[Digitalis]

"OTOH, the D70 (and D50 perhaps?) quickly became a favorite among hummingbird photographers for this very feature."

unlikely, while I know there were a fair few who used the D70 for hummingbird photography the camera's sync speed had little do to with it, since the hummingbirds wings move so fast I doubt 1/500th would have been able to freeze their motion. Remember the mechanical shutter based sync speed for the D70 was still 1/250th, that is only a one stop differential. It was the flash itself that froze motion..you can get special flash bulbs from some monobloc manufacturers,Elinchrom, Bowens. That have incredibly short flash durations 1/6000 second at 1:1 power which is incredibly fast considering the power level. Most hot-shoe flashes at minimum power can deliver speeds upwards of 1/60,000s flash duration - which are much more commonly used amongst hummingbird photographers.

And let us not forget that every D70 ever made eventually suffered from BGLOD.

[Ivan J. Eberle]

Of course it's done with flash, and most commonly with several shoe mount units mounted remotely and dialed down to their minimum duration settings to achieve 1/15,000 or shorter to arrest wingtip primaries. A fast flash sync speed of 1/500 or faster is extremely useful to scale back the ambient light contribution, to prevent what otherwise records as a double exposure blurring or ghosting.

It's also why leaf shutter MF cameras, starting with Hasselblads and later the Rolleiflex 6000 series SLRs with the PQs lenses-- along with slow speed films-- were most often used. The Pentax leaf shutter lenses are poorly suited to remote hummingbird photography because they need manually recocked between shots.

(Which might explain why I'd hope Pentax pulls a hummingbird out of their hat here by incorporating an electronic shutter.)

[Digitalis]

well, it doesn't seem likely mate.

I own one of the Rollei 6008 integral cameras and a 150mm f/4 that goes up to 1/1000th...that was a fun lens in the studio

[pentaxus]

I suspect that the pentax 75mm leaf shutter lens is "not suitable" because the camera will not automatically set its focal plane shutter to 1/8 of a second like the the film cameras. I used to use my "not suitable" 90mm67 leaf shutter lens on my 645 all the time. I just had to manually set the shutter speed to 1/8 second. As far as metering goes, I see the meter coupling lever inside the mirror box so I suspect that the 75LS lens will meter just like it always has. This also means that 67 lenses should work with the 67 to 645 adapter. As a matter of fact the Japanese Pentax Online shop sells that adapter in the section where they are selling the 645D. Some of the 67 lenses might be a bit weak optically but the only 645 lens that I found to be weak was the 55mmA lens (at least it was the weakest of the 645 lenses I used and tested).

[mns1961]

It's finally out. It's sold for 763,000 Japanese yen, which is equivalent to about US$8400.

You can check sample pics here at Pentax Japan's website:
PENTAX 645D

or,
visit these web sites. Click on the sample images (some are unmanipulated) and copy/download sample images. You may print them out.
GANREF | ?????? PENTAX 645D ?????????????? | ???????????
http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/review/newproduct/20100604_371978.html

The sample pics look pretty good, but using the old SMC lenses designed for the Pentax 645 film camera on this camera and how these lenses perform with the Pentax 645D remain questionable.

I don't know if it'll be sold outside Japan, but hopefully Pentax will.
Enjoy!

[KGH]

Of course it's done with flash, and most commonly with several shoe mount units mounted remotely and dialed down to their minimum duration settings to achieve 1/15,000 or shorter to arrest wingtip primaries. A fast flash sync speed of 1/500 or faster is extremely useful to scale back the ambient light contribution, to prevent what otherwise records as a double exposure blurring or ghosting.

It's also why leaf shutter MF cameras, starting with Hasselblads and later the Rolleiflex 6000 series SLRs with the PQs lenses-- along with slow speed films-- were most often used. The Pentax leaf shutter lenses are poorly suited to remote hummingbird photography because they need manually recocked between shots.

(Which might explain why I'd hope Pentax pulls a hummingbird out of their hat here by incorporating an electronic shutter.)

I have taken images of hummingbirds, with available light, and not used anywhere near that fast shutter speed. I think around 1000th of a sec would freeze it pretty well for a hovering hummingbird.

[bull drinkwater]

In the Pentax Lens Reviews Database description of the Pentax 645 75mm LS says: "and the lens is not suited for the 645D" Why? you can't fire the leaf shutter?

Ramón

if he ment the lens wouldn't work with the 645d, he is wrong. if he ment not the best for some occasions, he may be right. I have used mine with and without a flash unit.

[bull drinkwater]

When you think about the whole mechanism of the LS lens, there is no reason why it would not work.

The aperture stop down lever on all P645 A mount lenses stop down the aperture working aperture, closes shutter, focalplane shutter opens to 1/8 sec or longer, shutter fires and close. the P645D stops down the aperture the same way to work with A and FA lenses.

The lens reviewer is doing everyone a disservice by commenting that the LS lens are not compatible without firsthand testing or verification of the source

I read that same article while I was taking flash shots at high shutter speeds in my living room with my 75mm ls lens.

[KGH]

I read that same article while I was taking flash shots at high shutter speeds in my living room with my 75mm ls lens.

That's funny, because like you, I now have an LS lens, a 135, and know it works well. The camera sets its shutter at 1/8th and lets the leaf shutter do its thing in the middle of the focal plane shutter being open. And the lens is very sharp. Can't wait to use it more.

[-Linus-]

Doing macro with the full set of extension rings is also great.

-Linus-

[KGH]

As a 645d user with a 135 LS, I can honestly say the combo works well. I am still mastering the outdoor flash technique I bought it for, but it does work functionally. You set the leaf shutter to whatever speed you want, the camera knows to set it's own shutter to 8. It does know this because the 645d was designed with this lens in mind. So I would say without a doubt the review is definitely wrong in that regard. Plus this lens is very sharp!

---------- Post added 05-31-14 at 11:31 AM ----------

Sorry for redundancy. I just love this lens!