Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Great omen for Pentax future MF camera  (Read 3320 times)

Radu Arama

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 138
Great omen for Pentax future MF camera
« on: October 07, 2013, 08:23:41 pm »

Since they share a lot of parts with the dslrs the new K-3 with a new image processor, new exposure system, new AF system and tethering, camera control and live view controlled via WiFi is a very promising news. Considering the importance of Japanese market I believe that they will announce the 645D Mark 2 at CP+ 2014 in February.

Best regards,
Radu 
Logged

Lacunapratum

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 184
Re: Great omen for Pentax future MF camera
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2013, 08:59:21 pm »

I was thinking about that as well, Radu!  CP+ is much more like Pentax and would be perfect timing.  Pricing on the 645D continues to drop.  I guess the only unknown is the sensor and whether Ricoh/Pentax have found a new manufacturer. 

There has been some debate here what Pentax could do to reclaim a leadership position.  Granted, there are so many great lenses on the used market.  Also, some of the new lenses are impressive.  Yet, I do believe a dedicated new lens line-up for the 645D would strengthen a feeling that Pentax was behind the system, especially, as some of the other Japanese manufacturers are rumored to come up with their own MFDs.  Here is my dream Pentax system. 

The 25mm.  For me this lens leaves nothing to be desired.  Perfect lens in that range. 
The wide-angle zoom (28-45mm or so).  Exciting and welcome addition. 
The 35mm.  Great lens, but has more distortion than I personally like.  A newly corrected version would be great.  Perhaps the new wide-angle zoom can fill in the spot.  Even better would be a 35mm tilt/shift lens. 
The 55mm.  Great lens, no concerns. 
90/120mm.  I guess I am the only one who laments the 90.  Awkward focal length, no real advantage over the awsome 120mm.  High price.  The longer I use the lens, the more I dislike the slow autofocus.  In addition, if the focus is set on either extreme (infinity or close focus), the lens has a hard time finding correct focus.  Don't get me wrong though: image quality is stellar, as it is with several others. 
Mid-range and telephoto zoom lenses.  I am not a zoom fan in general and could care less about them.
The 150mm is also one of the strong points of the system, but why not have a 120mm/2.0 or even 150mm/2.0 portrait lens?  That would be a lens that would set Pentax apart from the rest. 
A 200mm/f4 macro.  At this range, Pentax' image stabilization would truly shine and this would be a macro focal length that would be extremely valuable for medium format since working distance is extremely important for macro.  Pentax used to have an awsome 200mm/4 macro in 35mm days. 
A digitally modified 300mm/f4.  IMHO Pentax' 300mm/4 is an almost perfect lens.  Slightly improved correction at full aperture and digital coating would turn this lens into another highlight of the system. 
And finally an AF updated version of the 600mm/5.6.  The lens design is already out there.  Why not add AF to this lens as it anyway has IF?  In addition, Pentax' focal plane shutter would be able to handle the lens.  And perhaps if the sensor would have higher ISO sensitivity, slow shutter speeds wouldn't be an issue anymore.  Once more Pentax would stand out against the competition. 

This is all speculation and wishful thinking, of course.  But folks have been debating back and forth whether Pentax could do anything to make their system appear more pro-MFD, and these would be the steps, at least IMHO. 


Logged

JV

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1013
Re: Great omen for Pentax future MF camera
« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2013, 09:10:29 pm »

Finding more than 3 lenses on the website of B&H would also be nice...
Logged

Radu Arama

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 138
Re: Great omen for Pentax future MF camera
« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2013, 09:24:23 pm »

Hi Tom,

One thing is for sure: Ricoh reshuffled the cards at Pentax and canceled/postponed lots of the stuff they found in the roadmaps when they bought Pentax. If we look at what K-3 is getting apparent to be this will be the basis for a better, much more ambitious and well funded Pentax. The bad part though is the time lost in rethinking and executing the new plan. Getting to the subject in point I believe 2014 will be the year of the three new zooms as they appeared on the roadmap and 2015 the year of a few new primes.

Best regards,
Radu
Logged

Lacunapratum

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 184
Re: Great omen for Pentax future MF camera
« Reply #4 on: October 07, 2013, 11:37:02 pm »

This all sounds promising.  I also like that Ricoh has doubled the number of shutter cycles in the K-3.  Hope the number of shutter cycles will substantially improve in the 645D successor as well. 
Logged

tsjanik

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 720
Re: Great omen for Pentax future MF camera
« Reply #5 on: October 08, 2013, 09:12:04 am »

Very interesting camera and encouraging for 645D users. A most ingenious AA filter implementation.  Radu, it appears to be a Toshiba sensor. ;)

Tom
Logged

Radu Arama

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 138
Re: Great omen for Pentax future MF camera
« Reply #6 on: October 08, 2013, 09:25:40 am »

Well Tom the jury is still out on the sensor manufacturer issue. It also seems one of the first camera to have a functional USB 3 connectivity.
Logged

Doug Peterson

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4210
    • http://www.doug-peterson.com
Re: Great omen for Pentax future MF camera
« Reply #7 on: October 08, 2013, 10:07:47 am »

USB3 has been functional on Phase One IQ and Credo backs for many months now.

So I can vouch for USB3 being a great tool for tethering. MUCH better than USB2 and even a little better in some (but not all) ways than FW.
« Last Edit: October 08, 2013, 10:09:33 am by Doug Peterson »
Logged

george2787

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 110
Re: Great omen for Pentax future MF camera
« Reply #8 on: October 08, 2013, 04:18:12 pm »

Leaf shutter lenses would be so nice... and capture one support just perfect but I'm guessing that is close to impossible ;D

Still, nice to get more options!
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up