[Kunzite]

Since Z is the final letter of the alphabet, and we have a countdown...

You Tube

You Tube

[monochrome]

Since Z is the final letter of the Latin alphabet, and we have a countdown...
Europe - The Final Countdown - YouTube

Fixed that one.

[Kunzite]

Yes, sure, of the alphabet we're using here. We all know there are several alphabets, and other systems as well; I don't think a confusion would be likely.

[Tony Belding]

I don't know why the letter "Z" was chosen. However... I think there just might be a simple reason behind it. Maybe Ricoh's marketing guys decided they want each lens system to be known by a letter. Maybe the whole 645 system is going to be rebranded as the Z system, and the 645z camera is meant to be a transition to that. Then the Pentax lens formats will be Q, K and Z.

My reasoning is that, if there are going to be more medium-format cameras in the future, it would be easier to work a Z into their names than to fit "645" into the name of each one.

[bibz]

Well Zee rhymes with Dee. Zed rhymes with Dead. OH NO!!!! DOOOOOOMED!

[monochrome]

if there are going to be more medium-format cameras in the future, it would be easier to work a Z into their names than to fit "645" into the name of each one.

Especially since it isn't really 645. Is there something even BIGGER out there? After all, all those real 645 lenses cover the entire 645 image circle.







(How long before this shows up as a rumor somewhere?)

[K David]

don't know why the letter "Z" was chosen

Z is a good power letter, like Q or 00 back in the 1970s -- K. Pharma companies design medicine names around power letters (Zicor, Humira, Celebrex). Power letters change over time but basically are just recognizable letters with strong sounds or cool shapes. And no one else using a Z mount. And I can't think of other companies with a "Z" featured prominently in their models' names. So it's probably just a brand recognition issue and nothing more.

[Uluru]

Z or 645MkII, or whatever.

I see it as continuation of Ricoh's primary school exercises in branding: let's name the company Pentax Ricoh Imaging Corporation, but no, no, let's change it, better shorten it, to Ricoh Imaging 12 months later.

Same 645 MkII, MK2, or 645 2014. When you replace whatever comes after the 645 with an unknown variable x to define it finally, it looks like 645x. But X is already been used throughout entire industry, so let's replace the unknown variable with a "y", instead? But nah, it sounds weird, because y is pronounced as "why", and people can start asking weird questions: 645 why?

So let's forget it, and use the third letter often used for unknown variables in equations, and that is "Z".



Don't put much thought into it. Leica's X substantially means nothing, and overlaps with half a dozen of other Xs on the market, but they're trying to make quite an iconography about it.




Very few companies come with branding that redefines something.

[Kunzite]

There are not too many ways of redefining the same thing. It's still a camera, it's still medium format, and it's called "z".
But we're talking about Pentax, and they would rather build highly competent photographic tools rather than redefine things through marketing. That's fine with me.

[NotaxPen]

Z was chosen because the new 645D was manufactured by Nissan ;-)

[SteveM]

Z was chosen because the new 645D was manufactured by Nissan ;-)

Pentax manufactured by Datsun ?

[farhagh]

Nice point! although they don't give something we would all be happy with .

There is not such a thing that we would "all" be happy with

[Zygonyx]

Well, i wouldn't mind if Z meant "zero crop" to the "regular" let's say "argentic" 645 sensor format.
But i think this is too much of a dream... :/

[geomez]

Z is a good power letter, like Q or 00 back in the 1970s -- K. Pharma companies design medicine names around power letters (Zicor, Humira, Celebrex). Power letters change over time but basically are just recognizable letters with strong sounds or cool shapes. And no one else using a Z mount. And I can't think of other companies with a "Z" featured prominently in their models' names. So it's probably just a brand recognition issue and nothing more.

Lets not forget that "K" stands for "King"... the king of lens mounts!

I do feel though that Ricoh has been going for the lowest common denominator with their naming as of late... HD coating! Z mount! Wow, it all sounds so cool to a 13 year old in 2003!

[raider]

I have no idea why Z is chosen as the marketing keyword for the new 645D but traditionally the letter Z seem to have special meaning to the Japanese culture.

From the land of manga, we have things like:

1. Dragon Ball Z - a well loved anime by all times.
2. Mazinger Z - another one that I like

From the commercial marketing of things, we have:

1. Sony Xperia Z
2. Honda CR-Z
3. And of course Nissan 370Z

From a more serious perspective, we have things like:

1. Operation Z (Z Plan) - Quoted from Wilkipedia -> The Z Plan (Japanese: 新Z号作戦) was the Japanese plan of attack in the case of an American invasion into the central Pacific ocean. The plan was the final attempt by the Japanese to bring about the Kantai Kessen, the decisive battle that would be the avenue of victory for Japan. The capture of these plans were an important military intelligence achievement in the Pacific War.
2. The national religion of Japan is Zen Buddihism....so another "Z" there

Personally I think 645Z is a cool name :-)