[672]

Please RicohPentax make the next medium formant sensor camera in a 60x60 or better yet a 70x70mm........dont sell us short by merely going to 60x45........

[Adam]

You just contradicted yourself

[Digitalis]

Do you have any idea how much a sensor that big would cost? for your average DSLR the sensor contributes to 60%* of the total price of the camera. Because it is very difficult to fabricate a sensor even at the APS-C scale, and with full frame sensors they simply stitch two sensors together - which requires some very expensive and time consuming work to produce flawless results.

70~80Mp and a full frame 645 sensor would be a nice place to start for a 645D MK II - though Pentax will probably have to get their sensors from dalsa, so they will probably go for the 48Mp 36X48mm CCD sensor Dalsa has been rabbiting on about.

*this figure I gleaned from a LL interview with a representative from Canon whilst discussing the production of the canon 5D DSLR circa 2005

[RonHendriks1966]

And no-one thinks of the maximum sensor size for 645 lenses. So 56x42mm maybe the max or 49x49mm in square. There is also the new big sensor from Kodak, but no idea if that is for 645D2.

[Digitalis]

There is also the new big sensor from Kodak, but no idea if that is for 645D2.

Or if Kodak will be in any position to mass produce the sensor at all.

[monochrome]

Or if Kodak will be in any position to mass produce the sensor at all.

Kodak sold their sensor division to private equity firm Platinum Equity last fall. They are well capitalized and continue to invest in R&D and new product production. The sale included the 263,000 sq. ft. research and production facility in Rochester.,

[Digitalis]

Kodak sold their sensor division to private equity firm Platinum Equity last fall. They are well capitalized and continue to invest in R&D and new product production. The sale included the 263,000 sq. ft. research and production facility in Rochester.,

I missed out on that particular piece of news, at least the future of their CCD development seems to be in good hands.

[Wheatfield]

Please RicohPentax .....

Do you say MitsubishiNikon too?

[Yamanobori]

Since a 6x6 camera has a 56mm x 56mm image area, why make a 60mm x 60mm chip, let alone a 70mm x 70mm one.

BTW, if they did, could you actually afford one?

[672]

Is that a better title Adam? I would gladly sell my 645 lenses, my canon gear, my imacon and my 645D if i could get a 67D.............so, yes, yamanbori, i could afford it. All i am saying is to RicohPentax , please do not sell us short by going to 60x45 sensor out of tradition , if you can get 60x60 (or 56x56, whatever fits) , put that in the next MF body. And if technology and pricing allow it then leave 645 in the dust and go straight to a 67D.

[Yamanobori]

Well, the 645D is listed at about 0.65X the cost of the nearest Mamiya/Leaf 40MP camera. The 6x4.5 80MP sensor Mamiya/Leaf camera is about $35,000. That would put a 6x4.5 80MP Pentax camera at about $23,000 if the pricing difference is relative. There is no consumer 67 sensor. So a whole new one would have to be developed, not simply buying something from a sensor manufacturer. Well, a $23,000 camera is out of my reach. A Pentax 67D would not even be on my planet.

[Adam]

A 67D would be interesting but let's not kid ourselves- the 645D is big enough for most people, plus, Pentax has no 6x7 AF or AE lineup.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the 645DII have a larger sensor, though, since all D-FA 645 lenses are "full-frame".

[Yamanobori]

I think Pentax is doing two things with the lens image circle--try to sell as many as possible to both their film and digital customers and also hedging their bets to what sensor sizes will be available in the future. It might be a 6x4.4 sensor or it could be something in between like 48x36. I don't think Pentax will try to be at the top of the heap in terms of absolute quality, but are aiming for a broader group of photographers that can't spend unlimited amounts of money--the 645D hit that balance very well.

[672]

Thanks for all the discussion on this subject pentaxians! I think one of my ideas behind all this is the time line i have experienced in waiting for pentax digital MF. I heard rumors in 2004 and eventually in December 2010 i got the first body to hit Los Angeles retail. So, if the 645D doesnt get a replacement/upgrade til 2016 please make it a 67D.............

[DandA]

I think realistically, the next step for the 645D is to up the # of MP to 60, keeping the current size of the present chip but with some advances in tech (electronics), the higher ISO performance will be equal to or slightly better than the current 40MP model Down the road, sometime after that, I believe the chip size will increase to full frame size 6x4.5 and either keep with their new standard of 60MP with very much increased ISO performance over the 60MP cropped chip OR make the full frame chip 80MP, with higher ISO performance at least as good as the 60MP cropped chip.

I think we can all hope for something exotic, but Pentax has to think of how big their base is those that will purchase vs. cash outlay for the next one or two generations of this camera. Even now, 80MP is the high resolution standard of medium format digital and we're talking about $45,000 currently.

Dave (D&A)