Pentax 645D announced!

[KhoKing]

A very popular Japanese site has posted a initial preview of the camera.

http://dc.watch.impress.c...view/20100315_353742.html

Just "read" the pictures...

[Mike Pearson]

That's a pretty comprehensive series of photographs of the 645D 

Mike

[blackcloudbrew]

Here is one more interesting interview with first impressions of the 645d.

http://www.luminous-lands...eras/pentax645d-1st.shtml

Tim

[calsan]

That's the first proper article I've read, Tim.  My plan is to buy one second hand in about 2020...

I was encouraged to see a plan for a wide angle lens - this will hopefully make it suitable for architectural work - I find that the dslrs just doesn't have the detail (believe it or not) for serious architectural photos and shooting wide on APS (or even 35) results in a fair bit of unwanted perspective / distortion.

[JIMBO]

Great write up Tim and I don't want to wait until 2020 that's for sure. I am about 15% there as far as savings go and will decide which route I will be taking in a few months which should give me time to see more reviews on this camera. I alos believe other cameras will soon be released from Pentax. Should be interesting now that a D3X is slightly less then this camera. MF for landscapes are a dream I would think. JiM

[blackcloudbrew]

I thought you'd enjoy that write up. It's interesting that their focus in on landscape photography. You know you could start your process of getting one by buying a 645 lens or two...just a thought.

Tim

[Mike Pearson]

That's a pretty comprehensive interview and I am really interested to see the impact this camera has on traditional landscape photography where slide film is still being used.

Mike

[JIMBO]

I thought you'd enjoy that write up. It's interesting that their focus in on landscape photography. You know you could start your process of getting one by buying a 645 lens or two...just a thought.

Tim

Funny you mentioned that. Working on one ot two right now. Older lenses from the film days that buddies have. Will let you know. JIM

[blackcloudbrew]

The only thing to be considered is that the focal length of the MF cameras are different than 35mm equivalent lenses. I can't fully explain it but I believe where a 50mm lens was the normal lens for at 35mm camera, I think its more like a 75mm lens is the normal lens for a MF camera because of optics. If someone has a better understanding of this please chime in. But the point is that the focal lengths used in MF cameras are different.

Tim

[calsan]

You measure the diagonal of the film or sensor to come up with the normal lens.
The 645 is 44x33mm: making the diagonal length 55mm (which is why they released a new 55mm lens).
The normal lens for the old 645 was 60x45: diagonal 75mm, so the normal lens was 75mm.
Therefore there's a conversion factor of 75/55 = 1.36 to get your head around.
In short, they need to release some wide angle lenses - which they said they would in the article.

We're used to 43/28 = 1.5 conversion factor for APS from 35mm film.  The FA43 1.9 lens was the normal on film, today we don't actually have a proper 28mm normal lens for our dSLRs.

[KhoKing]

Here is one more interesting interview with first impressions of the 645d.

http://www.luminous-lands...eras/pentax645d-1st.shtml

Tim

From the interview, it seems like 645D will only be sold in Japan mainland? No oversea selling plan yet?! 

[blackcloudbrew]

Yes, all that I've read is that currently that's the plan. Honestly, one has to ask one self about why one would get all that excited about a camera that 1) will be beyond the ability of most to afford, 2) will be sold in Japan and only perhaps elsewhere, and 3) is focused on a limited sector of photography. I don't know why either but it is cool that this is released. It is apt to be a game changer and I think we want to see Pentax do that.

Regardless, this looks like it's something to aspire to.

Tim

[spyglass]

When I had my B&W darkroom set up I shot & developed both 35mm and medium format (we called it 2 1/4). Other then cropping, or making huge prints there was no real advantage. (sure you have more surface to capture information, and could offer increase in detail...... but for monitor viewing and 8x10 prints it is pretty difficult to see - if you  are making 24x36 prints it is another story). For the price, the bulk and weight, limited wide angle lenses, limited 3rd party lenses, a crop factor (which makes you realize that this is not a ful step towards medium format), and a Kodak sensor that is probably not at the top of the game. I say let the 645D test the water in the Japanese market and wait about 3 years (and look to buy the 3rd generation). They should have live view & tethering working in by then)
I do feel that if you are inclined to eventually end up with a medium format camera..... keeping an eye out, and picking up some decent glass for it before the North American market comes into play would be a good idea.

I know its new and shiny and would offer huge bragging rights, but consider the advancement of the *ist to the K7 in such a short window of time, and realize pioneering is not all that it is cracked up to be.

(signed - the hairy, unwashed, fur trapping, river running, log chopping, maple syrup sucking, pioneer of a thousand yesteryear products)




Spyglass 

[JIMBO]

Don't disgree totally with what you are saying and if anything I may bring a number of MF cameras down in price along with Pentax working to improve on the lastest model. I like more that you get a 8x10 uncropped with MF camera. I think at the pace camera equipment is going we could be in the best time ever. I was also reading up on MF cameras and that you can shift the prospective thus changing the focus point. [now done some what with tilt and shift lenses] to give you a sharp image through out the whole focal length. Hey, this is fairly new to me and I am still learning A LOT! Thanks for your insight Tim. JIM

[Neanderthal75]

When I had my B&W darkroom set up I shot & developed both 35mm and medium format (we called it 2 1/4). Other then cropping, or making huge prints there was no real advantage. (sure you have more surface to capture information, and could offer increase in detail...... but for monitor viewing and 8x10 prints it is pretty difficult to see - if you  are making 24x36 prints it is another story). For the price, the bulk and weight, limited wide angle lenses, limited 3rd party lenses, a crop factor (which makes you realize that this is not a ful step towards medium format), and a Kodak sensor that is probably not at the top of the game. I say let the 645D test the water in the Japanese market and wait about 3 years (and look to buy the 3rd generation). They should have live view & tethering working in by then)
I do feel that if you are inclined to eventually end up with a medium format camera..... keeping an eye out, and picking up some decent glass for it before the North American market comes into play would be a good idea.

I know its new and shiny and would offer huge bragging rights, but consider the advancement of the *ist to the K7 in such a short window of time, and realize pioneering is not all that it is cracked up to be.

(signed - the hairy, unwashed, fur trapping, river running, log chopping, maple syrup sucking, pioneer of a thousand yesteryear products)




Spyglass 

Hey Spy,

Thanks for the clear headed, superior analysis of the reality to all the Paper Tech (as I call it). Everything looks great on paper UNTIL you get it out into the field!!!

The Real World has such a nasty way of intruding on Theory; it's a pity the Lemmings in the Climate Change Affair (Email-Gate) won't get honest (as well as in the Political Arena here in the USA). Luckily, photographers of all stripes tend to Lust in Theory and Shoot in Reality!

One of the reasons I dearly love photography so much (and do so wish I could just learn through Osmosis-because of just how much information is really 'out there'), is that somebody somewhere is always coming up with new ways to do the Same Old Things: and the Result is something truly phenomenal!

Thanks again for your insight......I just wish that Pentax would take that 44x33 CCD 40Mp sensor and slap it in a K7X1 (read K20D body with the K7 Logo tacked on) and then remove the Video from it............more room for MORE Fast Memory for Buffers....say 7-10 FPS Real World timing?

Ah well......there goes the Lust in Theory principle again! Sigh.

Cheers from Sagebrushland.