Mamiya Digital prices medium-format system under $10k

[brian_mcneill1]

Mamiya Digital has announced its new 22 megapixel system with a retail price of

$9,999. The <A HREF=http://www.mamiya.com/>ZD 645AFD II</A> digital system

consists of the Mamiya 645AFD II medium-format camera with 80mm f/2.8 AF lens

and the Mamiya ZD 22 megapixel digital back. The venerable camera manufacturer

says the comparatively low price of the system "marks a new era in the high-end

digital market."<br>

<br>

Brian McNeill - news editor applicant

[mitchell b. cook]

I guess that marks the end of Mamiya ZD SLR. There is now no

mention of it on thier web site now.

[raman1]

This is ridiculous, and insulting to my intelligence- under $10K by ONE DOLLAR? Give me a break- why does mamiya even bother?

[calculuspanda]

I see that sort of stuff on cars, computers and clothing all the time. Everyone trims a cent or some other token amount off the prices these days to proclaim to be under some magic threashold.

[danbliss]

Semantics about "under $10k" aside, it is an interesting price point for a fairly impressive

sensor. Admittedly, I won't be running out to get one, but a lot of the pros will. It is down

right cheap compared to the Hasselblads (or a new car :-) ).

[ilkka_nissila]

What is ridiculous? It seems relatively inexpensive for a medium format digital setup.

[tonybeach]

This will make it harder for Canon and (eventually) others like Nikon to charge $5000+ for cameras that may match MF in resolution but will be a smaller format.

[szrimaging]

And hopefully it forces Hassie to lower the price on the back for the 500 series. Hmmmm.......switching up to MF has never looked so good.....

[benny_spinoza]

That's a great price for a 36 by 48mm sensor/digital back, and AF body and standard lens. I'm a non-pro film guy, so I have no desire/need to buy now. But if in a few years from now they could shave off a few more thousand...it would be tempting!

[ned1]

Any word on what the latitude will be like with it?

[ilkka_nissila]

Well, Canon doesn't make any camera that matches the Mamiya for resolution.

 

Nor do Canon make any camera that takes Mamiya 645 lenses.

[rory_burns]

Have they made new lenses to go with the digital backs?

 

We all want to be able to use our old lenses, but wouldn't optimal quality only be delivered by optics designed with this digital back in mind?

 

I think ALPA suggests different lenses for their system depending on digital or film capture.

[dotun famakinwa]

Competition made them do this. Canon was breathing down their necks with the 16MP camera. It is a good day.

[merrittmiller]

Its definately a price point that makes me think twice about my marrige to Canon. On the other hand if memory serves the sensor that they are using doesnt fair well at or above ISO 200 (and they don't give you higher than ISO400). Odds are that Canon still has them licked when it comes to work outside the studio.

[ilkka_nissila]

You mean photography of subjects that move? For still work high ISO sensitivity isn't at all interesting.

[tonybeach]

An interesting take on this from Thom Hogan in a reply to someone who sold their D200 to buy a ZD is here: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1021&message=23689407

[berardi]

>This will make it harder for Canon and (eventually) others like Nikon to charge $5000+

for cameras that may match MF in resolution but will be a smaller format.

 

Well, it's tough to get a medium format camera to shoot 10 frames a second. The only

small format DSLR that this really presents an alternative to is the 1Ds Mark II. It's multiple

times the price than everything else, and really an entirely different type of camera.

 

 

That said, medium format digital is really fantastic stuff and it makes me happy to think I

might actually be able to afford it one day.