Last week I sold my K-3 because I realized I have so much fun with my K2DMD, LX and 67ii, that the K-3 stayed at home too often.
So I decided to ditch APS-C and look for something new. I've kept all my lenses which are 35mm compatible, including my excellent 31mm limited MIJ.
I've had a look at the K-1 since its long awaited release and it is such a fantastic camera. But today I pulled the trigger and bought an almost new 645D + DFA 55mm for a reasonable price.
Comparing data sheets, reviews, this forum etc. that wasn't the "right" decision. The K-1 is smaller, newer, faster and has a "better" sensor in almost every aspect. The 645D is a heavy beast with some quirks, slow AF, slow buffer etc. So why would any sane person decide against the K-1 in favour of the old 645D?
The 645D has a big CCD-sensor and produces lovely skin tones at base ISO comparable to my late K10D I was so happy with. I've tried to achieve that look all the time with my K-3 and serious Nikon bodies that I borrowed for events (absoluetly great and reliable workhorses!), but that was always a tough (and time consuming) job for me. I'm sure that there are many skilled lightroom artists that can achieve a comparable look with calibration, local adjustments and other tricks, but I'm just spoiled by Portra film and my old K10D...
Another point is that I'll be able to use my 6x7 lenses without the limitation of green-button metering, because the aperture is coupled with the body even with the 645-67 adapter.
Green-button metering with K-lenses has never been reliable enough for my taste due to the mate-screen dependency (fast apertures always overexposed, slow apertures vice versa) and using live view is too cumbersome for me when shooting outdoor portraits. I really like using the aperture ring on the lens because I learned photography this way when I was a kid (with an old K2DMD I still love
). Maybe some day I'll find the venerable AB-82 split screen for the 645D and than I'll have a similar analog feeling again. The 645D is not for every day use, but hey, that's what smartphones are for! (don't kill me!)
Right now I'm just happy I decided this way and wanted to share this feeling