Anyone give up on 645D?

slackercruster · 05-24-2012, 06:56 AM

Why?

What went wrong for you?

**LaurenOE** · 05-24-2012, 07:12 AM

I'd love one, as I love my 645. $10k is pretty high for the body, and I don't have any AF 645 gear. I have the first generation 645 with manual focus. So for me, $20k is a pretty big investment. $20k buys me at least 4 trips to Europe to take pictures, so it's really hard to justify a 645D.

aurele · 05-24-2012, 07:25 AM

LaurenOE, i don't shoot 645 film format, but i guess if you shoot often, you can "quickly" spend as much as the price of the 645D in film and processing (?).

And, maybe i'm wrong, but i don't know if AF is really a huge necessity on 645 ?

phonoline · 05-24-2012, 07:45 AM

What I think is really impressive is the extremely high image quality of the 645D. It depends on the lenses but most of the ones I use or used were extremely sharp, too, even the 67 glasses. So, if you are after high image quality and extreme detail, this one's for you. If you want to be a little more flexible inside a studio, if you need to be quicker in your photography and 40MP resolution is not neccessarily what you need but can live with something like between 12 to 24: get a different system. The 645D wasn't made for any kind of situation, to me it is an "outside" camera. You CAN use it "inside", e.g. in the studio, but you won't get warm with it being so very very slow.

So, that's why I sell it and get a D800

I don't do landscape so I can live with less detail. I get detail from my 67II and GX680III if I need to.

Yamanobori · 05-24-2012, 07:55 AM

Originally posted by LaurenOE

I'd love one, as I love my 645. $10k is pretty high for the body, and I don't have any AF 645 gear. I have the first generation 645 with manual focus. So for me, $20k is a pretty big investment. $20k buys me at least 4 trips to Europe to take pictures, so it's really hard to justify a 645D.

How did you get to $20k? I have a 645d and four lenses, two manual focus, and I spent nowhere near that.

larkis · 05-24-2012, 08:17 AM

The only frustrating part for me about the 645D is how slow pentax is releasing new generation lenses for it and how hard the only one that is shipping is to acquire. Yes some of the older lenses are all right (like the 120 macro) but they are not weather sealed which is very important to me.

Besides small annoyances like the image display speed, which is ok to live with coming from large format where a click of the shutter means flipping over a film holder, there is nothing else out there that really matches the 645D for the target market it's intended for. Also for people who make prints and sell them, the aspect ratio of the 645D fits more within all the standard paper sizes that 4x5 inch film was typically printed to.

tuco · 05-24-2012, 08:19 AM

As much as I like shooting my medium format film gear you'd think I'd be all over the 645D. I could get if I wanted it bad enough but the reality for me is landscape is not the only thing I shoot and my needs in digital are better filled with high ISO, fun and convenience of a mirrorless plus the action and photographic versatility capabilities of the new crop of FF DSLRs for the money spent. So I've elected to take that path.

Last edited by tuco; 05-24-2012 at 08:49 AM.

**LaurenOE** · 05-24-2012, 08:23 AM

Originally posted by Yamanobori

How did you get to $20k? I have a 645d and four lenses, two manual focus, and I spent nowhere near that.

The camera and the new lenses - and some accessories - are easily in the $20k range.

Camera - $10k
DA645 25mm - $5K
DA645 55mm - $1200.
FA645 80-160 on eBay - $1000.
FA645 45-85 on ebay - $1000.
FA645 33-55 on ebay - $3000.

If I am going to buy a 645D, I am surely going to have the glass to go along with it.

Granted, I have a pretty full 645 outfit myself, but I would want to spend more to get some of the AF lenses that are out there.

Blue · 05-24-2012, 08:26 AM

It was always out of my price league. However, I thought it was a good release and I hope Pentax does well with it. Plus, the technology from it trickled down to the K-7, K-5 etc.

aurele · 05-24-2012, 08:34 AM

Originally posted by LaurenOE

DA645 25mm - $5K
DA645 55mm - $1200.
FA645 80-160 on eBay - $1000.
FA645 45-160 on ebay - $1000.
FA645 33-55 on ebay - $3000.

(i don't shoot 645 but ...)

For me, AF on the 25 is just ... well, let's say it : useless. if you want to use it for landscape, you'll always be shooting at f8 at least.
I know, some will say it has nothing to do with 135, but when i shoot @18mm, i always stop down the lens as much as i can, and the DOF is so huge.
I guess, you can have 1,5m to infinity in focus with a 35mm @f11 or f16, on the 645D.

Get the A 35mm instead, and you get 4.5k back on your budget

The 80-160 and 45-160 sound a bit redoundant for me, maybe you can do something about it ?

EDIT : i didn't find in the database any 45-160, but a 45-85, is it what you mean ?

Yamanobori · 05-24-2012, 08:41 AM

I have found the 645D is great in the studio for portraits--very fast. And will be nice for other stuff when the tethering software comes out.

phonoline · 05-24-2012, 08:55 AM

I used it in the studio as well, with nice results. But it is still too damn slow and not flexible enough. That tethered thing sucks, too. It takes them more than two years to get one done? How fast will it be? Can you use it with Bridge, Lightroom?

Femtometer · 05-24-2012, 08:57 AM

As a brand-new 645D owner, I love it. I'm easily tempted at times to get the latest-greatest, and the D800 series are excellent, but part of me really wanted to slow down to the 645D's speed. I was too impatient in 35mm-land. Now I'm finding I use manual focus more and more, since it's much easier with a bright viewfinder; I love the mirror lock up; the manuals are the best I've read; the lenses are plentiful and are high quality, even if they're not new, etc. There are issues, but these pale in comparison to what this thing can do when used well, as I still aspire to do. I always keep in mind that the 645D's sensor is the same as in the S2, so relatively speaking, it's a bargain by comparison.

I also think the option to shoot 67 lenses is also a big plus. Many of these are ridiculously cheap. I paid $300 at KEH for an EX+ 67 55mm lens.

**LaurenOE** · 05-24-2012, 08:59 AM

Originally posted by aurele

(i don't shoot 645 but ...)

For me, AF on the 25 is just ... well, let's say it : useless. if you want to use it for landscape, you'll always be shooting at f8 at least.
I know, some will say it has nothing to do with 135, but when i shoot @18mm, i always stop down the lens as much as i can, and the DOF is so huge.
I guess, you can have 1,5m to infinity in focus with a 35mm @f11 or f16, on the 645D.

Get the A 35mm instead, and you get 4.5k back on your budget

The 80-160 and 45-160 sound a bit redoundant for me, maybe you can do something about it ?

EDIT : i didn't find in the database any 45-160, but a 45-85, is it what you mean ?

Yep, my mistake.

Yamanobori · 05-24-2012, 09:24 AM

Originally posted by LaurenOE

The camera and the new lenses - and some accessories - are easily in the $20k range.

Camera - $10k
DA645 25mm - $5K
DA645 55mm - $1200.
FA645 80-160 on eBay - $1000.
FA645 45-85 on ebay - $1000.
FA645 33-55 on ebay - $3000.

If I am going to buy a 645D, I am surely going to have the glass to go along with it.

Granted, I have a pretty full 645 outfit myself, but I would want to spend more to get some of the AF lenses that are out there.

LOL. That is called padding the bill. You can certainly have a cheaper selection of lenses that will be just as useful. In fact, you probably own some of them.

05-24-2012, 06:56 AM	#1
slackercruster Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: NE, USA Posts: 1,302	Anyone give up on 645D? Why? What went wrong for you?

05-24-2012, 08:23 AM	#8
LaurenOE Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Back in Florida, but worldwide gigs! Photos: Albums Posts: 3,690	Originally posted by Yamanobori How did you get to $20k? I have a 645d and four lenses, two manual focus, and I spent nowhere near that. The camera and the new lenses - and some accessories - are easily in the $20k range. Camera - $10k DA645 25mm - $5K DA645 55mm - $1200. FA645 80-160 on eBay - $1000. FA645 45-85 on ebay - $1000. FA645 33-55 on ebay - $3000. If I am going to buy a 645D, I am surely going to have the glass to go along with it. Granted, I have a pretty full 645 outfit myself, but I would want to spend more to get some of the AF lenses that are out there. Last edited by LaurenOE; 05-24-2012 at 09:00 AM.

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05-24-2012, 07:12 AM	#2
LaurenOE Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Back in Florida, but worldwide gigs! Photos: Albums Posts: 3,690	I'd love one, as I love my 645. $10k is pretty high for the body, and I don't have any AF 645 gear. I have the first generation 645 with manual focus. So for me, $20k is a pretty big investment. $20k buys me at least 4 trips to Europe to take pictures, so it's really hard to justify a 645D.

05-24-2012, 07:25 AM	#3
aurele Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Paris, France Photos: Albums Posts: 3,217	LaurenOE, i don't shoot 645 film format, but i guess if you shoot often, you can "quickly" spend as much as the price of the 645D in film and processing (?). And, maybe i'm wrong, but i don't know if AF is really a huge necessity on 645 ?

05-24-2012, 07:45 AM	#4
phonoline Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Hamburg Posts: 267	What I think is really impressive is the extremely high image quality of the 645D. It depends on the lenses but most of the ones I use or used were extremely sharp, too, even the 67 glasses. So, if you are after high image quality and extreme detail, this one's for you. If you want to be a little more flexible inside a studio, if you need to be quicker in your photography and 40MP resolution is not neccessarily what you need but can live with something like between 12 to 24: get a different system. The 645D wasn't made for any kind of situation, to me it is an "outside" camera. You CAN use it "inside", e.g. in the studio, but you won't get warm with it being so very very slow. So, that's why I sell it and get a D800 I don't do landscape so I can live with less detail. I get detail from my 67II and GX680III if I need to.

05-24-2012, 07:55 AM	#5
Yamanobori Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 573	Originally posted by LaurenOE I'd love one, as I love my 645. $10k is pretty high for the body, and I don't have any AF 645 gear. I have the first generation 645 with manual focus. So for me, $20k is a pretty big investment. $20k buys me at least 4 trips to Europe to take pictures, so it's really hard to justify a 645D. How did you get to $20k? I have a 645d and four lenses, two manual focus, and I spent nowhere near that.

05-24-2012, 08:17 AM	#6
larkis Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 130	The only frustrating part for me about the 645D is how slow pentax is releasing new generation lenses for it and how hard the only one that is shipping is to acquire. Yes some of the older lenses are all right (like the 120 macro) but they are not weather sealed which is very important to me. Besides small annoyances like the image display speed, which is ok to live with coming from large format where a click of the shutter means flipping over a film holder, there is nothing else out there that really matches the 645D for the target market it's intended for. Also for people who make prints and sell them, the aspect ratio of the 645D fits more within all the standard paper sizes that 4x5 inch film was typically printed to.

05-24-2012, 08:19 AM	#7
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,025	As much as I like shooting my medium format film gear you'd think I'd be all over the 645D. I could get if I wanted it bad enough but the reality for me is landscape is not the only thing I shoot and my needs in digital are better filled with high ISO, fun and convenience of a mirrorless plus the action and photographic versatility capabilities of the new crop of FF DSLRs for the money spent. So I've elected to take that path. Last edited by tuco; 05-24-2012 at 08:49 AM.

05-24-2012, 08:26 AM	#9
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	It was always out of my price league. However, I thought it was a good release and I hope Pentax does well with it. Plus, the technology from it trickled down to the K-7, K-5 etc.

05-24-2012, 08:34 AM	#10
aurele Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Paris, France Photos: Albums Posts: 3,217	Originally posted by LaurenOE DA645 25mm - $5K DA645 55mm - $1200. FA645 80-160 on eBay - $1000. FA645 45-160 on ebay - $1000. FA645 33-55 on ebay - $3000. (i don't shoot 645 but ...) For me, AF on the 25 is just ... well, let's say it : useless. if you want to use it for landscape, you'll always be shooting at f8 at least. I know, some will say it has nothing to do with 135, but when i shoot @18mm, i always stop down the lens as much as i can, and the DOF is so huge. I guess, you can have 1,5m to infinity in focus with a 35mm @f11 or f16, on the 645D. Get the A 35mm instead, and you get 4.5k back on your budget The 80-160 and 45-160 sound a bit redoundant for me, maybe you can do something about it ? EDIT : i didn't find in the database any 45-160, but a 45-85, is it what you mean ?

05-24-2012, 08:41 AM	#11
Yamanobori Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 573	I have found the 645D is great in the studio for portraits--very fast. And will be nice for other stuff when the tethering software comes out.

05-24-2012, 08:55 AM	#12
phonoline Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Hamburg Posts: 267	I used it in the studio as well, with nice results. But it is still too damn slow and not flexible enough. That tethered thing sucks, too. It takes them more than two years to get one done? How fast will it be? Can you use it with Bridge, Lightroom?

05-24-2012, 08:57 AM	#13
Femtometer Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 25	As a brand-new 645D owner, I love it. I'm easily tempted at times to get the latest-greatest, and the D800 series are excellent, but part of me really wanted to slow down to the 645D's speed. I was too impatient in 35mm-land. Now I'm finding I use manual focus more and more, since it's much easier with a bright viewfinder; I love the mirror lock up; the manuals are the best I've read; the lenses are plentiful and are high quality, even if they're not new, etc. There are issues, but these pale in comparison to what this thing can do when used well, as I still aspire to do. I always keep in mind that the 645D's sensor is the same as in the S2, so relatively speaking, it's a bargain by comparison. I also think the option to shoot 67 lenses is also a big plus. Many of these are ridiculously cheap. I paid $300 at KEH for an EX+ 67 55mm lens.

05-24-2012, 08:59 AM	#14
LaurenOE Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Back in Florida, but worldwide gigs! Photos: Albums Posts: 3,690	Originally posted by aurele (i don't shoot 645 but ...) For me, AF on the 25 is just ... well, let's say it : useless. if you want to use it for landscape, you'll always be shooting at f8 at least. I know, some will say it has nothing to do with 135, but when i shoot @18mm, i always stop down the lens as much as i can, and the DOF is so huge. I guess, you can have 1,5m to infinity in focus with a 35mm @f11 or f16, on the 645D. Get the A 35mm instead, and you get 4.5k back on your budget The 80-160 and 45-160 sound a bit redoundant for me, maybe you can do something about it ? EDIT : i didn't find in the database any 45-160, but a 45-85, is it what you mean ? Yep, my mistake.

05-24-2012, 09:24 AM	#15
Yamanobori Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 573	Originally posted by LaurenOE The camera and the new lenses - and some accessories - are easily in the $20k range. Camera - $10k DA645 25mm - $5K DA645 55mm - $1200. FA645 80-160 on eBay - $1000. FA645 45-85 on ebay - $1000. FA645 33-55 on ebay - $3000. If I am going to buy a 645D, I am surely going to have the glass to go along with it. Granted, I have a pretty full 645 outfit myself, but I would want to spend more to get some of the AF lenses that are out there. LOL. That is called padding the bill. You can certainly have a cheaper selection of lenses that will be just as useful. In fact, you probably own some of them.