Excited about the Pentax 645D all over again?

[BernardLanguillier]

Other than that you have the weather sealing and of course more affordable lenses, all of which may not be relevant to some users.

If you don't like to limitations of your camera to dictate where and in what conditions you can shoot, then the Pentax is simply in a different class.

Landcruiser vs Ferrari.

Except that both can do the same speed.

Cheers,
Bernard

[cyberean]

If you don't like to limitations of your camera to dictate where and in what conditions you can shoot, then the Pentax is simply in a different class.

Landcruiser vs Ferrari.

Except that both can do the same speed.

Cheers,
Bernard

how 'bout a Lambo instead ...

[JonathanBenoit]

If you don't like to limitations of your camera to dictate where and in what conditions you can shoot, then the Pentax is simply in a different class.

I have no idea what you are talking about.

[BernardLanguillier]

how 'bout a Lambo instead ...

I love that car!

Cheers,
Bernard

[BernardLanguillier]

I have no idea what you are talking about.

Again, have you ever tried winter camping 2 nights in -15C - -20C with your Hassy?

Well, I like to do that and see my camera fully functional when I wake up from a good night of cold sleep. I don't like to keep my batteries in my sleeping bag, hard spots make it hard to sleep.

Chances are that my camera got wet last night because my frozen hands had not shut properlly by camel bag that leaked a bit at night before freezing solid. I still want my camera to work the next morning.

Not to mention the fact that the edge of my plastic shovel did collide with the camera when I switched sides at 2AM, and I would prefer the delicate paint on my camera not to shot too much of a dent when I wake up.

I did own a Hassy H1 a few years back, I don't think it fits the bill... Would the Pentax do? I have not tried one yet in these conditions, but it has been speced to take such beatings, just like a 1ds3 or D3x.

Cheers,
Bernard

[JonathanBenoit]

Again, have you ever tried winter camping 2 nights in -15C - -20C with your Hassy?

Well, I like to do that and see my camera fully functional when I wake up from a good night of cold sleep. I don't like to keep my batteries in my sleeping bag, hard spots make it hard to sleep.

Chances are that my camera got wet last night because my frozen hands had not shut properlly by camel bag that leaked a bit at night before freezing solid. I still want my camera to work the next morning.

Not to mention the fact that the edge of my plastic shovel did collide with the camera when I switched sides at 2AM, and I would prefer the delicate paint on my camera not to shot too much of a dent when I wake up.

I did own a Hassy H1 a few years back, I don't think it fits the bill... Would the Pentax do? I have not tried one yet in these conditions, but it has been speced to take such beatings, just like a 1ds3 or D3x.

Cheers,
Bernard

I'm not sure the elements would be much different between an H1 with back and a sealed camera like the pentax. I think your location might have you a bit biased towards a camera with a goofy viewfinder. It looks like it would break off.
I feel like if I'm going to spend money on a MF digital camera it should have the ability to adapt to various types of photography. You must spend a lot of time in -15C - -20C weather every year.

[BernardLanguillier]

I feel like if I'm going to spend money on a MF digital camera it should have the ability to adapt to various types of photography. You must spend a lot of time in -15C - -20C weather every year.

Nope, but 4 of my 10 best images last year were shot in these conditions.

Cheers,
Bernard

[tsjanik]

.....i have to agree with Matt, i'm very happy with the H3DII-31. That along with Phocus makes for a great system. I just don't see what i'm missing out on with the 645D. Not saying there isn't anything, but nothing is sticking out at me.

I suspect your statement reflects your photographic interests, but for those of us who want a camera for use in the wilderness, there are some compelling differences:
1. Operating temperature range (as noted by Bernard)
2. Dust sensing and removal.
3. Weather sealing.
4. The LCD
5. Electronic leveling
6. User selectable 11-point AF  (not a big deal for me, but it is for some).
I think Pentax knows its market.  My concern about this camera is the support network.  Pentax (or should I say Hoya)  has outsourced repairs in the US and closed other facilities worldwide.  I’m planning a trip to Japan where I intend to purchase a 645D with full realization that any repairs will require a return trip for the camera; I would be much happier if Pentax had maintained its support.

[JonathanBenoit]

"a newly designed shutter unit with a top shutter speed of 1/4000 second that can withstand as many as 50,000 shutter releases"

this is worrisome. 1/4 the shutter life of it's competition?

[artobest]

Anyone who cares about MF should be, if not excited, then at least intrigued by this camera. The sniffiness of some comments on this thread smacks of churlishness to me. A weather-sealed 40Mp MF with (reportedly) immaculate build and ergonomics, backed by best-in-class electronics. Come on, people, some respect surely?

[LKaven]

"a newly designed shutter unit with a top shutter speed of 1/4000 second that can withstand as many as 50,000 shutter releases"

this is worrisome. 1/4 the shutter life of it's competition?

You mean it's 35mm competition, or its medium format competition?  I would think the lower mass of the 35mm focal plane shutter makes it more suitable for heavy duty use.

[bcooter]

Anyone who cares about MF should be, if not excited, then at least intrigued by this camera. The sniffiness of some comments on this thread smacks of churlishness to me. A weather-sealed 40Mp MF with (reportedly) immaculate build and ergonomics, backed by best-in-class electronics. Come on, people, some respect surely?

When you have a forum of people that buy, use and of obviously sell 20, 30 and $40,000 cameras, of course your gonna get some blowback when a camera comes out for $10,000 that does more than those other systems, actually gives  the features most of us have virtually begged for, for 7 years.

IMO, the the 645D would tether reliably with a stable program like DPP, then it would be game, set, match.  I'd buy one just because of the lcd.

Regardless, it's gonna open up a whole new market for medium format.

BC

[Ed Jack]

Again, have you ever tried winter camping 2 nights in -15C - -20C with your Hassy?


Not to mention the fact that the edge of my plastic shovel did collide with the camera when I switched sides at 2AM, and I would prefer the delicate paint on my camera not to shot too much of a dent when I wake up.

I did own a Hassy H1 a few years back, I don't think it fits the bill... Would the Pentax do? I have not tried one yet in these conditions, but it has been speced to take such beatings, just like a 1ds3 or D3x.

Cheers,
Bernard

I now have a mental image of a load of japaneese quality control engineers selecting a serries of different shovels to whack a Pentax 645D with as it sits on a test frame, then then tentatively  sidling back up to the camera to test it still works.
 
Ed

[JonathanBenoit]

You mean it's 35mm competition, or its medium format competition?  I would think the lower mass of the 35mm focal plane shutter makes it more suitable for heavy duty use.

Either. If I'm not mistaken even entry level 35mm dslrs have a 100k rating. Pro 35mm dslrs - 200k. Medium format leaf shutters 100-200k. Copal - 200k

A max of 50,000 sounds too low for a camera with such "immaculate build"

[peterurban]

I still think in the end it all comes down image quality. That's why people go for medium format in the first place. If the Pentax system (camera+lenses) can produce equivalent IQ to a Hassy or Phase system in the same sensor category then it should have a very successful path ahead.

Certainly, some will miss the flexibility of a dedicated back but others will appreciate weather sealing and improved autofocus ... All things considered it will be a very compelling offer for a lot of people that want to shoot high-res, high quality images - that is if it does come up to the competition in IQ

[Nick Rains]

I still think in the end it all comes down image quality. That's why people go for medium format in the first place. If the Pentax system (camera+lenses) can produce equivalent IQ to a Hassy or Phase system in the same sensor category then it should have a very successful path ahead.

Certainly, some will miss the flexibility of a dedicated back but others will appreciate weather sealing and improved autofocus ... All things considered it will be a very compelling offer for a lot of people that want to shoot high-res, high quality images - that is if it does come up to the competition in IQ

So far, judging by the limited number of available sample Jpeg images, the IQ appears to be inferior to the opposition, and even to the D3X. However, until we see some properly shot raw images to process by our own methods we will not be able to make IQ judgments. It really needs to be better than the D3X to make it worth bothering with investing in a new system, and that's a big ask. Even the S2 is only incrementally better than the D3X.

Game changer - I think not. Interesting development, maybe.

[bernhardAS]

The camera can be as good as it might be, I am not excited about any offering which has exactly one fixed focus line on offer.

The key question for the success beyond an initial sales rush to people who might have a full range of old lenses is whether Pentax will start manufacturing the AF lenses again, to have a proper lens line up to support the camera.

I could not find any information on Pentax intention for the lens line up beyond the "one lens now, a wide angle at some point in the future", that is quoted a lot.   

I fear that one or two new lenses per year of the new digitally enhanced ones will not be sufficient to carry sales over the initial rush once the target group mentioned above has been satisfied.

[deejjjaaaa]

Game changer - I think not.

that depends on how much of the market they will take regardless of the IQ...  m43 changed the game even the IQ might be a little (or more) worse than APS-C...

[Dave Gurtcheff]

My opinion hasn't changed since I first read the announcement of the Pentax 645D; it's a game changer.

Having said that, the 1.3 crop sensor, fixed back and focal plane shutter makes it a non-starter as far as I'm concerned, but I can imagine many here will be champing at the bit. The question is will Hasselblad defer to Pentax for this sector of the market; IMO I think not.

A number of people have said they did not want a focal plane shutter, I assume for reasons of synching strobe with day light images. As I recall, there were several Pentax 645 lenses with leaf shutters, which synched at all speeds.
Dave

[ondebanks]

As far as long exposures go, it doesn't appear to be a problem from echoes I have heard in Japan, but this point might need doule checking indeed.

The sensor has the joint-lowest dark current of any current Kodak or DALSA MF sensor (at least the ones that DALSA deigns to release such details for). So, as long as Pentax employ appropriate active temperature management, it should be the absolute winner in MF long exposures. It all comes down to Pentax's design, really - they have first class sensor raw material, but do they make the most of it? I hope we shall see some tests, soon.