Newest info 645D

Just spotted on the Luminous Landscape. For those who like to keep up.

As some of you might know, Michael Reichmann has a fair bit of history with Pentax medium format.

Fascinating stuff. Thanks, Martin.

Great interview. Lets hope this is a big success for Pentax!

I wonder if Pentax would loan me one for my current project?!

The Japanese website is now translate to English, don't know if this has been posted before or not.

http://www.pentax.jp/english/imaging/digital/medium/645d/feature_1.html

Thanks Stefan. I was expecting another garbled translation, but it's actually very good indeed.

I haven't read all of it so can't comment on it fully but it indeed seems good so far.

One question for the K7 user can you do this?
Its sophisticated autofocus system has 11 sensor points (with nine cross-type sensors positioned in the middle) to assure extra-accurate focusing on the subject. The number of sensor points can be changed to three or five

Good site.

Got to throw a few questions in here...

"The 645D delivers super-high-resolution images - as impressive to discriminating professionals as those produced by larger, 8x10-format cameras"

All of a sudden, a cropped DMF is better than a 10x8 neg???????

"The 645D’s large 44x33mm CCD image sensor is the key
to realizing the high-quality,
true-to-life images that inspire every photographer"

So a larger (Hassled & Bladered sensor must be even better?

They show the Pentax cropped MF sensor against a 36 x 24 sensor (that they presently don't offer)

"Note: Even when taken at the same F5.6 aperture, the medium-format 645D offers more natural, true-to-life images. White petals, which can be easily overexposed, retain their subtle gradation, with the fringe of every petal sharply defined. The background has a beautiful bokeh effect (out-of-focus rendition), while every blossom seems to shoot out of the image, as if sending its sweet fragrance to viewers.

Wow!

I wonder if the other digital medium format manufacturers know this?

Bottom line here is don't buy a cropped DSLR. Your missing out.

"Its resolving power is far superior to that of 35mm-format digital SLR cameras or film-format 645 cameras.*

* Based on PENTAX assessment standards (as of February 2010).

They never mention pixel density?

Just for reading with respect to MF lenses..

link

From DP review..as far as MF lenses go, albeit on FF DSLR's.

"Without needing to get into the science behind it. the reasoning is a MF neg or slide will never be enlarged by the same percentage as a 35mm neg/slide. This is the same reason why an image taken with a MF lens may appear sharper right out of the camera than the same image from a mid-high end 35mm lens. Just like a 5mp image will generally appear sharper than a 15mp image right out of the camera. The lens doesn't have enough resolution to show all the flaws and capture any slight blurring from motion or shake.

The data is all over the internet and photo publications the world over.

The primary reason for using MF lenses on 35mm SLRs or DSLRs is their classic feel in focusing, and generally their wonderful color reproduction.

Good luck with whatever may suit your needs, just be sure that you know exactly what you are giving up too."

I say lets not listen to the sales plop. Compare the 645D to other DMF images, those with actual history. Pentax are not re-inventing the DMF here, they are at the back of the queue. As with the istD, they are last passed the post.

May they sell many many 645D's but if it's that good, who wants to buy my complete Pentax DSLR kit?

Regards

Sorry Gary too late to go into everything.

Pentax is of course promoting their camera on their own site so you won't find anything negative about it and they try to highlight everything that's good about it or try to make it look good, every company does that right?

Pentax seems to be clearly aiming at the 135 market share too pull them over and I don't blame them since the price of the body comes near enough to compete with the high end of that market. I wonder if they can win some souls.

About the sensor.
The 645D use a cropped sensor actually it isn't a full frame 645 format sensor.
The pixels are 6µm that's almost the same as the K10D with his 6.05µm but I believe you can't compare them like for like because of the format difference. But well you can say you could crop the 645D to 10mp so 25% and have the same IQ as the K10D so 4 times the IQ of the K10D. It does make sense but I doubt you can calculate like that, does anyone know?

About the camera.
The Sensor is from Kodak and they aren't new to DMF, Pentax isn't new to MF bodies and they seem to have copied most of the hardware of the K7 so all in all Pentax isn't busy being innovating.
However strangely enough since they copied most of the hardware in the K7 and his feature it becomes as a new thing really on the DMF market since it has things you won't see on those cameras, is it a good or bad thing... I don't know but they might be filling a need since Pentax seems to be clearing the gap between 645 and 135 cameras, it would be interesting to see if there is a market for it.

That is unfortunately an easy conclusion to draw! By pointing out the benefits of MF format over 135, it occurs to me that these benefits must also apply, perhaps in a smaller way, to 135 over APS-C. Oops, Pentax. Well, I guess the marketing is primarily aimed at top-end Nikon/Canon FF owners.

The short answer is that the 645D will no doubt produce stunning images of a technical quality that will exceed 35mm-style DSLRs of all types.

That doesn't mean that all other cameras are now rubbish and it doesn't mean any of the overly pedantic stuff posted above, any more than when you read an old lens catalogue where almost every lens is described as "the most versatile in the line".

We all really know what the modern world is like and how products need promoting.

In lesser words, the sales pitch leaves one bewildered.

I see that possible jumpers from 135 to the 645D may be some Canon users, specifically 5D owners as that model has quietly become the 135 landscape standard over the years. As far as other top 135 models, I doubt it as the cameras are worlds apart and have totally different capabilities as well as a far greater range of glass available.

I do expect it to be producing stunning images. To limit the comparison to 35mm DSLR's though is only a half truth. Surely it must mean everything with a smaller sensor?

If I manage to get one during my travels, cheaper than the UK price, I'll buy it.

Regards

From looking at a few images on the web, I think the quality of what the 645D can do looks very impressive, and it's spec is very complete when compared to other MF cameras.

I think Pentax have played to their strengths and developing brand as a manufacturer of well-specified and rugged cameras for outdoor use, which differentiates the 645D from other MF cameras sold mainly for studio photographers.

To the extent that they manage to develop that image for the camera, I see two main markets for it:

(1) owners of existing film 645 cameras. I suspect these folk may have been slower to make the transition to digital than the rest of us who used 35mm. If the camera delivers what is promised, they may be persuaded.

(2) some owners of 135 dSLRs who either (a) want to buy into the latest thing or (b) want to buy a landscaper's camera that is capable of providing even better image quality than what they have already, as long as the light is OK.

The whole thing might thrive or fail depending upon how much support Pentax can bring in the form of a coherent lens system that works with the cropped MF. If they want people to part with serious amounts of money for the camera, they need to prove that there is a system back up there to make it worthwhile.

I don't want to see a 645.... I have a horrible feeling that I would like it too much if I did!

The 645 format is quite different, the photos taken with them have a different feel to the depth in the photo. That simply comes with the size of the sensor and camera.

The cameras will actually be world apart because the target group that will use the 645D is different. I don't think you will see sport photographers for example trade in their 135 camera for one, for in the studio or landscape the 645D would certainly be an attractive alternative then a high-end 135.

For landscape use i think they will need to bring out some wider lenses. Widest at the moment are the 35mm which is equivalent to 28mm on 135, and 33-55mm. I'm sure wider lenses and SDM lenses will be introduced quite soon....

I have to say the 55mm/2.8 SDM is absolutely stunning!