[Gus]

3 questions à Pentax France sur le 645D - Focus Numérique

Rough summary (answered by Mr. Yazid Belmadi):

1st Question - After all the wait for the 645D, why just a Japanese launch?
A. Excluding Japan, there are no official decisions to launch the 645D in other countries. We need to evaluate the potential of different markets before making commitments.

2nd Question - Will you be requesting the sale of the 645D in France
A. Pentax France would naturally like to offer the product on the local market but we need to measure the cost of such an operation. Such a product would necessarily mean the setup of a PRO service and a dedicated distribution network.
We hope we'll have a nice opportunity to present the 645D at the 'salon' of medium format in the month of June. It would be a good opportunity to 'collect' the opinions of primary medium format users and to get a feel of the market at the European level.

In the 3rd question, he mentions that the price of the 645D + 55mm would be around 10,000 Euros if it's ever offered.

4th Question - After the medium format, everybody's waiting for a full frame SLR. Is this planned?
A. We're currently studying the possibility, but prefer not to make any comments at the moment.

So there you go, still no full frame in the pipeline (unless I'm reading it wrong).

5th Question also asks about 'compact lenses market' (meaning micro 4/3rds and the likes). The reply mentions that Pentax is monitoring that market very closely. But as with the full frame question, there are still no comments.

[ilya80]

4th Question - After the medium format, everybody's waiting for a full frame SLR. Is this planned?
A. We're currently studying the possibility, but prefer not to make any comments at the moment.

Same g** d*** position.

Their only way not to loose money is to keep people in the dark right now. If they plan to do it and say about it - some people will hold off on purchasing current cameras and lenses. If they dont plan to do it and say so - some people who are still waiting will drop their gear and move on.

So they just keep it secret. Oh man I hate this.

[Diffusion]

Frankly, I read the original article, and it just sounds like they keep Pentax France largely in the dark about what is in the pipeline or not, but he does not want to say so.

I mean, "oh, I am not sure we will have the 645D in Europe. But if we will, it will cost you about 10k". Who says that, unless you have given it some thought?

Still, interesting read. Thanks for posting.

[Zav]

Pentax France didn't answer anything. They are just saying "we don't know".
Trust me, Pentax France is not in the dark about what is in the pipeline.

[Urkeldaedalus]

I'm not sure if you can learn a lot of info from this interview. It seems to me that Pentax might play it safe the rest of this year (like releasing the rumored Pentax K-7 / K-x hybrid) and do something more ambitious next year. That's just the sense I get so far.

For people hoping for full-frame or EVIL cameras, though, it's nice that they're studying their options. It may be that Pentax will have to pick between these two options and they're not sure what they want to do, yet.

[Jazzyboy]

Same g** d*** position.

If they dont plan to do it and say so - some people who are still waiting will drop their gear and move on.

So they just keep it secret. Oh man I hate this.

Frankly is it possible that they quit that same g** d*** position and release a full frame before next week because I plan to buy one next week... a pentax full frame in the best case or a sony a850 in any other case... Will it be possible or do you think it will be a little short ?

[joakimfors]

Frankly is it possible that they quit that same g** d*** position and release a full frame before next week because I plan to buy one next week... a pentax full frame in the best case or a sony a850 in any other case... Will it be possible or do you think it will be a little short ?

Congrats on getting an α850, I hear that the Zeiss lenses are wonderful. Oh and by the way, you don't happen to have any good K-mount lenses to sell? :lol

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Last edited by Peter Zack; 03-16-2010 at 05:11 PM.

[24X36NOW]

Same god damn position.

Their only way not to loose money is to keep people in the dark right now. If they plan to do it and say about it - some people will hold off on purchasing current cameras and lenses. If they dont plan to do it and say so - some people who are still waiting will drop their gear and move on.

So they just keep it secret. Oh man I hate this.

Me too!

[vizjerei]

hehe ask the Pentax Japan if you really want info...

[falconeye]

The original FF answer: "Nous étudions en ce moment cette possibilité" implies that they didn't really study this possibility in the past but do it now.

Not that I would say that this is what is happening behind the curtain.

But it is a clear indication that the FF pressure did indeed reach Pentax. We don't hear the usual "FF makes no sense for our market" comments any more.

[Pål Jensen]

But it is a clear indication that the FF pressure did indeed reach Pentax. We don't hear the usual "FF makes no sense for our market" comments any more.

Didn't they say once first 645D, then FF?

[falconeye]

Didn't they say once first 645D, then FF?

No, they said "not before the 645D"...

Now that we are after, this statement is information-free.

[Clicker]

They need to send one to Benjamin

[KungPOW]

Is there anyone left that expects to see a Pentax FF before 2012?

[ogl]

3 questions à Pentax France sur le 645D - Focus Numérique

Answered and said NOTHING.