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04-02-2014, 01:53 PM   #61
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What if Z is just a letter; a means to differentiate it from the 645D without calling it "Mark II"?

Maybe they want to imply it's more than just the second version of the 645D; more than just a minor upgrade which is often the case with the "II" designation.

If the clues of it having live view and and a movie mode are true, I'd have to agree that it's more than simply a minor upgrade, and Ricoh's choice of moving to a more distinct name..

04-02-2014, 02:13 PM - 3 Likes   #62
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This is big news!!
(For literally hundreds of people around the world)
04-02-2014, 02:33 PM - 2 Likes   #63
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QuoteOriginally posted by Cynog Ap Brychan Quote
Z - if it's not the last word in photography, at least it's the last letter!
No, Y is the last letter in photography.
04-02-2014, 02:40 PM   #64
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QuoteOriginally posted by monochrome Quote
'Z' has been in my observation commonly used branding to mark a significant change of direction or technology. I immediately thought of the 1971 USA-branded Datsun 240z (Nissan Fairlady Z in Japan), which had formerly been a somewhat boxy, pedestrian design 2-seat convertible. Introducing the sports-hatchback design concept to the west forever altered our thinking about the product placement of a Japanese car - no more econoboxes for us!!.....
Something like that.
I think they want to claim with the letter Z that the new 645 is the omega in image quality. The ultimate hi-end. Or, there may be alphas out there (pun almost intended), but the omega (or Z in Latin alphabet) is just one.
I have used the last letter of the Greek alphabet to illustrate the same idea, as is colloquially more prevalent expression.

---------- Post added 04-03-2014 at 08:45 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by lytrytyr Quote
Well, they've just developed a 285 gram K-mount lens for crop sensors
that is indeed 35mm or 40mm (or 30mm or 60mm) equivalent.
I know I know, and that why I was pointing out to their stubborn negligence: when children are crying for years, father comes in and gives them toys they did not ask for in the first place, at the expense that was not justified, nor required. DA 20-40 is a compromise to finally shut us up, and alleviate Pentax (now Ricoh Imaging) of oversight and neglect.

"It's not what you've been looking for, but it's nutritionally balanced all-in-one big meal. Eat it, and shut up, please”. Something like that.


Last edited by Uluru; 04-02-2014 at 02:46 PM.
04-02-2014, 02:53 PM   #65
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Just turn Z around 90 degrees and You will get N, same asi 645 to 645N
04-02-2014, 02:58 PM   #66
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Or maybe it is just a '2' that got lost in translation? What happened to the 645 2014 designation that was mentioned before?

Hmm, if you subtract 14 from 20 and add the result to 20 you get 26, and 'Z' is the 26th letter of the alphabet...........
04-02-2014, 03:02 PM   #67
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QuoteOriginally posted by jatrax Quote
Or maybe it is just a '2' that got lost in translation? What happened to the 645 2014 designation that was mentioned before?

Hmm, if you subtract 14 from 20 and add the result to 20 you get 26, and 'Z' is the 26th letter of the alphabet...........
and maybe on the memorycard there are images off the lost MH370 plane.

04-02-2014, 03:04 PM - 1 Like   #68
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QuoteOriginally posted by monochrome Quote
'Z' has been in my observation commonly used branding to mark a significant change of direction or technology. I immediately thought of the 1971 USA-branded Datsun 240z (Nissan Fairlady Z in Japan), which had formerly been a somewhat boxy, pedestrian design 2-seat convertible. Introducing the sports-hatchback design concept to the west forever altered our thinking about the product placement of a Japanese car - no more econoboxes for us!!. If the 645 brand is indeed the '645z' perhaps that means Ricoh is staking its marketing claim with its flagship camera.

"There is room for a third full-line camera brand and it can be Pentax, but it must be an alternative to Canon and Nikon, not another Canon and Nikon."

The coming year should be very exciting.
It may also be equal part of retiring the D suffix. The D as in "this is a digital camera. We put the D on the name so you can tell it apart from the film cameras." After all, it's been what, half a decade since Pentax used it on their other DSLRs?
04-02-2014, 03:15 PM   #69
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QuoteOriginally posted by Uluru Quote
Something like that.
I think they want to claim with the letter Z that the new 645 is the omega in image quality. The ultimate hi-end. Or, there may be alphas out there (pun almost intended), but the omega (or Z in Latin alphabet) is just one.
I have used the last letter of the Greek alphabet to illustrate the same idea, as is colloquially more prevalent expression.

---------- Post added 04-03-2014 at 08:45 AM ----------



I know I know, and that why I was pointing out to their stubborn negligence: when children are crying for years, father comes in and gives them toys they did not ask for in the first place, at the expense that was not justified, nor required. DA 20-40 is a compromise to finally shut us up, and alleviate Pentax (now Ricoh Imaging) of oversight and neglect.

"It's not what you've been looking for, but it's nutritionally balanced all-in-one big meal. Eat it, and shut up, please”. Something like that.
Lol, but let's not jump out of the window (metaphorically, I very much hope) until after the new camera is released. It might offer some pleasant surprises - who knows?

As for the DA 20-40mm, my own guess is that it's intended as a successor to the FA 20-35mm with the market in Japan primarily in mind. What the West wants may be rather down the list. I suspect the focus on their home market is behind a great of what Pentax has done in recent years, including the 645D, the Q series and the DA 560mm, among others. It also informs the design cues of all the DA Limited prime lenses. You either like this approach or you don't, of course - but the point is that it's considered, if I am guessing correctly. And in turn this consideration produces something reasonably distinct from companies with much more of a focus on the West. Anyway, for me it does produce small, well-made and capable cameras without fripperies. If you want the full Fat Boy experience, and perhaps most of us will at some stage, or have already tried it, there are plenty of other manufacturers to choose from.
04-02-2014, 03:41 PM - 2 Likes   #70
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A much better name would be the 645 Double Rainbow
04-02-2014, 03:50 PM   #71
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and a lot of folks saying: yes! next it's time for full-frame!

I'm not thinking on buying a full-frame camera, but sure it would attract new users to the Pentax brand
04-02-2014, 04:13 PM   #72
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QuoteOriginally posted by Adam Quote
I wish they did this for the Pentax FF
Here it is:
04-02-2014, 04:41 PM   #73
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Unless Ricoh intends to abandon 645 entirely, they have to come out with a successor to the 645D. Why is it launched now? Because a new sensor has been introduced. What is the significance of Z? Probably nothing much, but they have to call it something. I don't think this release is prioritised over anything else. It just came first.

If we're going to use parent-child analogies, there's no need to throw your toys out of the pram because this is not the camera or lens you were waiting for.
04-02-2014, 04:55 PM   #74
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QuoteOriginally posted by JPT Quote
Unless Ricoh intends to abandon 645 entirely, they have to come out with a successor to the 645D. Why is it launched now? Because a new sensor has been introduced. What is the significance of Z? Probably nothing much, but they have to call it something. I don't think this release is prioritised over anything else. It just came first.

If we're going to use parent-child analogies, there's no need to throw your toys out of the pram because this is not the camera or lens you were waiting for.
You are right.
But also, that does not mean we should not analyse the behaviour and resulting approach of the company and its management when it comes to matters we are interested in. So far it seems Pentax brand and its management are big on show and building on anticipation in matters that are of little overall importance to its core users.
Therefore "bad father, poor child" analogy.
04-02-2014, 05:06 PM   #75
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I agree that the lack of a 24mm or 28mm is the most mystifying gap in the K- mount lineup. A cheap plastic 28mm f2.8 and a 24mm f2 of the same grade as the DA*55mm would do the job, but I think it's another conversation.
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