[whatever7]

???

What are you talking about? It's the best looking digital medium format there is. Seriously I don't understand what you could have against it?

The new Mamiya 33mp is pretty good looking.

[fearview]

im sorry. noobs question here.

will this beauty autofocus?

==

[Sean Nelson]

will this beauty autofocus?

Yes, just like the 645 film cameras before it.

[Rorschach]

Yes, just like the 645 film cameras before it.

I don't think the first model was autofocus but the last two film models were.

See e.g. The Luminous Landscape

[bt*ist]

I wish pentax all the best of luck with everything they do. Their ongoing health is will determine their ability to keep me buying their 'regular' stuff. But I don't get this Medium Format strategy - I know they've sunk so much money into this but it's such a niche market! AND it's not as if the market isn't already ably covered by Hasselblad and Mamiya and the other one (Leaf?).

I hope this works out for them, but I'm concerned because while they're spending their efforts on releasing and supporting the 645D, what are they giving us DSLR users? Not better low-light autofocus... not better low-light noise reduction.... not 10 or 8 or even 5fps.... but rather a titanium-coloured K20D and a camouflage-green K-m.

I'm concerned!

I'm not saving up for this camera - I'd rather a new APS-C body with some of the above features. But I realise I need the 645D to succeed in order to get those things!

[elkarrde]

pentax has always reffered to 35mm format as "amateur" format.

back in the good old days, medium format was for pros and whealtier enthusiasts, 35mm for amateurs, and poor enthusiasts.

[jonny1986]

$20k+.

Jason

you clearly know very well the mf market



this camera won't be more than 8-10 k

this year you can find a hassy 31 mp at 11000 euro in italy, that is not the cheapes market, and 9000 uk pound...mamiya is cutting price too...you can find mamiya zd refurbished at 5000 dollar...hase one at 8000

nex year when the camera will come out the batle will be tougher....for me pentax will price this camera between a nikon d3x and a phase one 30 million back.

[ltdstar]

this camera won't be more than 8-10 k

let just hope it won't be in the 50mp range then this might possibly be in that price in another yr or so after its release...

[cupic]

And the balance is restored.Pentax back on top


I love it ,but not the price


cheers

[Sean Nelson]

Yes, just like the 645 film cameras before it.

I don't think the first model was autofocus but the last two film models were.

OK, to be more pedantic: "just like the 645 film cameras IMMEDIATELY before it."

[Sean Nelson]

I don't get this Medium Format strategy - I know they've sunk so much money into this but it's such a niche market!

It's not about how large the market is, it's about whether they can sell enough units (however few) at a price (however low) that's more than their production cost. If they can, they make money, and that's a good thing.

There's a large market (in MF terms) of pre-existing film 645D users with lenses that will fit this camera, especially in Japan - so it's probably a pretty safe bet for Pentax.

And it will certainly raise brand awareness in the photography industry, much more so than if they just introduced a FF camera. That's a good thing too.

[Bophoto]

..........
I hope this works out for them, but I'm concerned because while they're spending their efforts on releasing and supporting the 645D, what are they giving us DSLR users? Not better low-light autofocus... not better low-light noise reduction.... not 10 or 8 or even 5fps.... but rather a titanium-coloured K20D and a camouflage-green K-m.

I'm concerned!.................

You have better "low-light autofocus" in K-m/K2000, so we can expect that the coming K??D don´t have worse autofocus...

K20D titan and K-m olive are limited cameras for collectors, limited to 1000 copy.
Intended to be in pressreleases so we can see that Pentax is alive, but not to sell more than Nikon D60...

[Elton]

The new Mamiya 33mp is pretty good looking.

Well then we have a different taste of camera design. I find the new Mamiya to look like a cheap ass camera!

That said, Mamiya is one of my favorite brands, and I love my Mamiya 7II to death, just not their 645 line.

[fejker]

I find myself in a dilemma ... buy a new car or buy one of these babies.

I guess I can always take the bus...

It's so damn sexy ... just need to wait for the specs. I'm guessing ISO 50-800, 1 SPF, 31 MP (d0h) and by the looks of the buttons on the body I think this camera will be great.

[David Whiteley]

back in the good old days, medium format was for pros and whealtier enthusiasts

I didn't think those Kodak Brownies were that expensive.

Seriously though, I ponied up for MF MF (manual focus medium format) before I ever shelled out for AF in 35mm. Granted that was for a TLR (Mamiya C-3--still have it), and granted there were still advocates even then (decades after it was out of production--imagine that with a digital camera!!!) for pro use of MF TLR's (typically in-lens shutters & obviously no mirror flip, so much quieter & more discrete for weddings in particular).

Refering specifically to SLR's, I guess the original comment holds water.