steven_stone3

<p>News, but not good news.<br>

"Pentax has revived plans to launch its long-awaited 645 Digital medium-format camera, four years after a mock-up was first shown. The camera will go on display at the Photo Imaging Expo show in Tokyo later this month, said John Carlson, product marketing and support manager at Pentax USA. He told <em>Amateur Photographer</em> that the 645 Digital is expected to go on sale in Japan. However, it is unclear whether the camera will be sold in Europe. And Carlson told us that it will not be marketed in the United States because Pentax predicted it would only sell 200 units there. <br /> We understand that Pentax Japan has decided to aim the camera at the high-end market, so it seems unlikely it will be an affordable, enthusiast-level, model"<br>

<a href="http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/news/PMA_Pentax_revives_medium_format_digital_camera_plan_update_news_278069.html">Pentax 645D announcement at PMA</a></p>

Latest from Pentax at PMA this year. Check it out, 31.6 megapixels! But, there is still no word on price and availability. Scrapping the 18.6 Mpix sensor for the larger one must have set them back.

http://www.pentaximaging.com/footer/news_media_article?ArticleId=9590557 Model name (tentative): PENTAX 645 Digital

Kodak-developed extra-large CCD image sensor with 31.6 total megapixels (tentative

Compatibility with existing smc PENTAX 645 interchangeable lenses

A pair of storage-media slots for the loading of an SD memory card and a CompactFlash card

Market launch schedule to be announced at a later date

Latest from Pentax is that it will be announced at PMA this year. Check it out, <b> 31.6 megapixels! </b>

<p> http://www.pentaximaging.com/footer/news_media_article?ArticleId=9590557

Model name (tentative): PENTAX 645 Digital

<p>Kodak-developed extra-large CCD image sensor with 31.6 total megapixels (tentative

<p>Compatibility with existing smc PENTAX 645 interchangeable lenses

<p>A pair of storage-media slots for the loading of an SD memory card and a CompactFlash card

<p>Market launch schedule to be announced at a later date

New Press Release from Pentax at Photokina. It looks like the 645D will be delayed a little longer. But, they've promised a sensor upgrade to 30mp.

http://www.pentax.co.jp/english/news/2006/200646.html

Model name ( tentative ) : PENTAX 645 Digital

Product information & marketing schedule :

* 18 effective megapixels

* PENTAX 645AF mount

* Compatibility with existing smc PENTAX 645-series lenses

* Marketing schedule to be announced later

Other information :

* This product will be continuously upgraded by incorporating newly developed image sensors, with its final effective megapixels expected to reach a 30-megapixel level.

I just bought a Prakticar 500mm 5.6. It looks to be in great shape and I can't wait to get the Pentacon 6 / Pentax 645 adapter to try it out.

As for my Nikon, one of the adapters I saw for an M42 / Nikon mount adapter mentioned that it would not allow the lens to focus to infinity.

Kevin Ing, did you have any problem with this on your Canon? Were you using an M42 / Canon adapter? Or did you figure out a straight Meyer Orestegor / Canon solution?

You're right, there has been a total lack of new info. I hope Pentax is still hard at work. A "leak" of information sure would be cool right now.

I picked up somewhere that Photokina/September was a key event/date.

I'm supremely hopeful of the 645D as I like the Pentax 645 lenses and would love the option of a digital body vs. scanning film. If they can deliver with medium format performance that is on par price wise with the pro Nikon and Canon cameras, then I think they'll have a winner.