[kuau]

I am 99% sure I am going to purchase a 645D when they start shipping in the states later this year.
The only thing holding me back is the lens choices and how well the older pentax legacy lenses will work with the 645D
Does anyone have any suggestions on lens choices?
I just sold off all my Hasselblad H3D39 system when I loved, but living up in the mountains of Utah now, I was to concerned out no weather sealing or protection of my H3D.

Steven Kornreich

[ARCASIA]

Hi Steven,

I am sure that most of the 645 and 67 lenses will do well on the 645D. In particular, I would expect the following 67 lenses to be stellar performers: 55/4, 75/4.5, 55-100/4.5, 100/4 macro, 300/4 M* and 400/4 M*. For 645 lenses, I should think the 35/3.5, 75/2.8, 120/4 macro, 150/2.8 and 300/4 EDIF. You might also want to try with an adapter the Carl Zeiss Jena 180/2.8 Sonnar for portraits and flowers - wonderful out of focus rendition and very sharp to the corners at f/2.8, nothing quite like it in the Pentax line up.


Best, Alan

I am 99% sure I am going to purchase a 645D when they start shipping in the states later this year.
The only thing holding me back is the lens choices and how well the older pentax legacy lenses will work with the 645D
Does anyone have any suggestions on lens choices?
I just sold off all my Hasselblad H3D39 system when I loved, but living up in the mountains of Utah now, I was to concerned out no weather sealing or protection of my H3D.

Steven Kornreich

[D W]

The FA line up that is still available new are 35,45,75,120M,150,300,400,33-55,45-85,55-110,80-160,150-300. The A(non af)600 is supposed to be available as well.
There is the DFA 55 and a wide coming in the 20's very soon.

One can also use manual focus P67 lenses with aperture automation using the OEM Pentax 67 lens to 645 body adapter. I use a 67 400/4EDIF which is superb and another member of this forum in AUS uses the 800/6.7EDIF.

For TS work I use a P6 mount Hartblei super-rotator (CZJ Optic) 45mm. Also for fun stuff more but a few revenue generating images came out of it is the Arsat (USSR) 30mm 180diagonal fisheye lens.

Due to the 645 shorter registration distance adapter are made to use lenses from Pentacon, Hasselblad-C, Pentax 67 at different price point and quality.

[yurihuta]

from Pentax press release for the 645D:

It also features built-in automatic correction for a given PENTAX 645 lens’s optical characteristic.

[drcommercialization]

Re D_W's post "The FA line up that is still available new are 35,45,75,120M,150,300,400,33-55,45-85,55-110,80-160,150-300" ---

Where I can I buy these lenses new? I've googled them but have not been able to find anyone that carries these lenses new. Please help if you can. Thank you.

[surfotog]

At this point your only source for new FA 645 lenses is the asian market. Pentax USA does not import 645 lenses into the States, and I don't believe Pentax Canada does either. I hope this will change when the 645D is officially sold in North America, but I wouldn't count on it. If you really want a new lens, I would suggest either Tin Cheung Camera in Hong Kong, or Japan Exposures.
There are plenty of used lenses on the market, but some, like the FA 35/3.5 are hard to find.
If wide angle is your thing, a new 25/4 is coming early next year that will be sold in the US, according to Pentax USA.

[Frank Michael]

Hello @ all,

im the owner of an 645D since a few days, at the 14.11.2010 we had an short high pressure, so i could make some testings from my balcony, shots at infinity... in the next day i load it up in this forum as DNGs, so everybody can try to convert it. Pleas be patient, im a full time photographer and my customers.. you know the rest :-)). To make a long story short, heres an shrinked Version of my test:

FA 35mm: usebal at F3,5 good at 5,6 excellent at 11 at F16 smoother, caused by difraktion

FA 45-85mm : a realy surprise to me, good at F4,5, excellent at F8 and F11, at F16 smoother, difraktio!

FA 75mm : woow, smal, cheap, but what a Lens, good a F2,8 at 5,6 better, best a F8

FA 120mm : the same stellar performer as in analog times!

FA 200mmIF: the next surprise, very good at F4, 5,6 excellent, F8 Max sharpness! The 200mm is realy excellent, light, cheap and what a performance!

FA 300mm IF ED: no surprise, as good as in analog times, realy sharp at F4, max. at F8, at F16 difraction.

67 45mm : at f4 good, but not so god as the 45-85er! At F8 better, max at F11. F16 shows difraction.

67 55mm, last Series: Wooohah... thats a Lens! Razor sharp until F16

67 90mm Takumar ZV : smooth at F2,8, better at F4 , from F5,6 to F11 max sharpness, a very good lens

67 120mm Soft: i made no sharpness test, its my fun lens... an i have a lot of fun with it :-)))

67 165mm ZV: very good a F4, better a F5,6 and best at F11, very sharp!!

67 75mm Shift: no colour cast by shifting the Lens to the maximum! good at F4,5, better at F11!

67 300mm: Light has gone, so no Test, maybe in December, if the Fog is cleared ;-((

One reminder by all the test: No Lens is new, they are all old Workhorses, battered, shaked on bad roads, caried thru wet forests in rain and snow.

And if you find some orthograpic mistakes in my writing, you are invited to answer me in german :-))

thats it for today

greetings

Frank