Originally posted by normhead For me, it's still a toss up, 645D, 645z, full frame, or stay exclusively with APS-c. So my natural inclination is keep the money in the bank.
Same with me, although when I think about 645D vs 645Z, I think the 645Z is still worth the premium… here's why:
I own a K-5 as my primary, and a K20D and K10D as backup and 2nd backup, and a 645N and 3 lenses. So my high-ISO limit is the K-5, and it's ok but not excellent.
I thought about the K-3, but I'm not in a rush, and now I'd probably wait for either another price drop on the K-3, but more likely I'd only get another APS-C if the K-5 died.
So considering the 645D vs Z, the 645Z has excellent high ISO IQ, and the 645D doesn't. When I consider where/when I'd use a 645D for what it's built to do, it's ok, but the 645Z is just excellent all around. And it has the same fps as the good ol' K10D. Seems like a no-brainer, right?
And finally, I can cross the 645D off the list because that body might be just a shade more than a new FF body anyway.
So perhaps I can get a 36MP FF for less than a 40MP 645D. Maybe that means that the FF will be 24-ish MP? So it doesn't eat into the 645D and 645Z sales if it were 36MP? Or is the D getting retired? And if it's 24MP, that's where the K-3 camps out, so… it could be the indicator that the 645D is indeed toast and they are just selling off the last of them, and the FF will be 36MP.
That means the decision is 645Z 'now' -vs- FF 'later'. That's notionally a $6k savings, in round numbers, if we peg the Z at $10k and FF at $4k including grip.
The only thing holding me back from getting the 645Z now is the voice in the back of my head whispering 'buyers remorse' when the FF kicks the 645Z right in the spec sheet. Maybe not in terms of resolution, but in all other aspects. And for $6k less.
I think that's an excellent argument for Pentax to price the FF quite high, actually. It has to justify itself over the K-3, but it can't be a 645Z killer for only $2500. Can it? I'm thinking in the high $3's, like $3750. Not $4k. (we all know Pentax can't do 4k anyway… snerk…)
Except, as you noted, glass; I'm covered except at the very wide end. I bet we some motion there before too long though… too much chatter about new lenses lately.