Pentax unveils 40MP 645D medium format DSLR

[Shea Design]

In case anyone was thinking of going Medium format..





Five years after announcing its development, and following a month-long
online campaign trailing the launch, Pentax has finally unveiled its
much anticipated 645D medium format digital camera. The first digital
version of the company's 645 medium format camera system, it features a
40MP, 44 x 33 CCD sensor, 921k dot 3.0" LCD and is compatible with the
existing 645 system lenses. The camera will initially be available only
in the Japanese market at a suggested retail price of ¥850,000 (~ US
$9,400) from May 2010.

[Sean Setters]

I think I'll stick with my 7D for a bit longer...

[Oren]

I'm with Sean.

[Keith B]

I like the idea of a medium format that is "reasonably" priced is out there but it is still out of my range.


Plus I like the 35mm format. I love my 5DmkII and I think the mkIII will be as good of a camera as I will ever need (yeah right). Plus my 7D is arriving today so I'm pretty married to 35mm for a bit.

[Sean Setters]

Is the 7D going to play backup to the 5D? Or did you get it for those times you need the extra reach?

[Keith B]

It is replacing my 40D. I got a gig shooting community sports stuff for a paper and another gig shooting surf pics and the 5DmkII is the worst sports camera.


For the surf pics I shoot with 100-400 and 40D @10MP doesn't leave me much room for cropping and $7000 for the 600 4.0 isn't in the cards. Then for the sports stuff I really wanted the AF system of the 7D. So with the rebate and a Best Buy no interest for 24 months I took the leap. Plus air show season is upon us.


So the 7D may see as much, if not more action than the 5D.

[Sean Setters]

Cool.


I must warn you--if critical focus is necessary, you may not want to depend on Zone AF. I was using Zone AF quite a bit on my last shoot. The camera would tell me it was focusing on my subject, but in reality, it was focusing on the wall a short distance behind them. Once I changed to single point AF, every one of the images focused perfectly. Don't get me wrong, if your subject is filling most of your frame, then Zone AF works perfectly fine. However, if the subject only occupies a relatively small amount of the frame, then you're much better off trusting single point AF.

[Keith B]

Thanks for the heads up.


I was watching the 7D tutorials to see what I was getting into. They were kind of vague without having the camera in front of me. I'll probably use the single point, like I'd use the 40D until I get it figured out. The paper wants the frame pretty full so zone will probably be perfect once I get to know it.

[Madison]

Pentax Medium Format???
No thanks. I'll shop Mamiya or Hasselblad. Although the latter is overpriced, and then some.