Pentax 645Z

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

Contax and Rollei are probably not a problem, nor are Sinar, Alpa, Arca, Cambo and the rest…

Phase One and Hasselblad may be a problem.

Best regards
Erik

Sinar (Leica now) makes adapters to make their own backs fully compatible with both  P1 and H cameras... Contax fit backs are of high demand and all MFDB makers make them... I suspect that Rollei owners would find much interest to a new back that would provide a cheap solution for their cameras... I would suggest the use of adapters like Sinar does or Imacon/CF ixpress used to do.

[Telecaster]

I have a 645D and can offer some comment on a few of the lenses being re-released:

The standard 55mm FA weatherproof lens is good to very good.
The 35mm FA lens is the sharpest, most aberration free wide angle lens I have used on any format.
Similarly, the 75mm FA and 120mm FA macro lenses are two of the sharpest lenses I have ever used. I particularly like the contrast & colour with the 35mm & 120mm lenses.
The 200mm FA lens is ok. It is fine for portraits, but I have yet to get the best results for landscape images.

This mirrors my own experience. I also like the 150/2.8 FA lens wide open for portraits and stopped down for other moderate telephoto work. Skip the 45mm—it's a low-performing anomaly in the lineup (assuming Ricoh hasn't improved it for re-release)—and go for either the 35mm or the newer 55mm instead.

-Dave-

[BJL]

I even proposed that they could make more versions of their 25mm lens for other brands like Contax ...

How does that one proposed lens for one discontinued line of bodies help with the use of the back on Mamiya and Hasselblad bodies as was also part of your proposal? Even with such a "third party" lens, it is likely that a Pentax back would be used overwhelmingly with lenses from those other makers, and so divert sales away from the Pentax lenses needed by Pentax 645 bodies.

Let me add the implausibility of redesigning and making third-party lenses that are usable only on a line of medium format camera bodies that was discontinued eight years ago after only about six years on the market, so that there are surely far fewer of those bodies around that of the surviving medium format systems.   No company has ever gone into the business of "unauthorized" third party medium format lenses even for currently active systems, which strongly suggests that no lens maker considers it a profitable venture, and so that doing it for a "dead" system has even less profit potential.  But maybe you understand the business better than any of the current lens makers.


P. S. I edit quotes from previous posts because that is generally considered good practice in forum discussions: your full text is there above for all to see, and quoting an entire post just to comment on one sentence is a waste of space.

[BJL]

Contax and Rollei are probably not a problem, nor are Sinar, Alpa, Arca, Cambo and the rest…

Phase One and Hasselblad may be a problem.

Indeed, and if the big two MF systems hamper the use of third party backs on their bodies by making lens-body-back interaction less smooth, profiting on a "third party" back would be a challenge.

[Theodoros]

How does that one proposed lens for one discontinued line of bodies help with the use of the back on Mamiya and Hasselblad bodies as was also part of your proposal? Even with such a "third party" lens, it is likely that a Pentax back would be used overwhelmingly with lenses from those other makers, and so divert sales away from the Pentax lenses needed by Pentax 645 bodies.

Let me add the implausibility of redesigning and making third-party lenses that are usable only on a line of medium format camera bodies that was discontinued eight years ago after only about six years on the market, so that there are surely far fewer of those bodies around that of the surviving medium format systems.   No company has ever gone into the business of "unauthorized" third party medium format lenses even for currently active systems, which strongly suggests that no lens maker considers it a profitable venture, and so that doing it for a "dead" system has even less profit potential.  But maybe you understand the business better than any of the current lens makers.


P. S. I edit quotes from previous posts because that is generally considered good practice in forum discussions: your full text is there above for all to see, and quoting an entire post just to comment on one sentence is a waste of space.

Making their 25mm lens for other cameras with focal plane shutter has nothing to do with them selling more backs... it simply has to do with them selling more lenses! Particularly as the size of some sensors narrows the angle ability of their lenses... A 25mm for Contax 645 mount would find many customers among the users of this widely used system...

[Theodoros]

Hi,

Contax and Rollei are probably not a problem, nor are Sinar, Alpa, Arca, Cambo and the rest…

Phase One and Hasselblad may be a problem.

Best regards
Erik

Hasselblad H1,H2,H2F & H4X can't be a problem... there maybe some incompatibility with some versions of the Phamyia 645 bodies though...

[uaiomex]

Jesus Doug, you just mentioned 4 very powerful things very hard to dismiss even for a "buy latest" photog like me. Nothing beats the 6X6 WLF for covenience and rapport with one's subject.
Eduardo

"If your friend likes shooting with the Pentax more than with his 500 series, and will not miss the features (1/500th flash sync, vertical shooting without turning camera, waist level viewfinder, robust professional tethering"

[Doug Peterson]

Doug, you just mentioned 4 very powerful things very hard to dismiss even for a "buy latest" photog like me. Nothing beats the 6X6 WLF for covenience and rapport with one's subject.
Eduardo

"If your friend likes shooting with the Pentax more than with his 500 series, and will not miss the features (1/500th flash sync, vertical shooting without turning camera, waist level viewfinder, robust professional tethering"

That's rather the point though. For YOU those four features are very important. For someone else they may not be important at all, but some other feature (weather sealing, or availability of very long autofocus lenses) may be vital.

These discussions on forums often turn into statements of absolutes like "no one would ever pay X for A when B is less expensive". A photographer doesn't buy a spec or a component (you don't buy megapixels or sensors), they buy a camera system. What makes sense for one photographer won't make any sense for another photographer.

Thank goodness too, or all we'd have is one camera in the world. And that would be boring. Instead we have many great cameras, each with it's own set of advantages and disadvantages, and yes, different prices.

[Theodoros]

That's rather the point though. For YOU those four features are very important. For someone else they may not be important at all, but some other feature (weather sealing, or availability of very long autofocus lenses) may be vital.

These discussions on forums often turn into statements of absolutes like "no one would ever pay X for A when B is less expensive". A photographer doesn't buy a spec or a component (you don't buy megapixels or sensors), they buy a camera system. What makes sense for one photographer won't make any sense for another photographer.

Thank goodness too, or all we'd have is one camera in the world. And that would be boring. Instead we have many great cameras, each with it's own set of advantages and disadvantages, and yes, different prices.

I think it all depends on the size of the difference... If people think that a price is inexcusably many times higher when compared to a similarly specified product that offers lesser build quality, then they turn against the more expensive product... It happens with cars too... some people are prepared to spend 1.5x or 2x the price to get a BMW than a similarly specified "mass production" car made by a trustful maker...  but what if BMW was asking 4 or 5 times the price?

[JV]

I have a 645D and can offer some comment on a few of the lenses being re-released:

The standard 55mm FA weatherproof lens is good to very good.  
The 35mm FA lens is the sharpest, most aberration free wide angle lens I have used on any format.
Similarly, the 75mm FA and 120mm FA macro lenses are two of the sharpest lenses I have ever used.  I particularly like the contrast & colour with the 35mm & 120mm lenses.  Not sure what it is about them, but I have an 80mm wide angle grandagon lens as part of my now unused 4x5 kit, and it used to give me the most beautiful colour rendition, and these two pentax lenses remind me a bit of that.

The 200mm FA lens is ok.  It is fine for portraits, but I have yet to get the best results for landscape images.

I have not tried the 25mm because the price for me is a bit high.

This mirrors my own experience. I also like the 150/2.8 FA lens wide open for portraits and stopped down for other moderate telephoto work. Skip the 45mm—it's a low-performing anomaly in the lineup (assuming Ricoh hasn't improved it for re-release)—and go for either the 35mm or the newer 55mm instead.

-Dave-

Is the 35mm being sold in the US?  B&H lists a bunch of Pentax lenses now but I couldn't find the 35mm...

[MrSmith]

Jesus Doug, you just mentioned 4 very powerful things very hard to dismiss even for a "buy latest" photog like me. Nothing beats the 6X6 WLF for covenience and rapport with one's subject.
Eduardo

I was musing over using the pentax screen tilted up with the camera at just above waist height and the image magnified slightly and using the focus peaking for portraits thus enabling that interaction I remember with a 500c (film)
Just the odd look down when you notice the subject move and a quick back and forth focus check that is obviously much easier with peaking.

[LKaven]

It's only 14 bit though so not a serious contender.

Were you serious in saying this?  Or is there an implied smiley that I didn't pick up on?

[LKaven]

So do a lot of working photographers, it's not exactly a 9-5 job if it's your sole source of income. Even Doug has to supplement his wedding income by working in sales.
Which is why a good value digital solution that keeps £20k in the bank is not to be dismissed.
If I need a tech-cam I'll hire and the dealer can deliver it in their SUV and give me a branded truckers cap and USB stick as a little thankyou so I can feel good about the 'value added package'

I feel like you didn't understand me here.  I said I knew Doug worked hard at supporting expensive medium format gear in order to provide something like value for the money.  Obviously he does.  I did not say that working photographers would continue to see that as the main criterion for putting up that amount of money.  Nor did I say that the value proposition was a good one.  In fact it's a questionable one for all but a very few to whom money is no object.  In fact, I think PhaseOne had a lot of nerve pushing its price point, and is in danger of being unclothed here.  But that doesn't mean I'm going to disrespect a guy who gets up in the middle of the night to take care of an customer issue.

[alatreille]

The 35mm FA lens is the sharpest, most aberration free wide angle lens I have used on any format.
Similarly, the 75mm FA and 120mm FA macro lenses are two of the sharpest lenses I have ever used.  

I agree with all of this!  Not shooting on a 645D, but on a Canon system....I find myself reaching for the pentax glass more than the Canon!

Colours, contrast, rendition...look.

[Telecaster]

Is the 35mm being sold in the US?  B&H lists a bunch of Pentax lenses now but I couldn't find the 35mm...

The 35mm has been available outside the US so I imagine B&H (and perhaps others) will stock it again soon enough. (I bought mine in 2002 for a 645Nii film body...kept the lenses when I sold the camera. It's amazed me how often seemingly orphaned lenses have come back into play with new camera technology!)

-Dave-

[Paul2660]

Is the 35mm being sold in the US?  B&H lists a bunch of Pentax lenses now but I couldn't find the 35mm...

JV, I thought the same thing, but they have a 35mm F3.5 listed lower down, no picture yet, price is $1500.00 which is more, quite a bit more than the 35mm FA sold for when it was available in the U.S.  Mine was 989.00. 

Here is the link:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1045498-REG/pentax_26917_35mm_f_3_5_smcp_fa_645.html

[Lacunapratum]

It is just so Pentastish (forgive), i.e. it fits the old P645 concept so well.  The P645 never gained the traction it deserved due to dogmatic reservations about the non-interchangable back.  Perhaps this time Ricoh/Pentax have another chance with

- relatively low price
- robustness and weather sealing
- availability of outstanding lenses in all price ranges.  Used FA and A lenses, new FA lenses, and the most recent DA and D FA lenses
- optional adaptation of even more lenses
- basic movie capability

This time is looks like it'll add top of the line sensor quality.  It's the medium format camera for the sophisticated amateur once more priced between full-frame and the other players.  I find it the first overwhelmingly convincing Pentax offering in a decade, especially with the renewed availability of FA lenses.  I wish them the success they deserve.  Looks like they have put a lot of thought and effort into it. 

[tsjanik]

It is just so Pentastish (forgive), i.e. it fits the old P645 concept so well.  The P645 never gained the traction it deserved due to dogmatic reservations about the non-interchangable back.  Perhaps this time Ricoh/Pentax have another chance with

- relatively low price
- robustness and weather sealing
- availability of outstanding lenses in all price ranges.  Used FA and A lenses, new FA lenses, and the most recent DA and D FA lenses
- optional adaptation of even more lenses
- basic movie capability

This time is looks like it'll add top of the line sensor quality.  It's the medium format camera for the sophisticated amateur once more priced between full-frame and the other players.  I find it the first overwhelmingly convincing Pentax offering in a decade, especially with the renewed availability of FA lenses.  I wish them the success they deserve.  Looks like they have put a lot of thought and effort into it. 

I agree Tom; it's nice to see them back where they once were, particularity after the turmoil of the past few years. Had the FA lenses been available with the 645D, it might have been sooner.   Kudos to Ricoh and those who took the gamble.
That said, I'm really happy  with the 645D and I'll have to be convinced, for my applications, that the modest increase in pixels and conversion to CMOS is worth the upgrade.*

Tom

*I'm easily convinced. 

[eronald]

Where is Azrael or Samael or whatever the name of the Pentax dealer/rep on this forum is?
Is there a special incantation? Do we need to say "Cleveland!" or Madison!" or even "Chase!"?
I would have expected an appearance around *now*!

Edmund

PS. We all know that "Wilson!" makes Doug appear with a complete suitcase of P1 gear.

[tsjanik]

Where is Azrael or Samael or whatever the name of the Pentax dealer/rep on this forum is?
Is there a special incantation? Do we need to run two Amex cards together?
I would have expected an appearance around *now*!

Edmund

LOL.  Traditionally Pentax has been very low-key in advertising and publicity - perhaps one of the reasons they fell from prominence.  Some reps have appeared on other, more Pentax-centric forums.