Yep, Canikon, are a triumph of marketing over necessity!
They have most of the big players on the net onside in one way or another too, Re: the Dpreview coverage of Photokina, they couldn't resist a dig a Pentax.
"Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report:
Not far from the Nikon booth is Ricoh, which has a cool waterfall at the front that can show various designs. As you can see, there wasn't a long wait for the K-3."

The push from Ricoh is coming, all be it slowly, I was talking to one of the head guys at Wilkinson Cameras the other day and he was telling me that there is a substantial margin in Ricoh products, meaning that when they sall a Ricoh/Pentax DSLR, they actually make a profit, wheras most of the low end bread and butter Canikon's, they simply make nothing at all! They only get a return if they sell accessories or another lens with the product, quite how Ricoh/Pentax manage that I do not know as they are still pretty much cheaper than the rest on a price/spec basis anyway?
Ricoh/Pentax have about thirty years worth of this to overcome if they are going to get anywhere, it's an uphill battle to be honest but I think Ricoh is a dog that likes a fight.
If Sony manage to keep themselves in business they will eventually be No1 because they will have covered all the bases and will simply delete the ranges that stop selling and pour more into the ones that do, and innovate into new ones, their R&D budget is huge, Canikon can't do that. Sony seem to be able to do this ad infinitum despite huge losses, what would they do when they make a profit?

They could use sensor shake to provide us with more compelling features which at present they don't.
Super resolution ala Hassleblad, for one?
I wonder if they could manage to build tilt into the sensor mount?
Or even make it able to move forward and backwards and change the register distance? This would enable dual ranges in the future for a mirroless range that could use old and new lenses, since camera's that are enthusiast orientated need to be a certain size to maintain handling characteristics but snapshooters are happier with smaller ones that would not need to be able to do this?
I recently tried a Fuji X-T1 and one of the bugbears I found here is it is just too small and cramped in places to handle effectively, there are a range of grips etc to help but the button placements are a little tight. They can make em too small as well as too big...

Flame suit on!

Quite agree John, personally from a financial point of view I'd love it if Pentax never brought out another DSLR but then everyone else would have to do the same and that ain't going to happen! I print big and I do find the 24Mp of the K3 a boon here, it's a bit sharper than my D610 was and the files are very mallable for APSC, maybe not quite as good as the various K5's were but still very good! One of the boons of the K3 is it's meter and worth the upgrade on it's own in my book, just a couple of the ways that newer models progress without seeming to be that much better on paper, as you say subtle/incremental.
I expect the K-S1 (Which is a lovely solid little thing by the way!) to perform very well and would fully expect Ricoh/Pentax to use the sensor again in the "Core" K series...

A bit of fun, erm I think?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXv2HTQCK6k
:::arrow:

Wish it was mine but alas no! They have a beautiful tone to them, pretty good for what some regard as a studio camera, kudos Ricoh/Pentax...
Birding must be dead easy then?

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/54478845

Not sure it'll have the 24Mp one Richard, I'd say the 20Mp one out of the K-S1 is more likely but you never know? Gives a bit more differentiation between the models, I think we got a bit spoiled with the K30/50/500/5/5II,all with 16's. Now they're putting the anti aliasing simulator in Mid range (Beginner according to Dpreview :shock They can't leave the filter off in order to charge more, so they'll need to keep something more back for the single digit K's?

K50 is two years old, I fully expect it to be upgraded!
If they bung the new sensor in it I'll no doubt try one, I reckon it would be enough camera for most? if I can swing it I think I'd like one but may have to wait until the K3 gets refreshed for another body.
I have to say though with the light on the dial up top and the rear dial. I didn't really miss the top LCD and the second dial. The body feels like you could run it over with a car without damaging it!

Grip is narrow and sharp but would sit well with Ltd's
Rear mode dial is a bit stiff, deliberately so I think, actually found the interface quite appealing.
Focus in the shop seemed very sure and quick on the big fat ugly kit lens!

And I didn't. Hate it!
Thought I would but it's very very solid!

Well I achieved my perspective point Algi!
My website is exaggerated perspectives after all!
Seriously diminishing the bridge was part of what I wanted to achieve as well as getting action corner to diagonal corner and losing the crowd in the top of the frame...

Have shots like that Michael but as I have to go on the bus to the Lakes I can't quite make it there for sunrise not for another month or two anyway...