[SCGushue]

but can you trust them? Months ago the Pentax spokesman said 645D "was not a priority anymore" which I and others assumed meant "will never be produced". Others saw it as a sign of hope. Silly.
Year and a half ago they "discontinued" the film 645 and 67 but obviously Pentax has a different definition of "discontinued" then the rest of the world.....
Pentax obviously doesn't understand english: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review
I've long ago, after the "discontinuation" of the D (Only to find they were still being produced for at least a year afterwords) not to believe a thing they say until I see it for myself.....
Not cynical, just practical...

Jeff,

Truer words were never spoken... at least as it pertains to Pentax. Over the years, and more recently, since Pentax has gone digital, my contacts at Pentax say... "trust nothing of what you hear, trust only what is or is not in your hand." Go figure

Stephen

[Peacekeeper]

I heard a rumor the other day when I picked up my K20D that Hoya has purchased a Sensor manufacturer and will be doing their own sensors.

2ndly and someone correct me if I am wrong, but the FA* lenses are being produced AGAIN, all these lenses are suitable for FF Sensors, are they not?

[SCGushue]

I heard a rumor the other day when I picked up my K20D that Hoya has purchased a Sensor manufacturer and will be doing their own sensors.

2ndly and someone correct me if I am wrong, but the FA* lenses are being produced AGAIN, all these lenses are suitable for FF Sensors, are they not?

See my quote two posts up as it pertains to what Pentax says vs what eventually does or does not materialize. My Pentax sources told me a year ago that the FA's were going to be made again. Now... does that mean that the current DA*s are the digital reincarnation of these new FA's, I can't tell you. But they are FF and optically they appear to be designed optically to match the old FA's.

As to Hoya buying a sensor company. News to me, but that, if true (which I doubt) would probably be the most shocking and surprising news that I have heard since the merger. If true, however, the implications would be staggering.

Stephen

[jeffkrol]

See my quote two posts up as it pertains to what Pentax says vs what eventually does or does not materialize. My Pentax sources told me a year ago that the FA's were going to be made again. Now... does that mean that the current DA*s are the digital reincarnation of these new FA's, I can't tell you. But they are FF and optically they appear to be designed optically to match the old FA's.

As to Hoya buying a sensor company. News to me, but that, if true (which I doubt) would probably be the most shocking and surprising news that I have heard since the merger. If true, however, the implications would be staggering.

Stephen

I wouldn't go there, as the saying goes. Odds of Hoya doing something like that is slim to none.
Presently they are barely tolerating the "camera division". ROI is still thin and buying a sensor company would not improve things.....

[Anastigmat]

ƒyƒ“ƒ^ƒbƒNƒX�A’†”»ƒfƒWƒ^ƒ‹ˆêŠáƒŒƒt�u645 Digital�v‚ÌŠJ”*‚ð’†’f

As I understand Pentax will concentrate on K series DSLR,
continue to produce 645N II and 67 film cameras.

But medium-format digital project will be alive. Intrested what would it be?
Digital backs for 645 and 67 - like Mamiya made instead of Mamiya ZD?

The 645D uses a Kodak CCD sensor, which is very expensive. The new camera will likely use a Samsung CMOS medium format sensor. Since Samsung is just beginning to produce APS-C sized sensors, it will take some time before it can make a sensor that is large enough for a medium format camera. I would say at least 2-3 years before Samsung can do it. Meanwhile, a full frame sensor from Samsung is probably the more urgent need. That may be why the annoucement was made.

[ogl]

PENTAX 645 DIGITAL (tentative name)

PENTAX 645 DIGITAL(‰¼�Ì)

It's interested - working sample of 645D with removable sensor.
The pictures of LCD made on March, 6, 2008.

[ogl]

I had information 2 year ago that Samsung began to design 30 Mp sensor for digital MF camera of Pentax. Maybe this information
ƒyƒ“ƒ^ƒbƒNƒX�A’†”»ƒfƒWƒ^ƒ‹ˆêŠáƒŒƒt�u645 Digital�v‚ÌŠJ”*‚ð’†’f
is simply desinformation?

[eurostar]

My take on the "suspend 645D, keep working on MF digital" is that, since the sensor is designed to be 33x44mm (hence the standard lens of 55mm) the big mirrorbox of the 645D has no real menaing, and they are currently designing a smaller, more Eos1Ds like body. The space needed for mounting a 645lens will be obtained by a small tube, instead of making the whole body protruding. This would also make wide lenses easier to design.

Probably in the beginning they hoped for a quick developement of full frame medium format sensor, but three yars demonstrated that medium format digital lives around 36x48mm, and the full 4,5x6cm is never to come.

[janneman]

My take on the "suspend 645D, keep working on MF digital" is that, since the sensor is designed to be 33x44mm (hence the standard lens of 55mm) the big mirrorbox of the 645D has no real menaing, and they are currently designing a smaller, more Eos1Ds like body.

Why nog go different?? Fuji fold up MF camera???
Anyway it is good that they continue developing MF and abandoning the current 645D.
The 645D as we see it now is sooo old that, when released it probably would not be taken seriously anymore. Also development took soo long that the body that was desigend a few years ago probably could not handle some of the usefull technolgies developed recently.

[janneman]

2ndly and someone correct me if I am wrong, but the FA* lenses are being produced AGAIN, all these lenses are suitable for FF Sensors, are they not?

Possible but unlikely as the glass of these lenses contained some stuff environmentalists do not like, and indeed are banned now at least in Europe, probably also in the USA after the next elections IF there is going to be a more environmentally friendly government :-D.
And without lead, the glass wil have different behaviour so the optical forumula will have to be redesigned.

[vinzer]

but can you trust them? Months ago the Pentax spokesman said 645D "was not a priority anymore" which I and others assumed meant "will never be produced". Others saw it as a sign of hope. Silly.
Year and a half ago they "discontinued" the film 645 and 67 but obviously Pentax has a different definition of "discontinued" then the rest of the world.....
Pentax obviously doesn't understand english: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review
I've long ago, after the "discontinuation" of the D (Only to find they were still being produced for at least a year afterwords) not to believe a thing they say until I see it for myself.....
Not cynical, just practical...

I guess you're right. Oh well, as long as Pentax still doesn't fold and keeps developing and releasing stuff at a decent price, I guess it's okay.

Jeff,

Truer words were never spoken... at least as it pertains to Pentax. Over the years, and more recently, since Pentax has gone digital, my contacts at Pentax say... "trust nothing of what you hear, trust only what is or is not in your hand." Go figure

Stephen

Wow, things are that much in flux over there? Amazing.

[ogl]

But we can read here
DigitalCamera.jp
that there is NO ANY OFFICIAL INFORMATION about close the 645D project.

645D has the same menu like K20D with pixel-mapping and AF adjustment.
The battery is the same as the K10/20D.

RAW -> JPEG conversion in camera
Fn menu similar to other K series cameras.
Formats: RAW, PEF, DNG
Dust Alert feature like K20d.

All photos of menus are NEW. Of March.6.2008.

Maybe Pentax change sensor and name of camera?

[ogl]

maybe it's future K1D with new sensor???

[WendyB]

Here is the translation link.


Translated version of http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/dslr/2008/03/07/8087.html




Pentax will still continue to develop medium format FF digital cameras.

[bobrapp]

Here is the translation link.


Translated version of http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/dslr/2008/03/07/8087.html




Pentax will still continue to develop medium format FF digital cameras.

From what may be implied, Pentax will still continue on the medium format path but not necessarily fully compatible with the 645 or 67. It would be far more logical to develop a camera based on a sensor size (read mirror box) than adapt a smaller sensor in a larger format camera (APS in 35mm box).

Bob