Oh the other one; Pentax 645D
...
unrivaled lens selection ...
I really don't want to get into one of those "I justify my camera choice by dissing your camera" type of arguments, but I can't let "unrivaled" pass as a statement of fact - even when one includes Pentax 67 lenses with the automatic-aperture adapter.
The 645D has a huge lens range, but it is nevertheless missing stuff that matters to people like me, lenses which are provided in the Mamiya 645 stable - and that is precisely why the 645D is not on my wishlist, despite being a superior body with a superior sensor:
- fisheye
- fast (<= f/2) normal
- f2.8 telephotos [110/2.8, 150/2.8, 200/2.8 APO, 300/2.8 APO...only 150/2.8 for the P645 and 150/2.8 (again) + 165/2.8 for the P67]
These first three are my "deal killers". Others to consider are:
- shift wideangle [the P67's 75mm is rather long, compared to Mamiya's 50mm]
- tilt/shift bellows
- variable soft focus lens [if that takes your fancy]
- compact mirror long-tele
Against this, the areas where the P645 trumps Mamiya are
- zooms: more wideangle 33-55mm and longer tele 150-300mm.
- 1.4x TC
- widest rectilinear lens (24mm vs 28mm) [but I get wider again with my 24mm fisheye, which can be de-fished]
- 400mm and 600mm lens choices [but the Mamiya APOs cover these focal lengths too, via the 2x TC]
Seeing as the Mamiya can also use the P67 lenses, albeit with manual aperture control, I don't see enough evidence to declare the Pentax's lens range "unrivalled". You could throw all the other systems into the mix too, from Hasselblad V to Leica S, and I don't think any medium format manufacturer could be declared an unrivalled winner...there will always be something in one line that the others lack, and so it all depends on what the user needs.
As I've said before, if M645 lenses could reach infinity focus on a Pentax 645D body, I'd be all over it! But the flange focal distance differences are the wrong way round.
Rumors is they will release a 645D II sometime soon...
Hope so - I really look forward to seeing what it's capable of.
Ray