Pentax 645D soon (really :-))

The manual have leaked out. Release first quarter 2010. 39mp......

<p>Photos of the prototype can be found here............ <a href="http://www.digitalcamerainfo.com/content/Pentax-Digital-645-Prototype-A-First-Look-.htm">http://www.digitalcamerainfo.com/content/Pentax-Digital-645-Prototype-A-First-Look-.htm</a></p>

<p>That thing is <em>butt-ugly</em>, at least in my opinion! But then again I am used to masterpieces like my Blad 500C/M!</p>

The real thing look somewhat different than the prototype. The prism is more square. The "ring" around the lensmount is gone and there are two rotating knobs on the back on both side of the prism.

<p>Good grief, that article is from 2006. It even says the camera will be released at the end of 2006. I gave up waiting for the Pentax digital 645 many years ago.</p>

<p>I'll believe it when I see it for sale and in stock on the B-H website, not before.</p>

 

<p>These 645D are supposed to be sold to Japan market only, then again many things have been written about the 645D except that it will come in array of colored bodies.</p>

<p>The "one million yen" price point would today convert to $11,627.91. Thats if 645D were available in USA, at this point in time.</p>

<p>A google search will provide anyone who cares numerous links dating back to 2003 concerning The 645D Concept, various images of prototypes shown off at many imaging shows over the years are floating out there on the net. Heres a couple newer links, if they post:</p>

<p><a href="http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2009/03/impress-watch-this.html">http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2009/03/impress-watch-this.html</a></p>

<p>and this link with many pics, about half way down, has numerious images of 645D from 2008:</p>

<p><a href="http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/other/2009/03/26/10547.html">http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/other/2009/03/26/10547.html</a></p>

<p> </p>

No. They are not for sale in Japan only. Thats a false rumor.

The manual is being printed so the camera is real, finally!

<p>I sure hope that the final anodizing of the body will be better!.<br>

Interesting option on the Mode dial.....USER mode. Are the others for non-users?</p>

<p>Here's a fun 645D thread from 45 months ago, coincidentally started by Pal as this thread is also his. Time Flies huh?</p>

<p>Its not a "false rumor" that 645D will be made for Japan market only.</p>

<p>Read almost 4 year old thread below and you'll see John Carlson of Pentax USA said no 645D for USA. I'd also point out the 645D manual is in Japanese only:</p>

<p><a href="../medium-format-photography-forum/00FCaw">http://www.photo.net/medium-format-photography-forum/00FCaw</a></p>

<p>I'm a big booster of Pentax gear, really and truly enjoy my LX's and 645N. Pentax makes great lenses, and rugged cameras that have great value. The simplicity and the ergonomics are terrific.<br>

That said, they've really dropped the ball on digital and lost market share among pros; medium format's window of opportunity to extract a large premium is drawing to a close. Vaunted old prestige lines like Rollei are falling left and right. It's been clear for quite some time that rather than gearing up to actually produce the 645D as a flagship, it makes better economic sense for Pentax to sit on the sidelines and watch this bloodletting. They've now been playing fantasy football and stringing folks along for so many years by dangling the 645D prototypes, that the pro market for Pentax MF has pretty much evaporated. Without any pathway to digital with previous camera offerings, rental houses have largely dumped the brand.<br>

As far as amateurs go, few ever considered "Pentax" one of the prestige brands that command 5-figure prices. It's understood to be a value brand. What's propped used prices up and created legends on used ED lenses is their relative scarcity (because far, far fewer Pentax exotics were ever sold new than were C & N).<br>

So it's hard to imagine exactly who they'll be selling to with a 39MP cropped 645 sensor for $11K. If the 645D isn't introduced at a price point more competitive with 24MP FF 35mm sensors--the Sony 850 is a mere $2K USD, for crying out loud!-- I see it as being dead on arrival. The difference in linear resolution is trivial, and a cropped sensor loses the wide-angle sweet spot of 645 format.However, a 65MP FF 645 sensor at this price might be enough of a game-changer that they'd recoup development costs. (Especially if they put the elusively rare lenses like the magnificent FA 35mm f/3.5 back in production with no additional R&D needed). Which would be a very nice surprise indeed, but I'm not going to hold my breath.</p>

 

<p>Hmmm. I see that it has a fixed digital back - a concept which Mamiya abandoned after the ZD camera. One has to wonder about the market for this. MF buyers would surely prefer that they could upgrade the back (or still dabble with film), without having to change the whole camera.</p>

<p>I also think that they could have fit more buttons and dials onto the camera - there's at least two square cm of available space on the side of the grip. ;-))</p>

<p>I don't think a user-changeable back is necessary but it would be nice to know if there were plans to allow future upgrades at a service center. The fixed back offers some advantages like better-integrated ergonomics, smaller size/lighter weight, and potentially improved reliability due to better sealing, fewer exposed connections.</p>

<p>Colin, On smaller format Pentax bodies, the 'USER' mode allows quick access to a saved bank of settings. I've yet to find a good use for it but some do.</p>

<p>Presumably Pentax will be reviving/introducing some suitable glass or...why bother?</p>

 

<p>Pentax have never said that the 645D is Japan only (what on earth would the point of that be?). It is inventive to turn a statement from a US Pentax rep, made over a year ago regarding a camera not yet priced (but assumed to cost $12000-15000), that they could only sell about 200 units in the US, to mean that the camera will only be sold in Japan. The camera is certainly expected in Europe.<br>

Anyway, I'm pretty sure Japan will be the first market to get it....</p>