Don't forget that there is also the Mamiya ZD, which can use all Mamiya 645 glass (although the non-AF lenses are stop-down only). It's a bit pricey at 12 grand or so. Personally, I'd rather a 645DII with a good back, but that's way out of my price range at the moment.
-Adam Kevin Waterson wrote: > This one time, at band camp, Paul Stenquist <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >>It will have a 24 megapixel sensor, it will cost $4000, and it will >>appeal to a wide range of pros and serious amateurs. That's my >>prediction. >>Paul > > > I tend to agree. Any wedding photographer or indeed studio > photographer would be salivating over this. The only other contender > is the FujiBlad that is now up to 39 megapixels and costs about the > same as a small island. > > One of the greatest assets a Pentax 645D has over competitors is the > large range of good, cheap glass out there. Pentax has been no slouch > in the glass area and this is going to keep the cost of upgrading from > 35mm down considerably, especially for those who have not sold off > their old 'useless' MF film gear in favour of the 'PRO' 35mm Canon > offerings. It would be rather remiss of them to not offer some > addition lenses at the same time of the release. > > Some will poo poo the idea of not having a digital back (niether does > the Hasselblad H3D) but with the price of a blad and a phase1 back, > you could purchase a new pentax 645D every year for the next 5 years > and still have change. I think that this release will open up the > market for MF digital with Mamiya and Hasselblad needing to rethink > their pricing structure. > > This would take some of the market from the high end canon camp, even > with Canon rumoured to be preparing a 25 megapixel 35mm offering. But > again, MF is always going to better 35mm and why would you buy a Canon > when then a larger range of glass is available at a much reduced cost? > Even new Pentax 645 lenses are not much more than Canon 35mm. > > I have no doubt that pro photographers are really awaiting a new 35mm > to replace thier existing kit, and lets face it, Pentax have more > digital experience than any of the others. > > If the price paul quotes is correct, give or take a grand, it is going > to be snapped up by photographers who will soon be ridiculing their > competitors who are still using 35mm kit, because we know real pro's > use MF. For the first time there will be a real market for MF digital. > > Greater dynamic range, higher megapixels, a better crop, and less > noise? All the things the MF users sacrificed to use a 35mm Canon can > be thiers again. Why would they not migrate? They need to purchase a > new Canon 35mm, or a new Pentax MF? Which way would YOU go? > > Kind regards > Kevin > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net