[thibs]

Who says we'll be scanning, though? Printing in the darkroom gives fantastic results with 645. Also, there are high-end scanners that will do fantastic work with 120 film for a fraction of that price, and you can scan in multiple passes to capture all the dynamic range.

Or, you could buy a 645Z, and use HDR to capture negative films in all their glory.

Hah, thought the same really

[maleek]

I am not sure 50 or so megapixels will be enough, not unless it has megapixies (tm) under the hood.

No, seriously though. A Pentax MF body would be awesome, perhaps a few years down the road I might afford one.

[fretlessdavis]

I am not sure 50 or so megapixels will be enough, not unless it has megapixies (tm) under the hood.

No, seriously though. A Pentax MF body would be awesome, perhaps a few years down the road I might afford one.

I think 50 MP is more than enough, until they bump up sensor size. Keep in mind, for almost anything besides portraits, I end up stopping down at least a stop vs what I would use with 35mm film. Vs APS-C, which I shoot side by side with 645 film, I'm usually 2 stops more closed down-- so unless I have a flat-ish subject, I'll be in the f/8 to f/11 range, frequently a little past that. Instead of having a dead limit of f/11, like I do with APS-C, I have a dead limit at halfway between 16 and 22.

Given that, and diffraction, I think we'd see diminishing returns by pushing past 50 MP in the 44x33 sensor size. In print size (200 DPI, which I have used with my 6.1 MP cameras to get 11x14 prints that have no imperfections without magnification) we could get 30x40 prints that would be perfect to the naked eye with your nose in it. Beyond this, we'll start hitting diffraction limits. You do get better results by oversampling and downrez'ing than the opposite, but when you're near the diffraction limits, it isn't *that* big of a difference.

I am not even sure there's a point to pushing too much past 50MP, even in MF and LF photography. On the rare occasion I do scan my 4x5, I never really go past about a 6000x7500 pixel size, even though judging the negatives with a loupe, I should be scanning at at least 2x this resolution to get all the detail.

I think 50MP is plenty until they increase the sensor size, and I'm not even sure more than 50MP is needed, even with a larger sensor.

[WerTicus]

I would like a 645s with 24 mp and medium sized sensor.

might come true given what sony is doing with the A7s now.

[WerTicus]

just got an email from pentax australia:

645Z | www.pentax.com.au


looks like you can buy one now! 10.5k body and 12k with 55mm lens.

[Paul the Sunman]

just got an email from pentax australia:

645Z | www.pentax.com.au


looks like you can buy one now! 10.5k body and 12k with 55mm lens.

$500 cheaper at Ted's would you believe!

[clackers]

$500 cheaper at Ted's would you believe!

No good motivation for Pentax to destroy partnerships by undercutting the very shops selling for them.

[jon404]

From California: that $10,499 translates to $9,699 in US dollars... but it's available for pre-order at US $8,499 here -- you Aussies sure get stiffed with high taxes and import duties on photo gear!

[clackers]

From California: that $10,499 translates to $9,699 in US dollars... but it's available for pre-order at US $8,499 here -- you Aussies sure get stiffed with high taxes and import duties on photo gear!

It's true, Jon, bargains are rare, and there's incentive to instead eBay from Hong Kong warehouses.

But in this case I wonder if the difference is actually dramatic? That price is inclusive of our 10% Federal VAT.

How much would you be out of pocket once California taxes were included?

[Paul the Sunman]

From California: that $10,499 translates to $9,699 in US dollars... but it's available for pre-order at US $8,499 here -- you Aussies sure get stiffed with high taxes and import duties on photo gear!

Compare the Pentax lens prices at B&H in the US and DigiDirect in Australia. You will find they range from comparable to much cheaper in Australia, especially given the exchange rate. And these prices include the "sales tax" (GST).

[Winder]

The Purchasing Power Parity index shows Australia at 1.5 which is 50% higher than the USA for a set basket of consumer goods. PPP takes into account taxes and exchange rates. There is a lot of fluctuation for individual goods, but this is the average. Gross National Income is $59,260 (Formerly GNP) for Australia vs. $52,340 for the USA, so some of that difference is offset by higher income.

[mecrox]

For what it's worth, I've just received the April newsletter (email) from Ricoh UK. It says, among other things:

Ricoh Imaging UK announces repositioning for key products
Ricoh Imaging UK is excited to announce the repositioning of key products, just in time for your summer snapping!

The changes are across our range of DSLRs, compact cameras and lenses. So, whether you’re a photography professional looking for a top-quality DSLR, or a family in need of a robust compact for your next holiday, there are plenty of reasons to celebrate.

And

The 645D medium format camera competes with top of the range full frame cameras. It has a superior image quality sensor that is 1.7x larger than full frame delivering better pixel density and greater control of depth of field; suitable for those are into the serious shots. You can now have this all for an RRP of £4,249.99 (body only). 13 dedicated lenses including the 90mm f.28mm Macro; the only medium format lens with image stabilisation, make the 645D the perfect camera for the professional photographer.

I do not know what this "repositioning" really means unless it means no more than "we have some new models you may not yet be familiar with" - which is fair enough. However, the emphasis on 645 format competing with FF is pretty clear, I'd have thought, unless Ricoh mean that the less expensive 645D is the model which competes with FF and the newer and more expensive 645z is the model that competes with MF. Who knows.

Either way, the idea of a newsletter and a competent, well-run website standing behind it (in Europe, anyway) are welcome, imho. Neither was available during the great Hoya no-investment terror.

[Zygonyx]

A "great Hoya no-investment terror" that has produced 645D, K-7/5, Q and quite a few lenses in all 3 mounts...

Today, despite enthousiat declarations in the RICOH take-over follow-up, we don't have that much more innovations (Theta and GR-APSC put aside as pure Ricoh products).
BTW, still no news about GXR's (no) future... and what are Ricoh's engineers doing YET ?

[thibs]

Which Hoya pulled from previous development but didn't effectively fund?

[monochrome]

A "great Hoya no-investment terror" that has produced 645D, K-7/5, Q and quite a few lenses in all 3 mounts...

Today, despite enthousiat declarations in the RICOH take-over follow-up, we don't have that much more innovations (Theta and GR-APSC put aside as pure Ricoh products).
BTW, still no news about GXR's (no) future... and what are Ricoh's engineers doing YET ?

I think we misunderstand what Ricoh has done - since we see very little of thier investment.

Yes,this is right.
I know the old K-3 specs under Hoya,lot of differents to the Ricoh Pentax K-3 today.
The old Plan was to bring the K-3 beginning of 2013,than Summer and now we have Autumn/Winter.
Now,the better K-3 is a Ricoh/Pentax baby.
Same the new lenses and Converter,Hoya stopped lot of thing and/or Ricoh is starting it again or bring it in a new/better variation.
Same the 560mm,i know about a different version of this lens.
Beginns before Hoya,than changed under Hoya and the next was Ricoh with the current version.
Pentax had a lot of good projects before Hoya.......and now,Ricoh will bring the most of them.
2014 will be very interesting,like the the known end of 2013.
Look to the great K-3,Flashes,new Limited HD Line and Limited zoom.
And...this is only the beginning of a new Pentax Time
EVERY Size will be in the Program,from APS-C to 645.

Best regards

Ricoh has invested in modern production methods and HD coating process - things we don't see - and has brought forward Pentax work that Hoya had left unfinished.