to use the camera with their current lenses until more FF lenses could be added to their collection.
*Pentax would make themselves a a limited niche manufacturer if they never bring out a FF option.

I tend to agree with all of the above.

As a side note, when a crop mode is implemented on a FF lens you effectively get two 'zoom' levels on a prime lens, which is pretty handy, and with no loss of quality, just final image resolution.

Just s a reminder; there are presently on the market (today) 45+ PK full frame lenses. There is the ability to add in 10+ more from companies such as Sigma - if they would add more PK to their line that is already there for other companies such as Nikon. There are also some 10+ more FF PK lenses from Pentax and other companies that will be added in about the next two years.

That's not factoring in the 100++FF PK lenses that have been phased out over time.

So even given the existing market numbers and availability; the range that is covered by those 45+ full frame PK lenses has almost everyone out there completely covered.

Most are beginning to realize the reality; that Pentax is just lacking initiative and also just looking for excuses to not bring out full frame. In the end, this will bring down Pentax/Ricoh throughout the photography related aspects of the company.

Wondering if the sales numbers.... If Pentax is even in the top five anymore. Because at this rate they will not have long before dropping out of the top ten