I will copy without shame my post on the matter from the other forum:
IMO the most interesting quote from the report is:
"Essentially, the products we are now producing and selling were developed last
summer or autumn, with a roadmap that lacked strategy in my view. As I said in the previous meeting, we remade a completely new roadmap for the next fiscal year in accordance with the "scrap & build" policy: creating unique cameras of a new and different field, and releasing and commencing the marketing of interchangeable lenses at the same time as new cameras."
What that new strategy would mean? IMO the only working one is to sidestep the current "classes" of DSLR with interleaved cameras that can appeal to both the upper and lower potential customers. Let me explain:
The K-m will become cheaper and it will be the entry gate to the K-mount system. It's advantages are the 2 kit lenses that provide a fl of 18-200 (27-300) in stabilized optics. Nothing special so far but the interesting part begins now.
K200D successor COULD be a K20D in different clothes ... err, body. And I mean "K20D" with all its amenities: pentaprism, 2 wheels control maybe even GPS module. Now if Pentax can sell the K20D @ under 700USD and about 620 Euro I see no reason why they couldn't sell a smaller, more compact and lighter model build in more volume for the same amount. They'll need desperately 2 things to make it sellable and arguably the best offer on the market in price/features/quality: a good LV and weather sealed consumer lenses in form of BOTH kit lens and a longer DA zoom (18-105) and maybe a ws version of the DA 18-250. You can see the insistence of Hoya on this features in the quoted paragraph.
I take as certain an improved version of the 14,6Mp sensor and a new AF system (the same new module but less AF points than the K20D's successor - 9 or 11 points I think) and a bigger LCD on the back (maybe we'll lose the LCD on top for cost reduction and target audience purposes).
This camera will provide a very tempting proposition in this times of economical downfall for people that will seek more and more the best value for their money and less the front badge. Remember that C and N both have to keep some features off their entry and even mid level cameras for reasons that has to do with their upper range or their marketing policy (no in body stabilization maybe ever for them). Also the 14 Mp sensor was quoted by Samsung as their choice for the micro mount camera TBL in 2010 so it is in the cards as mainstream sensor and the more they make the lower the cost per unit will get.
The "ubber camera" could very well be the most innovative proposition for a long time on the market. Remember the phrase: "creating unique cameras of a new and different field"?. Pentax at the moment is not tied up by a single sensor manufacturer, the times when they had the left over's from Sony's table are long over and their official partner is arguably one of the largest semiconductor company in the world. So what I see is a camera that will fight both lower end FF and higher end APS-C with the biggest sensor they can make with a single step process. The size doesn't matter much (APS-H or else) but it will be at least 30% larger in area IMHO and both Samsung and Pentax will throw all their prowess in this puppy. Also this camera could employ a smart crop factor for the DA lenses based on their individual characteristics determined by Pentax. If you mount a DA lens the camera will let you select the crop factor (like we select the fl for SR purposes on older lenses) so the lens won't vignette too much and/or have bad corners. This crop factor could be 1,5x for some or at your choice 1,5-1,4-1,3 for others (DA 70 for example).
So, at least we can have a 13-15 Mp crop for strictly APS-C lenses or over 20 Mp in original size for a reasonable price.
The 3 DSLR cameras will be:
K20D GPS - early 2009 - about 15% more than the "regular" K20D;
K20D's successor - spring 2009 - they just officialy postponed DA* 60-250 for Spring 2009 - "and releasing and commencing the marketing of interchangeable lenses at the same time as new cameras";
K200D successor - as close as possible (maybe in the same time) .
645D could be a victim of the current state of the economy or maybe not.
Obviously:
- the 2 new cameras will have new image processors;
- no new mounts
Regards,
Radu
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