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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
06-14-2023, 04:26 PM
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I hadn't thought about that but you are right of course. The thing is I will be in Japan at the end of the year and was thinking it might be a good time to satisfy my maybe un-wise desire for a film camera while I am there since there are so many amazing used camera stores there. So I was thinking it would make the most sense to get a 645n if I already have the 645z and lenses are notionally interchangeable. I guess I may have to get a cheap FA lens to use with it if I can't use the 28-45 (which is my only lens) on it. Or just get some completely different MF camera instead...
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
06-14-2023, 04:11 AM
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Hi, I was just wondering if the DFA 28-45 will allow aperture control when mounted to the 645n or 645nII? Also will it autofocus - though that is not so important.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
02-15-2023, 08:22 PM
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Anyone else seen this?
https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/pentax-talks-the-645z-medium-format-...-be-mirrorless
I haven't confirmed this with any other source so take it for what it is worth.
The comments about looking after users with existing lenses and the issues of increased sensor MP totally sounds like the way Pentax would do things.
I still own a Z and the 28-45. I dont use it much now but haven't been able to part with it. I would not upgrade it but would like to see the system continue. I would consider a future new lens if it was a much smaller lighter ultra wide angle lens.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
12-20-2022, 08:55 PM
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I have already sold out of my K1 kit. I still have my 645z but will probably sell that too. HOWEVER I still respect Pentax as a company and would love to see them do this and make a great success of it. You only have to look on ebay to see how much some of the most sought after film cameras are going for to see that there is demand. It would make the most sense to have a K1 style film body that can use all the modern and old K mount lenses. To be able to have a lens kit with both a film and digital option might bring new customers to Pentax. The same for the 645 - a modern 645niii that will take both the new gen and old gen 645 lenses would be awesome. That would even tempt me to keep my 645z and 28-45 if I could scratch a long worrisome itch to shoot MF film.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
11-29-2022, 07:38 AM
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My 28-45 is a bit like this but I think that was a result of my tripod falling over on the beach. Must have got a bit of grit under the focus collar. Its fine I worked the ring back and forward a lot and it freed up enough it doesnt concern me now. I guess you could get it serviced if you could find someone to do that.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
11-08-2022, 06:23 PM
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33-55 is slightly wider too. Certainly an option to consider. I had discounted it because it doesn't have a good reputation but shooting at f8 or f11 is all I would be doing with it anyway.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
11-08-2022, 05:47 AM
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One of the weight saving things was going from a 645z system plus a K1 system so that I could cover ultrawide (but was still missing out on the telephoto). Now I have all the focal lengths I need with the S1r, 16-35 and 70-200 F4. I can supplement with my little G9 and a tiny prime Laowa if needed. My thinking was if I had a smaller lens for the 645Z I could carry it either with my S1 or my G9 on occasion. I agree the 28-45 is an awesome lens but going with an A35 prime would save a lot of weight and help me recoup some money for my new purchases as well. Its a difficult decision. I did consider the DFA 35 which would be lighter and sharp but it looks like it would be a straight trade as far as cost goes so I don't end up with any cash after. Though maybe that would be okay I'll have to think about that one.
I already sold my DFA55 and DFA90 and I think if I change it would just be to a single 35mm lens whatever it is for the weight saving and simplicity. I might just have to see what I manage to get for the 28-45 on ebay then decide if I get the DFA35 which would certainly be nice (and a full 900g lighter) or the A35. I think I would be more satisfied with the DFA.
I have a slipped disc in my back at the moment (which I suspect is going to be dodgy going forward even after it heals) and bad shoulders. The 645Z plus K1 systems was too much and the 645Z+28-45 plus tripod is damn heavy to move around on location and the Z doesn't really work on my peak design clip. It's a much more nimble proposition now with the S1r, 16-35 and new tripod that is nearly a kilo lighter than my old one. I have a very good and light pack so that is not the issue.
What will probably happen is I will decide to take the Z and 28-45 out sometime just on its own and will so love the results from it I decide I can't part with it:)
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
11-07-2022, 07:04 AM
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I have scaled back my 645z system to just the body and the 28-45. My main landscape photography kit is now Pana S1r (lighter for my bad back more nimble better lens selection) but I feel reluctant to sell the Z. Partly because I know I will be losing a lot on it but also it is a monster for dynamic range and long exposures and I love every keeper pic I got with it the last 8 years. I wonder would it be stupid to sell the enormous boat anchor that the fabulous 28-45 is and buy just the 35 A and maybe the 55 A or the 45-85 A?. Smaller lighter simpler. Would I lose too much in IQ? I can live with the narrower DOF.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
05-10-2022, 05:44 PM
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It's in the digital camera category. You are probably not seeing it because I haven't included an option to ship internationally?
---------- Post added 05-10-22 at 05:53 PM ----------
By 2024 I will have forgotten this post :) Save my website to your bookmarks and get in touch before you head over here. If I still have it I will certainly be interested in selling it as I will be in the middle of building a house around then!
---------- Post added 05-10-22 at 06:02 PM ----------
There have been a bunch of selling tips which I appreciate. I haven't listed it on the Pentax marketplace here as I get the impression the vast majority of people here are not based in Australia and I don't really want to ship internationally because of the cost and hassle. I may do so at some point though. In the meantime, although I am not doing everything I can to sell it maybe because I'm kind of torn between selling it and keeping it. I set it up in an another smaller camera pack on its own. When I go to a shoot I can decide between my dual body Panasonic kit or the 645Z and 28-45. All I do is swap the filters over and go. So maybe I will just use it situationally - for example if I know I am going to be doing super long night exposures for star trails or shooting directly into the sun at sunset and want the best shadow recovery, or if I just feel like it. In the meantime I'll keep the Z listed and maybe drop the price a little over time and see what happens. If I haven't sold it buy the end of the year I'll just split the kit up into individual items and drop to bargain basement prices and cut my losses or keep ii for good if I feel like I am getting enough use out of it.I'm lucky enough to have options I guess and can afford it financially.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
05-07-2022, 04:38 AM
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Yes I see your point but I guess what I was curious about was that on ebay and the Pentax website there are NEW 645Z's being sold (or at least advertised) for the same or more than what I am asking for my entire kit. If anyone was at all interested in buying a new Z surely a kit like mine for the price I am asking would be too good to pass up. The fact I haven't had any nibbles made me wonder if the new market for the Z has completely gone away.
And yes I know that camera gear after 7 years should expect a massive depreciation (I knew this going in and went for it anyway), but not many cameras are still around as 'current' models on the market place after that long either. The Z hasn't been replaced by a new model and it's performance at least image quality wise is still better than 99% of the cameras currently available.
If all I could get at this point was half of my current asking price I just don't think it would be worth selling, I'd rather keep it to use occasionally I think. It's still an awesome image-making machine and will probably still be working and putting out more-than-good-enough images and prints 20 years from now. Maybe 20 years from now it will be considered a classic and the prices will have gone up:)
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
05-05-2022, 05:41 PM
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Well its a long story but it is essentially because of weight and complexity. I loved the Z but it didn't suit all shooting situations so I got a K1 and 15-30 for the ultrawide. Great combo for when I wanted ultrawide field of view BUT I had to carry the enormous filter holder and filter system for that lens and there were no other options available for an utrawide zoom. So I was lugging around 2 camera systems both of them heavy and I didn't have the capacity to also carry a 70-200 which i was finding I wanted to shoot more. Plus I have bad shoulders, a dicky lower back and sore thumbs and fingers from RSI from mouse use in my day job so handling the Z (3kg with the 28-25) was becoming tiresome. So in the end I bought an S1r, the 16-35F4 and the 70-200F4 so I can do all my shooing with the one reasonably sized system. I also already had a G9 which has decent image quality for a backup or timelapses and the fast primes for it that weigh virtually nothing. Shooting is now simpler and more enjoyable for me, it wasn't about image quality or the camera holding me back. I loved the Z files but honestly the S1R files are also pretty good and any shortcomings are bearable for what is realistically just a hobby.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
05-05-2022, 03:56 PM
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Yeah the cost for certain film camera's is kind of nuts. Check out what a Hasselblad X-pan costs!!
---------- Post added 05-05-22 at 03:57 PM ----------
Yes you may be right. If still haven't sold it in a few months and I find myself not using it then I'll probably go that way.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
05-05-2022, 04:23 AM
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Yeah I did sell my 90 and 200 seperately but I decided selling the rest individually was risky. If I sell as an entire kit I at least will have it available to use as a system until the day I sell and i can always change my mind. If I sold the 28-45 I'd be stuck with a camera I essentially can't use and there is no backing out. The 28-45 has been what I used 99% of my shots. The 55 is really just a bonus for a buyer.
---------- Post added 05-05-22 at 04:27 AM ----------
I'm not actually a business I do landscape photography as a hobby. I did try and turn it into a sideline and have sold prints but its not worth the hassle given the small market. Being based in Perth (most isolated capital city in Australia and maybe the world) and not wanting to ship overseas does limit my selling opportunities and ebay is kind of the only practical option for me. I did try FB pentax groups and one person was interested but instead bought a K1. Small market for Pentax in Perth.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
05-04-2022, 09:52 PM
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Even though Pentax is supposedly still selling the Z new I would be astonished if they actually sold any given how hard it is to sell a used one. I'm trying to sell my Z with 28-45 and 55 for well less than half the retail cost and haven't had the slightest interest on ebay. I'm wondering if it is even worth selling it if I have to practically give it away.
Sorry not really a question more of comment and wondering if anyone is engaging in the market for this camera at all now given the Fuji system and others. I knew when I bought it that resale could be a problem but still.... I had a great 7 years with though.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
08-16-2021, 06:58 PM
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I had an interesting photographic experience on the weekend. I went to a coastal location to do some photography despite the forecast not being the greatest (boring blue skies a high possibility). I was in a poor frame of mind - it has been hard to get inspired recently due to covid travel restrictions and feeling like I've visited all the locations in my area too often. I only pulled out the z with 28-45 to use and found the beach had been eroded by about a metre since I was there last due to winter storms and the composition I had been hoping to reshoot just didn't exist so I had to scramble to find something different. I shot mostly in the blue hour because I knew the sky was going to wash out super quickly then I really underexposed my shots later to ensure 1-2 second exposures for the best water blur effects. I didn't think I was getting anything good then for the first time since I have owned the Z my tripod toppled over while my back was turned. Lucky I was higher up the beach getting a filter so it just landed in soft sand. It is a measure of my respect for the durability of my gear that I was only annoyed at now having to somehow get all the sand off my filter not concerned about damage. I simply got my water bottle and poured it over the camera and lens to wash all the sand off, dried off the filter and carried on shooting.
When I processed my images the amazing DR and malleability of the Z's files enabled me to end up with actually a couple of decent images with a soft pink glow in the sky and perfect detail in the recovered areas. They weren't quite gallery quality but they were enough to keep me inspired to go out again next time which is what I needed.
Suffice to say maybe I needed the reminder about why I chose pentax and the 645z in the first place! I still haven't decided what to do and am in no hurry but will look at other options including just abandoning my K1 system and going all-in on the Z (maybe just not worrying about the ultra wide at all) OR getting rid of my 15-30 with its much hated 150 filter system and get the irix 15mm and the pentax 70-200 F4. This doesn't solve my desire for wildlife photography though so that brings me back to square one....
---------- Post added 08-16-21 at 06:59 PM ----------
I'll check out the video. I'm not sure what it says but I have noticed I always get better background detail and DOF with my Z images.
Thanks for checking out my website!
---------- Post added 08-16-21 at 07:03 PM ----------
Thanks for this story it obviously directly relates to me. It has also occurred to me that I could get rid of the K1 system and get a different system for wildlife whether it be the k3/150-450 or a used Canon or Nikon DSLR.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
08-15-2021, 05:09 PM
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It certainly is not a case where I have realized that the 645z is too much for my needs. It has been the best camera I've ever used and I would be sorry to part with it. It's more a case of my wondering if I should accept 'good-enough' over 'perfect' for the sake of simplifying my kit and getting a lens set that allows me to shoot more diverse subjects.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
08-14-2021, 12:26 AM
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Not all 14/15/16mm zoom lenses need a 150 filter system. Most don't actually for example the 15-35 RF zoom from canon. The fact that the K1 files aren't as good as the Z is at least partially about resolution and I would have min 45mp with any of the options I am looking at. I accept I won't have medium format quality in a full frame system but I'm wondering what would be the closest if there is such an evaluation that could be made.
---------- Post added 08-14-21 at 12:38 AM ----------
Yes I have considered the DA25 but that doesn't give me a single lens solution to the 16-35 range I want for wide angle landscapes. The 28-45 is big enough without adding another big ultra-wide to my kit. I love the 15-30 its a fantastic optic but the huge filter holder and filters is hard to pack in a camera bag, difficult to manage in the field and again is a duplication of my 100 kit which I use for other lenses.
I also considered getting a K3iii and 150-450 I've heard good things. It's not completely out of the question that I might get rid of the Z and just be satisfied with a K1 and K3iii kit with the 150-450 added but that is still a 2 camera system and I'm stuck with 150 filters. In the past I always wanted a 'backup' body but I was thinking about this recently and realising in 25 years I have never had a camera body fail in the field. I think I'd like to just have a single body especially as for at least several years I won't be doing some once-in-a-lifetime overseas photography trip.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
08-13-2021, 08:03 PM
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I have been using the Z for years now. I bought it new and shortly after bought the K1, ditching all my canon gear so I could focus on landscapes. I love the Z and 28-45 combo and still regard the images I get from it as equal to any current generation camera on the market. However just recently, I suddenly became annoyed with having to have a second camera system (K1 with lenses) because I can't do ultra wide on the Z. To make matters worse the 15-30 lens I have for the K1 (though very good) needs the huge 150 filters and that, added to all the lenses makes the whole setup heavy, unwieldy and with lots of duplication. And I still don't have any sort of telephoto options to get into wildlife photography again or do compressed landscapes. I could get the k3 and a 150-450 but that just adds more complication to an already large system. I like the K1 but would not choose to use it as my main system as the files are not as good as the Z and AF is not up to the task of wildlife shooting.
I haven't decided yet but seriously considering selling everything and buying into one of the high MP full frame systems: a single camera body, a fast ultra-wide zoom that takes standard 100mm filters, a cheap 50 prime for occasional walk-around shooting and a versatile 100-400/500/600 zoom that can do landscapes, close-ups or wildlife. 1 body 3 lenses to keep it simple with a system that is kind of future proof and half the weight of my current kit. I could go Nikon D850, Pana S1, Sony A74, Canon R5 or Nikon Z7. I like the idea of the R5 since I used canon before, love the lenses they have but it is an expensive option and image quality though much improved from the old DSLR's is still not primo for landscapes.
So has anyone switched from the Z to a full frame body or use both and were you satisfied with the files and doing large prints? I would be 80% landscape 20% wildlife in the future maybe.
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Forum: Pentax K-3 III
04-20-2021, 05:36 AM
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I'm certainly in no hurry and will wait for some real world reviews before making a decision for sure.
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Forum: Pentax K-3 III
04-17-2021, 08:19 PM
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I like the look of the K3iii and I already have a 645z and K1 so it would be nice to complete the set with a camera that shares batteries, flash (not that I use flash often) and can at least share lenses with the K1. I have done a lot of wildlife photography with Canon gear in the past in Australia and Africa but have since sold it all to focus on landscape photography and buy into the 645Z system. I'm feeling like I'd like to get back into it and am sure the K3ii and a 150-450 (or 300 f4+extender) would probably be a decent setup. The problem is I know I could pick up a used 7D2 or 90D and a Sigma 150-600 Sports for maybe half of the cost and I know that the canon AF in a 7D2 is amazing and will do the job and I think the Sigma lens is pretty good.
Any thoughts one way or the other?
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
02-13-2021, 04:10 PM
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My camera sits on the desk with the card slot cover open until I am ready to put cards in again. It NEVER goes into my pack without cards installed. Its not a hard habit to get into.
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
09-19-2020, 12:00 AM
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I own both K1 & 645Z. I use them for landscape photography and I can tell you categorically that the Z is a better camera for that job - it is the one I will always use first regardless of conditions. The K1 is a backup and it also gets used when I want the field of view of the 15-30 that I can't get with the Z. The image quality difference does come down in part to resolution but there is also something less definable. The dynamic range of the Z is astonishing and the RAW files it produces are SO malleable and workable (as long as you preserve your highlights) that it is nearly always the case that I get my best images when shooting the Z. Also the 4:3 ratios is better. Having said that of course if you are not a committed landscape or commerical photographer and are not planning to print large landscape images then these differences are probably not worth the cost and the K1 is the better choice. You do pay a weight penalty with the Z (especially if you use the 28-45 like I do) but in useability I find the Z really really good. I may in the future sell or upgrade my K1 but I doubt I will ever sell my Z. I might buy a second in the future once the used price drops enough and I aspire to owning the other modern lenses to complete my set (the 35DFA and the 25 DFA). The image quality and build quality is so good I can't really see myself needing anything more for what I do. I have reviews of both cameras on my website.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
02-17-2020, 03:34 AM
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I came to the same conclusion about horizon correction being the problem but in my case it was a timelapse that was ruined. Its an interesting feature in theory but in practise its best just kept turned off.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-20-2019, 09:06 PM
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If this had decent AF I may finally be tempted to get my first Pentax APSC body and the 150-450 to add to my current kit of the K1 & 645Z. The joystick is a promising sign as this is a must for a good AF system that is fast to use when shooting wildlife. I guess it would be too much to expect that this will be released before a trip I have planned in April unfortunately.
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
07-28-2019, 04:04 PM
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I also like to support a bricks and mortar store and have been using Camera Electronic | Sales Repairs Rental | Video Digital Photography . There prices are fine and they stock an enormous range of gear. I've bought 645z & K1 plus lenses from them in the past straight off the shelf and they are quite supportive of Pentax, keeping lenses in stock even 645 lenses like the 300mm. They even had an info night with a CRK rep when the K1 was released. I see that they also have the K1 on backorder though. I suspect CRK is just waiting for a new shipment of stock to come in that's all.
I've always wondered if local camera stores often don't stock Pentax gear because CRK sell direct to the public or whether CRK sell direct because local camera stores don't stock....
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