Pentax 645 Digital.

[Jamie123]

The more I look at it, the more I'm torn between excitement and doubt. The functionality is great but the design is a bit too 'functional' IMO. There are too many buttons and wheels on this thing and it looks very bulky. The Hasselblad H line is not necessarily smaller but its design is more pleasing to the eye. Functionality is important but design cannot be entirely neglected.

This will likely be a camera for avid amateurs and young photographers just starting out who want to get into digital mf. I doubt that it will take over the pro market, though, which seems to be dominated by Phase One and Hasselblad. Also, I'm sure CaptureOne will not support it.

Anyways, I'm curious to see what the Pentax digital line will develop into in the future. As they don't have an interchangeable back they're free to improve the design with their next camera.

 

[Andy Kibber]

"Ew, so ugly! I'd never buy such an UGLY digital medium format camera!"

Hahahahha

 

[Pickett Wilson]

Gotta look cool while shooting! 😉

 

[rover]

I can't wait until they come out with the white version.

 

[emraphoto]

can't argue with the price point if thats the sort of gear you need. the S2 (as Pickett has noted) better have some serious performance pluses over this thing.

 

[aizan]

i think it looks great, and i'm extremely picky about how cameras look.

 

[newsgrunt]

I imagine this will sell like hotcakes esp with legacy lenses out there. Ergonomics wise, dunno, but I will say the S2 felt reallly nice.

 

[semilog]

Wow, new Pentax record for ugly.

But not even close in ugly-quotient to the big Mamiya 6x7's. Of course, no serious photographer would ever use one of those. 🙄

 

[charjohncarter]

No matter how the old one looked but it IS ugly.
Almost as ugly as the Mamiya/ Phase One.

Or the Canon Mark whatever, that even looks bigger than this.

 

[Jamie123]

But not even close in ugly-quotient to the big Mamiya 6x7's. Of course, no serious photographer would ever use one of those. 🙄

I dunno. The Mamiya 6 and 7, while not winning any beauty prizes, look quite 'balanced' as far the design goes. Certainly much better than the ulcer that is the Pentax 645d.

My main problem with the Pentax 645D at the moment is not that it's not aesthetically pleasing, it's that it looks unappealing, i.e. it doesn't make me want to use it. But who knows, maybe it's great in real world use. My point is that it not only has to function well but it also has to feel right.

 

[imokruok]

What would put me off a bit is the sensor size of only 33x44 what - when compared to 645 film (45x56mm) yields lens conversion factor about 1.3. Not as bad as 1.5 or 2.0, but it will impair the focal length enough for the wide lenses.

Was wondering about that as well. Is it really a 645 if the sensor isn't a 645?

 

[FA Limited]

The more I look at it, the more I'm torn between excitement and doubt. The functionality is great but the design is a bit too 'functional' IMO. There are too many buttons and wheels on this thing and it looks very bulky. The Hasselblad H line is not necessarily smaller but its design is more pleasing to the eye. Functionality is important but design cannot be entirely neglected.

This will likely be a camera for avid amateurs and young photographers just starting out who want to get into digital mf. I doubt that it will take over the pro market, though, which seems to be dominated by Phase One and Hasselblad. Also, I'm sure CaptureOne will not support it.

Anyways, I'm curious to see what the Pentax digital line will develop into in the future. As they don't have an interchangeable back they're free to improve the design with their next camera.

:bang: ... it's like to you pentax never made medium format cameras ever before that were used by professionals.

 

[Jamie123]

:bang: ... it's like to you pentax never made medium format cameras ever before that were used by professionals.

It's 2010. Things have changed since the Pentax 645 came out and the competition the 645D is up against now is very different then that of the original 645. But please keep banging your head against the wall as it doesn't seem to do much thinking.

 

[chrishayton]

Personally I think it looks great and potentcially will open mf digital to a new market.

 

[jsrockit]

I can't wait to buy one of these used in 5-10 years.

 

[Wiyum]

This strikes me as the right product at the right time. My doubt would be about the strategy... Japan is the right market for initial release, but they should be forthcoming about their international plans. Similarly, they should be clear about their plans for both future lenses and for reintroducing the older lenses to the marketplace. As it stands, this camera is ideal for well-off amateurs and owners of a lot of old Pentax 645 gear. The used market for this glass is great. But to capture the pro market, these lenses need to be available new.

Discussions of the sensor being undersized largely ignore the standards of medium format digital, where sensors of this size are the rule, and not the exception. Last I checked, a few months ago, Phase One was the only manufacturer offering a true 56x41.5mm sensor. It is a shame that this one isn't at least 48x36 like many of the sensors out there, but this is certainly competitive with Phase, Leaf, Leica, and Hasselblad. And at less than half the cost of any other options with 40MP, and at nearly the same price as similar Leaf/Mamiya body/back combos that offer 22mp sensors, Pentax are really pushing costs downward.

 

[FA Limited]

My main problem with the Pentax 645D at the moment is not that it's not aesthetically pleasing, it's that it looks unappealing, i.e. it doesn't make me want to use it.

It's 2010. Things have changed since the Pentax 645 came out and the competition the 645D is up against now is very different then that of the original 645.

the pentax 645 is of a design that many photographers have used before and really like. why change a winning formula? seems like you are in the minority about the "unappealingness of its functionality".

 

[Jamie123]

the pentax 645 is of a design that many photographers have used before and really like. why change a winning formula? seems like you are in the minority about the "unappealingness of its functionality".

I don't find the functionality unappealing (so please don't misquote) but it does seem a bit like they went overboard with the buttons. Looks like they made a seperate button for every single function.

I'm not saying no one will buy the camera. It isn't even out yet so it's all just speculation. All I'm saying is that I'm a bit sceptical.

Hopefully the camera will succeed. Personally, I would've been more excited if they had thought a bit more 'out of the box' instead of sticking to the old design. Something designed a bit more like a Leica S2 but without the hefty price tag would surely be a killer.

 

[Keith]

I'm a little worried about the maximum frame rate of 1.1 per second ... could make it a bit restrictive for shooting sports!

 

[Gary E]

Does it shoot laser beams?

Yes, it seems to be on stun mode now 🙄

Mamiya just recently announced a 645AFD kit for twice the Pentax's price. We should be asking how can they afford to do this? Most marketing would suggest they price it nearer to the competition's selling price, but in this case they have either released the wrong price or are compensating Pentax 645 users who waited for what seems like forever for this camera to be released. And to add a punch to this, it seems a Pentax rep stated it would be a Japan market only camera 😱 (ref. from photorumor.com)

Yes it is unsightly for non 645 users, but have anyone used a Mamiya 645AF or Contax 645? They all seem alien phaser looking...