The article below was first posted on April 1, 2009. These words were my speculations at the time. Looks like my speculations turned to reality. Way to go Pentax.
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Pentaxians are not followers...they are interesting leaders.
Hi Pentaxian friends.
Pentax announced the resurrection of the Medium Format 645D SLR and had mock ups displayed at the Photo Imaging Expo (PIE) in Tokyo in March. Although I will probably never have enough disposable income to purchase one, this move will benefit all of us. The price is speculated to be approximately $10.000 for a sensor around 30MP. That's a fair price to pay if you are a Professional photographer.
The Medium Format is dominated by just a few companies: Hasselblad, Mamiya, the new upcoming Leica S2, all at prices ranging from $20,000 to $50,000. If Pentax actually produce the 645D and sells it in the $10,000 range, they will once again be the innovators and leaders they once were. Forget the full frame DSLRs, they will by-pass that format all together and go the the top of the line, medium format with 30MP plus. They already have a full line of medium format autofocus lenses. The sensor ratio will be more usable and prints in the 8" x 10", 11" x 14", and 16" x 20" will be easily made without much cropping at all. For us, that use the English measurement system, these sizes are standard and frames already made are found everywhere.
The benefits for all of us will be that Pentax will produce a Professional DSLR, and a Medium Format size at that. They will be up there with the Hasselblads, Mamiyas and a few other brands. The word will get around that Pentax has a Medium Format Pro-Level DSLR and that many of the top Pros are using it. The entry-level photographers will buy entry-level Pentax DSLRs, emulating the Pros. They have done that with the Nikon and Canon brands for a while now.
In the real world, Pentax will have better image quality than the full-frame DSLRs, just like it was during the film era. Photographers all over the world will live happily thereafter! Pentax will sell more cameras, they will make more money with the APS-C and Medium Format cameras, they will have more R & D money, they will come up with better cameras, and the circle will be unbroken again.
Hey...don't laugh, it might just happen that way!
Thank you for reading,
Yvon Bourque
Pentax announced the resurrection of the Medium Format 645D SLR and had mock ups displayed at the Photo Imaging Expo (PIE) in Tokyo in March. Although I will probably never have enough disposable income to purchase one, this move will benefit all of us. The price is speculated to be approximately $10.000 for a sensor around 30MP. That's a fair price to pay if you are a Professional photographer.
The Medium Format is dominated by just a few companies: Hasselblad, Mamiya, the new upcoming Leica S2, all at prices ranging from $20,000 to $50,000. If Pentax actually produce the 645D and sells it in the $10,000 range, they will once again be the innovators and leaders they once were. Forget the full frame DSLRs, they will by-pass that format all together and go the the top of the line, medium format with 30MP plus. They already have a full line of medium format autofocus lenses. The sensor ratio will be more usable and prints in the 8" x 10", 11" x 14", and 16" x 20" will be easily made without much cropping at all. For us, that use the English measurement system, these sizes are standard and frames already made are found everywhere.
The benefits for all of us will be that Pentax will produce a Professional DSLR, and a Medium Format size at that. They will be up there with the Hasselblads, Mamiyas and a few other brands. The word will get around that Pentax has a Medium Format Pro-Level DSLR and that many of the top Pros are using it. The entry-level photographers will buy entry-level Pentax DSLRs, emulating the Pros. They have done that with the Nikon and Canon brands for a while now.
In the real world, Pentax will have better image quality than the full-frame DSLRs, just like it was during the film era. Photographers all over the world will live happily thereafter! Pentax will sell more cameras, they will make more money with the APS-C and Medium Format cameras, they will have more R & D money, they will come up with better cameras, and the circle will be unbroken again.
Hey...don't laugh, it might just happen that way!
Thank you for reading,
Yvon Bourque
4 comments:
On the other hand, used manual lenses will get even rarer and more expensive with a new run on Pentax systems, so get your manual lenses you favor right NOW!
True Michael. But I think this is a small trade-off for a resurgence of the Pentax MF. :)
Wouldn't that be a beautiful thing?
I've got my fingers crossed. Seems like a long shot, but we can hope...
A MF camera likely to be sold in Japan only. I am a little depressed about that as this item price on ebay will shoot the roof.
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