Pentax joins the digital Medium Format market

RWatkins · 9th of March 2010 (Tue)

http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/09/p...format-camera/

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1003/10...pentax645d.asp

Under 10K. Wow. Makes sense, given that they are getting little traction in the dSLR market, relative to the likes of Canon and Nikon.

Photon Phil · 9th of March 2010 (Tue)

Awesome! Awesome specs and price. Now I want a full framer to use my vintage Super Takumars on with the pentax K mount and the oh so nice Pentax focus confirmation.

BEEEsH · 9th of March 2010 (Tue)

If this doesn't pan out for Pentax, they could be in some trouble.

The 9k pricetag is really attractive though. Should be interesting to see how this all turns out.

kauffman v36 · 9th of March 2010 (Tue)

wow, this is oh so nice.

tkbslc · 9th of March 2010 (Tue)

Wow! Eat that, tiny 35mm format users. I guess we should call the 5Dmk2 a 1.7x crop instead of "Full frame"

canonnoob · 9th of March 2010 (Tue)

very very interesting... I am waiting to see how this turns out for them.. hopefully it is not a total flop.

Depth · 9th of March 2010 (Tue)

Awesome!

I really want this now...

tkbslc · 9th of March 2010 (Tue)

Medium format is really still just for use in controlled environments and for slower planned shoots. I wonder if it makes sense on digital, yet. There's not a large high ISO advantage (it only goes to 1000) so It seems like film would work just as well. You can process a boatload of shoots on film for the almost $9000 difference between this and a somewhat recent MF film body from mamiya, bronica or pentax and it is not likely you are going to go through 500 shots in an afternoon like on a digital SLR.

RWatkins · 9th of March 2010 (Tue)

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkbslc

Medium format is really still just for use in controlled environments and for slower planned shoots. I wonder if it makes sense on digital, yet. There's not a large high ISO advantage (it only goes to 1000) so It seems like film would work just as well. You can process a boatload of shoots on film for the almost $9000 difference between this and a somewhat recent MF film body from mamiya, bronica or pentax and it is not likely you are going to go through 500 shots in an afternoon like on a digital SLR.

People that have them seem to like them. At least this is what their post say.

toxic · 10th of March 2010 (Wed)

Huh? An MF camera that starts at ISO 200? And I'm not sure why they decided to go with SD over CF...

kauffman v36 · 10th of March 2010 (Wed)

i love my MF film body and lenses and i would love a digital system. BUT, and its a big BUT, is that for b&w digital still cannot touch film. and the second part to my but, why wont they make a full size sensor for MF cameras, a sensor thats actually 6x4.5 or what would put me in heaven is a sensor that is 6x7cm.

Depth · 10th of March 2010 (Wed)

Quote:

Originally Posted by kauffman v36

i love my MF film body and lenses and i would love a digital system. BUT, and its a big BUT, is that for b&w digital still cannot touch film. and the second part to my but, why wont they make a full size sensor for MF cameras, a sensor thats actually 6x4.5 or what would put me in heaven is a sensor that is 6x7cm.

I'm pretty sure Phase One has a back that has a 6x4.5 sized sensor: http://www.phaseone.com/Digital-Backs/P65/P65-Info.aspx

And for film, digital also can't touch film in some aspects of color photography. Like long night exposures. Not suffering from noise and hot pixels is awesome.

Taken at midnight:

Taken at midnight, 10 minute exposure:

Vascilli · 10th of March 2010 (Wed)

X-Sync of 1/125, 50,000 shot shutter life, 98% viewfinder coverage.. it's a little underwhelming, even at $10k.

sheawyatt · 10th of March 2010 (Wed)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vascilli

X-Sync of 1/125, 50,000 shot shutter life, 98% viewfinder coverage.. it's a little underwhelming, even at $10k.

Full weather sealing, 11-point AF (9 cross type), large library of compatible lenses . . . it looks like a mixed bag of highly competitive features and intentionally crippled bits. I guess they have to leave room for improvement with the next model.

toxic · 10th of March 2010 (Wed)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vascilli

X-Sync of 1/125, 50,000 shot shutter life, 98% viewfinder coverage.. it's a little underwhelming, even at $10k.

Only the X-sync speed is lacking. Studio cameras don't go through a billion shots every session. 98% coverage isn't exactly lacking, and might be normal for the lower-end MF market - the Mamiya ZD has a 98% VF as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Depth

And for film, digital also can't touch film in some aspects of color photography. Like long night exposures. Not suffering from noise and hot pixels is awesome.

Then again, digital doesn't have to deal with reciprocity failure.

9th of March 2010 (Tue)	#1
RWatkins Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,168 IMAGE EDITING OK	Pentax joins the digital Medium Format market http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/09/p...format-camera/ http://www.dpreview.com/news/1003/10...pentax645d.asp Under 10K. Wow. Makes sense, given that they are getting little traction in the dSLR market, relative to the likes of Canon and Nikon. __________________ Stuff and things President – International Brotherhood of Instagram Haters Last edited by RWatkins : 9th of March 2010 (Tue) at 23:05.

9th of March 2010 (Tue)	#2
Photon Phil Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Capturing Photons in Wisconsin Posts: 1,762 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Pentax joins the digital Medium Format market Awesome! Awesome specs and price. Now I want a full framer to use my vintage Super Takumars on with the pentax K mount and the oh so nice Pentax focus confirmation. __________________ Bodies: SONY A850 / Pentax K100D / D70 (18-55VR, 55-200) Primes: Minolta 28 ff2.8 / Minolta 50 f1.7 / Minolta 50 f2.8 Macro Zooms: 35-70 f4 / 100-200 f4.5 Lights: AB800 / AB400 & CSRB's Classics: Pentax Super Tak 50 f1.4 / Pentax SMC 50 f1.4,f1.7,f2.0

9th of March 2010 (Tue)	#3
BEEEsH Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 652 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Pentax joins the digital Medium Format market If this doesn't pan out for Pentax, they could be in some trouble. The 9k pricetag is really attractive though. Should be interesting to see how this all turns out. __________________ EOS 5D MK II 16-35mm F2.8L II - 24-105mm F4L - 35mm F1.4L - 85mm F1.2L II - 70-300 IS - 580EX II - MANFROTTO 055D w/RC 141 - DOMKE F3X - Nanuk 940 White

9th of March 2010 (Tue)	#4
kauffman v36 Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 773 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Pentax joins the digital Medium Format market wow, this is oh so nice. __________________ Bodies: 1DIII, RZ ProII, Walker Titan 4x5 Lenses: 28/1.8, 85/1.8, Sekor Z 110/2.8, Sekor ULD 50 4.5, Schneider SA 75/5.6 Other: CanoScan 8800F www.RobertKauffman.net

9th of March 2010 (Tue)	#5
tkbslc Cream of the Crop Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Utah, USA Posts: 22,469 IMAGE EDITING OK	Re: Pentax joins the digital Medium Format market Wow! Eat that, tiny 35mm format users. I guess we should call the 5Dmk2 a 1.7x crop instead of "Full frame" __________________ Taylor Galleries: Flickr Photoshop.com 60D - ELPH 100HS - 15-85 - 30 1.4 - 50-135 2.8 - 55-250 IS

9th of March 2010 (Tue)	#6
canonnoob Ignored by the TF and i am soo confused Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 8,482	Re: Pentax joins the digital Medium Format market very very interesting... I am waiting to see how this turns out for them.. hopefully it is not a total flop. __________________ Dave W.- "I don't want to be famous, I just want to make great photographs" Gear Springfield, Mo Sports Photographer Model Mayhem SportsShooter Selling Gear: 1D mk II N

9th of March 2010 (Tue)	#7
Depth Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Norcal/Socal Posts: 986	Re: Pentax joins the digital Medium Format market Awesome! I really want this now... __________________ Gear List ACCD

10th of March 2010 (Wed)	#10
toxic Goldmember Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 3,496	Re: Pentax joins the digital Medium Format market Huh? An MF camera that starts at ISO 200? And I'm not sure why they decided to go with SD over CF...

10th of March 2010 (Wed)	#13
Vascilli Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Calgary Posts: 1,474	Re: Pentax joins the digital Medium Format market X-Sync of 1/125, 50,000 shot shutter life, 98% viewfinder coverage.. it's a little underwhelming, even at $10k. __________________ Flickr \| Gear List

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